Corn Oil Supplementation Enhances Locomotor Performance and Mitochondrial Function in Drosophila melanogaster
Source abstract
Abstract
Polyunsaturated fatty acids are vital for brain health, supporting cognitive development and helping to prevent neurodegenerative diseases. Since the body cannot produce them, they must be obtained through food. This study aimed to assess the effects of corn oil on the behavior and biochemical parameters of Drosophila melanogaster. The flies were fed a diet supplemented with different concentrations of corn oil from the larval stage until the fifth day of adulthood. A diet containing corn oil (37.8 mg/mL of linoleic acid) reduced mortality under starvation conditions and enhanced locomotor performance (p < 0.01). Biochemical analyses revealed increased levels of glutathione (p < 0.001), citrate synthase activity (p < 0.05), and mitochondrial phosphorylation (p < 0.05), indicating a potential boost in energy metabolism. Conversely, a decrease in acetylcholinesterase activity (p < 0.05) was observed, suggesting cholinergic modulation. These results demonstrate that corn oil supplementation supports neural health in this animal model, opening pathways for further research into non-pharmacological treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research · Insect Pest Control Strategies · Insect Resistance and Genetics
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Mitochondrial Metabolism and Neurotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá 79070-900, Brazil
Laboratory of Ecology and Microbial Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá 79070-900, Brazil
Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-220, Brazil
OncoFly Laboratory, Department of Clinical Analysis, São Paulo State University, Araraquara 14800-903, Brazil
Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Catalysis, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá 79070-900, Brazil
References (61)
Show source-provided references
1. Omega-3 fatty acids and neurological injury10.1016/j.plefa.2007.10.021 ↗
2. Contribution of omega-3 fatty acids for memory and cognitive function
3. ω-3 Fatty Acids in the Prevention of Cognitive Decline in Humans10.3945/an.113.004556 ↗
4. Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for the management of age- and disease-related declines in skeletal muscle mass, strength and physical function
5. Effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in patients with Alzheimer disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis
6. Beneficial effects of Docosahexaenoic acid consumption on brain health: A mini-review10.31665/JFB.2024.18375 ↗
7. Linoleic acid–good or bad for the brain?10.1038/s41538-019-0061-9 ↗
8. Role of omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) as modulatory and anti-inflammatory agents in noncommunicable diet-related diseases—Reports from the last 10 years10.1016/j.clnesp.2024.06.053 ↗
9. Tian, M., Bai, Y., Tian, H., and Zhao, X. (2023). The Chemical Composition and Health-Promoting Benefits of Vegetable Oils—A Review. Molecules, 28.10.3390/molecules28176393 ↗
10. Long-chain dietary fatty acids affect the capacity of Drosophila melanogaster to tolerate ethanol10.1093/jn/123.1.106 ↗
11. Avid uptake of linoleic acid and vitamin E by Drosophila melanogaster10.1016/S0271-5317(99)00143-8 ↗
12. Limmer, S., Weiler, A., Volkenhoff, A., Babatz, F., and Klämbt, C. (2014). The Drosophila blood-brain barrier: Development and function of a glial endothelium. Front. Neurosci., 8.10.3389/fnins.2014.00365 ↗
13. Human Disease Models in Drosophila melanogaster and the Role of the Fly in Therapeutic Drug Discovery10.1124/pr.110.003293 ↗
14. Prandiology of Drosophila and the CAFE assay10.1073/pnas.0702726104 ↗
15. Quantifying Drosophila food intake: Comparative analysis of current methodology10.1038/nmeth.2899 ↗
16. Depetris-Chauvin, A., Galagovsky, D., Chevalier, C., Maniere, G., and Grosjean, Y. (2017). Olfactory detection of a bacterial short-chain fatty acid acts as an orexigenic signal in Drosophila melanogaster larvae. Sci. Rep., 7.10.1038/s41598-017-14589-1 ↗
17. Alencar, L.P., Costa, L.L., Lisboa, D.R., Silva, J.R., Santos, S.F., Pereira, M.P., Yamaguchi, K.K.L., and Souza, A.O. (2023). Piranhea trifoliata extracts ameliorate muscular decline in Drosophila melanogaster exposed to Paraquat. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol., 112.10.1002/arch.21994 ↗
18. Neurotoxic and behavioral deficit in Drosophila melanogaster exposed to photocatalytic products of Paraquat10.1016/j.neuro.2024.06.012 ↗
19. Quantifying amyloid by Congo Red spectral shift assay10.1016/S0076-6879(99)09021-7 ↗
20. Mutation of TweedleD, a member of an unconventional cuticle protein family, alters body shape in Drosophila10.1073/pnas.0607616103 ↗
21. Selection for Timing of Eclosion Results in Co-evolution of Temperature Responsiveness in Drosophila melanogaster10.1177/0748730419877315 ↗
22. Brown, E.B., Slocumb, M.E., Szuperak, M., Kerbs, A., Gibbs, A.G., Kayser, M.S., and Keene, A.C. (2019). Starvation resistance is associated with developmentally specified changes in sleep, feeding and metabolic rate. J. Exp. Biol., 222.10.1242/jeb.191049 ↗
23. Effects of oxygen concentration and pressure on Drosophila melanogaster: Oxidative stress, mitochondrial activity, and survivorship10.1002/arch.21217 ↗
24. A simple assay to study social behavior in Drosophila: Measurement of social space within a group10.1111/j.1601-183X.2011.00740.x ↗
