Mild heat treatments induce long-term changes in metabolites associated with energy metabolism in Drosophila melanogaster

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Pernille Sarup
  • Simon Metz Mariendal Petersen
  • Niels Chr Nielsen
  • Volker Loeschcke
  • Anders Malmendal

Heat-induced hormesis, the beneficial effect of mild heat-induced stress, increases the average lifespan of many organisms. Yet little is known about the mechanisms underlying this effect. We used nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to investigate the long-term effects of repeated mild heat treatments on the metabolome of male Drosophila melanogaster. 10 days after the heat treatment, metabolic aging appears to be slowed down, and a treatment response with 40 % higher levels of alanine and lactate and lower levels of aspartate and glutamate were measured. All treatment effects had disappeared 16 days later. Metabolic reprogramming has been associated with the life extending effects of dietary restriction. The metabolite changes induced by the hormetic treatment suggest that the positive effects might not be limited to the repair pathways induced, but that there also is a change in energy metabolism. A possible direct link between changes in energy metabolism and heat induced increase in Hsp70 expression is discussed.

Original languageEnglish
JournalBiogerontology
Volume17
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)873-882
Number of pages10
ISSN1389-5729
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2016

ID: 167555214