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Bhandari A, Seguin A, Rothenfluh A. Synaptic Mechanisms of Ethanol Tolerance and Neuroplasticity: Insights from Invertebrate Models. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6838. [PMID: 38999947 PMCID: PMC11241699 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25136838] [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: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Alcohol tolerance is a neuroadaptive response that leads to a reduction in the effects of alcohol caused by previous exposure. Tolerance plays a critical role in the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD) because it leads to the escalation of drinking and dependence. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying alcohol tolerance is therefore important for the development of effective therapeutics and for understanding addiction in general. This review explores the molecular basis of alcohol tolerance in invertebrate models, Drosophila and C. elegans, focusing on synaptic transmission. Both organisms exhibit biphasic responses to ethanol and develop tolerance similar to that of mammals. Furthermore, the availability of several genetic tools makes them a great candidate to study the molecular basis of ethanol response. Studies in invertebrate models show that tolerance involves conserved changes in the neurotransmitter systems, ion channels, and synaptic proteins. These neuroadaptive changes lead to a change in neuronal excitability, most likely to compensate for the enhanced inhibition by ethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aakriti Bhandari
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Alexandra Seguin
- Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Adrian Rothenfluh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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Martins AC, Virgolini MB, Ávila DS, Scharf P, Li J, Tinkov AA, Skalny AV, Bowman AB, Rocha JBT, Aschner M. Mitochondria in the Spotlight: C. elegans as a Model Organism to Evaluate Xenobiotic-Induced Dysfunction. Cells 2023; 12:2124. [PMID: 37681856 PMCID: PMC10486742 DOI: 10.3390/cells12172124] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria play a crucial role in cellular respiration, ATP production, and the regulation of various cellular processes. Mitochondrial dysfunctions have been directly linked to pathophysiological conditions, making them a significant target of interest in toxicological research. In recent years, there has been a growing need to understand the intricate effects of xenobiotics on human health, necessitating the use of effective scientific research tools. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a nonpathogenic nematode, has emerged as a powerful tool for investigating toxic mechanisms and mitochondrial dysfunction. With remarkable genetic homology to mammals, C. elegans has been used in studies to elucidate the impact of contaminants and drugs on mitochondrial function. This review focuses on the effects of several toxic metals and metalloids, drugs of abuse and pesticides on mitochondria, highlighting the utility of C. elegans as a model organism to investigate mitochondrial dysfunction induced by xenobiotics. Mitochondrial structure, function, and dynamics are discussed, emphasizing their essential role in cellular viability and the regulation of processes such as autophagy, apoptosis, and calcium homeostasis. Additionally, specific toxins and toxicants, such as arsenic, cadmium, and manganese are examined in the context of their impact on mitochondrial function and the utility of C. elegans in elucidating the underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, we demonstrate the utilization of C. elegans as an experimental model providing a promising platform for investigating the intricate relationships between xenobiotics and mitochondrial dysfunction. This knowledge could contribute to the development of strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of contaminants and drugs of abuse, ultimately enhancing our understanding of these complex processes and promoting human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Airton C. Martins
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA;
| | - Miriam B. Virgolini
- Departamento de Farmacología Otto Orsingher, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Técnicas (IFEC-CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Daiana Silva Ávila
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Toxicology in Caenorhabditis Elegans, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus Uruguaiana, BR-472 Km 592, Uruguaiana 97500-970, RS, Brazil
| | - Pablo Scharf
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, SP, Brazil
| | - Jung Li
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA 50312, USA
| | - Alexey A. Tinkov
- Laboratory of Ecobiomonitoring and Quality Control, Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl 150003, Russia
- Laboratory of Molecular Dietetics, IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow 119435, Russia
| | - Anatoly V. Skalny
- Laboratory of Ecobiomonitoring and Quality Control, Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl 150003, Russia
- Laboratory of Molecular Dietetics, IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow 119435, Russia
- Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow 117198, Russia
| | - Aaron B. Bowman
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2051, USA
| | - João B. T. Rocha
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, RS, Brazil
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA;
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Yu J, Dancausse S, Paz M, Faderin T, Gaviria M, Shomar J, Zucker D, Venkatachalam V, Klein M. Continuous, long-term crawling behavior characterized by a robotic transport system. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.27.530235. [PMID: 36909608 PMCID: PMC10002653 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.27.530235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Detailed descriptions of behavior provide critical insight into the structure and function of nervous systems. In Drosophila larvae and many other systems, short behavioral experiments have been successful in characterizing rapid responses to a range of stimuli at the population level. However, the lack of long-term continuous observation makes it difficult to dissect comprehensive behavioral dynamics of individual animals and how behavior (and therefore the nervous system) develops over time. To allow for long-term continuous observations in individual fly larvae, we have engineered a robotic instrument that automatically tracks and transports larvae throughout an arena. The flexibility and reliability of its design enables controlled stimulus delivery and continuous measurement over developmental time scales, yielding an unprecedented level of detailed locomotion data. We utilize the new system’s capabilities to perform continuous observation of exploratory behavior over a duration of six hours with and without a thermal gradient present, and in a single larva for over 30 hours. Long-term free-roaming behavior and analogous short-term experiments show similar dynamics that take place at the beginning of each experiment. Finally, characterization of larval thermotaxis in individuals reveals a bimodal distribution in navigation efficiency, identifying distinct phenotypes that are obfuscated when only analyzing population averages.
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Albrecht PA, Fernandez-Hubeid LE, Deza-Ponzio R, Romero VL, Gonzales-Moreno C, Carranza AD, Moran Y, Asis R, Virgolini MB. Reduced acute functional tolerance and enhanced preference for ethanol in Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to lead during development: Potential role of alcohol dehydrogenase. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2022; 94:107131. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2022.107131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Yu G, Li Z, Zhao Y, Liu J, Peng Y. An Ant-Mimicking Jumping Spider Achieves Higher Predation Probability with Lower Success Rate When Exposed to Ethanol. INSECTS 2022; 13:1009. [PMID: 36354833 PMCID: PMC9694002 DOI: 10.3390/insects13111009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ethanol (ETOH) affects many animals' behaviour in nature; for example, honeybees become more aggressive after consuming ETOH. In previous studies, scientists have used honeybees and fruit flies as models to determine if they showed a strong preference to ETOH. Moreover, ETOH could affect their locomotion and learning abilities. However, whether and how ETOH affects spiders is unclear as of yet. In this study, we used empirical experiments to determine whether spiders showed preference for ETOH, as well as the potential benefits of spiders choosing ETOH, by using a common spider, Myrmarachne gisti, which has a high probability of contacting ETOH in their habitat. In our experiment, M. gisti showed a significant preference for ETOH. Although the success rate of the first attack was significantly decreased when M. gisti were exposed to ETOH, they had a significantly higher predation probability, since fruit flies also showed a significant preference for ETOH. Our findings suggested that ETOH could affect the prey capture efficiency of M. gisti, and indicated that spiders might evolve to use ETOH to locate a potential hunting place. Taken together, our findings suggested that M. gisti evolved to adapt to ETOH and could use it as a signal of the presence of food resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guocheng Yu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Regional Development and Environmental Response, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering and Centre for Behavioural Ecology and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Zichang Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Regional Development and Environmental Response, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering and Centre for Behavioural Ecology and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Yao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering and Centre for Behavioural Ecology and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Regional Development and Environmental Response, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Yu Peng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Regional Development and Environmental Response, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
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Magliaro C, Ahluwalia A. Biomedical Research on Substances of Abuse: The Italian Case Study. Altern Lab Anim 2022; 50:423-436. [PMID: 36222242 DOI: 10.1177/02611929221132215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Substances of abuse have the potential to cause addiction, habituation or altered consciousness. Most of the research on these substances focuses on addiction, and is carried out through observational and clinical studies on humans, or experimental studies on animals. The transposition of the EU Directive 2010/63 into Italian law in 2014 (IT Law 2014/26) includes a ban on the use of animals for research on substances of abuse. Since then, in Italy, public debate has continued on the topic, while the application of the Article prohibiting animal research in this area has been postponed every couple of years. In the light of this debate, we briefly review a range of methodologies - including animal and non-animal, as well as patient or population-based studies - that have been employed to address the biochemical, neurobiological, toxicological, clinical and behavioural effects of substances of abuse and their dependency. We then discuss the implications of the Italian ban on the use of animals for such research, proposing concrete and evidence-based solutions to allow scientists to pursue high-quality basic and translational studies within the boundaries of the regulatory and legislative framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Magliaro
- Research Centre 'E. Piaggio', 9310University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Information Engineering, 9310University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Interuniversity Centre for the Promotion of 3R Principles in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), Pisa, Italy
| | - Arti Ahluwalia
- Research Centre 'E. Piaggio', 9310University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Information Engineering, 9310University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Interuniversity Centre for the Promotion of 3R Principles in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), Pisa, Italy
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Sheardown E, Mech AM, Petrazzini MEM, Leggieri A, Gidziela A, Hosseinian S, Sealy IM, Torres-Perez JV, Busch-Nentwich EM, Malanchini M, Brennan CH. Translational relevance of forward genetic screens in animal models for the study of psychiatric disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104559. [PMID: 35124155 PMCID: PMC9016269 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders represent a significant burden in our societies. Despite the convincing evidence pointing at gene and gene-environment interaction contributions, the role of genetics in the etiology of psychiatric disease is still poorly understood. Forward genetic screens in animal models have helped elucidate causal links. Here we discuss the application of mutagenesis-based forward genetic approaches in common animal model species: two invertebrates, nematodes (Caenorhabditis elegans) and fruit flies (Drosophila sp.); and two vertebrates, zebrafish (Danio rerio) and mice (Mus musculus), in relation to psychiatric disease. We also discuss the use of large scale genomic studies in human populations. Despite the advances using data from human populations, animal models coupled with next-generation sequencing strategies are still needed. Although with its own limitations, zebrafish possess characteristics that make them especially well-suited to forward genetic studies exploring the etiology of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Sheardown
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Aleksandra M Mech
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | | | - Adele Leggieri
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Agnieszka Gidziela
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Saeedeh Hosseinian
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Ian M Sealy
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jose V Torres-Perez
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London and Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, 86 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Elisabeth M Busch-Nentwich
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Margherita Malanchini
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Caroline H Brennan
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK.
