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Liu J, Xia W, Wu Q, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Li B, Chen F, Du X, Wu S, Yang Y, Gao Y, Wu M, Su L, Tong H. Fucoidan alleviates high sucrose-induced metabolic disorders and enhances intestinal homeostasis through modulation of Notch signaling. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00224-8. [PMID: 38825316 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.05.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The therapeutic potential of fucoidan (FUC), a natural polysaccharide, in metabolic disorders is recognized, yet its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. METHODS We conducted investigations into the therapeutic mechanisms of FUC sourced from Sargassum fulvellum concerning metabolic disorders induced by a high-sucrose diet (HSD), employing Drosophila melanogaster and mice models. Drosophila larvae were subjected to HSD exposure to monitor growth inhibition, reduced pupation, and developmental delays. Additionally, we examined the impact of FUC on growth- and development-related hormones in Drosophila. Furthermore, we assessed the modulation of larval intestinal homeostasis by FUC, focusing on the regulation of Notch signaling. In mice, we evaluated the effects of FUC on HSD-induced impairments in intestinal epithelial barrier integrity and gut hormone secretion. RESULTS FUC supplementation significantly enhanced pupal weight in Drosophila larvae and effectively countered HSD-induced elevation of glucose and triglyceride levels. It notably influenced the expression of growth- and development-related hormones, particularly augmenting insulin-like peptides production while mitigating larval growth retardation. FUC also modulated larval intestinal homeostasis by negatively regulating Notch signaling, thereby protecting against HSD-induced metabolic stress. In mice, FUC ameliorated HSD-induced impairments in ileum epithelial barrier integrity and gut hormone secretion. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate the multifaceted therapeutic effects of FUC in mitigating metabolic disorders and maintaining intestinal health. FUC holds promise as a therapeutic agent, with its effects attributed partly to the sulfate group and its ability to regulate Notch signaling, emphasizing its potential for addressing metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Liu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Industry, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Nanchang 330115, China; Jiangxi Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Industry, Nanchang 330115, China
| | - Weiqiang Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325200, China
| | - Qifang Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Ya Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Yu Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Boyang Li
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Fangyu Chen
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Xueting Du
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Siya Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Yue Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Yitian Gao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Mingjiang Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Laijin Su
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Haibin Tong
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China; State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Beijing 100700, China.
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Dermady APC, DeFazio DL, Hensley EM, Ruiz DL, Chavez AD, Iannone SA, Dermady NM, Grandel LV, Hill AS. Neuronal excitability modulates developmental time of Drosophila melanogaster. Dev Biol 2024; 508:38-45. [PMID: 38224932 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Developmental time is a fundamental life history trait that affects the reproductive success of animals. Developmental time is known to be regulated by many genes and environmental conditions, yet mechanistic understandings of how various cellular processes influence the developmental timing of an organism are lacking. The nervous system is known to control key processes that affect developmental time, including the release of hormones that signal transitions between developmental stages. Here we show that the excitability of neurons plays a crucial role in modulating developmental time. Genetic manipulation of neuronal excitability in Drosophila melanogaster alters developmental time, which is faster in animals with increased neuronal excitability. We find that selectively modulating the excitability of peptidergic neurons is sufficient to alter developmental time, suggesting the intriguing hypothesis that the impact of neuronal excitability on DT may be at least partially mediated by peptidergic regulation of hormone release. This effect of neuronal excitability on developmental time is seen during embryogenesis and later developmental stages. Observed phenotypic plasticity in the effect of genetically increasing neuronal excitability at different temperatures, a condition also known to modulate excitability, suggests there is an optimal level of neuronal excitability, in terms of shortening DT. Together, our data highlight a novel connection between neuronal excitability and developmental time, with broad implications related to organismal physiology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan P C Dermady
- College of the Holy Cross, Department of Biology, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Dionna L DeFazio
- College of the Holy Cross, Department of Biology, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Emily M Hensley
- College of the Holy Cross, Department of Biology, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Daniel L Ruiz
- College of the Holy Cross, Department of Biology, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | - Sarah A Iannone
- College of the Holy Cross, Department of Biology, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Niall M Dermady
- College of the Holy Cross, Department of Biology, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Lexis V Grandel
- College of the Holy Cross, Department of Biology, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Alexis S Hill
- College of the Holy Cross, Department of Biology, Worcester, MA, USA.
