Dietary inclusions of Solanum vegetables mitigate aluminum-induced redox and inflammation-related neurotoxicity in Drosophila melanogaster model

• Published in: Nutritional neuroscience Vol. 25; no. 10; pp. 2077 - 2091
• Main Authors: Ogunsuyi, Opeyemi B., Olagoke, Olawande C., Afolabi, Blessing A., Oboh, Ganiyu, Ijomone, Omamuyovwi M., Barbosa, Nilda V., da Rocha, João B. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 03.10.2022
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease; Apoptosis; Fruit fly; Neurodegeneration index; Neurotoxicity; oxidative stress; RT-PCR; Solanum vegetables; Fruit fly; Neurotoxicity; Solanum vegetables; RT–PCR; Alzheimer's disease; Neurodegeneration index; oxidative stress; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 1028-415X; 1476-8305
• DOI: 10.1080/1028415X.2021.1933331

This study investigated the modulatory capacity of two Solanum green leafy vegetables; S. macrocarpon L. (African eggplant AE) and S. nigrum L. (Black nightshade BN) on dysregulation of some antioxidant, pro-apoptotic, pro-inflammatory-like, acetylcholinesterase gene expression and redox status in the Drosophila melanogaster model of aluminum-induced neurotoxicity. Flies were exposed to AlCl 3 (6.7 mM) alone or in combination with the leaves (0.1 and 1.0%) from both samples in their diet for seven days. Thereafter, the fly heads were rapidly separated, homogenized, and used to assay for reactive oxygen species (ROS), total thiol content, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities, and the expression of antioxidant-mediators (Hsp70, catalase, cnc/Nrf2, Jafrac1 and FOXO), acetylcholinesterase (Ace1), pro-apoptotic caspase-like (Dronc) and its regulator (reaper), as well as inflammation-related (NF-kB/Relish) genes. Results showed that AlCl 3 -exposed flies had significantly reduced survival rate which were ameliorated by AlCl 3 also elevated ROS, GST and reduced AChE activities in fly heads while dietary inclusions of AE and BN ameliorated survial rate and oxidative stress in AlCl 3 -exposed flies. In addition, Hsp70, Jafrac1, reaper and NF-kҝB/Relish were significantly upregulated in AlCl 3 -exposed fly heads, while cnc/Nrf2 and FOXO were significantly downregulated, but catalase, Dronc and Ace were, not significantly modulated. Nevertheless, these impairments in gene expression levels were ameliorated by dietary inclusions of AE and BN during AlCl 3 exposure. These findings showed that dietary inclusions of AE and BN leaves offer protection against Al-induced neurotoxicity in D. melanogaster and thus, could serve as functional foods with neuroprotective properties.