title: The Lignan Pinoresinol Induces Nuclear Translocation of DAF-16 in Caenorhabditis elegans but has No Effect on Life Span.
abstract: The lignan pinoresinol is a constituent of flaxseed, sesame seeds and olive oil. Because of different molecular effects reported for this compound, e.g. antioxidative activity, pinoresinol is suggested to cause positive effects on humans. Because experimental data are limited, we have analysed the effects of the lignan on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans: in spite of a strong antioxidative capacity detected in an in vitro assay, no antioxidative effects were detectable in vivo. In analogy to this result, no modulation of the sensitivity against thermal stress was detectable. However, incubation with pinoresinol caused an enhanced nuclear accumulation of the transcription factor DAF-16 (insulin/IGF-like signalling pathway). Using a strain with an enhanced oxidative stress level (mev-1 mutant), we clearly see an increase in stress resistance caused by this lignan, but no change in reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of pinoresinol on the life span of the nematode, but no modulation was found, neither in wild-type nor in mev-1 mutant nematodes. These results suggest that pinoresinol may exert pharmacologically interesting effects via modulation of the insulin-like signalling pathway in C. elegans as well as in other species like mammals due to the evolutionary conservation of this signalling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Biofunctionality of Secondary Plant Compounds, Weinbergweg 22 (Biozentrum), 06120, Halle/Saale, Germany.
authors.forename: Karoline
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.affiliation: Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Biofunctionality of Secondary Plant Compounds, Weinbergweg 22 (Biozentrum), 06120, Halle/Saale, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Büchter
authors.affiliation: Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Biofunctionality of Secondary Plant Compounds, Weinbergweg 22 (Biozentrum), 06120, Halle/Saale, Germany.
authors.forename: Susannah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Havermann
authors.affiliation: Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Biofunctionality of Secondary Plant Compounds, Weinbergweg 22 (Biozentrum), 06120, Halle/Saale, Germany.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wätjen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology; D005663:Furans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017705:Lignans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008136:Longevity / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D005663:Furans; D017705:Lignans; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C108831:daf-16 protein, C elegans; C103298:pinoresinol
keywords: DAF-16; ageing; lignan; oxidative stress; pinoresinol; secondary plant compounds