1
|
Ray AK, Priya A, Malik MZ, Thanaraj TA, Singh AK, Mago P, Ghosh C, Shalimar, Tandon R, Chaturvedi R. A bioinformatics approach to elucidate conserved genes and pathways in C. elegans as an animal model for cardiovascular research. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7471. [PMID: 38553458 PMCID: PMC10980734 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56562-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a collective term for disorders of the heart and blood vessels. The molecular events and biochemical pathways associated with CVD are difficult to study in clinical settings on patients and in vitro conditions. Animal models play a pivotal and indispensable role in CVD research. Caenorhabditis elegans, a nematode species, has emerged as a prominent experimental organism widely utilized in various biomedical research fields. However, the specific number of CVD-related genes and pathways within the C. elegans genome remains undisclosed to date, limiting its in-depth utilization for investigations. In the present study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of genes and pathways related to CVD within the genomes of humans and C. elegans through a systematic bioinformatic approach. A total of 1113 genes in C. elegans orthologous to the most significant CVD-related genes in humans were identified, and the GO terms and pathways were compared to study the pathways that are conserved between the two species. In order to infer the functions of CVD-related orthologous genes in C. elegans, a PPI network was constructed. Orthologous gene PPI network analysis results reveal the hubs and important KRs: pmk-1, daf-21, gpb-1, crh-1, enpl-1, eef-1G, acdh-8, hif-1, pmk-2, and aha-1 in C. elegans. Modules were identified for determining the role of the orthologous genes at various levels in the created network. We also identified 9 commonly enriched pathways between humans and C. elegans linked with CVDs that include autophagy (animal), the ErbB signaling pathway, the FoxO signaling pathway, the MAPK signaling pathway, ABC transporters, the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, fatty acid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and metabolic pathways. This study provides the first systematic genomic approach to explore the CVD-associated genes and pathways that are present in C. elegans, supporting the use of C. elegans as a prominent animal model organism for cardiovascular diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashwini Kumar Ray
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India.
| | - Anjali Priya
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Md Zubbair Malik
- Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Dasman Diabetes Institute, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
| | | | - Alok Kumar Singh
- Department of Zoology, Ramjas College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Payal Mago
- Shaheed Rajguru College of Applied Science for Women, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
- Campus of Open Learning, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Chirashree Ghosh
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Shalimar
- Department of Gastroenterology, All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi, India
| | - Ravi Tandon
- Laboratory of AIDS Research and Immunology, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Rupesh Chaturvedi
- School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Han M, Saxton A, Currey H, Waldherr SM, Liachko NF, Kraemer BC. Transgenic Dendra2::tau expression allows in vivo monitoring of tau proteostasis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050473. [PMID: 38469687 PMCID: PMC10985736 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein homeostasis is perturbed in aging-related neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies, which are pathologically characterized by aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau (encoded by the human MAPT gene). Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans serve as a powerful model organism to study tauopathy disease mechanisms, but moderating transgenic expression level has proven problematic. To study neuronal tau proteostasis, we generated a suite of transgenic strains expressing low, medium or high levels of Dendra2::tau fusion proteins by comparing integrated multicopy transgene arrays with single-copy safe-harbor locus strains generated by recombinase-mediated cassette exchange. Multicopy Dendra2::tau strains exhibited expression level-dependent neuronal dysfunction that was modifiable by known genetic suppressors or an enhancer of tauopathy. Single-copy Dendra2::tau strains lacked distinguishable phenotypes on their own but enabled detection of enhancer-driven neuronal dysfunction. We used multicopy Dendra2::tau strains in optical pulse-chase experiments measuring tau turnover in vivo and found that Dendra2::tau turned over faster than the relatively stable Dendra2. Furthermore, Dendra2::tau turnover was dependent on the protein expression level and independent of co-expression with human TDP-43 (officially known as TARDBP), an aggregating protein interacting with pathological tau. We present Dendra2::tau transgenic C. elegans as a novel tool for investigating molecular mechanisms of tau proteostasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marina Han
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
| | - Aleen Saxton
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USA
| | - Heather Currey
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USA
| | - Sarah M Waldherr
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USA
| | - Nicole F Liachko
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USA
| | - Brian C Kraemer
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ray AK, Priya A, Malik MZ, Thanaraj TA, Singh AK, Mago P, Ghosh C, Shalimar, Tandon R, Chaturvedi R. Conserved Cardiovascular Network: Bioinformatics Insights into Genes and Pathways for Establishing Caenorhabditis elegans as an Animal Model for Cardiovascular Diseases. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.24.573256. [PMID: 38234826 PMCID: PMC10793405 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.24.573256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a collective term for disorders of the heart and blood vessels. The molecular events and biochemical pathways associated with CVD are difficult to study in clinical settings on patients and in vitro conditions. Animal models play a pivotal and indispensable role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) research. Caenorhabditis elegans , a nematode species, has emerged as a prominent experimental organism widely utilised in various biomedical research fields. However, the specific number of CVD-related genes and pathways within the C. elegans genome remains undisclosed to date, limiting its in-depth utilisation for investigations. In the present study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of genes and pathways related to CVD within the genomes of humans and C. elegans through a systematic bioinformatic approach. A total of 1113 genes in C. elegans orthologous to the most significant CVD-related genes in humans were identified, and the GO terms and pathways were compared to study the pathways that are conserved between the two species. In order to infer the functions of CVD-related orthologous genes in C. elegans, a PPI network was constructed. Orthologous gene PPI network analysis results reveal the hubs and important KRs: pmk-1, daf-21, gpb-1, crh-1, enpl-1, eef-1G, acdh-8, hif-1, pmk-2, and aha-1 in C. elegans. Modules were identified for determining the role of the orthologous genes at various levels in the created network. We also identified 9 commonly enriched pathways between humans and C. elegans linked with CVDs that include autophagy (animal), the ErbB signalling pathway, the FoxO signalling pathway, the MAPK signalling pathway, ABC transporters, the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, fatty acid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and metabolic pathways. This study provides the first systematic genomic approach to explore the CVD-associated genes and pathways that are present in C. elegans, supporting the use of C. elegans as a prominent animal model organism for cardiovascular diseases.
Collapse
|
4
|
Buzzard E, McLaren M, Bragoszewski P, Brancaccio A, Ford H, Daum B, Kuwabara P, Collinson I, Gold V. The consequence of ATP synthase dimer angle on mitochondrial morphology studied by cryo-electron tomography. Biochem J 2024; 481:BCJ20230450. [PMID: 38164968 PMCID: PMC10903453 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Mitochondrial ATP synthases form rows of dimers, which induce membrane curvature to give cristae their characteristic lamellar or tubular morphology. The angle formed between the central stalks of ATP synthase dimers varies between species. Using cryo-electron tomography and sub-tomogram averaging, we determined the structure of the ATP synthase dimer from the nematode worm C. elegans and show that the dimer angle differs from previously determined structures. The consequences of this species-specific difference at the dimer interface were investigated by comparing C. elegans and S. cerevisiae mitochondrial morphology. We reveal that C. elegans has a larger ATP synthase dimer angle with more lamellar (flatter) cristae when compared to yeast. The underlying cause of this difference was investigated by generating an atomic model of the C. elegans ATP synthase dimer by homology modelling. A comparison of our C. elegans model to an existing S. cerevisiae structure reveals the presence of extensions and rearrangements in C. elegans subunits associated with maintaining the dimer interface. We speculate that increasing dimer angles could provide an advantage for species that inhabit variable-oxygen environments by forming flatter more energetically efficient cristae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Piotr Bragoszewski
- Instytut Biologii Doswiadczalnej im Marcelego Nenckiego Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Holly Ford
- University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Vicki Gold
- University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Gill T, Locskai LF, Burton AH, Alyenbaawi H, Wheeler T, Burton EA, Allison WT. Delivering Traumatic Brain Injury to Larval Zebrafish. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2707:3-22. [PMID: 37668902 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3401-1_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
We describe a straightforward, scalable method for administering traumatic brain injury (TBI) to zebrafish larvae. The pathological outcomes appear generalizable for all TBI types, but perhaps most closely model closed-skull, diffuse lesion (blast injury) neurotrauma. The injury is delivered by dropping a weight onto the plunger of a fluid-filled syringe containing zebrafish larvae. This model is easy to implement, cost-effective, and provides a high-throughput system that induces brain injury in many larvae at once. Unique to vertebrate TBI models, this method can be used to deliver TBI without anesthetic or other metabolic agents. The methods simulate the main aspects of traumatic brain injury in humans, providing a preclinical model to study the consequences of this prevalent injury type and a way to explore early interventions that may ameliorate subsequent neurodegeneration. We also describe a convenient method for executing pressure measurements to calibrate and validate this method. When used in concert with the genetic tools readily available in zebrafish, this model of traumatic brain injury offers opportunities to examine many mechanisms and outcomes induced by traumatic brain injury. For example, genetically encoded fluorescent reporters have been implemented with this system to measure protein misfolding and neural activity via optogenetics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Gill
- Centre for Prions & Protein Folding Disease, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Laszlo F Locskai
- Centre for Prions & Protein Folding Disease, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Alexander H Burton
- Departments of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hadeel Alyenbaawi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, Majmaah University, Majmaah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Travis Wheeler
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Edward A Burton
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Pittsburgh VA Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - W Ted Allison