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Cherenfant C, Juarez MT. Acute exposure of Nicotine during Drosophila puncture injury activates an epidermal wound response reaction. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2021; 2021. [PMID: 34235406 PMCID: PMC8254102 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Epidermal wound reaction after injury can be visualized in Drosophila melanogaster embryos by transgenic fluorescent wound reporters. A “local” reaction is limited to the epidermal cells surrounding a wound site occurs in wildtype embryos. A “global” reaction extends beyond the wound site to all epidermal cells occurs in immune response mutants (e.g. Flotillin-2 and Toll). The aim of this investigation is to explore the effect of nicotine on the localization of Drosophila wound reaction. Nicotine may have the potential to negatively affect wound repair by inhibiting a local reaction, and ultimately impeding epidermal wound recovery in Drosophila. We find nicotine exposure activates a global reaction after puncture injury of Drosophila embryos. Determining the effect of nicotine exposure on wound reaction in Drosophila may lead to improved understanding of how nicotine use in humans may influence wound healing after tissue damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrissy Cherenfant
- City University of New York School of Medicine.,City College of New York
| | - Michelle T Juarez
- City University of New York School of Medicine.,City College of New York.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Science Education
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Bonilla M, McPherson M, Coreas J, Boulos M, Chavol P, Alrabadi RI, Loza-Coll M. Repeated ethanol intoxications of Drosophila melanogaster adults increases the resistance to ethanol of their progeny. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:1370-1382. [PMID: 34120365 PMCID: PMC8295206 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14647] [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: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND For decades, Drosophila melanogaster has been used as a model organism to understand the genetics and neurobiology of ethanol intoxication and tolerance. Previous research has shown that acute and chronic pre-exposures to ethanol can trigger the development of functional ethanol tolerance in flies and has unveiled some of the genetic pathways involved in the process. To our knowledge, however, no previous work has systematically explored whether repeated intoxications of adult flies can affect the ethanol tolerance of their progeny. METHODS Adult flies were intoxicated several times (once daily, over several days), and their F1 and F2 progeny were subjected to a functional tolerance test in which flies are exposed to ethanol and video recorded twice within 5 hr. Their behavior was subsequently analyzed to determine how long it took them to become sedated during the first and second exposures. One- and 2-way ANOVAs were used to determine whether parental treatment had an effect on their progeny's baseline resistance and/or acquired functional tolerance to ethanol. RESULTS Parental flies that were intoxicated several times produced F1 and F2 progeny with a significantly higher resistance to ethanol than progeny from unexposed controls. Further, parental intoxications inconsistently increased the progeny's capacity to develop rapid functional tolerance upon re-exposure to ethanol. The transmission of increased ethanol resistance to progeny lasted several days after the last parental intoxication. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that repeated parental daily intoxications affect the progeny's response to ethanol in fruit flies. Our findings support the use of D. melanogaster to explore conserved pathways underlying the transmission of ethanol tolerance and can help in the identificaton of novel strategies for managing alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Bonilla
- Department of Biology - California State University, Northridge (CSUN)
| | - Michael McPherson
- Department of Biology - California State University, Northridge (CSUN)
| | - Jocelyn Coreas
- Department of Biology - California State University, Northridge (CSUN)
| | - Michael Boulos
- Department of Biology - California State University, Northridge (CSUN)
| | - Paniz Chavol
- Department of Biology - California State University, Northridge (CSUN)
| | - Ranna I. Alrabadi
- Department of Biology - California State University, Northridge (CSUN)
| | - Mariano Loza-Coll
- Department of Biology - California State University, Northridge (CSUN)
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Yamaguchi M, Lee IS, Jantrapirom S, Suda K, Yoshida H. Drosophila models to study causative genes for human rare intractable neurological diseases. Exp Cell Res 2021; 403:112584. [PMID: 33812867 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2021.112584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Drosophila is emerging as a convenient model for investigating human diseases. Functional homologues of almost 75% of human disease-related genes are found in Drosophila. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurodegenerative disease that causes defects in motoneurons. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is one of the most commonly found inherited neuropathies affecting both motor and sensory neurons. No effective therapy has been established for either of these diseases. In this review, after overviewing ALS, Drosophila models targeting several ALS-causing genes, including TDP-43, FUS and Ubiquilin2, are described with their genetic interactants. Then, after overviewing CMT, examples of Drosophila models targeting several CMT-causing genes, including mitochondria-related genes and FIG 4, are also described with their genetic interactants. In addition, we introduce Sotos syndrome caused by mutations in the epigenetic regulator gene NSD1. Lastly, several genes and pathways that commonly interact with ALS- and/or CMT-causing genes are described. In the case of ALS and CMT that have many causative genes, it may be not practical to perform gene therapy for each of the many disease-causing genes. The possible uses of the common genes and pathways as novel diagnosis markers and effective therapeutic targets are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masamitsu Yamaguchi
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan; Kansai Gakken Laboratory, Kankyo Eisei Yakuhin Co. Ltd., Seika-cho, Kyoto, 619-0237, Japan
| | - Im-Soon Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Salinee Jantrapirom
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Kojiro Suda
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan
| | - Hideki Yoshida
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan.
