Effect of plant sterol and galactooligosaccharides enriched beverages on oxidative stress and longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

This study evaluates the impact of two plant sterol (PS) enriched fruit beverages (0.6 g /100 ml), without (MfB) or with GOS (MfB-G) (1.2 g/100 ml) on the resistance against oxidative stress induced by non-conventional (cholesterol oxidation products (COPs)) and conventional (H2O2) oxidant compounds, as well as their impact on C. elegans longevity. Nematodes fed with both beverages (0.005–0.25%, v/v) showed similar improved oxidative stress resistance against COPs and H2O2. This effect was dependent on daf-16 transcription factor, although GOS showed an additional beneficial effect independent to daf-16. In addition, both beverages extended nematode lifespan, independently of the presence of GOS. Longevity assays using daf-16 and daf-2 mutant strains revealed that the observed effect was potentially linked to the insulin-IGF-1 pathway. These results provide new in vivo evidence for the potential use of PS enriched fruit beverages in the prevention of oxidative stress underlying many diseases.

Keywords

• Plant sterols
• Galactooligosaccharides
• Milk-based fruit beverages
• Cholesterol oxidation products
• Caenorhabditis elegans