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3
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Cavieres-Lepe J, Amini E, Zabel M, Nässel DR, Stanewsky R, Wegener C, Ewer J. Timed receptor tyrosine kinase signaling couples the central and a peripheral circadian clock in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2308067121. [PMID: 38442160 PMCID: PMC10945756 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308067121] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Circadian clocks impose daily periodicities to behavior, physiology, and metabolism. This control is mediated by a central clock and by peripheral clocks, which are synchronized to provide the organism with a unified time through mechanisms that are not fully understood. Here, we characterized in Drosophila the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in coupling the central clock and the peripheral clock located in the prothoracic gland (PG), which together control the circadian rhythm of emergence of adult flies. The time signal from central clock neurons is transmitted via small neuropeptide F (sNPF) to neurons that produce the neuropeptide Prothoracicotropic Hormone (PTTH), which is then translated into daily oscillations of Ca2+ concentration and PTTH levels. PTTH signaling is required at the end of metamorphosis and transmits time information to the PG through changes in the expression of the PTTH receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), TORSO, and of ERK phosphorylation, a key component of PTTH transduction. In addition to PTTH, we demonstrate that signaling mediated by other RTKs contributes to the rhythmicity of emergence. Interestingly, the ligand to one of these receptors (Pvf2) plays an autocrine role in the PG, which may explain why both central brain and PG clocks are required for the circadian gating of emergence. Our findings show that the coupling between the central and the PG clock is unexpectedly complex and involves several RTKs that act in concert and could serve as a paradigm to understand how circadian clocks are coordinated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Cavieres-Lepe
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaíso, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso2360102, Chile
| | - Emad Amini
- Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Neurobiology and Genetics, Am Hubland, Würzburg97074, Germany
| | - Maia Zabel
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaíso, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso2360102, Chile
| | - Dick R. Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 10691Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ralf Stanewsky
- Institute of Neuro- and Behavioral Biology, Multiscale Imaging Centre, University of Münster, 48149Münster, Germany
| | - Christian Wegener
- Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Neurobiology and Genetics, Am Hubland, Würzburg97074, Germany
| | - John Ewer
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaíso, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso2360102, Chile
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso2360102, Chile
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4
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Ju L, Glastad KM, Sheng L, Gospocic J, Kingwell CJ, Davidson SM, Kocher SD, Bonasio R, Berger SL. Hormonal gatekeeping via the blood-brain barrier governs caste-specific behavior in ants. Cell 2023; 186:4289-4309.e23. [PMID: 37683635 PMCID: PMC10807403 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Here, we reveal an unanticipated role of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in regulating complex social behavior in ants. Using scRNA-seq, we find localization in the BBB of a key hormone-degrading enzyme called juvenile hormone esterase (Jhe), and we show that this localization governs the level of juvenile hormone (JH3) entering the brain. Manipulation of the Jhe level reprograms the brain transcriptome between ant castes. Although ant Jhe is retained and functions intracellularly within the BBB, we show that Drosophila Jhe is naturally extracellular. Heterologous expression of ant Jhe into the Drosophila BBB alters behavior in fly to mimic what is seen in ants. Most strikingly, manipulation of Jhe levels in ants reprograms complex behavior between worker castes. Our study thus uncovers a remarkable, potentially conserved role of the BBB serving as a molecular gatekeeper for a neurohormonal pathway that regulates social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyang Ju
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Karl M Glastad
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Lihong Sheng
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Janko Gospocic
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Urology and Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Callum J Kingwell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Shawn M Davidson
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Sarah D Kocher
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Lewis-Sigler Institute for Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Roberto Bonasio
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Shelley L Berger
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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5
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Juarez-Carreño S, Geissmann F. The macrophage genetic cassette inr/dtor/pvf2 is a nutritional status checkpoint for developmental timing. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh0589. [PMID: 37729406 PMCID: PMC10511196 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh0589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
A small number of signaling molecules, used reiteratively, control differentiation programs, but the mechanisms that adapt developmental timing to environmental cues are less understood. We report here that a macrophage inr/dtor/pvf2 genetic cassette is a developmental timing checkpoint in Drosophila, which either licenses or delays biosynthesis of the steroid hormone in the endocrine gland and metamorphosis according to the larval nutritional status. Insulin receptor/dTor signaling in macrophages is required and sufficient for production of the PDGF/VEGF family growth factor Pvf2, which turns on transcription of the sterol biosynthesis Halloween genes in the prothoracic gland via its receptor Pvr. In response to a starvation event or genetic manipulation, low Pvf2 signal delays steroid biosynthesis until it becomes Pvr-independent, thereby prolonging larval growth before pupariation. The significance of this developmental timing checkpoint for host fitness is illustrated by the observation that it regulates the size of the pupae and adult flies.
