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Aloe vera Gel Extract Prolongs Lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans

Year 2024, Volume: 45 Issue: 1, 40 - 46, 28.03.2024
https://doi.org/10.17776/csj.1400264

Abstract

Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), with its superiority and physiological aging properties, has become a widely recognized model system in research on aging, longevity mechanisms, age-related diseases, and drug screening. Lifespan-extending mutations in C. elegans are known to slow the aging process by interfering with a number of signaling pathways such as the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) pathways. We aimed to see how Aloe vera (A. vera) gel affects the fertilization and lifespan of C. elegans. In the presence of all A. vera gel concentrations (0.312 - 5 mg/mL), the fertilization capacity of N2 worms increased and extended their lifespan as well as increased their body size. We found that in N2 worms cultured with 2.5 mg/ml A. vera gel, sgk-1, age-1, and let-363 mRNA expression was significantly increased, while rsks-1 mRNA expression was significantly decreased. We therefore conclude that it may extend lifespan through a mechanism specifically dependent on mTOR signaling. All these observations will provide a new perspective on mammalian life extension through the model organism C. elegans.

Thanks

The authors are thankful for the ongoing support of the Advanced Technology and Research Center (CUTAM), Sivas Cumhuriyet University. Further, we would like to thank Özgür Ülkü Özdemir, master student of the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Sivas Cumhuriyet University, for providing the necessary convenience and encouragement for the maintain of the C. elegans culture.

