Quercetin and Its Mixture Increase the Stress Resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans to UV-B

Ultraviolet B (UV-B, 280–320 nm) radiation causes complex molecular reactions in cells, including DNA damage, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. This study designed a mixture consisting of quercetin, luteolin and lycopene and usedCaenorhabditis elegansas a model to study the resistance of these natural chemicals to UV-B. Specifically, we have confirmed that quercetin and its mixture can increase the resistance ofCaenorhabditis elegansto UV-B through lifespan test, reactive oxygen species level assay, germ cell apoptosis test, embryonic lethal test and RT-qPCR experiments. The results show that quercetin and its mixture prolonged the lifespan of UV-B-irradiatedCaenorhabditis elegansand reduced abnormal levels of reactive oxygen species, embryo death, and apoptosis induced by UV-B. The protective effect of quercetin and its mixture may be attributed to its down-regulation ofHUS-1,CEP-1,EGL-1andCED-13.Therefore, the results of this research could help the development of UV-B radiation protection agents.Keywords:Caenorhabditis elegans;UV-B;quercetin;luteolin;lycopene;apoptosis;stress resistance