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11
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Fometu SS, Wu G, Ma L, Davids JS. A review on the biological effects of nanomaterials on silkworm ( Bombyx mori). BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 12:190-202. [PMID: 33614385 PMCID: PMC7884877 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.12.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The production of high-quality silkworm silk is of importance in sericulture in addition to the production of biomass, silk proteins, and animal feed. The distinctive properties of nanomaterials have the potential to improve the development of various sectors including medicine, cosmetics, and agriculture. The application of nanotechnology in sericulture not only improves the survival rate of the silkworm, promotes the growth and development of silkworm, but also improves the quality of silk fiber. Despite the positive contributions of nanomaterials, there are a few concerns regarding the safety of their application to the environment, in humans, and in experimental models. Some studies have shown that some nanomaterials exhibit toxicity to tissues and organs of the silkworm, while other nanomaterials exhibit therapeutic properties. This review summarizes some reports on the biological effects of nanomaterials on silkworm and how the application of nanomaterials improves sericulture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Senyo Fometu
- School of Biotechnology and Sericulture Research Institute, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212018, PR China
| | - Guohua Wu
- School of Biotechnology and Sericulture Research Institute, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212018, PR China
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, 212018, PR China
| | - Lin Ma
- School of Biotechnology and Sericulture Research Institute, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212018, PR China
| | - Joan Shine Davids
- School of Biotechnology and Sericulture Research Institute, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212018, PR China
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12
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Miler K, Opalek M, Ostap‐Chec M, Stec D. Diel rhythmicity of alcohol‐induced intoxication in the honeybee workers. J Zool (1987) 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. Miler
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals Polish Academy of Sciences Kraków Poland
| | - M. Opalek
- Institute of Environmental Sciences Faculty of Biology Jagiellonian University Kraków Poland
| | - M. Ostap‐Chec
- Institute of Environmental Sciences Faculty of Biology Jagiellonian University Kraków Poland
| | - D. Stec
- Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research Faculty of Biology Jagiellonian University Kraków Poland
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Dvořáček J, Kodrík D. Drosophila reward system - A summary of current knowledge. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 123:301-319. [PMID: 33421541 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.12.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster brain is the most extensively investigated model of a reward system in insects. Drosophila can discriminate between rewarding and punishing environmental stimuli and consequently undergo associative learning. Functional models, especially those modelling mushroom bodies, are constantly being developed using newly discovered information, adding to the complexity of creating a simple model of the reward system. This review aims to clarify whether its reward system also includes a hedonic component. Neurochemical systems that mediate the 'wanting' component of reward in the Drosophila brain are well documented, however, the systems that mediate the pleasure component of reward in mammals, including those involving the endogenous opioid and endocannabinoid systems, are unlikely to be present in insects. The mushroom body components exhibit differential developmental age and different functional processes. We propose a hypothetical hierarchy of the levels of reinforcement processing in response to particular stimuli, and the parallel processes that take place concurrently. The possible presence of activity-silencing and meta-satiety inducing levels in Drosophila should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiří Dvořáček
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, CAS, and Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Dalibor Kodrík
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, CAS, and Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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Oyarzabal-Armendariz E, Alquicira-Mireles J, Zúñiga-Ruíz B, Arreola-Ramírez JL, Guevara-Fefer P, Lara-Figueroa CO, Escamilla-Chimal EG. Effect of Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Meliaceae) on the serotonin rhythm of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Chronobiol Int 2021; 38:201-211. [PMID: 33397171 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2020.1858849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are an adaptive response of organisms to the environment that enables them to measure time. Circadian rhythms are some of the most studied biological rhythms. Serotonin (5HT) has been proposed as their modulator of circadian rhythms, playing a pivotal role in their establishment. However, 5HT concentrations are altered in insect organisms when they feed on some plant extracts. Insects show a variety of rhythms. The larval stage of the lepidopteran Spodoptera frugiperda is a pest of economically important crops. As a response, plants have developed secondary metabolites, such as azadirachtin, obtained from Azadirachta indica. We assessed the circadian rhythm of 5HT in the brain and digestive tube of larvae of S. frugiperda; furthermore, the effect of A. indica extract on the oscillations was evaluated. 5HT modulates the rhythms of locomotor activity, and if extracts of A. indica alter the concentration of 5HT, it can indirectly alter the rhythms of locomotor activity, as well as peristaltic movements of the intestine. Larvae were exposed to a 12 h:12 h light-dark (LD) photoperiod, and half of them remained for 72 h under constant darkness (DD). Tissue samples were obtained at six different times during a single 24 h period, and the amount of 5HT was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Data were statistically compared by a one-way ANOVA followed by a Tukey post hoc test and subjected to Cosinor analysis for assessment of 24 h rhythmicity. The results showed that the A. indica methanolic extract had an effect on the 5HT concentration of the brain and digestive tube of the larvae. In the brain, the 5HT increase in larvae fed with the extract could alter memory, learning, sleep, and locomotor activity processes. Whereas in the intestine, the 5HT decrease in the larvae fed with the extract could decrease peristalsis movements and, therefore, indirectly influence the antifeedant effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick Oyarzabal-Armendariz
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jesús Alquicira-Mireles
- Departamento de Hiperreactividad Bronquial, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosio Villegas , Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Beatriz Zúñiga-Ruíz
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City, Mexico
| | - José Luis Arreola-Ramírez
- Departamento de Hiperreactividad Bronquial, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosio Villegas , Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Patricia Guevara-Fefer
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City, Mexico
| | - César Oliver Lara-Figueroa
- Laboratorio Nacional de Canalopatías, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Elsa G Escamilla-Chimal
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City, Mexico
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Venuti LS, Pena-Flores NL, Herberholz J. Cellular interactions between social experience, alcohol sensitivity, and GABAergic inhibition in a crayfish neural circuit. J Neurophysiol 2020; 125:256-272. [PMID: 33174493 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00519.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
We report here that prior social experience modified the behavioral responses of adult crayfish to acute alcohol exposure. Animals housed individually for 1 wk before alcohol exposure were less sensitive to the intoxicating effects of alcohol than animals housed in groups, and these differences are based on changes in the nervous system rather than differences in alcohol uptake. To elucidate the underlying neural mechanisms, we investigated the neurophysiological responses of the lateral giant (LG) interneurons after alcohol exposure. Specifically, we measured the interactions between alcohol and different GABAA-receptor antagonists and agonists in reduced crayfish preparations devoid of brain-derived tonic GABAergic inhibition. We found that alcohol significantly increased the postsynaptic potential of the LG neurons, but contrary to our behavioral observations, the results were similar for isolated and communal animals. The GABAA-receptor antagonist picrotoxin, however, facilitated LG postsynaptic potentials more strongly in communal crayfish, which altered the neurocellular interactions with alcohol, whereas TPMPA [(1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridin-4-yl)methylphosphinic acid], an antagonist directed against GABAA-receptors with ρ subunits, did not produce any effects. Muscimol, an agonist for GABAA-receptors, blocked the stimulating effects of alcohol, but this was independent of prior social history. THIP [4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo(5,4-c)pyridin-3-ol], an agonist directed against GABAA-receptors with δ subunits, which were not previously known to exist in the LG circuit, replicated the suppressing effects of muscimol. Together, our findings provide strong evidence that alcohol interacts with the crayfish GABAergic system, and the interplay between prior social experience and acute alcohol intoxication might be linked to changes in the expression and function of specific GABAA-receptor subtypes.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The complex interactions between alcohol and prior social experience are still poorly understood. Our work demonstrates that socially isolated crayfish exhibit lower neurobehavioral sensitivity to acute ethanol compared with communally housed animals, and this socially mediated effect is based on changes in the nervous systems rather than on differences in uptake or metabolism. By combining intracellular neurophysiology and neuropharmacology, we investigated the role of the main inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, and its receptor subtypes, in shaping this process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jens Herberholz
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program.,Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
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16
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Synthetic cathinones and their phenethylamine analogues produce distinct psychomotor and reward behavior in crayfish. Behav Brain Res 2020; 379:112368. [PMID: 31743730 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic cathinones share potent sympathomimetic properties with amphetamines due to their shared phenethylamine backbone. Despite recent work focused on understanding the behavioral effects of synthetic cathinones, a systematic comparison of neuropharmacology, behavior, and physiological effects with other stimulants, has remained elusive. In the present study, we explore the behavioral effects of cathinones in crayfish, a model system which combines a well characterized behavioral paradigm for addiction-like behaviors, a modularly organized nervous system, the lack of a formal blood-brain barrier, and experimental tractability. The objective of this study was to characterize the psychomotor and rewarding effects of methylated cathinones (methylone, mephedrone), and their non β-ketone substituted amphetamine analogs (4-methylmethamphetamine, 4-MMA and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine MDMA) in crayfish. Our results suggest that these drugs produce psychostimulation, which sensitizes upon repeated drug administration. Furthermore, crayfish demonstrated a conditioned substrate preference for mephedrone and 4-MMA drug-pairings at a 10 μg/g dose, a preference which persisted even through a series of extinction trials. Our study indicates that synthetic cathinones and substituted amphetamine analogues produce distinct behavioral effects in an invertebrate system which consists of a relatively simple neuronal organization. The present findings provide an evolutionary context to our understanding about how drugs of abuse initiate reward at levels far beyond those specific to humans.
