We are working on a USDA-funded project that address NIFA priority area of “Food safety, nutrition, and health.”
Our broad aim is to test compounds that may extend healthspan, identifying specific mechanisms by which improvements in healthy aging are observed. Our aim is to test compounds that are practically relevant, potentially commercially/industrially relevant, and can be tested in human models in not just health-related contexts, but also in sport and military performance contexts. This approach will improve likelihood of external funding support from diverse sponsors and organizations, and broad applicability of our research findings.
Nutraceuticals and fruit extracts have been determined to increased lifespan, healthspan, and stress resilience. Conserved mechanisms by which extracts from common fruit such as blueberries mediate the aging and stress-resiliency include core kinase pathways and antioxidant function. One relatively unstudied fruit that our interdisciplinary team will test in the genetically and experimentally tractable C. elegans model is the chokeberry or aronia. Aronia fruit is known to be comparatively high in stable and bioavailable antioxidant compounds and have notable effects in improving lifespan, resistance to oxidative stress, and potentially disease (cancer) outcome. Due to its potential as nutraceutical, there is commercial/industrial interest in research on the effects of aronia species on human health and in comparative animal models.
Our data suggests that anthocyanin- and polyphenol-rich aronia extracts extend lifespan and increase resistance to chemical exposure in C. elegans. Our proposed studies will: (1) determine the dosages at which crude aronia extracts and aronia juice increase lifespan and improve resistance to stress; (2) characterize the genome-wide gene expression changes induced by aronia treatment versus other antioxidant fruit and controls; (3) test the hypothesis that antioxidant enzyme function is required for full benefit of aronia supplementation using genetic knockout and RNA interference. Answers to questions posed in our studies will identify mechanisms by which aronia may support healthy aging.