Resveratrol Fails to Protect from Lipid Peroxidation and Cell Viability Loss in a Chronologically Aged GPX2 Mutant of S. cerevisiae.

Abstract

The lifespan of several animal species has been inversely correlated with the unsaturation degree of the fatty acids constituting membranes. In this regard, it has been described that resveratrol may extend the lifespan of several organisms, as S. cerevisiae. This yeast is suitable for carrying out studies exploring the role of fatty unsaturation degree on the rate of aging because the easy of manipulation of its membrane fatty acid composition. In order to explore whether resveratrol is able to extend the lifespan of yeast in relation with a high degree of fatty acid unsaturation and enhanced lipid peroxidation, we tested it effects on chronological aging and lipid peroxidation sensitivity in a phospholipid‐ hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase 2 (GPX2) mutant growth in the presence of arachidonic acid (C20:4). The GPX2 mutant exhibited lower cell viability at 5 or 10 days of chronological aging in the presence of C20:4 and this phenotype was partially rescued by the addition of resveratrol or the lipophilic antioxidant BHT. However, only BHT protected from cell viability loss at 15 or 20 days of aging. The GPX2 mutant exhibited a phenotype of hypersensitivity to lipid peroxidation at 15 days of aging, which was prevented by BHT but not by resveratrol. These results suggest that resveratrol may not extend the lifespan of yeast by increasing membrane unsaturation degree due to its inability to prevent lipid peroxidation.