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6
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Li Y, Zhou X, Cheng C, Ding G, Zhao P, Tan K, Chen L, Perrimon N, Veenstra JA, Zhang L, Song W. Gut AstA mediates sleep deprivation-induced energy wasting in Drosophila. Cell Discov 2023; 9:49. [PMID: 37221172 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-023-00541-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe sleep deprivation (SD) has been highly associated with systemic energy wasting, such as lipid loss and glycogen depletion. Despite immune dysregulation and neurotoxicity observed in SD animals, whether and how the gut-secreted hormones participate in SD-induced disruption of energy homeostasis remains largely unknown. Using Drosophila as a conserved model organism, we characterize that production of intestinal Allatostatin A (AstA), a major gut-peptide hormone, is robustly increased in adult flies bearing severe SD. Interestingly, the removal of AstA production in the gut using specific drivers significantly improves lipid loss and glycogen depletion in SD flies without affecting sleep homeostasis. We reveal the molecular mechanisms whereby gut AstA promotes the release of an adipokinetic hormone (Akh), an insulin counter-regulatory hormone functionally equivalent to mammalian glucagon, to mobilize systemic energy reserves by remotely targeting its receptor AstA-R2 in Akh-producing cells. Similar regulation of glucagon secretion and energy wasting by AstA/galanin is also observed in SD mice. Further, integrating single-cell RNA sequencing and genetic validation, we uncover that severe SD results in ROS accumulation in the gut to augment AstA production via TrpA1. Altogether, our results demonstrate the essential roles of the gut-peptide hormone AstA in mediating SD-associated energy wasting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingge Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaoya Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chen Cheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Guangming Ding
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Kai Tan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lixia Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Norbert Perrimon
- Department of Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jan A Veenstra
- INCIA, UMR 5287 CNRS, University of Bordeaux, Talence, France
| | - Luoying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Song
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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7
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Guirado J, Carranza-Valencia J, Morante J. Mammalian puberty: a fly perspective. FEBS J 2023; 290:359-369. [PMID: 35607827 PMCID: PMC10084137 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian puberty and Drosophila metamorphosis, despite their evolutionary distance, exhibit similar design principles and conservation of molecular components. In this Viewpoint, we review recent advances in this area and the similarities between both processes in terms of the signaling pathways and neuroendocrine circuits involved. We argue that the detection and uptake of peripheral fat by Drosophila prothoracic endocrine cells induces endomembrane remodeling and ribosomal maturation, leading to the acquisition of high biosynthetic and secretory capacity. The absence of this fat-neuroendocrine interorgan communication leads to giant, obese, non-pupating larvae. Importantly, human leptin is capable of signaling the pupariation process in Drosophila, and its expression prevents obesity and triggers maturation in mutants that do not pupate. This implies that insect metamorphosis can be used to address issues related to the biology of leptin and puberty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Guirado
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) and Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH), San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Juan Carranza-Valencia
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) and Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH), San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Javier Morante
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) and Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH), San Juan de Alicante, Spain
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Nässel DR, Zandawala M. Endocrine cybernetics: neuropeptides as molecular switches in behavioural decisions. Open Biol 2022; 12:220174. [PMID: 35892199 PMCID: PMC9326288 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasticity in animal behaviour relies on the ability to integrate external and internal cues from the changing environment and hence modulate activity in synaptic circuits of the brain. This context-dependent neuromodulation is largely based on non-synaptic signalling with neuropeptides. Here, we describe select peptidergic systems in the Drosophila brain that act at different levels of a hierarchy to modulate behaviour and associated physiology. These systems modulate circuits in brain regions, such as the central complex and the mushroom bodies, which supervise specific behaviours. At the top level of the hierarchy there are small numbers of large peptidergic neurons that arborize widely in multiple areas of the brain to orchestrate or modulate global activity in a state and context-dependent manner. At the bottom level local peptidergic neurons provide executive neuromodulation of sensory gain and intrinsically in restricted parts of specific neuronal circuits. The orchestrating neurons receive interoceptive signals that mediate energy and sleep homeostasis, metabolic state and circadian timing, as well as external cues that affect food search, aggression or mating. Some of these cues can be triggers of conflicting behaviours such as mating versus aggression, or sleep versus feeding, and peptidergic neurons participate in circuits, enabling behaviour choices and switches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dick R. Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Meet Zandawala
