Apigenin inhibits larval growth of Caenorhabditis elegans through DAF-16 activation

Kawasaki, Ichiro; Jeong, Myung-Hwan; Oh, Bong-Kyeong; Shim, Yhong-Hee

Abstract: Treatment of Caenorhabditis elegans with apigenin, 5,7,4′-trihydroxyflavone, induces larval growth inhibition. To understand the molecular basis of apigenin-induced larval growth inhibition, the effects of apigenin on DAF-16 activity were examined. DAF-16 was activated through nuclear translocation and the mRNA level of sod-3, one of the known DAF-16 target genes, was increased upon apigenin treatment. DAF-16 activity was required for the growth inhibition, since the larval growth retardation upon apigenin treatment was suppressed in daf-16 mutants. These results indicate that apigenin acts as a stressor that activates DAF-16, which in turn inhibits larval growth.

CAENORHABDITIS elegans; FLAVONOIDS; CHEMICAL inhibitors; LARVAE; BIOLOGICAL transport; MESSENGER RNA; GENETIC mutation

FEBS Letters, 2010, Vol 584, Issue 16, p3587

0014-5793

Academic Journal

10.1016/j.febslet.2010.07.026