Short Communication: Long-term intake of the illegal diet pill DNP reduces lifespan in a captive bird model

Antoine Stier; Pierre Bize; Sylvie Massemin; François  Criscuolo

doi:10.1016/j.cbpc.2020.108944

Short Communication: Long-term intake of the illegal diet pill DNP reduces lifespan in a captive bird model

Antoine Stier^* (Corresponding Author), Pierre Bize, Sylvie Massemin, François Criscuolo

^*Corresponding author for this work

Aberdeen Centre For Environmental Sustainability

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP), a molecule uncoupling mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation from oxygen consumption, is illegally used by humans as a diet pill, but is nonetheless investigated as a potential human medicine against ‘metabesity’. Due to its proven acute toxicity and the scarceness of long-term studies on DNP administration in vertebrates, we determined the impact of a long-term DNP treatment (~4mg.kg-1.day-1 31 ,i.e. within the range taken illegally by humans) on body mass,metabolism,ageing and lifespan in a captive bird model, the zebra finch. The chronic absorption of DNP over life (>4 years) led to a mild increase in energy expenditure (ca. +11% compared to control group), without significantly altering the normal slight increase in body mass with age. DNP did not significantly influence the alteration of physical performance, the rise in oxidative damage, or the progressive shortening of telomeres with age. However, DNP-treated individuals had a significantly shorter lifespan (ca. -21%in median life span compared to control group), thereby raising potential concerns about DNP use as a diet pill or medicine.

Original language	English
Article number	108944
Number of pages	4
Journal	Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part C, Comparative
Volume	242
Early online date	3 Dec 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpc.2020.108944
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2021

Bibliographical note

Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank A. Hranitzky for support in bird mainte-nance, numerous students for their help in data collection, and N. Metcalfe, S. Dobson as well as S. Reichert for helpful comments on a previous draft.
Funding
AS was funded by a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (#658085) and a TCSM fellowship at the time of analyzing the results and writing the manuscript

Keywords

2,4-dinitrophenol
toxicity
mitochondrial uncoupling
Oxidative Stress
survival
Longevity

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Cite this

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title = "Short Communication: Long-term intake of the illegal diet pill DNP reduces lifespan in a captive bird model",

abstract = "2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP), a molecule uncoupling mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation from oxygen consumption, is illegally used by humans as a diet pill, but is nonetheless investigated as a potential human medicine against {\textquoteleft}metabesity{\textquoteright}. Due to its proven acute toxicity and the scarceness of long-term studies on DNP administration in vertebrates, we determined the impact of a long-term DNP treatment (~4mg.kg-1.day-1 31 ,i.e. within the range taken illegally by humans) on body mass,metabolism,ageing and lifespan in a captive bird model, the zebra finch. The chronic absorption of DNP over life (>4 years) led to a mild increase in energy expenditure (ca. +11% compared to control group), without significantly altering the normal slight increase in body mass with age. DNP did not significantly influence the alteration of physical performance, the rise in oxidative damage, or the progressive shortening of telomeres with age. However, DNP-treated individuals had a significantly shorter lifespan (ca. -21%in median life span compared to control group), thereby raising potential concerns about DNP use as a diet pill or medicine.",

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author = "Antoine Stier and Pierre Bize and Sylvie Massemin and Fran{\c c}ois Criscuolo",

note = "Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank A. Hranitzky for support in bird mainte-nance, numerous students for their help in data collection, and N. Metcalfe, S. Dobson as well as S. Reichert for helpful comments on a previous draft. Funding AS was funded by a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (#658085) and a TCSM fellowship at the time of analyzing the results and writing the manuscript",

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N2 - 2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP), a molecule uncoupling mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation from oxygen consumption, is illegally used by humans as a diet pill, but is nonetheless investigated as a potential human medicine against ‘metabesity’. Due to its proven acute toxicity and the scarceness of long-term studies on DNP administration in vertebrates, we determined the impact of a long-term DNP treatment (~4mg.kg-1.day-1 31 ,i.e. within the range taken illegally by humans) on body mass,metabolism,ageing and lifespan in a captive bird model, the zebra finch. The chronic absorption of DNP over life (>4 years) led to a mild increase in energy expenditure (ca. +11% compared to control group), without significantly altering the normal slight increase in body mass with age. DNP did not significantly influence the alteration of physical performance, the rise in oxidative damage, or the progressive shortening of telomeres with age. However, DNP-treated individuals had a significantly shorter lifespan (ca. -21%in median life span compared to control group), thereby raising potential concerns about DNP use as a diet pill or medicine.

AB - 2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP), a molecule uncoupling mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation from oxygen consumption, is illegally used by humans as a diet pill, but is nonetheless investigated as a potential human medicine against ‘metabesity’. Due to its proven acute toxicity and the scarceness of long-term studies on DNP administration in vertebrates, we determined the impact of a long-term DNP treatment (~4mg.kg-1.day-1 31 ,i.e. within the range taken illegally by humans) on body mass,metabolism,ageing and lifespan in a captive bird model, the zebra finch. The chronic absorption of DNP over life (>4 years) led to a mild increase in energy expenditure (ca. +11% compared to control group), without significantly altering the normal slight increase in body mass with age. DNP did not significantly influence the alteration of physical performance, the rise in oxidative damage, or the progressive shortening of telomeres with age. However, DNP-treated individuals had a significantly shorter lifespan (ca. -21%in median life span compared to control group), thereby raising potential concerns about DNP use as a diet pill or medicine.

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KW - toxicity

KW - mitochondrial uncoupling

KW - Oxidative Stress

KW - survival

KW - Longevity

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ER -

Short Communication: Long-term intake of the illegal diet pill DNP reduces lifespan in a captive bird model

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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