References

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  • [8] Yu B.P., Cellular defenses against damage from reactive oxygen species, Physiological reviews., 74 (1) (1994) 139-162.
  • [9] Liguori I., Russo G., Curcio F., et al, Oxidative stress, aging, and diseases, Clinical interventions in aging, (2018) 757-772.
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  • [13] Kenawy E.-R.S., Kamoun E.A., Ghaly Z.S., Shokr A.-b.M., El-Meligy M.A., Mahmoud Y.A.G., Novel Physically Cross-Linked Curcumin-Loaded PVA/Aloe vera Hydrogel Membranes for Acceleration of Topical Wound Healing: In Vitro and In Vivo Experiments, Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 48 (1) (2023) 497-514.
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  • [15] Özdemir Ö., Yurt K., Pektaş A.N., Berk Ş., Evaluation and normalization of a set of reliable reference genes for quantitative sgk-1 gene expression analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans-focused cancer research, Nucleosides Nucleotides Nucleic Acids, (2024) 1-20.
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  • [20] Zhao Y., Yang R., Rui Q., Wang D., Intestinal Insulin Signaling Encodes Two Different Molecular Mechanisms for the Shortened Longevity Induced by Graphene Oxide in Caenorhabditis elegans, Sci Rep., 6 (2016) 24024.
  • [21] Xiao X., Zhang X., Bai J., et al, Bisphenol S increases the obesogenic effects of a high-glucose diet through regulating lipid metabolism in Caenorhabditis elegans, Food Chem., 339 Mar 1 (2021) 127813.
  • [22] Kokel D., Li Y., Qin J., Xue D., The nongenotoxic carcinogens naphthalene and para-dichlorobenzene suppress apoptosis in Caenorhabditis elegans, Nat. Chem. Biol., 2 (6) (2006) 338-45.
  • [23] Chandrashekara K.T., Shakarad M.N., Aloe vera or Resveratrol Supplementation in Larval Diet Delays Adult Aging in the Fruit Fly, Drosophila melanogaster, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A., 66A (9) (2011) 965-971. doi:10.1093/gerona/glr103
  • [24] Herlihy J., Bertrand H., Kim J., Ikeno Y., Yu B., Effects of Aloe vera ingestion in the rat. I. Growth, food and fluid intake and serum chemistry, Phytotherapy Research: An International Journal Devoted to Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluation of Natural Product Derivatives., 12 (3) (1998) 183-188.
  • [25] Martel J., Wu C.Y., Peng H.H., et al, Plant and fungal products that extend lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans, Microb Cell., 7 (10) (2020) 255-269.
  • [26] Ruby J.G., Wright K.M., Rand K.A., et al, Estimates of the heritability of human longevity are substantially inflated due to assortative mating, Genetics., 210 (3) (2018) 1109-1124.
  • [27] Kapahi P., Chen D., Rogers A.N., et al, With TOR, less is more: a key role for the conserved nutrient-sensing TOR pathway in aging, Cell metabolism., 11 (6) (2010) 453-465.
  • [28] Blackwell T.K., Sewell A.K., Wu Z., Han M., TOR Signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans Development, Metabolism, and Aging, Genetics., 213 (2) (2019) 329-360.
  • [29] Magnuson B., Ekim B., Fingar D.C., Regulation and function of ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K) within mTOR signalling networks, Biochemical Journal., 441 (1) (2012) 1-21.
  • [30] Abe Y., Yoon S.O., Kubota K., Mendoza M.C., Gygi S.P., Blenis J., p90 ribosomal S6 kinase and p70 ribosomal S6 kinase link phosphorylation of the eukaryotic chaperonin containing TCP-1 to growth factor, insulin, and nutrient signaling, J Biol Chem., 284 (22) 29 (2009) 14939-48.
  • [31] Pan K.Z., Palter J.E., Rogers A.N., et al, Inhibition of mRNA translation extends lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans, Aging Cell., 6 (1) (2007) 111-9. doi:10.1111/j.1474-9726.2006.00266.x
  • [32] Brunet A., Park J., Tran H., Hu L.S., Hemmings B.A., Greenberg M.E., Protein kinase SGK mediates survival signals by phosphorylating the forkhead transcription factor FKHRL1 (FOXO3a), Molecular and cellular biology., 21 (3) (2001) 952-965.
  • [33] Hertweck M., Göbel C., Baumeister R., C. elegans SGK-1 is the critical component in the Akt/PKB kinase complex to control stress response and life span, Developmental cell., 6 (4) (2004) 577-588.
  • [34] Alam H., Williams T.W., Dumas K.J., et al, EAK-7 controls development and life span by regulating nuclear DAF-16/FoxO activity, Cell metabolism., 12 (1) (2010) 30-41.
  • [35] Kwon E.-S., Narasimhan S.D., Yen K., Tissenbaum H.A., A new DAF-16 isoform regulates longevity, Nature, 466 (7305) (2010) 498-502.
  • [36] Chen A.T., Guo C., Dumas K.J., Ashrafi K., Hu P.J., Effects of Caenorhabditis elegans sgk-1 mutations on lifespan, stress resistance, and DAF-16/FoxO regulation, Aging Cell, 12 (5) (2013) 932-40.
  • [37] Ristow M., Schmeisser S., Extending life span by increasing oxidative stress, Free radical biology and medicine, 51 (2) (2011) 327-336.
  • [38] Duangjan C., Rangsinth P., Gu X., Wink M., Tencomnao T., Lifespan extending and oxidative stress resistance properties of a leaf extracts from Anacardium occidentale L. in Caenorhabditis elegans, Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2019 (2019).
  • [39] Hęś M., Dziedzic K., Górecka D., Jędrusek-Golińska A., Gujska E., Aloe vera (L.) Webb.: Natural Sources of Antioxidants - A Review, Plant Foods Hum Nutr., 74 (3) (2019) 255-265.
  • [40] Ray A., Gupta S.D., Ghosh S., Evaluation of anti-oxidative activity and UV absorption potential of the extracts of Aloe vera L. gel from different growth periods of plants, Industrial Crops and Products, 49 (2013) 712-719.
Year 2024, Volume: 45 Issue: 1, 40 - 46, 28.03.2024
https://doi.org/10.17776/csj.1400264

