Meeting Abstract

P2.69  Friday, Jan. 4  The effects of activity and oxidative stress on muscle senescence and aging in the honey bee, Apis mellifera TREAT, M.D*; WILLIAMS, J.B; ROBERTS, S.P.; ELEKONICH, M.M.; Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas; Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas; Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas; Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas treatm2@unlv.nevada.edu

The �oxidative stress� theory of aging suggests that the formation of ROS, due to cellular aerobic metabolism, will eventually overwhelm an organism�s antioxidant mechanisms resulting in the accrual of cellular damage and senescence. Because flying honey bees produce the highest mass-specific metabolic rate ever measured they are likely exposed to high levels of ROS. Using a �single cohort� colony manipulation, we compared same aged in-hive workers (nurses) that rarely fly to foragers that fly up to 8km per day while gathering nectar and pollen to determine if life-long, ROS producing exercise accelerates the process of muscular senescence (i.e. the inability to mount an antioxidant response during flight). Naturally occurring foraging flight elicited extensive increases in total antioxidant capacity in young forager flight muscle indicating that flight produces high levels of ROS in the honey bee. By contrast, old foragers were unable to mount an antioxidant response after a day�s worth of flight activity. In a separate experiment, we force flew both young and old nurses and young and old foragers to determine if nurse bees, which rarely fly, can maintain the ability to produce an antioxidant response to flight as they age. These and ongoing studies will elucidate the effects of activity on muscle senescence and aging.