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Park SH, Staples SK, Gostin EL, Smith JP, Vigil JJ, Seifried D, Kinney C, Pauli CS, Heuvel BDV. Contrasting Roles of Cannabidiol as an Insecticide and Rescuing Agent for Ethanol-induced Death in the Tobacco Hornworm Manduca sexta. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10481. [PMID: 31324859 PMCID: PMC6642087 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47017-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis sativa, also known as marijuana or hemp, produces a non-psychoactive compound cannabidiol (CBD). To investigate the defensive role of CBD, a feeding preference assay was performed with tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta. The larvae clearly show feeding preference towards the Cannabis tissue containing low CBD over high CBD. While the larva avoided the high CBD diet, we investigated detrimental effects of CBD in the insects' diet. Contrasted to the performance on low CBD-infused artificial diet (AD), larvae reared on the high CBD diet suffer significantly reduced growth and increased mortality. Through testing different carriers, we found that the increase of EtOH in the diet is negatively correlated with insect development and behaviors. Notably, CBD treatment significantly improved ethanol-intoxicated larval survival rate by 40% and also improved diet searching activity, resulting in increased diet consumption. Electrophysiology results revealed that the CBD-treated ganglia had delayed but much larger response with electric stimuli in comparison to the larvae reared on AD only and EtOH-added diet. Our results show CBDs' defensive role against pest insects, which suggests its possible use as an insecticide. We also provide evidence that CBD alleviates alcohol-induced stress; consequently, improving the performance and viability of M. sexta larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Hyuck Park
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, 81001, USA
- Institute of Cannabis Research, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, 81001, USA
| | - S Kyle Staples
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, 81001, USA
| | - Eric L Gostin
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, 81001, USA
| | - Jeffrey P Smith
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, 81001, USA
| | - Jose J Vigil
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, 81001, USA
| | - Dustin Seifried
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, 81001, USA
| | - Chad Kinney
- Institute of Cannabis Research, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, 81001, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, 81001, USA
| | - Christopher S Pauli
- Institute of Cannabis Research, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, 81001, USA
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18
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Highfill CA, Baker BM, Stevens SD, Anholt RRH, Mackay TFC. Genetics of cocaine and methamphetamine consumption and preference in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007834. [PMID: 31107875 PMCID: PMC6527214 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Illicit use of psychostimulants, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, constitutes a significant public health problem. Whereas neural mechanisms that mediate the effects of these drugs are well-characterized, genetic factors that account for individual variation in susceptibility to substance abuse and addiction remain largely unknown. Drosophila melanogaster can serve as a translational model for studies on substance abuse, since flies have a dopamine transporter that can bind cocaine and methamphetamine, and exposure to these compounds elicits effects similar to those observed in people, suggesting conserved evolutionary mechanisms underlying drug responses. Here, we used the D. melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel to investigate the genetic basis for variation in psychostimulant drug consumption, to determine whether similar or distinct genetic networks underlie variation in consumption of cocaine and methamphetamine, and to assess the extent of sexual dimorphism and effect of genetic context on variation in voluntary drug consumption. Quantification of natural genetic variation in voluntary consumption, preference, and change in consumption and preference over time for cocaine and methamphetamine uncovered significant genetic variation for all traits, including sex-, exposure- and drug-specific genetic variation. Genome wide association analyses identified both shared and drug-specific candidate genes, which could be integrated in genetic interaction networks. We assessed the effects of ubiquitous RNA interference (RNAi) on consumption behaviors for 34 candidate genes: all affected at least one behavior. Finally, we utilized RNAi knockdown in the nervous system to implicate dopaminergic neurons and the mushroom bodies as part of the neural circuitry underlying experience-dependent development of drug preference. Illicit use of cocaine and methamphetamine is a major public health problem. Whereas the neurological effects of these drugs are well characterized, it remains challenging to determine genetic risk factors for substance abuse in human populations. The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, presents an excellent model for identifying evolutionarily conserved genes that affect drug consumption, since genetic background and exposure can be controlled precisely. We took advantage of natural variation in a panel of inbred wild derived fly lines with complete genome sequences to assess the extent of genetic variation among these lines for voluntary consumption of cocaine and methamphetamine and to explore whether some genetic backgrounds might show experience-dependent development of drug preference. The drug consumption traits were highly variable among the lines with strong sex-, drug- and exposure time-specific components. We identified candidate genes and gene networks associated with variation in consumption of cocaine and methamphetamine and development of drug preference. Using tissue-specific suppression of gene expression, we were able to functionally implicate candidate genes that affected at least one consumption trait in at least one drug and sex. In humans, the mesolimbic dopaminergic projection plays a role in drug addiction. We asked whether in Drosophila the mushroom bodies could play an analogous role, as they are integrative brain centers associated with experience-dependent learning. Indeed, our results suggest that variation in consumption and development of preference for both cocaine and methamphetamine is mediated, at least in part, through a neural network that comprises dopaminergic projections to the mushroom bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad A. Highfill
- Department of Biological Sciences, W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Brandon M. Baker
- Department of Biological Sciences, W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Stephenie D. Stevens
- Department of Biological Sciences, W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Robert R. H. Anholt
- Department of Biological Sciences, W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Trudy F. C. Mackay
- Department of Biological Sciences, W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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19
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Jackson C, van Staaden M. Characterization of locomotor response to psychostimulants in the parthenogenetic marbled crayfish (Procambarus fallax forma virginalis): A promising model for studying the neural and molecular mechanisms of drug addiction. Behav Brain Res 2019; 361:131-138. [PMID: 30550950 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Revised: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Although scientific research using mammalian models has made great strides in uncovering the enigmatic neural and molecular mechanisms orchestrating the state of drug addiction, a complete understanding has thus far eluded researchers. The complexity of the task has led to the use of invertebrate model systems to complement the research of drug-induced reward in mammalian systems. Invertebrates, such as crayfish, offer excellent model systems to help reveal the underlying mechanisms of drug addiction as they retain the ancestral neural reward circuit that is evolutionarily conserved across taxa, and they possess relatively few, large neurons, laid out in an accessible, modularly organized nervous system. Crayfish offer the benefits of delineated developmental life stages, a large body size suitable for a variety of experimental methods, and stereotyped behaviors. Unique among crayfish is the parthenogenetic marbled crayfish (Procambarus fallax forma virginalis), a species of asexually reproducing, genetically identical clones. With the benefits of reduced individual variation, high fecundity, and easy lab husbandry, the marbled crayfish would make a particularly powerful addition to the animal model repertoire. Here we characterize the locomotor response of juvenile P. f. f. virginalis exposed to the psychostimulant, d-amphetamine sulfate. Custom video-tracking software was used to record the movement patterns of juveniles exposed to water infused with varying concentrations of d-amphetamine sulfate. ANOVA demonstrated that crayfish locomotion was significantly impacted by drug concentration. These psychostimulant effects provide the foundation of P. f. f. virginalis as a model for parsing the neural and molecular mechanisms of drug addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cedric Jackson
- J.P. Scott Center for Neuroscience, Mind & Behavior, and Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA
| | - Moira van Staaden
- J.P. Scott Center for Neuroscience, Mind & Behavior, and Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA.
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20
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Lee AH, Brandon CL, Wang J, Frost WN. An Argument for Amphetamine-Induced Hallucinations in an Invertebrate. Front Physiol 2018; 9:730. [PMID: 29988540 PMCID: PMC6026665 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Hallucinations – compelling perceptions of stimuli that aren’t really there – occur in many psychiatric and neurological disorders, and are triggered by certain drugs of abuse. Despite their clinical importance, the neuronal mechanisms giving rise to hallucinations are poorly understood, in large part due to the absence of animal models in which they can be induced, confirmed to be endogenously generated, and objectively analyzed. In humans, amphetamine (AMPH) and related psychostimulants taken in large or repeated doses can induce hallucinations. Here we present evidence for such phenomena in the marine mollusk Tritonia diomedea. Animals injected with AMPH were found to sporadically launch spontaneous escape swims in the absence of eliciting stimuli. Deafferented isolated brains exposed to AMPH, where real stimuli could play no role, generated sporadic, spontaneous swim motor programs. A neurophysiological search of the swim network traced the origin of these drug-induced spontaneous motor programs to spontaneous bursts of firing in the S-cells, the CNS afferent neurons that normally inform the animal of skin contact with its predators and trigger the animal’s escape swim. Further investigation identified AMPH-induced enhanced excitability and plateau potential properties in the S-cells. Taken together, these observations support an argument that Tritonia’s spontaneous AMPH-induced swims are triggered by false perceptions of predator contact – i.e., hallucinations—and illuminate potential cellular mechanisms for such phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne H Lee
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Cindy L Brandon
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Jean Wang
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - William N Frost
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
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Morris M, Shaw A, Lambert M, Perry HH, Lowenstein E, Valenzuela D, Velazquez-Ulloa NA. Developmental nicotine exposure affects larval brain size and the adult dopaminergic system of Drosophila melanogaster. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2018; 18:13. [PMID: 29898654 PMCID: PMC6001141 DOI: 10.1186/s12861-018-0172-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnant women may be exposed to nicotine if they smoke or use tobacco products, nicotine replacement therapy, or via e-cigarettes. Prenatal nicotine exposure has been shown to have deleterious effects on the nervous system in mammals including changes in brain size and in the dopaminergic system. The genetic and molecular mechanisms for these changes are not well understood. A Drosophila melanogaster model for these effects of nicotine exposure could contribute to faster identification of genes and molecular pathways underlying these effects. The purpose of this study was to determine if developmental nicotine exposure affects the nervous system of Drosophila melanogaster, focusing on changes to brain size and the dopaminergic system at two developmental stages. RESULTS We reared flies on control or nicotine food from egg to 3rd instar larvae or from egg to adult and determined effectiveness of the nicotine treatment. We used immunohistochemistry to visualize the whole brain and dopaminergic neurons, using tyrosine hydroxylase as the marker. We measured brain area, tyrosine hydroxylase fluorescence, and counted the number of dopaminergic neurons in brain clusters. We detected an increase in larval brain hemisphere area, a decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase fluorescence in adult central brains, and a decrease in the number of neurons in the PPM3 adult dopaminergic cluster. We tested involvement of Dα7, one of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits, and found it was involved in eclosion, as previously described, but not involved in brain size. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that developmental nicotine exposure in Drosophila melanogaster affects brain size and the dopaminergic system. Prenatal nicotine exposure in mammals has also been shown to have effects on brain size and in the dopaminergic system. This study further establishes Drosophila melanogaster as model organism to study the effects of developmental nicotine exposure. The genetic and molecular tools available for Drosophila research will allow elucidation of the mechanisms underlying the effects of nicotine exposure during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Morris
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Ariel Shaw
- Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Lewis & Clark College, Portland, USA
| | | | | | - Eve Lowenstein
- Biology Department, Lewis & Clark College, Portland, USA
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Evaluation of the rewarding properties of nicotine and caffeine by implementation of a five-choice conditioned place preference task in zebrafish. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:160-172. [PMID: 29481898 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The rewarding properties of drugs in zebrafish can be studied using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Most devices that have been used for CPP consist of two-half tanks with or without a central chamber. Here we evaluated the rewarding effects of nicotine and caffeine using a tank with five arms distributed radially from a central chamber that we have denoted Fish Tank Radial Maze (FTRM). Zebrafish were trained to associate nicotine or caffeine with a coloured arm. In testing sessions to assess CPP induction, between two and five different arms were available to explore. We found that when offering the two arms, one of them associated to the drug mediating conditioning for 14 days, zebrafish showed nicotine-induced CPP but not caffeine-induced CPP. When zebrafish had the option to explore drug-paired arms together with new coloured arms as putative distractors, the nicotine-CPP strength was maintained for at least three days. The presence of novel environments induced caffeine-CPP, which was still positive after three days of testing sessions. Complementary behavioural data supported these findings. Nicotine-CPP was prevented by the histone deacetylase inhibitor phenylbutyrate administered during conditioning; however, there were no effects on caffeine-CPP. The specific acetylation of lysine 9 in histone 3 (H3-K9) was increased in nicotine-conditioned zebrafish brains. This study suggests that novel environmental cues facilitate drug-environment associations, and hence, the use of drugs of abuse.
