The protective role of Quercetin against Arsenic-induced genotoxicity in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate both genotoxic effect of Arsenic (As) and possible protective role of quercetin (Q) in Drosophila melanogaster Oregon R flies. Adult Drosophila flies were treated with with As (10, 50 and 100 ppb), quercetin (100 µm) and As+Q (10 ppb+100 µM Q, 50 ppb+100 µM Q and 100 ppb+ 100 µM Q) for 1 and 5 days. Relative expression levels of Mn-SOD (Mn-superoxide dismutase), catalase (CAT) and glutathione synthase (GS) genes significantly increased with 10 and 50 ppb As exposure especially for 5 days. However, the highest As concentration caused decreases in the expression levels of antioxidant enzyme responsible genes in same exposure time. Quercetin supplementation significantly reduced the expressions of Mn-SOD and CAT genes to about control levels. Rapid and significant alterations were observed expression levels of heat shock protein (HSP26 and HSP70) genes for both As and As+Q exposure at all treatment times. It was also determined that application of the As and As+Q affected the DNA profiles and genomic template stabilities of D. melanogaster. The most band changes were detected at As+Q treatment after first day of exposure. These results indicated that the As causes changes in the gene expressions and DNA polymorphisms and that quercetin supplement can alter responses of D. melanogaster to As.

Keywords: Arsenic genotoxicity; Quercetin; Oxidative Stress; Gene expression; heat shock protein; antioxidant enzymes; RAPD