- Centre for Prions & Protein Folding Disease, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wu Y, Chen Y, Yu X, Zhang M, Li Z. Towards Understanding Neurodegenerative Diseases: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:443. [PMID: 38203614 PMCID: PMC10778690 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The elevated occurrence of debilitating neurodegenerative disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's disease (HD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), demands urgent disease-modifying therapeutics. Owing to the evolutionarily conserved molecular signalling pathways with mammalian species and facile genetic manipulation, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) emerges as a powerful and manipulative model system for mechanistic insights into neurodegenerative diseases. Herein, we review several representative C. elegans models established for five common neurodegenerative diseases, which closely simulate disease phenotypes specifically in the gain-of-function aspect. We exemplify applications of high-throughput genetic and drug screenings to illustrate the potential of C. elegans to probe novel therapeutic targets. This review highlights the utility of C. elegans as a comprehensive and versatile platform for the dissection of neurodegenerative diseases at the molecular level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Zhaoyu Li
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (Y.W.); (Y.C.); (X.Y.); (M.Z.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Xu Q, Zheng B, Li T, Liu RH. Hypsizygus marmoreus extract exhibited antioxidant effects to promote longevity and stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans. Food Funct 2023; 14:9743-9754. [PMID: 37818984 DOI: 10.1039/d3fo02578k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we explored the lifespan extension effect of a popular edible mushroom, Hypsizygus marmoreus, using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The results showed that Hypsizygus marmoreus extract (HME) could increase the lifespan of C. elegans and ameliorate the healthspan by improving motility, attenuating lipofuscin accumulation, and enhancing the ability to withstand oxidative and heat stress. Then, we found noteworthy enhancements in SOD and CAT activities and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity in vivo. Combined with the up-regulation of the expression of antioxidant genes (skn-1, sod-1, sod-3, mev-1, and gst-4), HME may function as an antioxidant in nematodes, which may be closely related to its phenolic compounds. Furthermore, we found that HME promoted the transfer of the transcription factor SKN-1 to the nucleus but had no impact on the lifespan of skn-1 mutants, indicating that SKN-1 was essential for Hypsizygus marmoreus to exert beneficial biological effects in C. elegans. Our findings elucidated that dietary supplementation with Hypsizygus marmoreus might have beneficial anti-aging effects and contribute to exploring the lifespan extension and underlying mechanisms of Hypsizygus marmoreus in C. elegans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiuxiong Xu
- Research Institute for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Guangzhou, China
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, China
| | - Bisheng Zheng
- Research Institute for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Guangzhou, China
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, China
- Guangdong ERA Food & Life Health Research Institute, Guangzhou, 510670, China
| | - Tong Li
- Department of Food Science, Stocking Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Rui Hai Liu
- Department of Food Science, Stocking Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Das B, Madhubala D, Mahanta S, Patra A, Puzari U, Khan MR, Mukherjee AK. A Novel Therapeutic Formulation for the Improved Treatment of Indian Red Scorpion ( Mesobuthus tamulus) Venom-Induced Toxicity-Tested in Caenorhabditis elegans and Rodent Models. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:504. [PMID: 37624261 PMCID: PMC10467153 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15080504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Indian Red Scorpion (Mesobuthus tamulus) stings are a neglected public health problem in tropical and sub-tropical countries, including India. The drawbacks of conventional therapies using commercial anti-scorpion antivenom (ASA) and α1-adrenoreceptor antagonists (AAA) have prompted us to search for an adequate formulation to improve treatment against M. tamulus stings. Novel therapeutic drug formulations (TDF) of low doses of commercial ASA, AAA, and ascorbic acid have remarkably improved in neutralising the in vivo toxic effects of M. tamulus venom (MTV) tested in Caenorhabditis elegans and Wistar strain albino rats in vivo models. The neutralisation of MTV-induced production of free radicals, alteration of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and upregulated expression of genes involved in apoptosis, detoxification, and stress response in C. elegans by TDF surpassed the same effect shown by individual components of the TDF. Further, TDF efficiently neutralized the MTV-induced increase in blood glucose level within 30 to 60 min post-treatment, organ tissue damage, necrosis, and pulmonary oedema in Wistar rats, indicating its clinical application for effecting treating M. tamulus envenomation. This study demonstrates for the first time that C. elegans can be a model organism for screening the neutralization potency of the drug molecules against a neurotoxic scorpion venom.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bhabana Das
- Microbial Biotechnology and Protein Research Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur 784028, Assam, India; (B.D.); (D.M.); (U.P.)
| | - Dev Madhubala
- Microbial Biotechnology and Protein Research Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur 784028, Assam, India; (B.D.); (D.M.); (U.P.)
- Division of Life Sciences, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Vigyan Path, Garchuk, Paschim Boragaon, Guwahati 781035, Assam, India; (A.P.); (M.R.K.)
| | - Saurov Mahanta
- National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), Guwahati 781008, Assam, India;
| | - Aparup Patra
- Division of Life Sciences, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Vigyan Path, Garchuk, Paschim Boragaon, Guwahati 781035, Assam, India; (A.P.); (M.R.K.)
| | - Upasana Puzari
- Microbial Biotechnology and Protein Research Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur 784028, Assam, India; (B.D.); (D.M.); (U.P.)
| | - Mojibur R. Khan
- Division of Life Sciences, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Vigyan Path, Garchuk, Paschim Boragaon, Guwahati 781035, Assam, India; (A.P.); (M.R.K.)
| | - Ashis K. Mukherjee
- Microbial Biotechnology and Protein Research Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur 784028, Assam, India; (B.D.); (D.M.); (U.P.)
- Division of Life Sciences, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Vigyan Path, Garchuk, Paschim Boragaon, Guwahati 781035, Assam, India; (A.P.); (M.R.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Scott A, Willis CR, Muratani M, Higashitani A, Etheridge T, Szewczyk NJ, Deane CS. Caenorhabditis elegans in microgravity: An omics perspective. iScience 2023; 26:107189. [PMID: 37456835 PMCID: PMC10344948 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The application of omics to study Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) in the context of spaceflight is increasing, illuminating the wide-ranging biological impacts of spaceflight on physiology. In this review, we highlight the application of omics, including transcriptomics, genomics, proteomics, multi-omics, and integrated omics in the study of spaceflown C. elegans, and discuss the impact, use, and future direction of this branch of research. We highlight the variety of molecular alterations that occur in response to spaceflight, most notably changes in metabolic and neuromuscular gene regulation. These transcriptional features are reproducible and evident across many spaceflown species (e.g., mice and astronauts), supporting the use of C. elegans as a model organism to study spaceflight physiology with translational capital. Integrating tissue-specific, spatial, and multi-omics approaches, which quantitatively link molecular responses to phenotypic adaptations, will facilitate the identification of candidate regulatory molecules for therapeutic intervention and thus represents the next frontiers in C. elegans space omics research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Scott
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Craig R.G. Willis
- School of Chemistry and Biosciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
| | - Masafumi Muratani
- Transborder Medical Research Center and Department of Genome Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | | | - Timothy Etheridge
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Nathaniel J. Szewczyk
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Colleen S. Deane
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Human Development & Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Guerrero-Rubio MA, Hernández-García S, García-Carmona F, Gandía-Herrero F. Consumption of commonly used artificial food dyes increases activity and oxidative stress in the animal model Caenorhabditis elegans. Food Res Int 2023; 169:112925. [PMID: 37254351 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2023.112925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, the consumption of artificial colorants in foods and beverages has increased despite of concerns in the general population raised by studies that have shown possible injurious effects. In this study, tartrazine, sunset yellow, quinoline yellow, ponceau 4R, carmoisine and allura red were employed as pure compounds to explore their effects in vivo in the animal model Caenorhabditis elegans. The exposition of C. elegans to these artificial dyes produced damage related with aging such as oxidative stress and lipofuscin accumulation, as well as a heavy shortening of lifespan, alterations in movement patterns and alterations in the production of dopamine receptors. Besides, microarray analysis performed with worms treated with tartrazine and ponceau 4R showed how the consumption of synthetic colorants is able to alter the expression of genes involved in resistance to oxidative stress and neurodegeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Alejandra Guerrero-Rubio
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular A, Unidad Docente de Biología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Samanta Hernández-García
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular A, Unidad Docente de Biología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Francisco García-Carmona
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular A, Unidad Docente de Biología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Fernando Gandía-Herrero
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular A, Unidad Docente de Biología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wang Y, Shi J, Liu K, Wang Y, Xu Y, Liu Y. Metabolomics and gene expression levels reveal the positive effects of teaseed oil on lifespan and aging process in Caenorhabditis elegans. FOOD SCIENCE AND HUMAN WELLNESS 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fshw.2022.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|
12
|
Zhang J, Liu S, Yuan H, Yong R, Duan S, Li Y, Spencer J, Lim EG, Yu L, Song P. Deep Learning for Microfluidic-Assisted Caenorhabditis elegans Multi-Parameter Identification Using YOLOv7. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1339. [PMID: 37512650 PMCID: PMC10386376 DOI: 10.3390/mi14071339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
The Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is an ideal model organism for studying human diseases and genetics due to its transparency and suitability for optical imaging. However, manually sorting a large population of C. elegans for experiments is tedious and inefficient. The microfluidic-assisted C. elegans sorting chip is considered a promising platform to address this issue due to its automation and ease of operation. Nevertheless, automated C. elegans sorting with multiple parameters requires efficient identification technology due to the different research demands for worm phenotypes. To improve the efficiency and accuracy of multi-parameter sorting, we developed a deep learning model using You Only Look Once (YOLO)v7 to detect and recognize C. elegans automatically. We used a dataset of 3931 annotated worms in microfluidic chips from various studies. Our model showed higher precision in automated C. elegans identification than YOLOv5 and Faster R-CNN, achieving a mean average precision (mAP) at a 0.5 intersection over a union (mAP@0.5) threshold of 99.56%. Additionally, our model demonstrated good generalization ability, achieving an mAP@0.5 of 94.21% on an external validation set. Our model can efficiently and accurately identify and calculate multiple phenotypes of worms, including size, movement speed, and fluorescence. The multi-parameter identification model can improve sorting efficiency and potentially promote the development of automated and integrated microfluidic platforms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhang
