title: Anti-aging effect of polysaccharide from Bletilla striata on nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polysaccharide isolated from Bletilla striata, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (Bletilla striata polysaccharide [BSP]) has been found to play important roles in endothelial cells proliferation, inducible nitric oxide stimulation, wound healing acceleration and other processes. Recent studies found that B. striata has anti-oxidative properties, however, potential anti-aging effects of BSP in whole organisms has not been characterized.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether BSP has anti-aging effects on Caenorhabditis elegans.
  
  
  METHODS
  After treatment with BSP, the lifespan, locomotion ability, and stress resistance of C. elegans was determined. To provide insight into the underlying mechanism for the anti-aging effect of BSP, we measured its effect on bacterial growth, brood size of C. elegans, and the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After BSP treatment, the lifespan of C. elegans was extended, and its locomotion ability and stress resistance were increased. BSP was found to have no effect on bacterial growth or on reproduction of C. elegans, However, mRNA levels of age-1 and hcf-1 were reduced after BSP treatment. Additionally, we observed that BSP did not extend the lifespan of daf-16 mutant animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BSP produces an anti-aging effect on C. elegans through the insulin/IGF signaling pathway and holds promise for future development as a functional food.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, China.
authors.forename: Yusi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Life Sciences, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Life Sciences, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Life Sciences, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, China.
authors.forename: Weiming
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Life Sciences, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, China.
authors.forename: Ziheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhuang
keywords: Anti-aging; Bletilla striata polysaccharide; Caenorhabditis elegans; lifespan; stress resistance