Specially regulated electron deprivation extremely prolongs lifespan and delays aging in middle-aged rotifers

The general aim of our work was to investigate aging and its modulating factors in a microinvertebrate animal that is a novel redox-based in vivo model. Our preferred species was a bdelloid rotifer, named Philodina acuticornis. We adjusted the biological (starvation or extreme caloric restriction) and chemical (drug-based electron deprivation) modulations and their optimal time-phases. Applying this complex system, we tested redox-modulating agents, neurotoxic aggregates and adaptogenic compounds on rotifers, monitored their lifespan and viability. The phenotypic plasticity-related limitations of the rotifers were investigated in a separate conception. Our developed lifespan- and phenotype-modifying system can be a reliable experimental model to provide new insights into the processes of senescence. We declare that the cellular NADH regulation phylogenetically is an important part of the complex mechanism of aging and longevity. The monitored physiological changes are accompanied by slowed metabolic activity and the cease of reproduction. Markedly extended lifespan, together with the delayed aging, is a unique combination of rotifer-phenotypes, which is to our knowledge unprecedented in the academic literature concerning any multicellular species. Furthermore, we revealed the available connections between starvation-induced electron deprivation and exceptional capability of rotifers to catabolize neurotoxic aggregates. Intention to deeper understanding the connections between redox processes, exceptional catabolism, phenotype plasticity and longevity is at the same time recent and eternal in entity-based in vivo aging research

In vivo screening of diterpene alkaloids using bdelloid rotifer assays

The group of diterpene alkaloids contains numerous compounds with complex chemistry and diverse pharmacological activities. Beside toxicity, these compounds possess activity on the cardiovascular system, tumor cell lines and nervous system. The pharmacological properties have been described using in vitro and in vivo techniques; however, the bioactivities of many compounds have not thoroughly been studied. Here we report on the in vivo evaluation of ten diterpene alkaloids using bdelloid rotifer assays. Napelline exerted toxic effects on rotifers, while wide tolerance range was observed for other investigated compounds. Weak toxicity of songorine is supported by our experiment. Toxicological data for senbusine A, senbusine C, septentrioidine and hetisinone are reported for the first time

Biological Activities of Four Adaptogenic Plant Extracts and Their Active Substances on a Rotifer Model

Rotifers have been widely used as well-characterized models of aging, since their multiorgan character makes them suitable as in vivo toxicological and lifespan models. Here we report the assessment of four adaptogenic plants and their extracts for the first time in this model. The effects on rotifer viability of extracts and characteristic active markers of Panax ginseng, Withania somnifera, Leuzea carthamoides, and Rhodiola rosea were tested in vivo. The crude extracts were nontoxic to Philodina acuticornis bdelloid rotifers; however, the pure substances of the plants influenced negatively the viability. Ginsenoside Rb1 and secondary metabolites of Withania somnifera exerted deleterious effect on the animals. The aglycone tyrosol and cinnamyl alcohol (from Rhodiola rosea) were more toxic than their glycosides salidroside and rosavin. Although the 20-OH-ecdysone and ajugasterone C (from Leuzea carthamoides) are chemically very similar, the latter was less toxic

Exceptional in vivo catabolism of neurodegeneration-related aggregates

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Application of BisANS fluorescent dye for developing a novel protein assay

<div><p>In many biology- and chemistry-related research fields and experiments the quantification of the peptide and/or protein concentration in samples are essential. Every research environment has unique requirements, e.g. metal ions, incubation times, photostability, pH, protease inhibitors, chelators, detergents, etc. A new protein assay may be adequate in different experiments beyond or instead of the well-known standard protocols (e.g. Qubit, Bradford or bicinchoninic acid) in related conceptions. Based on our previous studies, we developed a novel protein assay applying the 4,4′-Dianilino-1,1′-binaphthyl-5,5′-disulfonic acid dipotassium salt (BisANS) fluorescent dye. This molecule has several advantageous properties related to protein detection: good solubility in water, high photostability at adequate pH, quick interaction kinetics (within seconds) with proteins and no exclusionary sensitivity to the chelator, detergent and inhibitor ingredients. The protocol described in this work is highly sensitive in a large spectrum to detect protein (100-fold diluted samples) concentrations (from 0.28 up to more than 100 μg/mL). The BisANS protein assay is valid and applicable for quantification of the amount of protein in different biological and/or chemical samples.</p></div