Uric acid, an important antioxidant contributing to survival in termites

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated spontaneously in all organisms and cause oxidative damage to biomolecules when present in excess. Accumulated oxidative damage accelerates aging; enhanced antioxidant capacity may be a positive factor for longevity. Recently, numerous studies of aging and longevity have been performed using short-lived animals, however, longevity mechanisms remain unknown. Here we show that a termite Reticulitermes speratus that is thought to be long-lived eusocial insect than other solitary insects uses large quantities of uric acid as an antioxidant against ROS. We demonstrated that the accumulation of uric acid considerably increases the free radical-scavenging activity and resistance against ultraviolet-induced oxidative stress in laboratory-maintained termites. In addition, we found that externally administered uric acid aided termite survival under highly oxidative conditions. The present data demonstrates that in addition to nutritional and metabolic roles, uric acid is an essential antioxidant for survival and contributes significantly to longevity. Uric acid also plays important roles in primates but causes gout when present in excess in humans. Further longevity studies of long-lived organisms may provide important breakthroughs with human health applications.

Global metabolomic responses in urine from atm deficient mice in response to LD50/30 gamma irradiation doses

“…The connection between ATM deficiency, radiation, and metabolic alterations are well known, including direct phosphorylation of key mitochondrial proteins and reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation following exposure to genotoxic stressors [Shiloh and Ziv, ]. Such significant metabolic alterations were also indicated in our study, with increases in metabolites such as uric acid (anti‐oxidant) from purine catabolism [Tasaki et al, ] and glutaric acid (pro‐oxidant) from fatty acid degradation [Latini et al, ].…”

Association of serum uric acid levels with primary open‐angle glaucoma: a 5‐year case–control study

“…Tasaki et al. () reported that the accumulation of UA considerably increases free radical‐scavenging activity and resistance against ultraviolet‐induced oxidative stress in laboratory‐maintained termites. Moreover, Kean et al.…”

Hypoxia adaptation in termites: hypoxic conditions enhance survival and reproductive activity in royals

“…In addition, vitellogenin is known to act as an antioxidant that promotes survival in honeybee queens (Seehuus et al ., ; Corona et al ., ). Antioxidant systems are thought to be associated with termite survival and also fecundity (Tasaki, Kobayashi et al ., ; Tasaki, Sakurai et al ., ). We found that, under hypoxic conditions, queens exhibited more than five times higher expression levels of RsCAT1 at 2 weeks than at 1 day (Fig.…”

“…In A. islandica , adaptation to hypoxic conditions increases mitochondrial reactive oxygen species formation, which later induces oxidative stress under normoxia, due to a hypoxia adaptive metabolism (Strahl et al ., ). Consistent with the high sensitivity to atmospheric O 2 conditions in termites (Tasaki, Sakurai et al ., ), these findings suggest the possibility that termites have adapted for survival in hypoxic conditions. In addition, we observed that survival decreased to 25% after 20 weeks, even under hypoxic conditions (Fig.…”