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
| | - Shuhe Liu
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Hang Yuan
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ruiqi Yong
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Sixuan Duan
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
| | - Yifan Li
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
| | - Joseph Spencer
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
| | - Eng Gee Lim
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
| | - Limin Yu
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
| | - Pengfei Song
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Liao C, Huang R, Yang Y, Huang Y, Zhang K, Ma L, Li T, Wang L, Zhang H, Li B. Effects of insecticidal proteins of Enterobacter cloacae NK on cellular immunity of Galleria mellonella larvae. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1154811. [PMID: 37228380 PMCID: PMC10203167 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1154811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterobacter cloacae produces insecticidal proteins capable of causing toxicity in pests, but the insecticidal mechanisms of these proteins for insect control remain unclear. To elucidate the mechanisms, the purified insecticidal protein from E. cloacae NK was administered to Galleria mellonella larvae either by intraperitoneal injection or by feeding. The number of hemocytes, apoptosis in immune cells, and polyphenol oxidase (PO) activity of G. mellonella larvae were detected by hemocytometer, Annexin V-FITC/PI, and UV-vis spectrophotometer, respectively. With the extension of the invasion time of NK insecticidal protein, the number of hemocytes in G. mellonella larvae decreased significantly (p < 0.05), whereas the apoptosis rate of hemocytes increased. The activity of PO showed a trend of rising-peak-sharp decline and the melanization reaction was deepened simultaneously. Moreover, the phagocytosis and coating capabilities of hemocytes decreased, and the intraperitoneal injection method was more effective than the feeding method. Taking together, the insecticidal protein of E. cloacae NK inhibits and destroys the cellular immune response of G. mellonella larvae, which suggests an important role in killing the host insect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunli Liao
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Center of Healthy Food Engineering and Technology of Henan, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Rehabilitation Technology, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Ran Huang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Yi Yang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Yapeng Huang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Liang Ma
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Taotao Li
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Center of Healthy Food Engineering and Technology of Henan, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Rehabilitation Technology, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Lianzhe Wang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Center of Healthy Food Engineering and Technology of Henan, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Rehabilitation Technology, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Huamin Zhang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Center of Healthy Food Engineering and Technology of Henan, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Rehabilitation Technology, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Bingbing Li
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Center of Healthy Food Engineering and Technology of Henan, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Rehabilitation Technology, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Rizou AEI, Nasi GI, Paikopoulos Y, Bezantakou DS, Vraila KD, Spatharas PM, Dimaki VD, Papandreou NC, Lamari FN, Chondrogianni N, Iconomidou VA. A Multilevel Study of Eupatorin and Scutellarein as Anti-Amyloid Agents in Alzheimer's Disease. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11051357. [PMID: 37239029 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Today, Alzheimer's disease (AD)-the most common neurodegenerative disorder, which affects 50 million people-remains incurable. Several studies suggest that one of the main pathological hallmarks of AD is the accumulation of abnormal amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregates; therefore, many therapeutic approaches focus on anti-Aβ aggregation inhibitors. Taking into consideration that plant-derived secondary metabolites seem to have neuroprotective effects, we attempted to assess the effects of two flavones-eupatorin and scutellarein-on the amyloidogenesis of Aβ peptides. Biophysical experimental methods were employed to inspect the aggregation process of Aβ after its incubation with each natural product, while we monitored their interactions with the oligomerized Aβ through molecular dynamics simulations. More importantly, we validated our in vitro and in silico results in a multicellular organismal model-namely, Caenorhabditis elegans-and we concluded that eupatorin is indeed able to delay the amyloidogenesis of Aβ peptides in a concentration-dependent manner. Finally, we propose that further investigation could lead to the exploitation of eupatorin or its analogues as potential drug candidates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aikaterini E I Rizou
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia I Nasi
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Yiorgos Paikopoulos
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Ave., 11635 Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitra S Bezantakou
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantina D Vraila
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis M Spatharas
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Virginia D Dimaki
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece
| | - Nikos C Papandreou
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Fotini N Lamari
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece
| | - Niki Chondrogianni
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Ave., 11635 Athens, Greece
| | - Vassiliki A Iconomidou
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Yuan H, Yuan W, Duan S, Jiao K, Zhang Q, Lim EG, Chen M, Zhao C, Pan P, Liu X, Song P. Microfluidic-Assisted Caenorhabditis elegans Sorting: Current Status and Future Prospects. CYBORG AND BIONIC SYSTEMS 2023; 4:0011. [PMID: 37287459 PMCID: PMC10243201 DOI: 10.34133/cbsystems.0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has been a popular model organism for several decades since its first discovery of the huge research potential for modeling human diseases and genetics. Sorting is an important means of providing stage- or age-synchronized worm populations for many worm-based bioassays. However, conventional manual techniques for C. elegans sorting are tedious and inefficient, and commercial complex object parametric analyzer and sorter is too expensive and bulky for most laboratories. Recently, the development of lab-on-a-chip (microfluidics) technology has greatly facilitated C. elegans studies where large numbers of synchronized worm populations are required and advances of new designs, mechanisms, and automation algorithms. Most previous reviews have focused on the development of microfluidic devices but lacked the summaries and discussion of the biological research demands of C. elegans, and are hard to read for worm researchers. We aim to comprehensively review the up-to-date microfluidic-assisted C. elegans sorting developments from several angles to suit different background researchers, i.e., biologists and engineers. First, we highlighted the microfluidic C. elegans sorting devices' advantages and limitations compared to the conventional commercialized worm sorting tools. Second, to benefit the engineers, we reviewed the current devices from the perspectives of active or passive sorting, sorting strategies, target populations, and sorting criteria. Third, to benefit the biologists, we reviewed the contributions of sorting to biological research. We expect, by providing this comprehensive review, that each researcher from this multidisciplinary community can effectively find the needed information and, in turn, facilitate future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hang Yuan
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Wenwen Yuan
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Sixuan Duan
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Keran Jiao
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Chemistry,
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Quan Zhang
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Eng Gee Lim
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Min Chen
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Chun Zhao
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Peng Pan
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Xinyu Liu
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Pengfei Song
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Mobille Z, Follmann R, Vidal-Gadea A, Rosa E. Quantitative description of neuronal calcium dynamics in C. elegans' thermoreception. Biosystems 2023; 223:104814. [PMID: 36435352 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2022.104814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The dynamical mechanisms underlying thermoreception in the nematode C. elegans are studied with a mathematical model for the amphid finger-like ciliated (AFD) neurons. The equations, equipped with Arrhenius temperature factors, account for the worm's thermotaxis when seeking environments at its cultivation temperature, and for the AFD's calcium dynamics when exposed to both linearly ramping and oscillatory temperature stimuli. Calculations of the peak time for calcium responses during simulations of pulse-like temperature inputs are consistent with known behavioral time scales of C. elegans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Mobille
- Department of Physics, Illinois State University, Normal, 61790, IL, USA; Department of Mathematics, Illinois State University, Normal, 61790, IL, USA.
| | - Rosangela Follmann
- School of Information Technology, Illinois State University, Normal, 61790, IL, USA.
| | - Andrés Vidal-Gadea
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, 61790, IL, USA.
| | - Epaminondas Rosa
- Department of Physics, Illinois State University, Normal, 61790, IL, USA; School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, 61790, IL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Chauhan P, Wadhwa K, Singh G. Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system to evaluate neuroprotective potential of nano formulations. FRONTIERS IN NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fnano.2022.1018754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of neurodegenerative illnesses on society is significant, but the mechanisms leading to neuronal malfunction and death in these conditions remain largely unknown despite identifying essential disease genes. To pinpoint the mechanisms behind the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, several researchers have turned to nematode C. elegans instead of using mammals. Since C. elegans is transparent, free-living, and amenable to culture, it has several benefits. As a result, all the neurons in C. elegans can be easily identified, and their connections are understood. Human proteins linked to Neurodegeneration can be made to express in them. It is also possible to analyze how C. elegans orthologs of the genes responsible for human neurodegenerative diseases function. In this article, we focused at some of the most important C. elegans neurodegeneration models that accurately represent many elements of human neurodegenerative illness. It has been observed that studies using the adaptable C. elegans have helped us in better understanding of human diseases. These studies have used it to replicate several aspects of human neurodegeneration. A nanotech approach involves engineering materials or equipments interacting with biological systems at the molecular level to trigger physiological responses by increasing stimulation, responding, and interacting with target sites while minimizing side effects, thus revolutionizing the treatment and diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. Nanotechnologies are being used to treat neurological disorders and deliver nanoscale drugs. This review explores the current and future uses of these nanotechnologies as innovative therapeutic modalities in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases using C elegans as an experimental model.