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Abstract
The honeybee is being developed as a simple invertebrate model for alcohol-related studies. To date, several effects of ethanol consumption have been demonstrated in honeybees, but the tolerance effect, one of the hallmarks of alcohol overuse, has never been shown. Here, we confirm our hypothesis that the response to ethanol (in terms of motor impairment) is lower in bees that have previously experienced intoxication than in bees encountering ethanol for the first time, indicating that the chronic tolerance effect occurs in honeybees. Furthermore, we investigated the basis of this effect and found that it likely results from conditioned compensatory responses to cues associated with ethanol delivery. Our findings significantly improve our understanding of the suitability of honeybees as models for alcoholism-related research and underline the first and foremost function of all conditioned reactions – their adaptive value.
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Datta U, van Staaden M, Huber R. Crayfish Self-Administer Amphetamine in a Spatially Contingent Task. Front Physiol 2018; 9:433. [PMID: 29867520 PMCID: PMC5961511 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural reward is an essential element of any organism’s ability to adapt to environmental variation. Its underlying circuits and mechanisms guide the learning process as they help associate an event, or cue, with the perception of an outcome’s value. More generally, natural reward serves as the fundamental generator of all motivated behavior. Addictive plant alkaloids are able to activate this circuitry in taxa ranging from planaria to humans. With modularly organized nervous systems and confirmed vulnerabilities to human drugs of abuse, crayfish have recently emerged as a compelling model for the study of the addiction cycle, including psychostimulant effects, sensitization, withdrawal, reinstatement, and drug reward in conditioned place preference paradigms. Here we extend this work with the demonstration of a spatially contingent, operant drug self-administration paradigm for amphetamine. When the animal enters a quadrant of the arena with a particular textured substrate, a computer-based control system delivers amphetamine through an indwelling fine-bore cannula. Resulting reward strength, dose-response, and the time course of operant conditioning were assessed. Individuals experiencing the drug contingent on their behavior, displayed enhanced rates of operant responses compared to that of their yoked (non-contingent) counterparts. Application of amphetamine near the supra-esophageal ganglion elicited stronger and more robust increases in operant responding than did systemic infusions. This work demonstrates automated implementation of a spatially contingent self-administration paradigm in crayfish, which provides a powerful tool to explore comparative perspectives in drug-sensitive reward, the mechanisms of learning underlying the addictive cycle, and phylogenetically conserved vulnerabilities to psychostimulant compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udita Datta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, United States
| | - Moira van Staaden
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, United States
| | - Robert Huber
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, United States
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Swierzbinski ME, Herberholz J. Effects of Ethanol on Sensory Inputs to the Medial Giant Interneurons of Crayfish. Front Physiol 2018; 9:448. [PMID: 29755370 PMCID: PMC5934690 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Crayfish are capable of two rapid, escape reflexes that are mediated by two pairs of giant interneurons, the lateral giants (LG) and the medial giants (MG), which respond to threats presented to the abdomen or head and thorax, respectively. The LG has been the focus of study for many decades and the role of GABAergic inhibition on the escape circuit is well-described. More recently, we demonstrated that the LG circuit is sensitive to the acute effects of ethanol and this sensitivity is likely mediated by interactions between ethanol and the GABAergic system. The MG neurons, however, which receive multi-modal sensory inputs and are located in the brain, have been less studied despite their established importance during many naturally occurring behaviors. Using a combination of electrophysiological and neuropharmacological techniques, we report here that the MG neurons are sensitive to ethanol and experience an increase in amplitudes of post-synaptic potentials following ethanol exposure. Moreover, they are affected by GABAergic mechanisms: the facilitatory effect of acute EtOH can be suppressed by pretreatment with a GABA receptor agonist whereas the inhibitory effects resulting from a GABA agonist can be occluded by ethanol exposure. Together, our findings suggest intriguing neurocellular interactions between alcohol and the crayfish GABAergic system. These results enable further exploration of potentially conserved neurochemical mechanisms underlying the interactions between alcohol and neural circuitry that controls complex behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E Swierzbinski
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Jens Herberholz
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
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26
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Ryvkin J, Bentzur A, Zer-Krispil S, Shohat-Ophir G. Mechanisms Underlying the Risk to Develop Drug Addiction, Insights From Studies in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Physiol 2018; 9:327. [PMID: 29740329 PMCID: PMC5928757 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to adapt to environmental changes is an essential feature of biological systems, achieved in animals by a coordinated crosstalk between neuronal and hormonal programs that allow rapid and integrated organismal responses. Reward systems play a key role in mediating this adaptation by reinforcing behaviors that enhance immediate survival, such as eating or drinking, or those that ensure long-term survival, such as sexual behavior or caring for offspring. Drugs of abuse co-opt neuronal and molecular pathways that mediate natural rewards, which under certain circumstances can lead to addiction. Many factors can contribute to the transition from drug use to drug addiction, highlighting the need to discover mechanisms underlying the progression from initial drug use to drug addiction. Since similar responses to natural and drug rewards are present in very different animals, it is likely that the central systems that process reward stimuli originated early in evolution, and that common ancient biological principles and genes are involved in these processes. Thus, the neurobiology of natural and drug rewards can be studied using simpler model organisms that have their systems stripped of some of the immense complexity that exists in mammalian brains. In this paper we review studies in Drosophila melanogaster that model different aspects of natural and drug rewards, with an emphasis on how motivational states shape the value of the rewarding experience, as an entry point to understanding the mechanisms that contribute to the vulnerability of drug addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ryvkin
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Assa Bentzur
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Shir Zer-Krispil
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Galit Shohat-Ophir
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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Cammaerts MC, Cammaerts D. Physiological Impact of Statins Experimentally Revealed on Ants. ASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH AND HEALTH CARE 2017. [DOI: 10.18311/ajprhc/2017/15977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Shipley AT, Imeh-Nathaniel A, Orfanakos VB, Wormack LN, Huber R, Nathaniel TI. The Sensitivity of the Crayfish Reward System to Mammalian Drugs of Abuse. Front Physiol 2017; 8:1007. [PMID: 29270131 PMCID: PMC5723678 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.01007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The idea that addiction occurs when the brain is not able to differentiate whether specific reward circuits were triggered by adaptive natural rewards or falsely activated by addictive drugs exist in several models of drug addiction. The suitability of crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) for drug addiction research arises from developmental variation of growth, life span, reproduction, behavior and some quantitative traits, especially among isogenic mates reared in the same environment. This broad spectrum of traits makes it easier to analyze the effect of mammalian drugs of abuse in shaping behavioral phenotype. Moreover, the broad behavioral repertoire allows the investigation of self-reinforcing circuitries involving appetitive and exploratory motor behavior, while the step-wise alteration of the phenotype by metamorphosis allows accurate longitudinal analysis of different behavioral states. This paper reviews a series of recent experimental findings that evidence the suitability of crayfish as an invertebrate model system for the study of drug addiction. Results from these studies reveal that unconditioned exposure to mammalian drugs of abuse produces a variety of stereotyped behaviors. Moreover, if presented in the context of novelty, drugs directly stimulate exploration and appetitive motor patterns along with molecular processes for drug conditioned reward. Findings from these studies indicate the existence of drug sensitive circuitry in crayfish that facilitates exploratory behavior and appetitive motor patterns via increased incentive salience of environmental stimuli or by increasing exploratory motor patterns. This work demonstrates the potential of crayfish as a model system for research into the neural mechanisms of addiction, by contributing an evolutionary, comparative context to our understanding of natural reward as an important life-sustaining process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam T Shipley
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville, SC, United States
| | | | - Vasiliki B Orfanakos
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville, SC, United States
| | - Leah N Wormack
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville, SC, United States
| | - Robert Huber
- J.P Scott Center for Neuroscience, Mind and Behavior, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, United States
| | - Thomas I Nathaniel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville, SC, United States
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Sobkowiak R, Kaczmarek P, Kowalski M, Kabaciński R, Lesicki A. Behavior of Caenorhabditis elegans in a nicotine gradient modulated by food. Drug Chem Toxicol 2017; 42:451-462. [DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2017.1405971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Sobkowiak
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Piotr Kaczmarek
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Institute of Control and Information Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Poznań, Poland
| | - Mateusz Kowalski
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Institute of Control and Information Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Poznań, Poland
| | - Rafał Kabaciński
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Institute of Control and Information Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Poznań, Poland
| | - Andrzej Lesicki
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
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Swierzbinski ME, Lazarchik AR, Herberholz J. Prior social experience affects the behavioral and neural responses to acute alcohol in juvenile crayfish. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:1516-1523. [PMID: 28424315 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.154419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The effects of alcohol on society can be devastating, both as an immediate consequence of acute intoxication and as a powerful drug of abuse. However, the neurocellular mechanisms of alcohol intoxication are still elusive, partly because of the complex interactions between alcohol and nervous system function. We found that juvenile crayfish are behaviorally sensitive to acute alcohol exposure and progress through stages that are strikingly similar to those of most other intoxicated organisms. Most surprisingly, we found that the social history of the animals significantly modified the acute effects of alcohol. Crayfish taken from a rich social environment became intoxicated more rapidly than animals that were socially isolated before alcohol exposure. In addition, we found that the modulation of intoxicated behaviors by prior social experience was paralleled on the level of individual neurons. These results significantly improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the interplay between social experience, alcohol intoxication and nervous system function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E Swierzbinski
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.,Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Andrew R Lazarchik
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Jens Herberholz
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA .,Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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Velazquez-Ulloa NA. A Drosophila model for developmental nicotine exposure. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177710. [PMID: 28498868 PMCID: PMC5428972 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the known health risks of tobacco smoking, many people including pregnant women continue smoking. The effects of developmental nicotine exposure are known, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Drosophila melanogaster is a model organism that can be used for uncovering genetic and molecular mechanisms for drugs of abuse. Here I show that Drosophila can be a model to elucidate the mechanisms for nicotine’s effects on a developing organism. Drosophila reared on nicotine food display developmental and behavioral effects similar to those in mammals including decreased survival and weight, increased developmental time, and decreased sensitivity to acute nicotine and ethanol. The Drosophila nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha 7 (Dα7) mediates some of these effects. A novel role for Dα7 on ethanol sedation in Drosophila is also shown. Future research taking advantage of the genetic and molecular tools for Drosophila will allow additional discovery of the mechanisms behind the effects of nicotine during development.
