NEUROMODULATORY PROPERTIES OF DIETARY COMPONENTS AGAINST ACRYLAMIDE MODEL OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Girish Chandran (M.Sc., Ph.D.) * Kavya Sugur (M.Sc.), and Jyoti Bala Chauhran (M.Sc., M.Phil., Ph.D.)

ABSTRACT

Dietary modifications have been implied for major neurodegenerative disorders and are strongly advocated for neurodegenerative disorders. Concentrations of the major dietary components, carbohydrates, proteins and lipids have been associated with extent of pathophysiology of degenerative disorders. Numerous epidemiological and experimental evidences indicate a strong association between dietary protein and cellular redox balance. Accordingly, here we have tested the hypothesis that dietary protein modulates the acrylamide (ACR) induced neurotoxicity among Drosophila melanogaster. Adult (10d old) male drosophila (20flies/vial, 3vials/group) were maintained on a diet with varying concentrations of protein (semolina + yeast) (0.5 to 10% w/v, 2ml medium, 1week) and were co-challenged with ACR (2mM). Mortality was recorded daily and locomotor activity was assessed using negative geotaxis at regular intervals. Interestingly, absence of dietary protein resulted in marked mortality among ACR flies which was reduced significantly among flies maintained with dietary protein (5 and 10%). Further, the ACR induced locomotor dysfunction was ameliorated among protein rich groups. In addition, presence of semolina+yeast in the diet reduced the oxidative markers among the whole fly homogenates (hydroperoxides, protein carbonyls, and glutathione). Our data is of the opinion that dietary protein is a key player in the cellular redox and in turn protects neurons.

Keywords: Acrylamide, Neuroprotection, Dietary protein, Oxidative stress.