Dietary consumption of monosodium L-glutamate induces adaptive response and reduction in the life span of Drosophila melanogaster.
Adaptive response is the ability of an organism to better counterattack stress-induced damage in response to a number of different cytotoxic agents. Monosodium L-glutamate (MSG), the sodium salt of amino acid glutamate, is commonly used as a food additive. We investigated the effects of MSG on the life span and antioxidant response in Drosophila melanogaster (D. melanogaster). Both genders (1 to 3 days old) of flies were fed with diet containing MSG (0.1, 0.5, and 2.5-g/kg diet) for 5 days to assess selected antioxidant and oxidative stress markers, while flies for longevity were fed for lifetime. Thereafter, the longevity assay, hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ), and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species levels were determined. Also, catalase, glutathione S-transferase and acetylcholinesterase activities, and total thiol content were evaluated in the flies. We found that MSG reduced the life span of the flies by up to 23% after continuous exposure. Also, MSG increased reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and H2 O2 generations and total thiol content as well as the activities of catalase and glutathione S-transferase in D. melanogaster (P < .05). In conclusion, consumption of MSG for 5 days by D. melanogaster induced adaptive response, but long-term exposure reduced life span of flies. This study may therefore have public health significance in humans, and thus, moderate consumption of MSG is advocated by the authors.
['Abolaji|Amos O|AO|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4203-452X', 'Olaiya|Charles O|CO|', 'Oluwadahunsi|Oluwagbenga J|OJ|', 'Farombi|Ebenezer O|EO|']
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase D000222:Adaptation, Physiological D000818:Animals D000975:Antioxidants D002374:Catalase D004032:Diet D004331:Drosophila melanogaster D005421:Flavoring Agents D005982:Glutathione Transferase D018384:Oxidative Stress D012970:Sodium Glutamate D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
monosodium L-glutamate adaptive response Drosophila melanogaster antioxidant response oxidative stress longevity