Increased healthspan and resistance to Parkinson's disease in Drosophila by boiled and freeze-dried mature silk worm larval powder

Recent improvements in hygiene and innovations in medical technology have dramatically extended the average lifespan of humans in developed countries. However, extension of lifespan does not correlate with increased healthspan. In this study, we examined the health benefits of mature silk worm larvae enriched with diverse functional materials. We found that Drosophila reared on food containing boiled and freeze-dried mature silk worm larval powder (BMSPF) showed a significantly increased healthspan with an extended lifespan compared to normal food (NF) flies. In addition, BMSPF flies showed a significantly increased resistance to rotenone induced Parkinson's disease symptoms compared with NF flies. The results from microarray gene profiling, quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR), and odorant response assays suggested that BMSPF flies may have improved olfactory responses compared with NF flies. In addition, integrity of mitochondria was significantly enhanced in BMSPF flies. Taken together, our data suggest that BMSP can be used to extend healthspan and prevent onset and progression of PD symptoms induced in Drosophila. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Korean Society of Applied Entomology, Taiwan Entomological Society and Malaysian Plant Protection Society.