Collapse
|
18
|
Lavorato M, Nakamaru-Ogiso E, Mathew ND, Herman E, Shah NK, Haroon S, Xiao R, Seiler C, Falk MJ. Dichloroacetate improves mitochondrial function, physiology, and morphology in FBXL4 disease models. JCI Insight 2022; 7:156346. [PMID: 35881484 PMCID: PMC9462489 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.156346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic variants in the human F-box and leucine-rich repeat protein 4 (FBXL4) gene result in an autosomal recessive, multisystemic, mitochondrial disorder involving variable mitochondrial depletion and respiratory chain complex deficiencies with lactic acidemia. As no FDA-approved effective therapies for this disease exist, we sought to characterize translational C. elegans and zebrafish animal models, as well as human fibroblasts, to study FBXL4–/– disease mechanisms and identify preclinical therapeutic leads. Developmental delay, impaired fecundity and neurologic and/or muscular activity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and altered lactate metabolism were identified in fbxl-1(ok3741) C. elegans. Detailed studies of a PDHc activator, dichloroacetate (DCA), in fbxl-1(ok3741)C. elegans demonstrated its beneficial effects on fecundity, neuromotor activity, and mitochondrial function. Validation studies were performed in fbxl4sa12470 zebrafish larvae and in FBXL4–/– human fibroblasts; they showed DCA efficacy in preventing brain death, impairment of neurologic and/or muscular function, mitochondrial biochemical dysfunction, and stress-induced morphologic and ultrastructural mitochondrial defects. These data demonstrate that fbxl-1(ok3741) C. elegans and fbxl4sa12470 zebrafish provide robust translational models to study mechanisms and identify preclinical therapeutic candidates for FBXL4–/– disease. Furthermore, DCA is a lead therapeutic candidate with therapeutic benefit on diverse aspects of survival, neurologic and/or muscular function, and mitochondrial physiology that warrants rigorous clinical trial study in humans with FBXL4–/– disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Lavorato
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, United States of America
| | - Eiko Nakamaru-Ogiso
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, United States of America
| | - Neal D Mathew
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Herman
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, United States of America
| | - Nina K Shah
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, United States of America
| | - Suraiya Haroon
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, United States of America
| | - Rui Xiao
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, United States of America
| | - Christoph Seiler
- Aquatics Core Facility, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, United States of America
| | - Marni J Falk
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Busi KB, Kotha J, Bandaru S, Ghantasala JP, Haseena S, Bhamidipati K, Puvvada N, Ravva MK, Thondamal M, Chakrabortty S. Engineering colloidally stable, highly fluorescent and nontoxic Cu nanoclusters via reaction parameter optimization. RSC Adv 2022; 12:17585-17595. [PMID: 35765449 PMCID: PMC9194929 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra02819k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Metal nanoclusters (NCs) composed of the least number of atoms (a few to tens) have become very attractive for their emerging properties owing to their ultrasmall size. Preparing copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) in an aqueous medium with high emission properties, strong colloidal stability, and low toxicity has been a long-standing challenge. Although Cu NCs are earth-abundant and inexpensive, they have been comparatively less explored due to their various limitations, such as ease of surface oxidation, poor colloidal stability, and high toxicity. To overcome these constraints, we established a facile synthetic route by optimizing the reaction parameters, especially altering the effective concentration of the reducing agent, to influence their optical characteristics. The improvement of the photoluminescence intensity and superior colloidal stability was modeled from a theoretical standpoint. Moreover, the as-synthesized Cu NCs showed a significant reduction of toxicity in both in vitro and in vivo models. The possibility of using such Cu NCs as a diagnostic probe toward C. elegans was explored. Also, the extension of our approach toward improving the photoluminescence intensity of the Cu NCs on other ligand systems was demonstrated. A facile synthetic strategy to engineer improved fluorescent quantum yield, colloidally stable, and low toxic Cu nanoclusters is introduced. These nanoclusters have the potential to be used as excellent bioimaging probes.![]()
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kumar Babu Busi
- Department of Chemistry, SRM University AP Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh 522240 India
| | - Jyothi Kotha
- Department of Biological Sciences, SRM University AP Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh 522240 India
| | - Shamili Bandaru
- Department of Chemistry, SRM University AP Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh 522240 India
| | | | - Sheik Haseena
- Department of Chemistry, SRM University AP Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh 522240 India
| | - Keerti Bhamidipati
- Applied Biology Division CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Hyderabad 500007 Telangana India
| | - Nagaprasad Puvvada
- Applied Biology Division CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Hyderabad 500007 Telangana India.,Department of Chemistry, Indrashil University Rajpur Mehsana-382740 Gujarat India
| | - Mahesh Kumar Ravva
- Department of Chemistry, SRM University AP Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh 522240 India
| | - Manjunatha Thondamal
- Department of Biological Sciences, SRM University AP Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh 522240 India
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Andersen N, Veuthey T, Blanco MG, Silbestri GF, Rayes D, De Rosa MJ. 1-Mesityl-3-(3-Sulfonatopropyl) Imidazolium Protects Against Oxidative Stress and Delays Proteotoxicity in C. elegans. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:908696. [PMID: 35685626 PMCID: PMC9171001 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.908696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the increase in life expectancy worldwide, age-related disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) have become more prevalent. Conventional treatments comprise drugs that only attenuate some of the symptoms, but fail to arrest or delay neuronal proteotoxicity that characterizes these diseases. Due to their diverse biological activities, imidazole rings are intensively explored as powerful scaffolds for the development of new bioactive molecules. By using C. elegans, our work aims to explore novel biological roles for these compounds. To this end, we have tested the in vivo anti-proteotoxic effects of imidazolium salts. Since NDs have been largely linked to impaired antioxidant defense mechanisms, we focused on 1-Mesityl-3-(3-sulfonatopropyl) imidazolium (MSI), one of the imidazolium salts that we identified as capable of improving iron-induced oxidative stress resistance in wild-type animals. By combining mutant and gene expression analysis we have determined that this protective effect depends on the activation of the Heat Shock Transcription Factor (HSF-1), whereas it is independent of other canonical cytoprotective molecules such as abnormal Dauer Formation-16 (DAF-16/FOXO) and Skinhead-1 (SKN-1/Nrf2). To delve deeper into the biological roles of MSI, we analyzed the impact of this compound on previously established C. elegans models of protein aggregation. We found that MSI ameliorates β-amyloid-induced paralysis in worms expressing the pathological protein involved in Alzheimer’s Disease. Moreover, this compound also delays age-related locomotion decline in other proteotoxic C. elegans models, suggesting a broad protective effect. Taken together, our results point to MSI as a promising anti-proteotoxic compound and provide proof of concept of the potential of imidazole derivatives in the development of novel therapies to retard age-related proteotoxic diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Andersen
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional Del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Tania Veuthey
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional Del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - María Gabriela Blanco
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional Del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Gustavo Fabian Silbestri
- Departamento de Química, INQUISUR, Universidad Nacional Del Sur, UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Diego Rayes
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional Del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- *Correspondence: Diego Rayes, ; María José De Rosa,
| | - María José De Rosa
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional Del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- *Correspondence: Diego Rayes, ; María José De Rosa,
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Invited review: Unearthing the mechanisms of age-related neurodegenerative disease using Caenorhabditis elegans. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2022; 267:111166. [PMID: 35176489 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
As human life expectancy increases, neurodegenerative diseases present a growing public health threat, for which there are currently few effective treatments. There is an urgent need to understand the molecular and genetic underpinnings of these disorders so new therapeutic targets can be identified. Here we present the argument that the simple nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful tool to rapidly study neurodegenerative disorders due to their short lifespan and vast array of genetic tools, which can be combined with characterization of conserved neuronal processes and behavior orthologous to those disrupted in human disease. We review how pre-existing C. elegans models provide insight into human neurological disease as well as an overview of current tools available to study neurodegenerative diseases in the worm, with an emphasis on genetics and behavior. We also discuss open questions that C. elegans may be particularly well suited for in future studies and how worms will be a valuable preclinical model to better understand these devastating neurological disorders.
Collapse
|
22
|
Swart Z, Duong TA, Wingfield BD, Postma A, Slippers B. The relevance of studying insect-nematode interactions for human disease. Pathog Glob Health 2022; 116:140-145. [PMID: 34726122 PMCID: PMC9090338 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2021.1996796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate-parasitic nematodes cause debilitating, chronic infections in millions of people worldwide. The burden of these so-called 'neglected tropical diseases' is often carried by poorer socioeconomic communities in part because research on parasitic nematodes and their vertebrate hosts is challenging and costly. However, complex biological and pathological processes can be modeled in simpler organisms. Here, we consider how insight into the interactions between entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN), their insect hosts and bacterial symbionts may reveal novel treatment targets for parasitic nematode infections. We argue that a combination of approaches that target nematodes, as well as the interaction of pathogens with insect vectors and bacterial symbionts, offer potentially effective, but underexplored opportunities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zorada Swart
- Department of Biochemistry Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Tuan A. Duong
- Department of Biochemistry Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Brenda D. Wingfield
- Department of Biochemistry Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Alisa Postma
- Department of Biochemistry Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Bernard Slippers
- Department of Biochemistry Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Wink M. Current Understanding of Modes of Action of Multicomponent Bioactive Phytochemicals: Potential for Nutraceuticals and Antimicrobials. Annu Rev Food Sci Technol 2022; 13:337-359. [PMID: 35333591 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-food-052720-100326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Plants produce a diversity of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs), which function as defense chemicals against herbivores and microorganisms but also as signal compounds. An individual plant produces and accumulates mixtures of PSMs with different structural features using different biosynthetic pathways. Almost all PSMs exert one or several biological activities that can be useful for nutrition and health. This review discusses the modes of action of PSMs alone and in combinations. In a mixture, most individual PSMs can modulate different molecular targets; they are thus multitarget drugs. In an extract with many multitarget chemicals, additive and synergistic effects occur. Experiments with the model system Caenorhabditis elegans show that polyphenols and carotenoids can function as powerful antioxidative and longevity-promoting PSMs. PSMs of food plants and spices often exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, which can be beneficial for health and the prevention of diseases. Some extracts from food plants and spices with bioactive PSMs have potential for nutraceuticals and antimicrobials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Wink
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany;
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Rahul, Siddique YH. Drosophila: A Model to Study the Pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS DRUG TARGETS 2022; 21:259-277. [PMID: 35040399 DOI: 10.2174/1871527320666210809120621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Human Central Nervous System (CNS) is the complex part of the human body, which regulates multiple cellular and molecular events taking place simultaneously. Parkinsons Disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease (AD). The pathological hallmarks of PD are loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantianigra (SN) pars compacta (SNpc) and accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein, in intra-cytoplasmic inclusions called Lewy bodies (LBs). So far, there is no cure for PD, due to the complexities of molecular mechanisms and events taking place during the pathogenesis of PD. Drosophila melanogaster is an appropriate model organism to unravel the pathogenicity not only behind PD but also other NDs. In this context as numerous biological functions are preserved between Drosophila and humans. Apart from sharing 75% of human disease-causing genes homolog in Drosophila, behavioral responses like memory-based tests, negative geotaxis, courtship and mating are also well studied. The genetic, as well as environmental factors, can be studied in Drosophila to understand the geneenvironment interactions behind the disease condition. Through genetic manipulation, mutant flies can be generated harboring human orthologs, which can prove to be an excellent model to understand the effect of the mutant protein on the pathogenicity of NDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rahul
- Drosophila Transgenic Laboratory, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, Uttar Pradesh,India
| | - Yasir Hasan Siddique
- Drosophila Transgenic Laboratory, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, Uttar Pradesh,India
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Marques F, Falquet L, Vandewyer E, Beets I, Glauser DA. Signaling via the FLP-14/FRPR-19 neuropeptide pathway sustains nociceptive response to repeated noxious stimuli in C. elegans. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009880. [PMID: 34748554 PMCID: PMC8601619 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to thrive in constantly changing environments, animals must adaptively respond to threatening events. Noxious stimuli are not only processed according to their absolute intensity, but also to their context. Adaptation processes can cause animals to habituate at different rates and degrees in response to permanent or repeated stimuli. Here, we used a forward genetic approach in Caenorhabditis elegans to identify a neuropeptidergic pathway, essential to prevent fast habituation and maintain robust withdrawal responses to repeated noxious stimuli. This pathway involves the FRPR-19A and FRPR-19B G-protein coupled receptor isoforms produced from the frpr-19 gene by alternative splicing. Loss or overexpression of each or both isoforms can impair withdrawal responses caused by the optogenetic activation of the polymodal FLP nociceptor neuron. Furthermore, we identified FLP-8 and FLP-14 as FRPR-19 ligands in vitro. flp-14, but not flp-8, was essential to promote withdrawal response and is part of the same genetic pathway as frpr-19 in vivo. Expression and cell-specific rescue analyses suggest that FRPR-19 acts both in the FLP nociceptive neurons and downstream interneurons, whereas FLP-14 acts from interneurons. Importantly, genetic impairment of the FLP-14/FRPR-19 pathway accelerated the habituation to repeated FLP-specific optogenetic activation, as well as to repeated noxious heat and harsh touch stimuli. Collectively, our data suggest that well-adjusted neuromodulation via the FLP-14/FRPR-19 pathway contributes to promote nociceptive signals in C. elegans and counteracts habituation processes that otherwise tend to rapidly reduce aversive responses to repeated noxious stimuli.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Marques
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Falquet
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Elke Vandewyer
- Neural Signaling and Circuit Plasticity Group, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Isabel Beets
- Neural Signaling and Circuit Plasticity Group, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Xiao Y, Wang P, Zhu X, Xie Z. Pseudomonas donghuensis HYS gtrA/ B/ II Gene Cluster Contributes to Its Pathogenicity toward Caenorhabditis elegans. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910741. [PMID: 34639082 PMCID: PMC8509367 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas donghuensis HYS is more virulent than P. aeruginosa toward Caenorhabditis elegans but the mechanism underlying virulence is unclear. This study is the first to report that the specific gene cluster gtrA/B/II in P. donghuensis HYS is involved in the virulence of this strain toward C. elegans, and there are no reports of GtrA, GtrB and GtrII in any Pseudomonas species. The pathogenicity of P. donghuensis HYS was evaluated using C. elegans as a host. Based on the prediction of virulence factors and comparative genomic analysis of P. donghuensis HYS, we identified 42 specific virulence genes in P. donghuensis HYS. Slow-killing assays of these genes showed that the gtrAB mutation had the greatest effect on the virulence of P. donghuensis HYS, and GtrA, GtrB and GtrII all positively affected P. donghuensis HYS virulence. Two critical GtrII residues (Glu47 and Lys480) were identified in P. donghuensis HYS. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that GtrA, GtrB and GtrII were involved in the glucosylation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen in P. donghuensis HYS. Furthermore, colony-forming unit (CFU) assays showed that GtrA, GtrB and GtrII significantly enhanced P. donghuensis HYS colonization in the gut of C. elegans, and glucosylation of LPS O-antigen and colonization in the host intestine contributed to the pathogenicity of P. donghuensis HYS. In addition, experiments using the worm mutants ZD101, KU4 and KU25 revealed a correlation between P. donghuensis HYS virulence and the TIR-1/SEK-1/PMK-1 pathways of the innate immune p38 MAPK pathway in C. elegans. In conclusion, these results reveal that the specific virulence gene cluster gtrA/B/II contributes to the unique pathogenicity of HYS compared with other pathogenic Pseudomonas, and that this process also involves C. elegans innate immunity. These findings significantly increase the available information about GtrA/GtrB/GtrII-based virulence mechanisms in the genus Pseudomonas.
