Quercetin-mediated longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans: is DAF-16 involved?

Abstract

The polyphenol quercetin has recently been found to extend lifespan and increase stress resistance in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The forkhead transcription factor DAF-16 has previously been linked to these effects. However, by using a daf-16(mgDf50) mutant strain, we show that quercetin exposure leads to increased mean lifespans up to 15%. Furthermore, quercetin-treated daf-16(mgDf50) worms show an enhanced resistance to thermal and oxidative stress. Our data reveal that DAF-16 is not obligatorily required for quercetin-mediated longevity and stress resistance.