Comparing the Antioxidant Effects of Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Ascorbic Acid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Modeling Tumorigenesis

School Name

Spring Valley High School

Grade Level

10th Grade

Presentation Topic

Physiology and Health

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Abstract

Exposure to sodium nitrite in processed meats has been associated with a risk of cancer and cellular damage in both animal and cellular models. While antioxidants like alpha-lipoic acid and ascorbic acid are known to reverse the effects of oxidative stress (OS), an imbalance in free radicals overwhelming the body’s antioxidants, which can lead to cell damage, their specific effects on sodium nitrite-induced stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have not been fully investigated. This research study aimed to examine the antioxidant capabilities of alpha-lipoic acid and ascorbic acid in relation to yeast growth. The study involved exposing yeast containing sodium nitrite to varying concentrations of either alpha-lipoic acid or ascorbic acid. Growth inhibition was measured by visually comparing yeast growth across plates to assess the effectiveness of the antioxidants. No statistical analysis was performed because all growth measurements were identical across all treatment groups. The results across all treatment groups suggest that neither antioxidant fully prevented the negative effects of sodium nitrite. These findings indicate that sodium nitrite-induced stress may overwhelm antioxidant defenses, suggesting the need for alternative protective compounds. This study highlights the complex relationship between sodium nitrite-induced OS and the cellular environment in terms of antioxidant activity and protection. Future research should focus on testing a wider range of antioxidant concentrations, directly measuring biochemical stress markers, such as intracellular ROS and malondialdehyde, and consider using liquid-culture models to obtain more accurate growth measurements, clarifying how antioxidants respond to nitrite exposure.

Location

Furman Hall 127

Start Date

3-28-2026 11:30 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 28th, 11:30 AM

Comparing the Antioxidant Effects of Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Ascorbic Acid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Modeling Tumorigenesis

Furman Hall 127

Exposure to sodium nitrite in processed meats has been associated with a risk of cancer and cellular damage in both animal and cellular models. While antioxidants like alpha-lipoic acid and ascorbic acid are known to reverse the effects of oxidative stress (OS), an imbalance in free radicals overwhelming the body’s antioxidants, which can lead to cell damage, their specific effects on sodium nitrite-induced stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have not been fully investigated. This research study aimed to examine the antioxidant capabilities of alpha-lipoic acid and ascorbic acid in relation to yeast growth. The study involved exposing yeast containing sodium nitrite to varying concentrations of either alpha-lipoic acid or ascorbic acid. Growth inhibition was measured by visually comparing yeast growth across plates to assess the effectiveness of the antioxidants. No statistical analysis was performed because all growth measurements were identical across all treatment groups. The results across all treatment groups suggest that neither antioxidant fully prevented the negative effects of sodium nitrite. These findings indicate that sodium nitrite-induced stress may overwhelm antioxidant defenses, suggesting the need for alternative protective compounds. This study highlights the complex relationship between sodium nitrite-induced OS and the cellular environment in terms of antioxidant activity and protection. Future research should focus on testing a wider range of antioxidant concentrations, directly measuring biochemical stress markers, such as intracellular ROS and malondialdehyde, and consider using liquid-culture models to obtain more accurate growth measurements, clarifying how antioxidants respond to nitrite exposure.