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Phan NTN, Munem M, Ewing AG, Fletcher JS. MS/MS analysis and imaging of lipids across Drosophila brain using secondary ion mass spectrometry. Anal Bioanal Chem 2017; 409:3923-3932. [PMID: 28389914 PMCID: PMC5437193 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-017-0336-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Lipids are abundant biomolecules performing central roles to maintain proper functioning of cells and biological bodies. Due to their highly complex composition, it is critical to obtain information of lipid structures in order to identify particular lipids which are relevant for a biological process or metabolic pathway under study. Among currently available molecular identification techniques, MS/MS in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) imaging has been of high interest in the bioanalytical community as it allows visualization of intact molecules in biological samples as well as elucidation of their chemical structures. However, there have been few applications using SIMS and MS/MS owing to instrumental challenges for this capability. We performed MS and MS/MS imaging to study the lipid structures of Drosophila brain using the J105 and 40-keV Ar4000+ gas cluster ion source, with the novelty being the use of MS/MS SIMS analysis of intact lipids in the fly brain. Glycerophospholipids were identified by MS/MS profiling. MS/MS was also used to characterize diglyceride fragment ions and to identify them as triacylglyceride fragments. Moreover, MS/MS imaging offers a unique possibility for detailed elucidation of biomolecular distribution with high accuracy based on the ion images of its fragments. This is particularly useful in the presence of interferences which disturb the interpretation of biomolecular localization. MS/MS was performed during time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) analysis of Drosophila melongaster (fruit fly) to elucidate the structure and origin of different chemical species in the brain including a range of different phospholipid classes (PC, PI, PE) and di- and triacylglycerides (DAG & TAG) species where reference MS/MS spectra provided a potential means of discriminating between the isobaric [M-OH]+ ion of DAGs and the [M-RCO]+ ion of TAGs. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhu T N Phan
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Kemivägen 10, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Institute for Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Humboldtallee 23, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marwa Munem
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Kemivägen 10, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Andrew G Ewing
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Kemivägen 10, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemivägen 10, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - John S Fletcher
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Kemivägen 10, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Sobkowiak R, Zielezinski A, Karlowski WM, Lesicki A. Nicotine affects protein complex rearrangement in Caenorhabditis elegans cells. Drug Chem Toxicol 2017; 40:470-483. [PMID: 28049353 DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2016.1264411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Nicotine may affect cell function by rearranging protein complexes. We aimed to determine nicotine-induced alterations of protein complexes in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) cells, thereby revealing links between nicotine exposure and protein complex modulation. We compared the proteomic alterations induced by low and high nicotine concentrations (0.01 mM and 1 mM) with the control (no nicotine) in vivo by using mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques, specifically the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) discontinuous gel electrophoresis coupled with liquid chromatography (LC)-MS/MS and spectral counting. As a result, we identified dozens of C. elegans proteins that are present exclusively or in higher abundance in either nicotine-treated or untreated worms. Based on these results, we report a possible network that captures the key protein components of nicotine-induced protein complexes and speculate how the different protein modules relate to their distinct physiological roles. Using functional annotation of detected proteins, we hypothesize that the identified complexes can modulate the energy metabolism and level of oxidative stress. These proteins can also be involved in modulation of gene expression and may be crucial in Alzheimer's disease. The findings reported in our study reveal putative intracellular interactions of many proteins with the cytoskeleton and may contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) signaling and trafficking in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Sobkowiak
- a Department of Cell Biology , Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznań , Poland and
| | - Andrzej Zielezinski
- b Department of Computational Biology , Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznań , Poland
| | - Wojciech M Karlowski
- b Department of Computational Biology , Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznań , Poland
| | - Andrzej Lesicki
- a Department of Cell Biology , Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznań , Poland and
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Moulton MJ, Letsou A. Modeling congenital disease and inborn errors of development in Drosophila melanogaster. Dis Model Mech 2016; 9:253-69. [PMID: 26935104 PMCID: PMC4826979 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.023564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fly models that faithfully recapitulate various aspects of human disease and human health-related biology are being used for research into disease diagnosis and prevention. Established and new genetic strategies in Drosophila have yielded numerous substantial successes in modeling congenital disorders or inborn errors of human development, as well as neurodegenerative disease and cancer. Moreover, although our ability to generate sequence datasets continues to outpace our ability to analyze these datasets, the development of high-throughput analysis platforms in Drosophila has provided access through the bottleneck in the identification of disease gene candidates. In this Review, we describe both the traditional and newer methods that are facilitating the incorporation of Drosophila into the human disease discovery process, with a focus on the models that have enhanced our understanding of human developmental disorders and congenital disease. Enviable features of the Drosophila experimental system, which make it particularly useful in facilitating the much anticipated move from genotype to phenotype (understanding and predicting phenotypes directly from the primary DNA sequence), include its genetic tractability, the low cost for high-throughput discovery, and a genome and underlying biology that are highly evolutionarily conserved. In embracing the fly in the human disease-gene discovery process, we can expect to speed up and reduce the cost of this process, allowing experimental scales that are not feasible and/or would be too costly in higher eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Moulton
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Room 5100, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-5330, USA
| | - Anthea Letsou
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Room 5100, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-5330, USA
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Hartenstein V, Cruz L, Lovick JK, Guo M. Developmental analysis of the dopamine-containing neurons of the Drosophila brain. J Comp Neurol 2016; 525:363-379. [PMID: 27350102 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Revised: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The Drosophila dopaminergic (DAergic) system consists of a relatively small number of neurons clustered throughout the brain and ventral nerve cord. Previous work shows that clusters of DA neurons innervate different brain compartments, which in part accounts for functional diversity of the DA system. We analyzed the association between DA neuron clusters and specific brain lineages, developmental and structural units of the Drosophila brain that provide a framework of connections that can be followed throughout development. The hatching larval brain contains six groups of primary DA neurons (born in the embryo), which we assign to six distinct lineages. We can show that all larval DA clusters persist into the adult brain. Some clusters increase in cell number during late larval stages, whereas others do not become DA positive until early pupa. Ablating neuroblasts with hydroxyurea (HU) prior to onset of larval proliferation (generates secondary neurons) confirms that these added DA clusters are primary neurons born in the embryo, rather than secondary neurons. A single cluster that becomes DA positive in the late pupa, PAM1/lineage DALcm1/2, forms part of a secondary lineage that can be ablated by larval HU application. By supplying lineage information for each DA cluster, our analysis promotes further developmental and functional analyses of this important system of neurons. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:363-379, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker Hartenstein
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 90095
| | - Louie Cruz
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 90095
| | - Jennifer K Lovick
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 90095
| | - Ming Guo
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 90095
