Alpha-Ketoglutarate Partially Protects Fruit Fly Drosophila Melanogaster from Ethanol Toxicity

Abstract

Alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) is an important intermediate in Krebs cycle and inmetabolism of amino acids. Recently, it was proposed to apply as a dietary supplement to improveoverall functional state of living organisms. In particular, AKG was supposed to use underexposure of animals and cell cultures to many toxic agents. In this context, this study aimed toelucidate the ability of dietary AKG to reduce toxic effects of ethanol on development of fruit flyDrosophila melanogaster, which is a popular model subject to research many aspects of biology ofhigher eukaryotes. For this aim, the effect of sodium salt of AKG on pupation speed of D.melanogaster w1118 on the medium supplemented with different concentrations of ethanol wasstudied. Ethanol at a low concentration (2%) did not affect the rate of larval pupation, whereas athigher concentrations it significantly delayed fly pupation and showed developmental toxicityreducing a number of total pupae formed. The most toxic developmental effects of ethanol wereobserved at its highest concentration (15%). The potential mechanisms of protective effects of AKGare discussed