TitleOctopamine Drives Endurance Exercise Adaptations in Drosophila.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2017
AuthorsSujkowski A, Ramesh D, Brockmann A, Wessells R
JournalCell Rep
Volume21
Issue7
Pagination1809-1823
Date Published2017 Nov 14
ISSN2211-1247
Abstract

Endurance exercise is an effective therapeutic intervention with substantial pro-healthspan effects. Male Drosophila respond to a ramped daily program of exercise by inducing conserved physiological responses similar to those seen in mice and humans. Female flies respond to an exercise stimulus but do not experience the adaptive training response seen in males. Here, we use female flies as a model to demonstrate that differences in exercise response are mediated by differences in neuronal activity. The activity of octopaminergic neurons is specifically required to induce the conserved cellular and physiological changes seen following endurance training. Furthermore, either intermittent, scheduled activation of octopaminergic neurons or octopamine feeding is able to fully substitute for exercise, conferring a suite of pro-healthspan benefits to sedentary Drosophila. These experiments indicate that octopamine is a critical mediator of adaptation to endurance exercise in Drosophila.

DOI10.1016/j.celrep.2017.10.065
Alternate JournalCell Rep
PubMed ID29141215
PubMed Central IDPMC5693351
Grant ListR21 AG055712 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States