Collapse
|
27
|
Shang Y, Wang S, Jin Y, Xue W, Zhong Y, Wang H, An J, Li H. Polystyrene nanoparticles induced neurodevelopmental toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans through regulation of dpy-5 and rol-6. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 222:112523. [PMID: 34273852 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Micro- and nano- polystyrene particles have been widely detected in environment, posing potential threats to human health. This study was designed to evaluate the neurodevelopmental toxicity of polystyrene nanoparticles (NPs) in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), to screen crucial genes and investigate the underlying mechanism. In wild-type C. elegans, polystyrene NPs (diameter 50 nm) could concentration-dependently induce significant inhibition in body length, survival rate, head thrashes, and body bending, accompanying with increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, lipofuscin accumulation, and apoptosis and decrease of dopamine (DA) contents. Moreover, pink-1 mutant was demonstrated to alleviate the locomotion disorders and oxidative damage induced by polystyrene NPs, indicating involvement of pink-1 in the polystyrene NPs-induced neurotoxicity. RNA sequencing results revealed 89 up-regulated and 56 down-regulated differently expressed genes (DEGs) response to polystyrene NPs (100 μg/L) exposure. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that predominant enriched DEGs were correlated with biological function of cuticle development and molting cycle. Furthermore, mutant strains test showed that the neurodevelopmental toxicity and oxidative stress responses induced by 50 nm polystyrene NPs were regulated by dpy-5 and rol-6. In general, polystyrene NPs induced obvious neurodevelopmental toxicity in C. elegans through oxidative damage and dopamine reduction. Crucial genes dpy-5 and rol-6 might participate in polystyrene NPs-induced neurodevelopmental toxicity through regulation on synthesis and deposition of cuticle collagen.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Shang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Siyan Wang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Yingying Jin
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Wanlei Xue
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Yufang Zhong
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Hongli Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Formation and Prevention of Urban Complex Air Pollution, Shanghai Academy of Environment Sciences, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Jing An
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.
| | - Hui Li
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Franco-Juárez B, Gómez-Manzo S, Hernández-Ochoa B, Cárdenas-Rodríguez N, Arreguin-Espinosa R, Pérez de la Cruz V, Ortega-Cuellar D. Effects of High Dietary Carbohydrate and Lipid Intake on the Lifespan of C. elegans. Cells 2021; 10:cells10092359. [PMID: 34572007 PMCID: PMC8465757 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Health and lifespan are influenced by dietary nutrients, whose balance is dependent on the supply or demand of each organism. Many studies have shown that an increased carbohydrate–lipid intake plays a critical role in metabolic dysregulation, which impacts longevity. Caenorhabditis elegans has been successfully used as an in vivo model to study the effects of several factors, such as genetic, environmental, diet, and lifestyle factors, on the molecular mechanisms that have been linked to healthspan, lifespan, and the aging process. There is evidence showing the causative effects of high glucose on lifespan in different diabetic models; however, the precise biological mechanisms affected by dietary nutrients, specifically carbohydrates and lipids, as well as their links with lifespan and longevity, remain unknown. Here, we provide an overview of the deleterious effects caused by high-carbohydrate and high-lipid diets, as well as the molecular signals that affect the lifespan of C. elegans; thus, understanding the detailed molecular mechanisms of high-glucose- and lipid-induced changes in whole organisms would allow the targeting of key regulatory factors to ameliorate metabolic disorders and age-related diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Berenice Franco-Juárez
- Departamento de Neurodesarrollo y Fisiología, División de Neurociencias, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, UNAM, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico;
| | - Saúl Gómez-Manzo
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica Genética, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Secretaría de Salud, Ciudad de México 04530, Mexico;
| | - Beatriz Hernández-Ochoa
- Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Secretaría de Salud, Ciudad de México 06720, Mexico;
| | - Noemi Cárdenas-Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Secretaría de Salud, Ciudad de México 04530, Mexico;
| | - Roberto Arreguin-Espinosa
- Departamento de Química de Biomacromoléculas, Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico;
| | - Verónica Pérez de la Cruz
- Neurochemistry and Behavior Laboratory, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, Ciudad de México 14269, Mexico;
| | - Daniel Ortega-Cuellar
- Laboratorio de Nutrición Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Secretaría de Salud, Ciudad de México 04530, Mexico
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +52-55-1084-0900
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Fasae KD, Abolaji AO, Faloye TR, Odunsi AY, Oyetayo BO, Enya JI, Rotimi JA, Akinyemi RO, Whitworth AJ, Aschner M. Metallobiology and therapeutic chelation of biometals (copper, zinc and iron) in Alzheimer's disease: Limitations, and current and future perspectives. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2021; 67:126779. [PMID: 34034029 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2021.126779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of cognitive impairment and dementia worldwide. The pathobiology of the disease has been studied in the form of several hypotheses, ranging from oxidative stress, amyloid-beta (Aβ) aggregation, accumulation of tau forming neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) through metal dysregulation and homeostasis, dysfunction of the cholinergic system, and to inflammatory and autophagic mechanism. However, none of these hypotheses has led to confirmed diagnostics or approved cure for the disease. OBJECTIVE This review is aimed as a basic and an encyclopedic short course into metals in AD and discusses the advances in chelation strategies and developments adopted in the treatment of the disease. Since there is accumulating evidence of the role of both biometal dyshomeostasis (iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn)) and metal-amyloid interactions that lead to the pathogenesis of AD, this review focuses on unraveling therapeutic chelation strategies that have been considered in the treatment of the disease, aiming to sequester free and protein-bound metal ions and reducing cerebral metal burden. Promising compounds possessing chemically modified moieties evolving as multi-target ligands used as anti-AD drug candidates are also covered. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Several multidirectional and multifaceted studies on metal chelation therapeutics show the need for improved synthesis, screening, and analysis of compounds to be able to effectively present chelating anti-AD drugs. Most drug candidates studied have limitations in their physicochemical properties; some enhance redistribution of metal ions, while others indirectly activate signaling pathways in AD. The metal chelation process in vivo still needs to be established and the design of potential anti-AD compounds that bi-functionally sequester metal ions as well as inhibit the Aβ aggregation by competing with the metal ions and reducing metal-induced oxidative damage and neurotoxicity may signal a bright end in chelation-based therapeutics of AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kehinde D Fasae
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Unit, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Amos O Abolaji
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Unit, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
| | - Tolulope R Faloye
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Unit, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Atinuke Y Odunsi
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Unit, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Bolaji O Oyetayo
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Neuropharmacology Unit, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Joseph I Enya
- Department of Anatomy, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
| | - Joshua A Rotimi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| | - Rufus O Akinyemi
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
| | | | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Rzepnikowska W, Kochański A. Models for IGHMBP2-associated diseases: an overview and a roadmap for the future. Neuromuscul Disord 2021; 31:1266-1278. [PMID: 34785121 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Models are practical tools with which to establish the basic aspects of a diseases. They allow systematic research into the significance of mutations, of cellular and molecular pathomechanisms, of therapeutic options and of functions of diseases associated proteins. Thus, disease models are an integral part of the study of enigmatic proteins such as immunoglobulin mu-binding protein 2 (IGHMBP2). IGHMBP2 has been well defined as a helicase, however there is little known about its role in cellular processes. Notably, it is unclear why changes in such an abundant protein lead to specific neuronal disorders including spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type 1 (SMARD1) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2S (CMT2S). SMARD1 is caused by a loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord that results in muscle atrophy and is accompanied by rapid respiratory failure. In contrast, CMT2S manifests as a severe neuropathy, but typically without critical breathing problems. Here, we present the clinical manifestation of IGHMBP2 mutations, function of protein and models that may be used for the study of IGHMBP2-associated disorders. We highlight the strengths and weaknesses of specific models and discuss the orthologs of IGHMBP2 that are found in different systems with regard to their similarity to human IGHMBP2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weronika Rzepnikowska
- Neuromuscular Unit, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw 02-106, Poland.
