Abstract #1472

Effects of a Novel Mitochondrial Peptide on Redox Status as Measured by EPR in Drosophila Melanogaster Post-Trauma

Nikolaos Psychogios¹, Harold M Swartz², Hazel Szeto³, Ronald G. Tompkins, Nadeem Khan², Aria A. Tzika¹

¹NMR Surgical Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital & Shriners Burn Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; ²EPR Center for Viable Systems, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH, United States; ³Department of Pharmacology, Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, United States

Using in vivo electron paramagnetic spectroscopy (EPR), we evaluated in a Drosophila melanogaster fly trauma model the effects of a novel (Szeto-Schiller) SS-31 peptide that targets mammalian mitochondria. From the decay kinetics of nitroxide we measured the mitochondrial redox status of the flies, which increased in injured vs. control aged flies and was indicative of mitochondrial uncoupling. Injection of SS-31 in injured flies normalized the decay rate and recovered the redox status as compared to controls. Our approach in the model host Drosophila melanogaster suggests biomarkers for investigation of biomedical paradigms that may contribute to the development of novel therapeutics.