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De Nobrega AK, Lyons LC. Circadian Modulation of Alcohol-Induced Sedation and Recovery in Male and Female Drosophila. J Biol Rhythms 2016; 31:142-60. [PMID: 26833081 DOI: 10.1177/0748730415627067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Delineating the factors that affect behavioral and neurological responses to alcohol is critical to facilitate measures for preventing or treating alcohol abuse. The high degree of conserved molecular and physiological processes makes Drosophila melanogaster a valuable model for investigating circadian interactions with alcohol-induced behaviors and examining sex-specific differences in alcohol sensitivity. We found that wild-type Drosophila exhibited rhythms in alcohol-induced sedation under light-dark and constant dark conditions with considerably greater alcohol exposure necessary to induce sedation during the late (subjective) day and peak sensitivity to alcohol occurring during the late (subjective) night. The circadian clock also modulated the recovery from alcohol-induced sedation with flies regaining motor control significantly faster during the late (subjective) day. As predicted, the circadian rhythms in sedation and recovery were absent in flies with a mutation in the circadian gene period or arrhythmic flies housed in constant light conditions. Flies lacking a functional circadian clock were more sensitive to the effects of alcohol with significantly longer recovery times. Similar to other animals and humans, Drosophila exhibit sex-specific differences in alcohol sensitivity. We investigated whether the circadian clock modulated the rhythms in the loss-of-righting reflex, alcohol-induced sedation, and recovery differently in males and females. We found that both sexes demonstrated circadian rhythms in the loss-of-righting reflex and sedation with the differences in alcohol sensitivity between males and females most pronounced during the late subjective day. Recovery of motor reflexes following alcohol sedation also exhibited circadian modulation in male and female flies, although the circadian clock did not modulate the difference in recovery times between the sexes. These studies provide a framework outlining how the circadian clock modulates alcohol-induced behaviors in Drosophila and identifies sexual dimorphisms in the circadian modulation of alcohol behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliza K De Nobrega
- Department of Biological Science, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
| | - Lisa C Lyons
- Department of Biological Science, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
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Phan NTN, Mohammadi AS, Dowlatshahi Pour M, Ewing AG. Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Drosophila Brain Using Matrix Sublimation versus Modification with Nanoparticles. Anal Chem 2016; 88:1734-41. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b03942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nhu T. N. Phan
- Department
of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Kemivägen
10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
- National Center
Imaging Mass Spectrometry, Kemivägen
10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Amir Saeid Mohammadi
- National Center
Imaging Mass Spectrometry, Kemivägen
10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemivägen 10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Masoumeh Dowlatshahi Pour
- National Center
Imaging Mass Spectrometry, Kemivägen
10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemivägen 10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Andrew G. Ewing
- Department
of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Kemivägen
10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
- National Center
Imaging Mass Spectrometry, Kemivägen
10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemivägen 10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
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Faillace MP, Bernabeu RO. Conditioned Place Preference and Behavioral Analysis to Evaluate Nicotine Reinforcement Properties in Zebrafish. NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTOR TECHNOLOGIES 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3768-4_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Likhite N, Jackson CA, Liang MS, Krzyzanowski MC, Lei P, Wood JF, Birkaya B, Michaels KL, Andreadis ST, Clark SD, Yu MC, Ferkey DM. The protein arginine methyltransferase PRMT5 promotes D2-like dopamine receptor signaling. Sci Signal 2015; 8:ra115. [PMID: 26554819 PMCID: PMC5473623 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aad0872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Protein arginine methylation regulates diverse functions of eukaryotic cells, including gene expression, the DNA damage response, and circadian rhythms. We showed that arginine residues within the third intracellular loop of the human D2 dopamine receptor, which are conserved in the DOP-3 receptor in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, were methylated by protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5). By mutating these arginine residues, we further showed that their methylation enhanced the D2 receptor-mediated inhibition of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling in cultured human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293T cells. Analysis of prmt-5-deficient worms indicated that methylation promoted the dopamine-mediated modulation of chemosensory and locomotory behaviors in C. elegans through the DOP-3 receptor. In addition to delineating a previously uncharacterized means of regulating GPCR (heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein-coupled receptor) signaling, these findings may lead to the development of a new class of pharmacological therapies that modulate GPCR signaling by changing the methylation status of these key proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neah Likhite
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Christopher A Jackson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Mao-Shih Liang
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Michelle C Krzyzanowski
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Pedro Lei
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Jordan F Wood
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Barbara Birkaya
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Kerry L Michaels
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Stelios T Andreadis
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Stewart D Clark
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA. Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA. Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
| | - Michael C Yu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
| | - Denise M Ferkey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
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Chao R, Macía-Vázquez G, Zalama E, Gómez-García-Bermejo J, Perán JR. Automated Tracking of Drosophila Specimens. SENSORS 2015; 15:19369-92. [PMID: 26258779 PMCID: PMC4570375 DOI: 10.3390/s150819369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Revised: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The fruit fly Drosophila Melanogaster has become a model organism in the study of neurobiology and behavior patterns. The analysis of the way the fly moves and its behavior is of great scientific interest for research on aspects such as drug tolerance, aggression or ageing in humans. In this article, a procedure for detecting, identifying and tracking numerous specimens of Drosophila by means of computer vision-based sensing systems is presented. This procedure allows dynamic information about each specimen to be collected at each moment, and then for its behavior to be quantitatively characterized. The proposed algorithm operates in three main steps: a pre-processing step, a detection and segmentation step, and tracking shape. The pre-processing and segmentation steps allow some limits of the image acquisition system and some visual artifacts (such as shadows and reflections) to be dealt with. The improvements introduced in the tracking step allow the problems corresponding to identity loss and swaps, caused by the interaction between individual flies, to be solved efficiently. Thus, a robust method that compares favorably to other existing methods is obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Chao
- University of Valladolid, Paseo del Cauce 59. Valladolid 47011, Spain; E-Mails: (R.C.); (G.M.-V.)
| | - Germán Macía-Vázquez
- University of Valladolid, Paseo del Cauce 59. Valladolid 47011, Spain; E-Mails: (R.C.); (G.M.-V.)
| | - Eduardo Zalama
- University of Valladolid, Instituto de las Tecnologías Avanzadas de la Producción, Paseo del Cauce 59. Valladolid 47011, Spain; E-Mail:
| | - Jaime Gómez-García-Bermejo
- University of Valladolid, Instituto de las Tecnologías Avanzadas de la Producción, Paseo del Cauce 59. Valladolid 47011, Spain; E-Mail:
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +34-983-423-398; Fax: +34-983-423-310
| | - José-Ramón Perán
- Fundación Cartif, Parque Tecnológico de Boecillo, Valladolid 47151, Spain; E-Mail:
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A proposed resolution to the paradox of drug reward: Dopamine's evolution from an aversive signal to a facilitator of drug reward via negative reinforcement. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 56:50-61. [PMID: 26116542 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2014] [Revised: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The mystery surrounding how plant neurotoxins came to possess reinforcing properties is termed the paradox of drug reward. Here we propose a resolution to this paradox whereby dopamine - which has traditionally been viewed as a signal of reward - initially signaled aversion and encouraged escape. We suggest that after being consumed, plant neurotoxins such as nicotine activated an aversive dopaminergic pathway, thereby deterring predatory herbivores. Later evolutionary events - including the development of a GABAergic system capable of modulating dopaminergic activity - led to the ability to down-regulate and 'control' this dopamine-based aversion. We speculate that this negative reinforcement system evolved so that animals could suppress aversive states such as hunger in order to attend to other internal drives (such as mating and shelter) that would result in improved organismal fitness.
