Myrtillin Prolongs Lifespan and Enhances Tolerance against Pathogenic Infections in Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Myrtillin is a pigment found abundantly in a variety of fruits and vegetables. As an anthocyanin compound, myrtillin exhibits antioxidant properties that can potentially counteract oxidative damage. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we focus on investigating the protective effects of myrtillin on Caenorhabditis elegans against pathogen-induced oxidative damage. Specifically, we explore the impact of myrtillin on the lifespan of C. elegans when exposed to different pathogens, namely Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To conduct our experiments, C. elegans were administered varying concentrations of myrtillin and subsequently infected with each of the aforementioned pathogens. The nematodes’ lifespan was carefully monitored under these conditions. We also docked the three-dimensional structure of myrtillin to the crystal structure of different bacterial proteins. We visualized the crystal-docked structures with the lowest binding energy. RESULTS: Our findings revealed a significant increase in the lifespan of C. elegans when exposed to S. aureus, E. faecalis, K. pneumoniae, and P. mirabilis (P ≤ 0.05). It is worth noting that the effectiveness of myrtillin in extending lifespan varied among these pathogens. Notably, we observed that myrtillin exhibited low binding energies toward specific bacterial proteins, namely filamenting temperature-sensitive mutant Z of S. aureus and NAD+-dependent DNA ligase of E. faecalis. These interactions involved a combination of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. In addition, myrtillin demonstrated the lowest binding energy with SHV-2 of K. pneumoniae and amidohydrolase of P. mirabilis, characterized by a higher number of hydrogen bonds. CONCLUSION: Based on our observations, we speculate that myrtillin possesses an additional protective mechanism against a range of pathogens, ultimately leading to an extended lifespan in C. elegans. This suggests the potential of myrtillin as a beneficial compound with diverse protective properties against various pathogens. Further research is required to elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying myrtillin’s effects and its potential application in promoting health and longevity.