Evaluation of the effect of life extension of DHEA extract from sweet potato on Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

AbstractProducts from natural sources are being used from centuries. This study investigates the potential antiaging activity of DHEA extracts from sweet potato. DHEA was extracted with the assistance of acid hydrolysis-ultrasonic, and the Caenorhabditis elegans model was used to investigate the antiaging activity. The results from the current study articulated that DHEA from sweet potato in 50 μmol / L effectively prolonged the life-span of C. elegans by 13.60%, but the effect was not concentration-dependent. Besides, DHEA had no effect on the growth of E. coli OP50 and the nematode pharyngeal pump rate, indicating that DHEA didn’t delay the aging of the nematode through calorie restriction. Further experiments demonstrated that DHEA would slow the growth of nematode body size, reduce the accumulation of ROS and lipofuscin of C. elegans. The expression and migration of daf-16 into the nucleus of nematode were significantly improved as well. The antiaging effect of DHEA on C. elegans may be achieved by strengthening the nematode’s ability to resist oxidative stress and promoting nuclear expression of the daf-16 gene.Summary StatementThis study proved that DHEA from sweet potato can extended lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans induced by strengthening the antioxidant capacity and promoting the nuclear expression of daf-16