| | - Andrzej Kochański
- Neuromuscular Unit, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw 02-106, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Kim GH, Rosiana S, Kirienko NV, Shapiro RS. A Simple Nematode Infection Model for Studying Candida albicans Pathogenesis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 59:e114. [PMID: 32975912 DOI: 10.1002/cpmc.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen and a model organism to study fungal pathogenesis. It exists as a harmless commensal organism and member of the healthy human microbiome, but can cause life-threatening mucosal and systemic infections. A model host to study C. albicans infection and pathogenesis is the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. C. elegans is frequently used as a model host to study microbial-host interactions because it can be infected by many human pathogens and there are also close morphological resemblances between the intestinal cells of C. elegans and mammals, where C. albicans infections can occur. This article outlines a detailed methodology for exploiting C. elegans as a host to study C. albicans infection, including a C. elegans egg preparation protocol and an agar-based C. elegans killing protocol to monitor fungal virulence. These protocols can additionally be used to study C. albicans genetic mutants in order to further our understanding of the genes involved in pathogenesis and virulence in C. albicans and the mechanisms of host-microbe interactions. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Preparation of Caenorhabditis elegans eggs Support Protocol 1: Freezing and recovering Caenorhabditis elegans Support Protocol 2: Making superfood agar and OP50 plates Basic Protocol 2: Caenorhabditis elegans/Candida albicans agar killing assay Support Protocol 3: Constructing a worm pick.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grace H Kim
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sierra Rosiana
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Rebecca S Shapiro
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
In Vivo Visualization and Quantification of Mitochondrial Morphology in C. elegans. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34060057 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1266-8_29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans is a highly versatile model system, intensively used for functional, genetic, cytometric, and integrative studies. Due to its simplicity and large muscle cell number, C. elegans has frequently been used to study mitochondrial deficiencies caused by disease or drug toxicity. Here we describe a robust and efficient method to visualize and quantify mitochondrial morphology in vivo. This method has many practical and technical advantages above traditional (manual) methods and provides a comprehensive analysis of mitochondrial morphology.
Collapse
|
33
|
Sofela S, Sahloul S, Song YA. Biophysical analysis of drug efficacy on C. elegans models for neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246496. [PMID: 34115761 PMCID: PMC8195402 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans has emerged as a powerful model organism for drug screening due to its cellular simplicity, genetic amenability and homology to humans combined with its small size and low cost. Currently, high-throughput drug screening assays are mostly based on image-based phenotyping with the focus on morphological-descriptive traits not exploiting key locomotory parameters of this multicellular model with muscles such as its thrashing force, a critical biophysical parameter when screening drugs for muscle-related diseases. In this study, we demonstrated the use of a micropillar-based force assay chip in combination with a fluorescence assay to evaluate the efficacy of various drugs currently used in treatment of neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases. Using this two-dimensional approach, we showed that the force assay was generally more sensitive in measuring efficacy of drug treatment in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Parkinson's Disease mutant worms as well as partly in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis model. These results underline the potential of our force assay chip in screening of potential drug candidates for the treatment of neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases when combined with a fluorescence assay in a two-dimensional analysis approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Sofela
- Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Sarah Sahloul
- Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Yong-Ak Song
- Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, NY, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Braems E, Tziortzouda P, Van Den Bosch L. Exploring the alternative: Fish, flies and worms as preclinical models for ALS. Neurosci Lett 2021; 759:136041. [PMID: 34118308 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons. In general, patients succumb to respiratory insufficiency due to respiratory muscle weakness. Despite many promising therapeutic strategies primarily identified in rodent models, patient trials remain rather unsuccessful. There is a clear need for alternative approaches, which could provide directions towards the justified use of rodents and which increase the likelihood to identify new promising clinical candidates. In the last decades, the use of fast genetic approaches and the development of high-throughput screening platforms in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, in the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and in zebrafish (Danio rerio) have contributed to new insights into ALS pathomechanisms, disease modifiers and therapeutic targets. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of these alternative small animal studies, modeling the most common ALS genes and discuss the most recent preclinical discoveries. We conclude that small animal models will not replace rodent models, yet they clearly represent an important asset for preclinical studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elke Braems
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paraskevi Tziortzouda
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Rashtchian S, Youssef K, Rezai P, Tabatabaei N. High-speed label-free confocal microscopy of Caenorhabditis elegans with near infrared spectrally encoded confocal microscopy. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 12:3607-3618. [PMID: 34221682 PMCID: PMC8221957 DOI: 10.1364/boe.427685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is an optically transparent nematode that shares many gene orthologs and homologs with humans. C. elegans are widely used in large populations for genetic studies relevant to human biology and disease. Success of such studies frequently relies on the ability to image C. elegans structure at high-resolution and high-speed. In this manuscript, we report on the feasibility and suitability of a high-speed variant of reflectance confocal microscopy, known as spectrally encoded confocal microscopy (SECM), for label-free imaging of C. elegans. The developed system utilizes near-infrared illumination in conjunction with refractive and diffractive optics to instantaneously image a confocal image line at a speed of up to 147 kHz with lateral and axial resolutions of 2µm and 10µm, respectively. Our imaging results from wild-type C. elegans and four mutant strains (MT2124, MT1082, CB61, and CB648) demonstrate the ability of SECM in revealing the overall geometry, key internal organs, and mutation-induced structural variations, opening the door for downstream integration of SECM in microfluidic platforms for high throughput structural imaging of C. elegans.
Collapse
|
36
|
Zulazmi NA, Arulsamy A, Ali I, Zainal Abidin SA, Othman I, Shaikh MF. The utilization of small non-mammals in traumatic brain injury research: A systematic review. CNS Neurosci Ther 2021; 27:381-402. [PMID: 33539662 PMCID: PMC7941175 DOI: 10.1111/cns.13590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide and has complicated underlying pathophysiology. Numerous TBI animal models have been developed over the past decade to effectively mimic the human TBI pathophysiology. These models are of mostly mammalian origin including rodents and non-human primates. However, the mammalian models demanded higher costs and have lower throughput often limiting the progress in TBI research. Thus, this systematic review aims to discuss the potential benefits of non-mammalian TBI models in terms of their face validity in resembling human TBI. Three databases were searched as follows: PubMed, Scopus, and Embase, for original articles relating to non-mammalian TBI models, published between January 2010 and December 2019. A total of 29 articles were selected based on PRISMA model for critical appraisal. Zebrafish, both larvae and adult, was found to be the most utilized non-mammalian TBI model in the current literature, followed by the fruit fly and roundworm. In conclusion, non-mammalian TBI models have advantages over mammalian models especially for rapid, cost-effective, and reproducible screening of effective treatment strategies and provide an opportunity to expedite the advancement of TBI research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nurul Atiqah Zulazmi
- Neuropharmacology Research LaboratoryJeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health SciencesMonash University MalaysiaSelangor Darul EhsanMalaysia
| | - Alina Arulsamy
- Neuropharmacology Research LaboratoryJeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health SciencesMonash University MalaysiaSelangor Darul EhsanMalaysia
| | - Idrish Ali
- Department of NeuroscienceCentral Clinical SchoolThe Alfred HospitalMonash UniversityMelbourneVic.Australia
| | - Syafiq Asnawi Zainal Abidin
- Neuropharmacology Research LaboratoryJeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health SciencesMonash University MalaysiaSelangor Darul EhsanMalaysia
- Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LCMS) PlatformJeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health SciencesMonash University MalaysiaSelangor Darul EhsanMalaysia
| | - Iekhsan Othman
- Neuropharmacology Research LaboratoryJeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health SciencesMonash University MalaysiaSelangor Darul EhsanMalaysia
- Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LCMS) PlatformJeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health SciencesMonash University MalaysiaSelangor Darul EhsanMalaysia
| | - Mohd. Farooq Shaikh
- Neuropharmacology Research LaboratoryJeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health SciencesMonash University MalaysiaSelangor Darul EhsanMalaysia
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Lushchak O, Piskovatska V, Strilbytska O, Kindrat I, Stefanyshyn N, Koliada A, Bubalo V, Storey KB, Vaiserman A. Aspirin as a Potential Geroprotector: Experimental Data and Clinical Evidence. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1286:145-161. [PMID: 33725352 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-55035-6_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Aging is a biological process with effects at the molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, system, and organismal levels and is characterized by decline in physical function and higher risks of age-related diseases. The use of anti-aging drugs for disease prevention has become a high priority for science and is a new biomedicine trend. Geroprotectors are compounds which slow aging and increase lifespan of the organism in question. The common painkiller aspirin, a member of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) family, is one of the potential geroprotective agents. Aspirin is often used in treatment of mild to moderate pain. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic properties and acts as an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase which results in inhibition of prostaglandin. Acetylsalicylic acid as an active compound of aspirin also inhibits platelet aggregation and is used in the prevention of arterial and venous thrombosis. Aspirin has shown life-extending effects in numerous model organisms. This chapter reviews the evidence for clinical efficacy of aspirin including cardiovascular disease prevention, anti-cancer effects, and improvement of cognitive function. However, there are some limitations of these therapies, including the risk of excessive bleeding. We have also summarized numerous experimental and analytical data that support health and longevity benefits of aspirin treatment by affecting pro-longevity pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oleh Lushchak
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.
