Peptides from sesame cake (PSC) have been reported to exert a beneficial effect on aging. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an age-related disorder, which manifests as Lewy body formation and dopaminergic dysfunction. To investigate the effects of PSC on PD-associated pathologies and to identify possible underlying molecular mechanisms, this study employed two transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans models: NL5901, which expressed α-synuclein (α-syn) in muscle cells, and BZ555, which expressed GFP in dopamine neuronal soma and axons. The results showed PSC promoted both longevity and locomotion of NL5901 nematodes. Moreover, PSC not only decreased α-syn aggregation, but also decreased MPP⁺-induced dopaminergic neuron degeneration and dysregulation of food-sensing behaviour. Further study showed PSC reduced the level of ROS and induced the antioxidant system of NL5901. RNA interference assays demonstrated that the beneficial effects of PSC on PD are dependent on SKN-1. These data suggest PSC as useful nutraceutical to prevent and improve PD-related pathologies.

据报道，芝麻饼（PSC）的肽对衰老具有有益作用。帕金森氏病（PD）是一种与年龄有关的疾病，表现为路易体形成和多巴胺能功能障碍。为了研究PSC对PD相关病理的影响并确定潜在的分子机制，本研究采用了两种转基因秀丽隐杆线虫模型：NL5901，其在肌肉细胞中表达α-突触核蛋白（α-syn），以及BZ555，其表达GFP在多巴胺神经体和轴突中。结果表明，PSC可以促进NL5901线虫的寿命和运动。此外，PSC不仅降低了α-syn聚集，还降低了MPP ⁺引起的多巴胺能神经元变性和食物感应行为失调。进一步的研究表明，PSC降低了ROS的水平并诱导了NL5901的抗氧化系统。RNA干扰分析表明，PSC对PD的有益作用取决于SKN-1。这些数据表明，PSC是预防和改善PD相关疾病的有用的营养保健品。