Alpha-Ketoglutarate Partially Protects Fruit Fly Drosophila Melanogaster from Ethanol Toxicity

Abstract

Alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) is an important intermediate in Krebs cycle and in
metabolism of amino acids. Recently, it was proposed to apply as a dietary supplement to improve
overall functional state of living organisms. In particular, AKG was supposed to use under
exposure of animals and cell cultures to many toxic agents. In this context, this study aimed to
elucidate the ability of dietary AKG to reduce toxic effects of ethanol on development of fruit fly
Drosophila melanogaster, which is a popular model subject to research many aspects of biology of
higher eukaryotes. For this aim, the effect of sodium salt of AKG on pupation speed of D.
melanogaster w1118 on the medium supplemented with different concentrations of ethanol was
studied. Ethanol at a low concentration (2%) did not affect the rate of larval pupation, whereas at
higher concentrations it significantly delayed fly pupation and showed developmental toxicity
reducing a number of total pupae formed. The most toxic developmental effects of ethanol were
observed at its highest concentration (15%). The potential mechanisms of protective effects of AKG
are discussed