Honors College Thesis
 

Exploring the Role of Nutrient Sensing Pathways in Blue Light-Induced Lifespan Reduction in Drosophila

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/honors_college_theses/qf85nk24h

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  • People are increasingly staring at device screens which emit predominantly blue light. Because LED technology is relatively new, we do not know what effects blue light has on our long-term health. Blue light exposure leads to a dramatic decrease in longevity in Drosophila, thus this study aims to explore possible mechanisms contributing to blue light-induced lifespan reduction. We tested nutrient sensing pathways that are known aging regulators to determine their effect on longevity in blue light. Longevity assays on upregulating the insulin signaling pathways resulted in significantly shorter lifespan. Interestingly, when we inhibited the TOR signaling pathway with rapamycin, a drug known to promote longevity, we also found a significant decrease in lifespan. In addition to studies on nutrient-related interventions on the rate of aging in blue light, we explored metabolic pathways and metabolites significantly altered after exposure to blue light. Results indicate exposure to blue light may be causing deficits in mitochondrial energy supplying pathways and glutamate metabolism. Together this work contributes to a better understanding of the cellular pathways affected by blue light in a model organism.
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