Pharmacological Role of Deoxycholic Acid in the Regulation of Aging in Drosophila melanogaster

Aging is characterized by gradually weakening normal cell functions, leading to a progressive decline in biological and physical abilities. Such phenotypes have been linked to mitochondrial dysfunction. Deoxycholic acid (DA) is a secondary bile acid that can activate signal transduction pathways that regulate the transcription of genes related to mitochondrial damage. This study was conducted to determine the in vivo anti-aging activity of DA using the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. To achieve this, phenotypical assessments were performed on the lifespan and locomotor of D. melanogaster and molecular analysis on the expression of mitochondrial-related genes. The results showed that DA was relatively safe to consume and could extend the lifespan of D. melanogaster. Furthermore, subsequent molecular analysis on endogenous antioxidants and mitochondrial-related human-homolog genes in D. melanogaster revealed that the administration of DA induced the expression of srl and tom40, but not sod1, sod2, cat, pepck, and indy. Taken together, our results suggest the prospective role of DA in regulating aging in Drosophila, which might be translationally relevant to humans.