Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 22, 2025
Assaying β-amyloid Toxicity using a Transgenic C. elegans Model
Published on: October 9, 2010
Grape juice reduces the effects of amyloid β aggregation phenotype and extends the longevity in Caenorhabditis
Natalia Alejandra Pisoni Canedo-Reis1, Flávia Suelen de Oliveira Pereira2, Daiana Silva Ávila2
1Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Objectives:
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of aggregated amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides. Several natural compounds have been proposed against this disease and grape products are among these. However, little is known about grape juice potential. Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) strains that express human Aβ have been used as an in vivo model for AD.
Methods:
In this study, we have exposed CL2006 worms to nine different juices obtained from different cultivars.
Results:
Cora, Bordo, Isabel, Isabel Precoce, BRS-Magna, BRS-Rubea and BRS-Violeta juices improved the behavioral phenotype (paralysis) that is caused by Aβ aggregation in the transgenic animals at the concentrations tested and no toxic effects were found. Some juices were also able to increase the worm's lifespan. We could not attribute lifespan increase and paralysis reduction with any specific compound found in the phytochemical analysis.
Discussion:
Our data indicate that the rich constitution of the juices is responsible for attenuating the phenotype caused by Aβ aggregation in C. elegans.
