Abstract
Bifidobacterium is a well-established probiotic that has been shown to have health benefits by numerous clinical reports and is commonly used as an ingredient in dairy products. In the present study, we investigated the anti-aging effects of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum BB536 using Caenorhabditis elegans. The effects of BB536 administration on lifespan, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and gene expression were evaluated using wild-type, mutant, and paraquat-induced mitochondrial dysfunction C. elegans models. Compared with wild-type C. elegans administered Escherichia coli OP50, the BB536-administered group showed prolonged lifespans and suppressed ROS accumulation. Additionally, BB536 administration improved age-related declines in physical function and sarcomere structure. Administration of BB536 to the paraquat-induced mitochondrial dysfunction aging model resulted in elevated expression of antioxidant system genes, such as heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), superoxide dismutase 1, thioredoxin-1, and glutathione S-transferase 4. Interestingly, these effects disappeared in the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-mutant worms. These results suggest the anti-aging potential of BB536 acts by protecting against ROS stress through the MAPK cascade-signaling pathway, which is evolutionarily preserved throughout eukaryotes, including mammals.