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Phan NTN, Fletcher JS, Ewing AG. Lipid structural effects of oral administration of methylphenidate in Drosophila brain by secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging. Anal Chem 2015; 87:4063-71. [PMID: 25856152 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b00555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
We use time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) imaging to investigate the effects of orally administrated methylphenidate on lipids in the brain of Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), a major invertebrate model system in biological study and neuroscience. TOF-SIMS imaging was carried out using a recently designed high energy 40 keV Ar4000(+) gas cluster ion gun which demonstrated improved sensitivity for intact lipids in the fly brain compared to the 40 keV C60(+) primary ion gun. In addition, correlation of TOF-SIMS and SEM imaging on the same fly brain showed that there is specific localization that is related to biological functions of various biomolecules. Different lipids distribute in different parts of the brain, central brain, optical lobes, and proboscis, depending on the length of the carbon chain and saturation level of fatty acid (FA) branches. Furthermore, data analysis using image principal components analysis (PCA) showed that methylphenidate dramatically affected both the distribution and abundance of lipids and their derivatives, particularly fatty acids, diacylglycerides, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylinositol in the fly brains. Our approach using TOF-SIMS imaging successfully visualizes the effects of methylphenidate on the chemical structure of the fly brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhu T N Phan
- †Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Kemivägen 10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden.,‡National Center Imaging Mass Spectrometry, Kemivägen 10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - John S Fletcher
- †Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Kemivägen 10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden.,‡National Center Imaging Mass Spectrometry, Kemivägen 10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden.,§Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemivägen 10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Andrew G Ewing
- †Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Kemivägen 10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden.,‡National Center Imaging Mass Spectrometry, Kemivägen 10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden.,§Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemivägen 10, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
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Electric shock for aversion training of jumping spiders: Towards an arachnid model of avoidance learning. Behav Processes 2015; 113:99-104. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2015.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Revised: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Kliethermes CL. Conservation of the Ethanol-Induced Locomotor Stimulant Response among Arthropods. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2015; 85:37-46. [DOI: 10.1159/000370099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Ethanol-induced locomotor stimulation has been variously described as reflective of the disinhibitory, euphoric, or reinforcing effects of ethanol and is commonly used as an index of acute ethanol sensitivity in rodents. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster also shows a locomotor stimulant response to ethanol that is believed to occur via conserved, ethanol-sensitive neurobiological mechanisms, but it is currently unknown whether this response is conserved among arthropod species or is idiosyncratic to D. melanogaster. The current experiments surveyed locomotor responses to ethanol in a phylogenetically diverse panel of insects and other arthropod species. A clear ethanol-induced locomotor stimulant response was seen in 9 of 13 Drosophilidae species tested, in 8 of 10 other species of insects, and in an arachnid (wolf spider) and a myriapod (millipede) species. Given the diverse phylogenies of the species that showed the response, these experiments support the hypothesis that locomotor stimulation is a conserved behavioral response to ethanol among arthropod species. Further comparative studies are needed to determine whether the specific neurobiological mechanisms known to underlie the stimulant response in D. melanogaster are conserved among arthropod and vertebrate species.
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Poidevin M, Zhang F, Jin P. Small-molecule screening using Drosophila models of human neurological disorders. Methods Mol Biol 2015; 1263:127-138. [PMID: 25618341 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2269-7_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Within the last decade, Drosophila has emerged as a premiere model system for the study of human neurodegenerative diseases, due to the realization that flies and humans share many structurally and functionally related gene families. Development of such disease models in the fly allows genetic approaches to be applied to address specific hypotheses concerning disease progression and to test candidate modifier genes. More recently these fly models have also been used for drug discovery. Here, we describe how to utilize the existing fruit fly models of human neurological disorders to identify small-molecule leads that could potentially be further developed for therapeutic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mickael Poidevin
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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Drug-dependent behaviors and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expressions in Caenorhabditis elegans following chronic nicotine exposure. Neurotoxicology 2014; 47:27-36. [PMID: 25530353 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2014.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2014] [Revised: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Nicotine, the major psychoactive compound in tobacco, targets nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and results in drug dependence. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans' (C. elegans) genome encodes conserved and extensive nicotinic receptor subunits, representing a useful system to investigate nicotine-induced nAChR expressions in the context of drug dependence. However, the in vivo expression pattern of nAChR genes under chronic nicotine exposure has not been fully investigated. To define the role of nAChR genes involved in nicotine-induced locomotion changes and the development of tolerance to these effects, we characterized the locomotion behavior combining the use of two systems: the Worm Tracker hardware and the WormLab software. Our results indicate that the combined system is an advantageous alternative to define drug-dependent locomotion behavior in C. elegans. Chronic (24-h dosing) nicotine exposure at 6.17 and 61.7μM induced nicotine-dependent behaviors, including drug stimulation, tolerance/adaption, and withdrawal responses. Specifically, the movement speed of naïve worms on nicotine-containing environments was significantly higher than on nicotine-free environments, suggesting locomotion stimulation by nicotine. In contrast, the 24-h 6.17μM nicotine-treated worms exhibited significantly higher speeds on nicotine-free plates than on nicotine-containing plates. Furthermore significantly increased locomotion behavior during nicotine cessation was observed in worms treated with a higher nicotine concentration of 61.7μM. The relatively low locomotion speed of nicotine-treated worms on nicotine-containing environments also indicates adaption/tolerance of worms to nicotine following chronic nicotine exposure. In addition, this study provides useful information regarding the comprehensive in vivo expression profile of the 28 "core" nAChRs following different dosages of chronic nicotine treatments. Eleven genes (lev-1, acr-6, acr-7, acr-11, lev-8, acr-14, acr-16, acr-20, acr-21, ric-3, and unc-29) were significantly up-regulated following 61.7μM nicotine treatment, in which worms showed significantly increased locomotion behavior. This study provides insights into the linkage between nicotine-induced locomotion behavior and the regulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
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Patananan AN, Budenholzer LM, Eskin A, Torres ER, Clarke SG. Ethanol-induced differential gene expression and acetyl-CoA metabolism in a longevity model of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Exp Gerontol 2014; 61:20-30. [PMID: 25449858 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2014.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2014] [Revised: 09/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that exposing adults of the soil-dwelling nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to concentrations of ethanol in the range of 100-400mM results in slowed locomotion, decreased fertility, and reduced longevity. On the contrary, lower concentrations of ethanol (0.86-68mM) have been shown to cause a two- to three-fold increase in the life span of animals in the stress resistant L1 larval stage in the absence of a food source. However, little is known about how gene and protein expression is altered by low concentrations of ethanol and the mechanism for the increased longevity. Therefore, we used biochemical assays and next generation mRNA sequencing to identify genes and biological pathways altered by ethanol. RNA-seq analysis of L1 larvae incubated in the presence of 17mM ethanol resulted in the significant differential expression of 649 genes, 274 of which were downregulated and 375 were upregulated. Many of the genes significantly altered were associated with the conversion of ethanol and triglycerides to acetyl-CoA and glucose, suggesting that ethanol is serving as an energy source in the increased longevity of the L1 larvae as well as a signal for fat utilization. We also asked if L1 larvae could sense ethanol and respond by directed movement. Although we found that L1 larvae can chemotax to benzaldehyde, we observed little or no chemotaxis to ethanol. Understanding how low concentrations of ethanol increase the lifespan of L1 larvae may provide insight into not only the longevity pathways in C. elegans, but also in those of higher organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ascia Eskin
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Eric Rommel Torres
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Steven Gerard Clarke
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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EGFR and FGFR pathways have distinct roles in Drosophila mushroom body development and ethanol-induced behavior. PLoS One 2014; 9:e87714. [PMID: 24498174 PMCID: PMC3909204 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2013] [Accepted: 01/02/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling has a conserved role in ethanol-induced behavior in flies and mice, affecting ethanol-induced sedation in both species. However it is not known what other effects EGFR signaling may have on ethanol-induced behavior, or what roles other Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (RTK) pathways may play in ethanol induced behaviors. We examined the effects of both the EGFR and Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) RTK signaling pathways on ethanol-induced enhancement of locomotion, a behavior distinct from sedation that may be associated with the rewarding effects of ethanol. We find that both EGFR and FGFR genes influence ethanol-induced locomotion, though their effects are opposite - EGFR signaling suppresses this behavior, while FGFR signaling promotes it. EGFR signaling affects development of the Drosophila mushroom bodies in conjunction with the JNK MAP kinase basket (bsk), and with the Ste20 kinase tao, and we hypothesize that the EGFR pathway affects ethanol-induced locomotion through its effects on neuronal development. We find, however, that FGFR signaling most likely affects ethanol-induced behavior through a different mechanism, possibly through acute action in adult neurons.
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Sen T, Samanta SK. Medicinal plants, human health and biodiversity: a broad review. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2014; 147:59-110. [PMID: 25001990 DOI: 10.1007/10_2014_273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity contributes significantly towards human livelihood and development and thus plays a predominant role in the well being of the global population. According to WHO reports, around 80 % of the global population still relies on botanical drugs; today several medicines owe their origin to medicinal plants. Natural substances have long served as sources of therapeutic drugs, where drugs including digitalis (from foxglove), ergotamine (from contaminated rye), quinine (from cinchona), and salicylates (willow bark) can be cited as some classical examples.Drug discovery from natural sources involve a multifaceted approach combining botanical, phytochemical, biological, and molecular techniques. Accordingly, medicinal-plant-based drug discovery still remains an important area, hitherto unexplored, where a systematic search may definitely provide important leads against various pharmacological targets.Ironically, the potential benefits of plant-based medicines have led to unscientific exploitation of the natural resources, a phenomenon that is being observed globally. This decline in biodiversity is largely the result of the rise in the global population, rapid and sometimes unplanned industrialization, indiscriminate deforestation, overexploitation of natural resources, pollution, and finally global climate change.Therefore, it is of utmost importance that plant biodiversity be preserved, to provide future structural diversity and lead compounds for the sustainable development of human civilization at large. This becomes even more important for developing nations, where well-planned bioprospecting coupled with nondestructive commercialization could help in the conservation of biodiversity, ultimately benefiting mankind in the long run.Based on these findings, the present review is an attempt to update our knowledge about the diverse therapeutic application of different plant products against various pharmacological targets including cancer, human brain, cardiovascular function, microbial infection, inflammation, pain, and many more.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuhinadri Sen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and School of Natural Product Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, India,
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