Planta Med 2024; 90(07/08): 512-522
DOI: 10.1055/a-2192-3167
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers

A Metabolomic Approach to Investigate the Effect of Phytonutrients on Proteostasis and Metabolic Pathways in Drosophila melanogaster [ # ]

Eleni V. Mikropoulou
1   Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, Athens, Greece
,
Zoi Evangelakou
2   Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, Athens, Greece
,
Ioannis P. Trougakos
2   Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, Athens, Greece
,
Maria Halabalaki
1   Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, Athens, Greece
› Author Affiliations

This work was funded by the “NutraFood” project (T7ΔKI-00296), Bilateral and Multilateral S&T Cooperation Greece-China, 2018″ (EPAnEK 2014 – 2020).
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Abstract

The use of Drosophila melanogaster as a biological platform to study the effect of diet and food bioactives on the metabolome remains a highly unexplored subject. Aiming to establish alternative solutions for the investigation of nutritional interventions with bioactive natural products by employing LC-MS-based metabolomics approaches, we assessed the effect of a phytonutrient-rich extract from the endemic Mediterranean plant Cichorium spinosum (stamnagkàthi) on a Drosophila population. The extractʼs modulating effect on the proteostasis network and metabolism of young D. melanogaster flies was evaluated. Furthermore, an untargeted metabolomics approach, employing a C18 UPLC-ESI-Orbitrap-HRMS/MS platform, permitted the detection of several biomarkers in the metabolic profile of Drosophila’s tissues; while targeted amino acid quantification in Drosophila tissue was simultaneously performed by employing aTRAQ labeling and an ion-pairing UPLC-ESI-SWATH-HRMS/MS platform. The detected metabolites belong to different chemical classes, and statistical analysis with chemometrics tools was utilized to reveal patterns and trends, as well as to uncover potential class-distinguishing features and possible biomarkers. Our findings suggest that Drosophila can serve as a valuable in vivo model for investigating the role of bioactive phytoconstituents, like those found in C. spinosum’s decoction, on diverse metabolic processes. Additionally, the fruit fly represents a highly effective platform to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying sex differences in diverse aspects of nutrition and physiology in higher metazoans.

# This work is dedicated to Professors Rudolf Bauer, Chlodwig Franz, Brigitte Kopp, and Hermann Stuppner for their invaluable contributions and commitment to Austrian Pharmacognosy.


Supporting Information



Publication History

Received: 13 June 2023

Accepted after revision: 06 October 2023

Article published online:
06 June 2024

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