Abstract

References

  • [1] Kenyon C.J., The genetics of ageing, Nature, 464 (7288) (2010) 504-512.
  • [2] Denzel M.S., Lapierre L.R., Mack H.I., Emerging topics in C. elegans aging research: Transcriptional regulation, stress response and epigenetics, Mechanisms of ageing and development, 177 (2019) 4-21.
  • [3] Arya U., Das C.K., Subramaniam J.R., Caenorhabditis elegans for preclinical drug discovery, Current Science, (2010) 1669-1680.
  • [4] Stein G.M., Murphy C.T., The intersection of aging, longevity pathways, and learning and memory in C. elegans, Frontiers in Genetics, 3 (2012) 259.
  • [5] Uno M., Nishida E. Lifespan-regulating genes in C. elegans, NPJ Aging Mech Dis., 2 (2016) 16010.
  • [6] Zhang S., Li F., Zhou T., Wang G., Li Z., Caenorhabditis elegans as a useful model for studying aging mutations, Frontiers in endocrinology, 11 (2020) 554994.
  • [7] Beckman K.B., Ames B.N., The free radical theory of aging matures, Physiol Rev., 78 (2) (1998) 547-81.
  • [8] Yu B.P., Cellular defenses against damage from reactive oxygen species, Physiological reviews., 74 (1) (1994) 139-162.
  • [9] Liguori I., Russo G., Curcio F., et al, Oxidative stress, aging, and diseases, Clinical interventions in aging, (2018) 757-772.
  • [10] de Castro E., de Castro S.H., Johnson T.E., Isolation of long-lived mutants in Caenorhabditis elegans using selection for resistance to juglone, Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 37 (2) (2004) 139-145.
  • [11] Guo X., Mei N., Aloe vera: A review of toxicity and adverse clinical effects, J. Environ. Sci. Health C. Environ. Carcinog. Ecotoxicol Rev., 34 (2) (2016) 77-96.
  • [12] Panel C.I.R.E., Final report on the safety assessment of aloeandongensis extract, aloe andongensis leaf juice, aloe arborescens leaf extract, aloe arborescens leaf juice, aloe arborescens leaf protoplasts, aloe barbadensis flower extract, aloe barbadensis leaf, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, aloe barbadensis leaf polysaccharides, aloe barbadensis leaf water, aloe ferox leaf extract, aloe ferox leaf juice, and aloe ferox leaf juice extract, International journal of toxicology, 26 (2007) 1-50.
  • [13] Kenawy E.-R.S., Kamoun E.A., Ghaly Z.S., Shokr A.-b.M., El-Meligy M.A., Mahmoud Y.A.G., Novel Physically Cross-Linked Curcumin-Loaded PVA/Aloe vera Hydrogel Membranes for Acceleration of Topical Wound Healing: In Vitro and In Vivo Experiments, Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 48 (1) (2023) 497-514.
  • [14] Brenner S., The genetics of Caenorhabditis elegans, Genetics, 77 (1) (1974) 71-94.
  • [15] Özdemir Ö., Yurt K., Pektaş A.N., Berk Ş., Evaluation and normalization of a set of reliable reference genes for quantitative sgk-1 gene expression analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans-focused cancer research, Nucleosides Nucleotides Nucleic Acids, (2024) 1-20.
  • [16] Vandesompele J., De Preter K., Pattyn F., et al, Accurate normalization of real-time quantitative RT-PCR data by geometric averaging of multiple internal control genes, Genome Biology, 3 (7) 2002/06/18 (2002) research0034.1.
  • [17] Hoogewijs D., Houthoofd K., Matthijssens F., Vandesompele J., Vanfleteren J.R., Selection and validation of a set of reliable reference genes for quantitative sod gene expression analysis in C. elegans, BMC Mol Biol., 9 (2008) 9.
  • [18] Zhuang Z., Li M., Liu H., et al, Function of RSKS-1-AAK-2-DAF-16 signaling cascade in enhancing toxicity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes can be suppressed by mir-259 activation in Caenorhabditis elegans, Scientific Reports., 6 (1) (2016) 32409.
  • [19] Chalorak P., Dharmasaroja P., Meemon K., Downregulation of eEF1A/EFT3-4 Enhances Dopaminergic Neurodegeneration After 6-OHDA Exposure in C. elegans Model, Front Neurosci., 14 (2020) 303.
  • [20] Zhao Y., Yang R., Rui Q., Wang D., Intestinal Insulin Signaling Encodes Two Different Molecular Mechanisms for the Shortened Longevity Induced by Graphene Oxide in Caenorhabditis elegans, Sci Rep., 6 (2016) 24024.
  • [21] Xiao X., Zhang X., Bai J., et al, Bisphenol S increases the obesogenic effects of a high-glucose diet through regulating lipid metabolism in Caenorhabditis elegans, Food Chem., 339 Mar 1 (2021) 127813.
  • [22] Kokel D., Li Y., Qin J., Xue D., The nongenotoxic carcinogens naphthalene and para-dichlorobenzene suppress apoptosis in Caenorhabditis elegans, Nat. Chem. Biol., 2 (6) (2006) 338-45.
