Zymolytic Grain Extract (ZGE) Significantly Extends the Lifespan and Enhances the Environmental Stress Resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Many reports have shown that grains play an important role in our daily lives and can provide energy and nutrients to protect us from various diseases, and they are considered to be indispensable parts of our lives. It has been reported that some constituents in grains could exert functional effects against HIV infections and multiple cancers. Zymolytic grain can produce some new useful molecules and thus support the cell nutrients in the human body. In this study, the effects of zymolytic grain extract (ZGE) supernatants on the changes of nematode indicators were investigated, including lifespan, self-brood size, and body length in environmental conditions (temperature, ultraviolet radiation or 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine (FUDR) stimuli). We found that, compared to the control group, the ZGE supernatant-feeding group could prolong the lifespan of nematodes under normal conditions. More importantly, ZGE supernatants could improve the ability of nematodes to resist stress. When the concentration of FUDR was 400 or 50 μM, the ZGE supernatant-feeding group could prolong lifespan by an average of 38.4% compared to the control group, and the eggs of the ZGE supernatant-feeding group could hatch and develop into adults. These results indicated that ZGE could protect C. elegans from external stress and thus prolong their lifespan and improve the physiological state of nematodes. Therefore, ZGE supernatant has potential to be used as a nutritional product in antioxidant and anti-aging research.