>From The Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1997, v. 15, No. 1, p. 36.
AN ATTEMPT TO SLOW AGING IN C. elegans.
8. MELATONIN REDUCES LIFE SPAN OF C. elegans
Vladimir V. Bakaev (e-mail: Vlad at bakaev.nsk.ru), Anatolii V.
Efremov, Vladimir N. Anisimov* P.O. Box 45, Novosibirsk, 630107,
*N.N.Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, St.Petersburg,
189646, Russia
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of diffe-
rent concentrations of pineal indole hormone melatonin in water
solutions on nematode life span. Melatonin was used in following
dilutions : 1:10(3), 1:10(4), 1:10(5), 1:10(6), 1:10(7), 1:10(8),
1:10(9) and 1:10(10). Three adult animals (3 - 5 days old) were
kept in microtitre wells containing 0,75 ml of liquid medium
(with E. coli and without melatonin) during 4 hours, then they
were discarded and newborn larvae were transferred in next wells
(with melatonin in any concentration) every day (one worm in one
well). This investigation was carried out at temperature +21oC
and in the darkness. The obtained results are presented in the
table.
╔═════════════════════╤══════╤════════════════════════════╗
║ Concentration of │ │ Longevity (days) ║
║ melatonin │ n ├───────────────┬────────────╢
║ │ │ mean +/- S.E. │ maximal ║
╟─────────────────────┼──────┼───────────────┼────────────╢
║ Control │ 12 │ 23,7 +/- 1,8 │ 32 ║
║ │ │ │ ║
║ 1:10(4) │ 12 │ 18,0 +/- 2,3 │ 31 ║
║ │ │ │ ║
║ 1:10(5) │ 12 │ 22,5 +/- 2,2 │ 32 ║
║ │ │ │ ║
║ 1:10(6) │ 12 │ 16,3 +/- 2,0* │ 27 ║
║ │ │ │ ║
║ 1:10(7) │ 12 │ 15,6 +/- 2,4* │ 31 ║
║ │ │ │ ║
║ 1:10(8) │ 12 │ 10,5 +/- 0,9* │ 14 ║
║ │ │ │ ║
║ 1:10(9) │ 12 │ 11,3 +/- 1,6* │ 21 ║
║ │ │ │ ║
║ 1:10(10) │ 12 │ 12,7 +/- 1,3* │ 22 ║
╚═════════════════════╧══════╧═══════════════╧════════════╝
* - The difference with control is significant, p<0.05
Conclusion: If the water solution of melatonin was applied to C.
elegans during the whole life span in above described
conditions, it was not able to prolong the life span of these
animals. In concentrations from 1:10(6) to 1:10(10) melatonin re-
duced the survival of nematoda.
Acknowledgment: The authors wish to express their thanks to CGC
for providing C. elegans (Bristol, N2) and E. coli OP50.
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Please reply to: Vlad at bakaev.nsk.ru