| | - Veronika Piskovatska
- Clinic for Heart Surgery, University clinic of Martin Luther University, Halle, Germany
| | - Olha Strilbytska
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
| | | | - Nadya Stefanyshyn
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
| | - Alexander Koliada
- Laboratory of Epigenetics, D.F. Chebotarev Institute of Gerontology, NAMS, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Volodymyr Bubalo
- Laboratory of Experimental Toxicology and Mutagenesis L.I. Medved's Research Center of Preventive Toxicology, Food and Chemical Safety, MHU, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Alexander Vaiserman
- Laboratory of Epigenetics, D.F. Chebotarev Institute of Gerontology, NAMS, Kyiv, Ukraine
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Naudin L, Corson N, Aziz-Alaoui MA, Jiménez Laredo JL, Démare T. On the Modeling of the Three Types of Non-spiking Neurons of the Caenorhabditis elegans. Int J Neural Syst 2020; 31:2050063. [PMID: 33269660 DOI: 10.1142/s012906572050063x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a well-known model organism in neuroscience. The relative simplicity of its nervous system, made up of few hundred neurons, shares some essential features with more sophisticated nervous systems, including the human one. If we are able to fully characterize the nervous system of this organism, we will be one step closer to understanding the mechanisms underlying the behavior of living things. Following a recently conducted electrophysiological survey on different C. elegans neurons, this paper aims at modeling the three non-spiking RIM, AIY and AFD neurons (arbitrarily named with three upper case letters by convention). To date, they represent the three possible forms of non-spiking neuronal responses of the C. elegans. To achieve this objective, we propose a conductance-based neuron model adapted to the electrophysiological features of each neuron. These features are based on current biological research and a series of in-silico experiments which use differential evolution to fit the model to experimental data. From the obtained results, we formulate a series of biological hypotheses regarding currents involved in the neuron dynamics. These models reproduce experimental data with a high degree of accuracy while being biologically consistent with state-of-the-art research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Loïs Naudin
- Normandie Univ, UNIHAVRE, LMAH, FR-CNRS-3335, ISCN, Le Havre 76600, France
| | - Nathalie Corson
- Normandie Univ, UNIHAVRE, LMAH, FR-CNRS-3335, ISCN, Le Havre 76600, France
| | - M A Aziz-Alaoui
- Normandie Univ, UNIHAVRE, LMAH, FR-CNRS-3335, ISCN, Le Havre 76600, France
| | | | - Thibaut Démare
- Normandie Univ, UNIHAVRE, LITIS, FR-CNRS-3638, ISCN, Le Havre 76600, France
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Roxo M, Peixoto H, Wetterauer P, Lima E, Wink M. Piquiá Shells ( Caryocar villosum): A Fruit by-Product with Antioxidant and Antiaging Properties in Caenorhabditis elegans. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2020; 2020:7590707. [PMID: 32908638 PMCID: PMC7468659 DOI: 10.1155/2020/7590707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In a context of rising demand for sustainable antiaging interventions, fruit processing by-products are a promising source of bioactive compounds for the production of antiaging dietary supplements. Piquiá (Caryocar villosum) is a native Amazonian fruit consisting of 65% nonedible shells. In the present study, the phytochemical profile of a hydroalcoholic extract of piquiá shells (CV) was characterized by LC-MS/MS analysis. Its antioxidant and antiaging activities were investigated using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as an in vivo model. CV is mainly composed by hydrolysable tannins and triterpenoid saponins. The extract enhanced stress resistance of wild-type and mutant worms by reducing the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and by increasing their survival against a lethal dose of the prooxidant juglone. These effects involved the upregulation of sod-3 and downregulation of gst-4 and hsp-16.2, studied through the GFP fluorescent reporter intensity and at the transcriptional level by qRT-PCR analysis. CV extended the lifespan of wild-type worms in a DAF-16/FoxO- and SKN-1/Nrf-dependent manner. Taken together, our findings indicate piquiá shells as potential candidates for nutraceutical applications. Further studies are needed to validate the relevance of our findings to antiaging interventions in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Roxo
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Herbenya Peixoto
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pille Wetterauer
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Emerson Lima
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM), General Rodrigo 6200, 69077-000 Manaus, Brazil
| | - Michael Wink
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Parallel-Channel Electrotaxis and Neuron Screening of Caenorhabditis elegans. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11080756. [PMID: 32759767 PMCID: PMC7465510 DOI: 10.3390/mi11080756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we report a novel microfluidic method to conduct a Caenorhabditis elegans electrotaxis movement assay and neuronal imaging on up to 16 worms in parallel. C. elegans is a model organism for neurodegenerative disease and movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), and for screening chemicals that alleviate protein aggregation, neuronal death, and movement impairment in PD. Electrotaxis of C. elegans in microfluidic channels has led to the development of neurobehavioral screening platforms, but enhancing the throughput of the electrotactic behavioral assay has remained a challenge. Our device consisted of a hierarchy of tree-like channels for worm loading into 16 parallel electrotaxis screening channels with equivalent electric fields. Tapered channels at the ends of electrotaxis channels were used for worm immobilization and fluorescent imaging of neurons. Parallel electrotaxis of worms was first validated against established single-worm electrotaxis phenotypes. Then, mutant screening was demonstrated using the NL5901 strain, carrying human α-synuclein in the muscle cells, by showing the associated electrotaxis defects in the average speed, body bend frequency (BBF), and electrotaxis time index (ETI). Moreover, chemical screening of a PD worm model was shown by exposing the BZ555 strain, expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP) in the dopaminergic neurons (DNs), to 6-hydroxydopamine neurotoxin. The neurotoxin-treated worms exhibited a reduction in electrotaxis swimming speed, BBF, ETI, and DNs fluorescence intensity. We envision our technique to be used widely in C. elegans-based movement disorder assays to accelerate behavioral and cellular phenotypic investigations.
Collapse
|
41
|
Movia D, Prina-Mello A. Preclinical Development of Orally Inhaled Drugs (OIDs)-Are Animal Models Predictive or Shall We Move Towards In Vitro Non-Animal Models? Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E1259. [PMID: 32722259 PMCID: PMC7460012 DOI: 10.3390/ani10081259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Respiratory diseases constitute a huge burden in our society, and the global respiratory drug market currently grows at an annual rate between 4% and 6%. Inhalation is the preferred administration method for treating respiratory diseases, as it: (i) delivers the drug directly at the site of action, resulting in a rapid onset; (ii) is painless, thus improving patients' compliance; and (iii) avoids first-pass metabolism reducing systemic side effects. Inhalation occurs through the mouth, with the drug generally exerting its therapeutic action in the lungs. In the most recent years, orally inhaled drugs (OIDs) have found application also in the treatment of systemic diseases. OIDs development, however, currently suffers of an overall attrition rate of around 70%, meaning that seven out of 10 new drug candidates fail to reach the clinic. Our commentary focuses on the reasons behind the poor OIDs translation into clinical products for the treatment of respiratory and systemic diseases, with particular emphasis on the parameters affecting the predictive value of animal preclinical tests. We then review the current advances in overcoming the limitation of animal animal-based studies through the development and adoption of in vitro, cell-based new approach methodologies (NAMs).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dania Movia
- Laboratory for Biological Characterisation of Advanced Materials (LBCAM), Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College, The University of Dublin, Dublin D8, Ireland;
| | - Adriele Prina-Mello
- Laboratory for Biological Characterisation of Advanced Materials (LBCAM), Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College, The University of Dublin, Dublin D8, Ireland;
- AMBER Centre, CRANN Institute, Trinity College, The University of Dublin, Dublin D2, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Sofela S, Sahloul S, Bhattacharjee S, Bose A, Usman U, Song YA. Quantitative fluorescence imaging of mitochondria in body wall muscles of Caenorhabditis elegans under hyperglycemic conditions using a microfluidic chip. Integr Biol (Camb) 2020; 12:150-160. [DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyaa011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes is the most common metabolic disease, and insulin resistance plays a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Because completely functional mitochondria are necessary to obtain glucose-stimulated insulin from pancreatic beta cells, dysfunction of mitochondrial oxidative pathway could be involved in the development of diabetes. As a simple animal model, Caenorhabditis elegans renders itself to investigate such metabolic mechanisms because it possesses insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling pathway similar to that in humans. Currently, the widely spread agarose pad-based immobilization technique for fluorescence imaging of the mitochondria in C. elegans is laborious, batchwise, and does not allow for facile handling of the worm. To overcome these technical challenges, we have developed a single-channel microfluidic device that can trap a C. elegans and allow to image the mitochondria in body wall muscles accurately and in higher throughput than the traditional approach. In specific, our microfluidic device took advantage of the proprioception of the worm to rotate its body in a microfluidic channel with an aspect ratio above one to gain more space for its undulation motion that was favorable for quantitative fluorescence imaging of mitochondria in the body wall muscles. Exploiting this unique feature of the microfluidic chip-based immobilization and fluorescence imaging, we observed a significant decrease in the mitochondrial fluorescence intensity under hyperglycemic conditions, whereas the agarose pad-based approach did not show any significant change under the same conditions. A machine learning model trained with these fluorescence images from the microfluidic device could classify healthy and hyperglycemic worms at high accuracy. Given this significant technological advantage, its easiness of use and low cost, our microfluidic imaging chip could become a useful immobilization tool for quantitative fluorescence imaging of the body wall muscles in C. elegans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Sofela
- Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Sarah Sahloul
- Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sukanta Bhattacharjee
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Ambar Bose
- Kallistos Infotech Private Limited, Kolkata, India
| | - Ushna Usman
- Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Yong-Ak Song
- Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Chalich Y, Mallick A, Gupta B, Deen MJ. Development of a low-cost, user-customizable, high-speed camera. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232788. [PMID: 32384109 PMCID: PMC7209243 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
High-speed imaging equipment can be an expensive investment, especially when certain applications require custom solutions. In this paper, we present a low-cost high-speed prototype camera built on a low-end Zynq-7000 System-on-Chip (SoC) platform and off-the-shelf components with the aim of removing the entry barrier into various high-speed imaging applications. The camera is standalone (does not require a host computer) and can achieve 211 frames per second (fps) at its maximum resolution of 1280x1024, and up to 2329 fps at a 256x256 resolution. With a current cost of only several hundred dollars and resource utilization of ~5%, the open-source design's modularity and customizability allows users with sufficient hardware or programming experience to modify the camera to suit their needs, potentially driving the cost lower. This can be done by utilizing the large remaining programmable logic for custom image processing algorithms, creating user interface software on the CPU, attaching extensions through the peripheral Module connections, or creating custom carrier or daughter boards. The development and design of the camera is described and a figure-of-merit is presented to provide a value assessment of some available commercial high-speed cameras against which our camera is competitive. Finally, the camera was tested to record low frequency spatial vibration and was found to be useful in investigating phenotypes associated with aging in a leading animal model, the nematode (worm) Caenorhabditis elegans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yamn Chalich
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Avijit Mallick
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Bhagwati Gupta
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - M. Jamal Deen
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Montmorency tart cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) acts as a calorie restriction mimetic that increases intestinal fat and lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Funct Foods 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2020.103890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
