Tocotrienol Modulates the Expression of Proteins in Oxidative Stress-Induced Caenorhabditis Elegans

Objective: Oxidative stress that damages proteins result in aging and age related diseases. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of tocotrienol rich fraction (TRF) on the expression of proteins in oxidative stress-induced caenohabditis elegans (C.elegans) which has homologous genes to humans. Methods: The worms were treated with TRF prior to, after and continuously in separate groups upon induction of oxidative stress with hydrogen peroxide. The expression of proteins were analyzed with 2D-gel electrophoresis and identified with mass spectrophotometry. Results showed that induction of oxidative stress and TRF treatment separately modulated the expression of 11 proteins. Pre-treatment of TRF altered the expression of 5 proteins while post- treatment and a continuous treatment of TRF in oxidative stress-induced worms affected the expression of 9 and 10 proteins respectively. Results: From these differentially expressed proteins, a total of 12 were successfully identified. TRF was found to increase the expression of glutathione-S transferase but decreased the expression of mRNA cap guanine-N7 methyltransferase, inorganic pyro-phosphatase, enoyle-CoA hydratase, vitellogenin 6 precursor, cathepsin B-like cysteine proteinase 4 precursor, triosephosphatase isomerase, tubulin-specific chaperon B and putative D-amino acid oxidase. In conclusion, TRF modulated the expression of proteins involved in energy metabolism, oxidative stress, proteolysis and biosynthesis of mRNA in C.elegans.