25. Ziegler, A.B., Ménagé, C., Grégoire, S., Garcia, T., Ferveur, J.F., Bretillon, L., and Grosjean, Y. (2015). Lack of Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Causes Synapse Dysfunction in the Drosophila Visual System. PLoS ONE, 10.10.1371/journal.pone.0135353 ↗
26. A Fluorometric Method for Determination of Oxidized and Reduced Glutathione in Tissues10.1016/0003-2697(76)90326-2 ↗
27. Assessment of mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymatic activities on tissues and cultured cells10.1038/nprot.2012.058 ↗
28. Citrate synthase10.1016/0076-6879(69)13005-0 ↗
29. Protective action of Omega-3 on paraquat intoxication in Drosophila melanogaster10.1080/15287394.2017.1357345 ↗
30. Neuroprotective action of Eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids on Paraquat intoxication in Drosophila melanogaster10.1016/j.neuro.2018.11.013 ↗
31. A new and rapid colorimetric determination of acetylcholinesterase activity10.1016/0006-2952(61)90145-9 ↗
32. A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding10.1016/0003-2697(76)90527-3 ↗
33. Omega-3 and ômega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids: Importance and occurrence in foods10.1590/S1415-52732006000600011 ↗
34. Conjugated linoleic acid evokes de-lipidation through the regulation of genes controlling lipid metabolism in adipose and liver tissue10.1111/j.1467-789X.2005.00198.x ↗
35. Effects of conjugated linoleic acid on animal metabolism: Advances in research and perspectives for the future
36. The Effects of Hempseed Meal Intake and Linoleic Acid on Drosophila Models of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Hypercholesterolemia10.1007/s10059-011-0042-6 ↗
37. Enriquez, T., Lievens, V., Nieberding, C.M., and Visser, B. (2002). Pupal size as a proxy for fat content in laboratory-reared and field-collected Drosophila species. Sci. Rep., 12.10.1038/s41598-022-15325-0 ↗
38. Treatment with corn oil improves neurogenesis and cognitive performance in the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome10.1016/j.brainresbull.2018.06.009 ↗
39. Fat-body remodeling in Drosophila melanogaster10.1002/dvg.20229 ↗
40. Exploring the nutritional basis of starvation resistance in Drosophila melanogaster10.1111/1365-2435.12247 ↗
41. Effect of dietary restriction on health span in Caenorhabditis elegans: A systematic review10.1016/j.exger.2023.112294 ↗
42. Effects of fasting and refeeding on the metabolic functions of the turtle Kinosternon scorpioides (Linnaeus, 1766) raised in captivity10.1590/S0100-736X2013000800015 ↗
43. Dietary restriction impacts health and lifespan of genetically diverse mice10.1038/s41586-024-08026-3 ↗
44. The role of larval fat cells in adult Drosophila melanogaster10.1242/jeb.001586 ↗
45. Colinergic system: Revisiting receptors, regulation and the relationship with Alzheimer disease, schizophrenia, epilepsy and smoking10.1590/S0101-60832010000200007 ↗
46. Alzheimer’s disease: Targeting the Cholinergic System10.2174/1570159X13666150716165726 ↗
47. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids improve cholinergic transmission in the aged brain10.1007/s12263-009-0141-6 ↗
48. Brain Energy Metabolism: Focus on Astrocyte-Neuron Metabolic Cooperation10.1016/j.cmet.2011.08.016 ↗
49. Brooks, G.A. (2023). What the Lactate Shuttle Means for Sports Nutrition. Nutrients, 15.10.3390/nu15092178 ↗
50. Role of glycogen in development and adult fitness in Drosophila10.1242/dev.176149 ↗
51. Rai, M., Carter, S.M., Shefali, S.A., Chawla, G., and Tennessen, J.M. (2023). Characterization of genetic and molecular tools for studying the endogenous expression of lactate dehydrogenase in Drosophila melanogaster. BioRxiv, 19.10.1101/2023.06.15.545165 ↗
52. Linoleic acid improves assembly of the CII subunit and CIII2/CIV complex of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system in heart failure10.1186/s12964-019-0445-0 ↗
53. Glutathione!
54. Tissue-, substrate-, and site-specific characteristics of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2009.02.008 ↗
55. Quercetin, a Flavonoid Antioxidant, Prevents and Protects against Ethanol-Induced Oxidative Stress in Mouse Liver10.1248/bpb.26.1398 ↗
56. Effect of Ascorbic Acid on Oxidative Stress Parameters of Fruit Fly in the Presence of Fe (II)10.1007/s12011-023-03960-1 ↗
57. Khaziev, E., Samigullin, D., Zhilyakov, N., Fatikhov, N., Bukharaeva, E., Verkhratsky, A., and Nikolsky, E. (2016). Acetylcholine-Induced Inhibition of Presynaptic Calcium Signals and Transmitter Release in the Frog Neuromuscular Junction. Front. Physiol., 7.10.3389/fphys.2016.00621 ↗
58. Cholinesterase inhibitors: A new class of psychotropic compounds10.1176/ajp.157.1.4 ↗
59. Training enhances imune cells mitochondrial biosynthesis, fission, fusion, and their antioxidant capabilities synergistically with dietary docosahexaenoic supplementation10.1155/2016/8950384 ↗
60. Galeano, P., Ceglia, M., Mastrogiovanni, M., Campanelli, L., Medina–Vera, D., Campolo, N., Novack, G.V., Rosell-Valle, C., Suárez, J., and Aicardo, A. (2023). The Effect of Fat Intake with Increased Omega-6-to-Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Ratio in Animal Models of Early and Late Alzheimer's Disease-like Pathogenesis. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 24.10.3390/ijms242317009 ↗
61. Differential impact of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in an animal model of Alzheimer’s disease10.1016/j.jlr.2024.100682 ↗