|
45
|
Soh MS, Cheng X, Vijayaraghavan T, Vernon A, Liu J, Neumann B. Disruption of genes associated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2 lead to common behavioural, cellular and molecular defects in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231600. [PMID: 32294113 PMCID: PMC7159224 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is an inherited peripheral motor and sensory neuropathy. The disease is divided into demyelinating (CMT1) and axonal (CMT2) neuropathies, and although we have gained molecular information into the details of CMT1 pathology, much less is known about CMT2. Due to its clinical and genetic heterogeneity, coupled with a lack of animal models, common underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In order to gain an understanding of the normal function of genes associated with CMT2, and to draw direct comparisons between them, we have studied the behavioural, cellular and molecular consequences of mutating nine different genes in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (lin-41/TRIM2, dyn-1/DNM2, unc-116/KIF5A, fzo-1/MFN2, osm-9/TRPV4, cua-1/ATP7A, hsp-25/HSPB1, hint-1/HINT1, nep-2/MME). We show that C. elegans defective for these genes display debilitated movement in crawling and swimming assays. Severe morphological defects in cholinergic motors neurons are also evident in two of the mutants (dyn-1 and unc-116). Furthermore, we establish methods for quantifying muscle morphology and use these to demonstrate that loss of muscle structure occurs in the majority of mutants studied. Finally, using electrophysiological recordings of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) activity, we uncover reductions in spontaneous postsynaptic current frequency in lin-41, dyn-1, unc-116 and fzo-1 mutants. By comparing the consequences of mutating numerous CMT2-related genes, this study reveals common deficits in muscle structure and function, as well as NMJ signalling when these genes are disrupted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ming S. Soh
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Xinran Cheng
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Tarika Vijayaraghavan
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Arwen Vernon
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jie Liu
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Brent Neumann
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Kim Y, Jeong J, Lee S, Choi I, Choi J. Identification of adverse outcome pathway related to high-density polyethylene microplastics exposure: Caenorhabditis elegans transcription factor RNAi screening and zebrafish study. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 388:121725. [PMID: 31806443 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
To gain insight into the human health implications of microplastics, in this study, we investigated the possible mechanisms affecting the toxicity of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans using RNAi screening and a bioinformatics-based unbiased approach. The candidate pathways identified from C. elegans study were also confirmed using vertebrate model, zebrafish, Danio rerio and human relevance was then inferred using Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) analysis. Prior to evaluating the toxicity, label-free Raman mapping was conducted to investigate whether or not the organisms could uptake HDPE. C. elegans transcription factor RNAi screening results showed that the nucleotide excision repair (NER) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling pathways were significantly associated with HDPE exposure, which was also confirmed in zebrafish model. Gene-disease interaction analysis using the CTD revealed the possible human health implications of microplastics. Finally, based on this finding, related AOPs were identified from AOP Wiki (http://aopwiki.org), which are "Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors γ inactivation leading to lung fibrosis" and "AFB1: Mutagenic Mode-of-Action leading to Hepatocellular Carcinoma". Further studies are needed for the validation of these AOPs with various microplastics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Youngho Kim
- School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, 163 Seoulsiripdae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02504, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeseong Jeong
- School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, 163 Seoulsiripdae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02504, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungki Lee
- Department of Life Science, University of Seoul, 163 Seoulsiripdae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02504, Republic of Korea
| | - Inhee Choi
- Department of Life Science, University of Seoul, 163 Seoulsiripdae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02504, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinhee Choi
- School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, 163 Seoulsiripdae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02504, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Baris Atakan H, Alkanat T, Cornaglia M, Trouillon R, Gijs MAM. Automated phenotyping of Caenorhabditis elegans embryos with a high-throughput-screening microfluidic platform. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2020; 6:24. [PMID: 34567639 PMCID: PMC8433184 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-020-0132-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been extensively used as a model multicellular organism to study the influence of osmotic stress conditions and the toxicity of chemical compounds on developmental and motility-associated phenotypes. However, the several-day culture of nematodes needed for such studies has caused researchers to explore alternatives. In particular, C. elegans embryos, due to their shorter developmental time and immobile nature, could be exploited for this purpose, although usually their harvesting and handling is tedious. Here, we present a multiplexed, high-throughput and automated embryo phenotyping microfluidic approach to observe C. elegans embryogenesis after the application of different chemical compounds. After performing experiments with up to 800 embryos per chip and up to 12 h of time-lapsed imaging per embryo, the individual phenotypic developmental data were collected and analyzed through machine learning and image processing approaches. Our proof-of-concept platform indicates developmental lag and the induction of mitochondrial stress in embryos exposed to high doses (200 mM) of glucose and NaCl, while small doses of sucrose and glucose were shown to accelerate development. Overall, our new technique has potential for use in large-scale developmental biology studies and opens new avenues for very rapid high-throughput and high-content screening using C. elegans embryos.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huseyin Baris Atakan
- Laboratory of Microsystems, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tunc Alkanat
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Matteo Cornaglia
- Laboratory of Microsystems, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Raphaël Trouillon
- Laboratory of Microsystems, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Martin A M Gijs
- Laboratory of Microsystems, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Tan K, Deng D, Ma X, Cui Y, Tian Z. Pediococcus acidilactici P25 Protected Caenorhabditis elegans against Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 Infection and Transcriptomic Analysis of Its Potential Mechanisms. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 2020:7340312. [PMID: 32337270 PMCID: PMC7150717 DOI: 10.1155/2020/7340312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88 is a zoonotic pathogen. Previous studies have shown that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have great potential in promoting health and resisting pathogenic infections; however, relatively little research has been done on the Pediococcus genus of LAB. This study is aimed at exploring the mechanisms imparted by Pediococcus acidilactici P25 against ETEC K88 in Caenorhabditis elegans. The probiotic performance of P25 was investigated in vitro. Colonization of K88 in the intestinal tract of C. elegans and abundance of enterotoxin genes were measured. In addition, the transcriptome of C. elegans infected by K88 was analyzed. The result showed that P25 possessed the ability to produce acid, as well as high tolerances to acidic and high bile salt concentrations. Coculture revealed that the growth of ETEC K88 was significantly inhibited by the presence of P25. The median survival of C. elegans fed P25 was 2 days longer than the group infected with K88 alone (P < 0.01). At the same time, the number of colonizing K88 and the abundances of estB and elt were reduced by up to 71.70% and 2.17 times, respectively, by P25. Transcriptome data indicated that P25 affected expression of genes relative to innate immune response and upregulated the abundance of genes in multiple pathways of C. elegans, including peroxisome, longevity, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. These results demonstrated that in the presence of P25, K88 colonization and their expression of enterotoxin genes were reduced. This was accomplished through the alteration of environmental parameters (pH and bile salt) as well as through the promotion of the innate immune response processes, increased longevity, and increased antipathogenic bacteria-related pathways. This work highlights the potential application of P. acidilactici P25 as a probiotic resistant to ETEC K88.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Keqin Tan
- Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, The Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science (South China) of Ministry of Agriculture, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Meat Quality and Safety Control and Evaluation, Guangzhou, China 510640
| | - Dun Deng
- Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, The Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science (South China) of Ministry of Agriculture, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Meat Quality and Safety Control and Evaluation, Guangzhou, China 510640
| | - Xianyong Ma
- Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, The Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science (South China) of Ministry of Agriculture, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Meat Quality and Safety Control and Evaluation, Guangzhou, China 510640
| | - Yiyan Cui
- Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, The Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science (South China) of Ministry of Agriculture, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Meat Quality and Safety Control and Evaluation, Guangzhou, China 510640
| | - Zhimei Tian
- Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, The Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science (South China) of Ministry of Agriculture, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Meat Quality and Safety Control and Evaluation, Guangzhou, China 510640
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Wong WR, Brugman KI, Maher S, Oh JY, Howe K, Kato M, Sternberg PW. Autism-associated missense genetic variants impact locomotion and neurodevelopment in Caenorhabditis elegans. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 28:2271-2281. [PMID: 31220273 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves thousands of alleles in over 850 genes, but the current functional inference tools are not sufficient to predict phenotypic changes. As a result, the causal relationship of most of these genetic variants in the pathogenesis of ASD has not yet been demonstrated and an experimental method prioritizing missense alleles for further intensive analysis is crucial. For this purpose, we have designed a pipeline that uses Caenorhabditis elegans as a genetic model to screen for phenotype-changing missense alleles inferred from human ASD studies. We identified highly conserved human ASD-associated missense variants in their C. elegans orthologs, used a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology-directed knock-in strategy to generate missense mutants and analyzed their impact on behaviors and development via several broad-spectrum assays. All tested missense alleles were predicted to perturb protein function, but we found only 70% of them showed detectable phenotypic changes in morphology, locomotion or fecundity. Our findings indicate that certain missense variants in the C. elegans orthologs of human CACNA1D, CHD7, CHD8, CUL3, DLG4, GLRA2, NAA15, PTEN, SYNGAP1 and TPH2 impact neurodevelopment and movement functions, elevating these genes as candidates for future study into ASD. Our approach will help prioritize functionally important missense variants for detailed studies in vertebrate models and human cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Rong Wong
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Katherine I Brugman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Shayda Maher
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Jun Young Oh
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Howe
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Mihoko Kato
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Paul W Sternberg
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Swaminathan S, Kumar V, Kaul R. Need for alternatives to animals in experimentation: An Indian perspective. Indian J Med Res 2020; 149:584-592. [PMID: 31417025 PMCID: PMC6702685 DOI: 10.4103/ijmr.ijmr_2047_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Soumya Swaminathan
- Former Director-General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110 029, India
| | - Vijay Kumar
- Division of Basic Medical Sciences, ICMR, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110 029, India
| | - Rajni Kaul
- Division of Basic Medical Sciences, ICMR, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110 029, India
| |
Collapse
|