Three Mild Stresses Known to Increase Longevity in Drosophila melanogaster Flies do not Increase Resistance to Oxidative Stress

Exposure to a mild stress at a young age (hypergravity, cold or heat) increases longevity and resistance to heat shocks in Drosophila melanogaster flies and it may also delay behavioral aging and increase resistance to other stresses. The effect of these mild stresses on resistance to oxidative stress has not been studied. Flies were thus fed on a saccharose solution containing hydrogen peroxide after being subjected or not to one of these three mild stresses at a young age. Hydrogen peroxide decreased survival time to the same extent in control flies and in those subjected to a mild stress, which shows that these mild stresses do not increase resistance to oxidative stress. Therefore, the longevity increase induced by these mild stresses is probably not explained by a better protection against oxidative stress.