Effects of coffee oils on SKN-1/TUB-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans
Juan D Amado Amariles
Co-Presenters: Jacqueline Valverde-Buri, Evelyn Escobar Machuca, Eric Favaro, Keyla Cuenca, Manashri Tendulkar
College: The Dorothy and George Hennings College of Science, Mathematics and Technology
Major: Biology
Faculty Research Mentor: Renalison Farias Pereira
Abstract:
Coffee, and coffee oil in particular, has been proven to exhibit properties that may offer various health benefits, including antioxidant qualities. In this study, we examined the effects of green coffee oil (GCO), roasted coffee oil (RCO), and coffee compounds cafestol and kahweol on gene expression in Caenorhabditis elegans, a roundworm. We specifically focused on two transcription factors: TUB-1, which promotes longevity and fat reduction, and SKN-1, which helps to reduce oxidative stress and facilitate gene expression. Previous studies indicated that TUB-1 is involved in endocytosis which is linked to how the body stores fat. Using fluorescence microscopy, we measured gene expression by assessing the TUB-1 and SKN-1 GFP-tagged proteins. The results suggested that RCO, cafestol, and kahweol had little to no effect on gene expression of TUB-1 in the C. elegans. However, 10% GCO and 10% RCO activated the SKN-1 pathway by inducing SKN-1 nuclear translocation. We also assessed SKN-1 involvement in coffee oils’ effects through qPCR. qPCR results showed that the oils had less gene expression of sod, a downstream target of SKN-1, than that of the control group. Overall, the results suggest a potential role for GCO and RCO in facilitating oxidative stress pathways, but additional experiments are needed.