Su, Y., Liu, X.Q., Huang, J.Y., Guo, Y.Y., Lin, H.M., Benjakul, S., Zhang, B. (2026). Dietary oxidized Trichiurus lepturus protein exacerbates aging in Drosophila melanogaster by disrupting metabolic homeostasis and gut microbiota.  Food Chem 504(): 148027.

FBrf0264529

Research paper

This study investigated the effects of dietary oxidized Trichiurus lepturus protein on aging in Drosophila melanogaster. Intake of high-oxidation-level protein (carbonyl content: 6.60 nmol/mL) significantly shortened lifespan by 44.93% and impaired climbing ability, cold stress resistance, reproductive capacity and antioxidant capacity. Untargeted metabolomics revealed extensive metabolic disturbances. High-throughput sequencing showed gut microbiota dysbiosis, marked by altered Pseudomonadota and Bacillota, and an increased relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Salmonella. Metabolite-microbiota interaction analysis suggests that oxidized protein accelerates aging potentially through a cascade of "metabolic disorder-microbial dysbiosis-inflammatory amplification". Our findings elucidate the mechanism by which dietary oxidized protein promotes aging, providing a theoretical basis for its health risk assessment and the development of antioxidant strategies.