Context- and dose-dependent modulatory effects of naringenin on survival and development of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Naringenin, the predominant bioflavonoid found in grapefruit and tomato has diverse bioactive properties that encompass anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic, anti-estrogenic, anti-hyperlipidemic and anti-hyperglycemic characteristics. Naringenin has not been explored for its pro-longevity traits in fruit flies. Therefore, the current study explores its influence on longevity, fecundity, feeding rate, larval development, resistance to starvation stress and body weight in male and female wild-type Drosophila melanogaster Canton-S flies. Flies were fed with normal and high fat diets respectively. The results implied hormetic effects of naringenin on longevity and development in flies. In flies fed with standard and high fat diets, lower concentrations of naringenin (200 and 400 µM) augmented mean lifespan while higher concentrations (600 and 800 µM) were consistently lethal. However, enhanced longevity seen at 400 µM of naringenin was at the expense of reduced fecundity and food intake in flies. Larvae reared on standard diet having 200 µM of naringenin exhibited elevated pupation and emergence as flies. Eclosion time was hastened in larvae reared on standard diet having 200 µM of naringenin. Female flies fed with a standard diet having 200 and 400 µM of naringenin were more resistant to starvation stress. Reduction in body weight was observed in male and female flies fed with a high fat diet supplemented with 200 and 400 µM of naringenin respectively. Collectively, the results elucidated a context- and dose-dependent hormetic efficacy of naringenin that varied with gender, diet and stage of lifecycle in flies.

Control of the microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae in honey bees (Apis mellifera) using nutraceutical and immuno-stimulatory compounds

“…More work is needed to determine if even higher concentrations may be more effective without affecting mortality. However, while lower concentrations of naringenin similarly increased the longevity of Drosophila melanogaster, higher concentrations were lethal [69]. Thus there may actually be detrimental effects to A. mellifera with high concentrations of naringenin.…”

Biphasic Dose-Response Induced by Phytochemicals: Experimental Evidence

“…Administration of higher doses, 600 and 800 µM, resulted in a decrease in lifespan by 14% and 30%, respectively. A standard diet supplemented with 200 µM naringenin increased the percentage of pupae formation as well as the number of flies that eclosed after pupation, whereas the sharp decline of both endpoints was observed when the content of naringenin was 600 and 800 µM [75].…”

“…Chattopadhyay et al [75,76] investigated the effects of two flavonoids on longevity in Drosophila melanogaster. Rutin (quercetin-3-rutinoside) was shown to extend the median lifespan in female flies at a concentration of 200 and 400 µM by 30% and 43%, respectively.…”

“…It is intriguing how few experiments referring to biphasic dose-response induced by phytochemicals were carried on animal models, as demonstrated in the current review. In C. elegans [34,86,87] and D. melanogaster [75,76] treated with the compounds tested, biphasic changes of lifespan were recorded. Selected enzymes' activity in Spodoptera litura larvae [80] and mutagenic activity tested by Salmonella typhimurium assay were modulated in a biphasic manner [35,36].…”

The Evaluation of Geroprotective Effects of Selected Flavonoids in Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans

“…Using D. melanogaster model we also investigated the effects of selected flavonoids on Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway by measuring the expression values of certain genes coding proteins of this pathway and expression level of GstD1-GFP reporter that is Nrf2 target under both stress and non-stress conditions. We have extended our study to include naringin, a flavanone-7- O -glycoside found in citrus fruits and juices, since naringenin has recently been shown to have hormetic effects on D. melanogaster longevity ( Chattopadhyay et al, 2016 ) and glycosidic forms of flavonols are also known to be bioactive ( Lee et al, 2015 ). As the hormetic effects are usually considered as the ability to induce cell stress defense program in the absence of stress, the effects of selected flavonoids on expression of some stress response genes was studied.…”