Regular Supplementation of Dietary Compounds Modulates Longevity and Aging in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Each time a cell divides telomeres shorten until a critical number of cell divisions is reached. This shortening of telomeres is associated with cells entering a post‐mitotic state of replicative senesce, which has been related to both cancer and aging. Previously, it has been shown that metals such as zinc and magnesium can modify cell replicative longevity as a result of improved metabolic homeostasis. Actively dividing cells can be characterized by the expression of specific genes associated with growth and proliferation; therefore, cells in a state of replicative senescence can be identified by variation in such gene expression patterns. Mitotic stem cell populations maintain several adult Drosophila tissues; therefore, these organisms are used to investigate the relationship between gene expression, telomere maintenance, and aging at the cellular and organismal levels.Adult yellow‐white Drosophila (n>100) were exposed to varied levels of ZnSO4 to determine optimal effects of supplementation. Survival curves were produced over the course of 52.5 hours and it was concluded that 0.125mM ZnSO4 had an effect on lifespan without lethality. Similar trials suggest similar outcome with respect to a dose‐dependent effect on longevity following Mg SO4 supplementation. Flies were exposed to food (Carolina Biologic Supply 4–24, plain) supplemented with 0.125mM ZnSO4 daily for two weeks. RNA was isolated from whole flies and RT‐qPCR was used to measure changes in telomerase fusion protein (tefu) mRNA, which is a homolog to the mammalian enzyme. Female flies showed increased tefu mRNA levels following prolonged ZnSO4; whereas male flies were found to have less than their respective controls.The results from these experiments may reveal therapeutic applications to enhance our understanding of the relationship between cell division and organismal longevity. Furthermore, these data can be applied to cancer presentation and progression.Support or Funding InformationSupported by the funds from the Wentworth Institute of Technology Department of Sciences