  • [23] Chandrashekara K.T., Shakarad M.N., Aloe vera or Resveratrol Supplementation in Larval Diet Delays Adult Aging in the Fruit Fly, Drosophila melanogaster, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A., 66A (9) (2011) 965-971. doi:10.1093/gerona/glr103
  • [24] Herlihy J., Bertrand H., Kim J., Ikeno Y., Yu B., Effects of Aloe vera ingestion in the rat. I. Growth, food and fluid intake and serum chemistry, Phytotherapy Research: An International Journal Devoted to Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluation of Natural Product Derivatives., 12 (3) (1998) 183-188.
  • [25] Martel J., Wu C.Y., Peng H.H., et al, Plant and fungal products that extend lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans, Microb Cell., 7 (10) (2020) 255-269.
  • [26] Ruby J.G., Wright K.M., Rand K.A., et al, Estimates of the heritability of human longevity are substantially inflated due to assortative mating, Genetics., 210 (3) (2018) 1109-1124.
  • [27] Kapahi P., Chen D., Rogers A.N., et al, With TOR, less is more: a key role for the conserved nutrient-sensing TOR pathway in aging, Cell metabolism., 11 (6) (2010) 453-465.
  • [28] Blackwell T.K., Sewell A.K., Wu Z., Han M., TOR Signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans Development, Metabolism, and Aging, Genetics., 213 (2) (2019) 329-360.
  • [29] Magnuson B., Ekim B., Fingar D.C., Regulation and function of ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K) within mTOR signalling networks, Biochemical Journal., 441 (1) (2012) 1-21.
  • [30] Abe Y., Yoon S.O., Kubota K., Mendoza M.C., Gygi S.P., Blenis J., p90 ribosomal S6 kinase and p70 ribosomal S6 kinase link phosphorylation of the eukaryotic chaperonin containing TCP-1 to growth factor, insulin, and nutrient signaling, J Biol Chem., 284 (22) 29 (2009) 14939-48.
  • [31] Pan K.Z., Palter J.E., Rogers A.N., et al, Inhibition of mRNA translation extends lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans, Aging Cell., 6 (1) (2007) 111-9. doi:10.1111/j.1474-9726.2006.00266.x
  • [32] Brunet A., Park J., Tran H., Hu L.S., Hemmings B.A., Greenberg M.E., Protein kinase SGK mediates survival signals by phosphorylating the forkhead transcription factor FKHRL1 (FOXO3a), Molecular and cellular biology., 21 (3) (2001) 952-965.
  • [33] Hertweck M., Göbel C., Baumeister R., C. elegans SGK-1 is the critical component in the Akt/PKB kinase complex to control stress response and life span, Developmental cell., 6 (4) (2004) 577-588.
  • [34] Alam H., Williams T.W., Dumas K.J., et al, EAK-7 controls development and life span by regulating nuclear DAF-16/FoxO activity, Cell metabolism., 12 (1) (2010) 30-41.
  • [35] Kwon E.-S., Narasimhan S.D., Yen K., Tissenbaum H.A., A new DAF-16 isoform regulates longevity, Nature, 466 (7305) (2010) 498-502.
  • [36] Chen A.T., Guo C., Dumas K.J., Ashrafi K., Hu P.J., Effects of Caenorhabditis elegans sgk-1 mutations on lifespan, stress resistance, and DAF-16/FoxO regulation, Aging Cell, 12 (5) (2013) 932-40.
  • [37] Ristow M., Schmeisser S., Extending life span by increasing oxidative stress, Free radical biology and medicine, 51 (2) (2011) 327-336.
  • [38] Duangjan C., Rangsinth P., Gu X., Wink M., Tencomnao T., Lifespan extending and oxidative stress resistance properties of a leaf extracts from Anacardium occidentale L. in Caenorhabditis elegans, Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2019 (2019).
  • [39] Hęś M., Dziedzic K., Górecka D., Jędrusek-Golińska A., Gujska E., Aloe vera (L.) Webb.: Natural Sources of Antioxidants - A Review, Plant Foods Hum Nutr., 74 (3) (2019) 255-265.
  • [40] Ray A., Gupta S.D., Ghosh S., Evaluation of anti-oxidative activity and UV absorption potential of the extracts of Aloe vera L. gel from different growth periods of plants, Industrial Crops and Products, 49 (2013) 712-719.
There are 40 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Structural Biology
Journal Section Natural Sciences
Authors

Şeyda Berk 0000-0003-4687-0223

Publication Date March 28, 2024
Submission Date December 4, 2023
Acceptance Date March 12, 2024
Published in Issue Year 2024Volume: 45 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Berk, Ş. (2024). Aloe vera Gel Extract Prolongs Lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans. Cumhuriyet Science Journal, 45(1), 40-46. https://doi.org/10.17776/csj.1400264