Effects of high concentration spermidine supplementation during larval feeding in D. melanogaster swiss cheese mutants

  • A. S. Raspopina Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Ukraine, 79005, Lviv, Hrushevsky str., 4 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3012-0268
  • N. P. Matiytsiv Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Ukraine, 79005, Lviv, Hrushevsky str., 4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7124/FEEO.v38.1798
Keywords: гени, вікові захворювання, Drosophila melanogaster, поведінка

Abstract

Aim. The aim of this study was to show the effects of spermidine supplementation during the larval stage on lifespan, neurodegenerative phenotype, and locomotor behavior in adult sws¹ mutant flies. Methods. Experiments were performed using Drosophila melanogaster Meigen swiss cheese (sws¹) mutants and Oregon-R wild-type controls. Flies were maintained at 24 °C on standard medium. Spermidine (5 mM) was added to the food during the larval stage only, while lifespan, locomotor behavioral (negative geotaxis and open-field assays), and histological analysis were conducted in adult flies. Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism and Microsoft Excel. Results. Larval-stage spermidine supplementation showed no neuroprotective benefit in the sws¹ neurodegeneration model, as 5 mM treatment shortened lifespan, failed to restore locomotor or motor activity, and did not reduce histological signs of brain degeneration. Conclusions. Larval-stage spermidine treatment did not improve survival, behavior, or histological markers of neurodegeneration in adult sws¹ flies. Further studies are required to evaluate the effects of lower spermidine concentrations.

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