Effect of paraquat treatment on reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzyme activity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) act as oxidative stress and become a factor of aging, and ROS are deeply related to aging in Caenorhabditis elegans (C.elegans). Paraquat is used as a compound that produces ROS in C.elegans. High-concentration paraquat (100 mM) increases the ROS level and produces a lethal action. In contrast, low-concentration paraquat (0.1-0.2 mM) increases antioxidant enzyme activity and extends the lifespan in C.elegans. On the other hand, there are few reports on the effects of paraquats of several mM to several tens of mM on C.elegans. In this study, we clarify the effects of paraquat treatment (2.5-10 mM) on ROS and antioxidant enzyme (SOD, CAT) activity in C.elegans. We revealed that the longer the paraquat treatment period, and the higher the paraquat concentration, the higher the increased levels of ROS and increased SOD activity.