title: Hormetic effect and mechanism of imidazolium-based ionic liquids on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: In the present study, we used Caenorhabditis elegans assay system to investigate in hormetic effects of imidazolium-based bromide Ionic Liquids (ILs) and explored the possible underlying mechanism. Firstly, C. elegans was treated with ILs with different alkyl chain lengths at different concentrations. We found that exposure to ILs at 0.01 mg/L extended the mean lifespan of C. elegans and the ILs with longer alkyl chain showed more obvious effects. To investigate the possible mechanism, the nematodes were exposed to the three ILs at 0.01 mg/L for 2, 5, 7, 9 and 11 days. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in C. elegans increased significantly when treated for 2 days and then declined gradually compared to those of respective controls as time went on. After exposure for 11 days, the ROS levels and liposuscin accumulation were significantly lower in the treated groups than those of control group. Meanwhile, the expression of aging-related genes sod-5 and daf-16 were both massively up-regulated for the three ILs examined. Our results show that low concentration of ILs exert hormetic effect on C. elegans. ROS generation and expression of aging-related genes may play important roles in the IL-induced hormetic effect on C. elegans.
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Jie
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China. Electronic address: zhtong@ustc.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhong-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
authors.forename: Li-Ya
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
authors.forename: Yin-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
authors.forename: Han-Qing
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D059165:Hormesis / Q000187:drug effects; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D052578:Ionic Liquids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D007093:Imidazoles; D052578:Ionic Liquids; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
keywords: C. elegans; Hormesis; Ionic liquids; Lifespan; ROS; RT-PCR