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland Würzburg 97074, Germany
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9
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Wegener C, Chen J. Allatostatin A Signalling: Progress and New Challenges From a Paradigmatic Pleiotropic Invertebrate Neuropeptide Family. Front Physiol 2022; 13:920529. [PMID: 35812311 PMCID: PMC9263205 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.920529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptides have gained broad attraction in insect neuroscience and physiology, as new genetic tools are increasingly uncovering their wide-ranging pleiotropic functions with high cellular resolution. Allatostatin A (AstA) peptides constitute one of the best studied insect neuropeptide families. In insects and other panarthropods, AstA peptides qualify as brain-gut peptides and have regained attention with the discovery of their role in regulating feeding, growth, activity/sleep and learning. AstA receptor homologs are found throughout the protostomia and group with vertebrate somatostatin/galanin/kisspeptin receptors. In this review, we summarise the current knowledge on the evolution and the pleiotropic and cell-specific non-allatostatic functions of AstA. We speculate about the core functions of AstA signalling, and derive open questions and challengesfor future research on AstA and invertebrate neuropeptides in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Wegener
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Würzburg Insect Research, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Christian Wegener,
| | - Jiangtian Chen
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
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10
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Texada MJ, Lassen M, Pedersen LH, Koyama T, Malita A, Rewitz K. Insulin signaling couples growth and early maturation to cholesterol intake in Drosophila. Curr Biol 2022; 32:1548-1562.e6. [PMID: 35245460 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Nutrition is one of the most important influences on growth and the timing of maturational transitions including mammalian puberty and insect metamorphosis. Childhood obesity is associated with precocious puberty, but the assessment mechanism that links body fat to early maturation is unknown. During development, the intake of nutrients promotes signaling through insulin-like systems that govern the growth of cells and tissues and also regulates the timely production of the steroid hormones that initiate the juvenile-adult transition. We show here that the dietary lipid cholesterol, which is required as a component of cell membranes and as a substrate for steroid biosynthesis, also governs body growth and maturation in Drosophila via promoting the expression and release of insulin-like peptides. This nutritional input acts via the nutrient sensor TOR, which is regulated by the Niemann-Pick-type-C 1 (Npc1) cholesterol transporter, in the glia of the blood-brain barrier and cells of the adipose tissue to remotely drive systemic insulin signaling and body growth. Furthermore, increasing intracellular cholesterol levels in the steroid-producing prothoracic gland strongly promotes endoreduplication, leading to an accelerated attainment of a nutritional checkpoint that normally ensures that animals do not initiate maturation prematurely. These findings, therefore, show that a Npc1-TOR signaling system couples the sensing of the lipid cholesterol with cellular and systemic growth control and maturational timing, which may help explain both the link between cholesterol and cancer as well as the connection between body fat (obesity) and early puberty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Texada
- Department of Biology, Section for Cell and Neurobiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Building 3, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Mette Lassen
- Department of Biology, Section for Cell and Neurobiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Building 3, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lisa H Pedersen
- Department of Biology, Section for Cell and Neurobiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Building 3, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Takashi Koyama
- Department of Biology, Section for Cell and Neurobiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Building 3, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Alina Malita
- Department of Biology, Section for Cell and Neurobiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Building 3, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kim Rewitz
- Department of Biology, Section for Cell and Neurobiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Building 3, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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11
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Hao S, Gestrich JY, Zhang X, Xu M, Wang X, Liu L, Wei H. Neurotransmitters Affect Larval Development by Regulating the Activity of Prothoracicotropic Hormone-Releasing Neurons in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:653858. [PMID: 34975366 PMCID: PMC8718639 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.653858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecdysone, an essential insect steroid hormone, promotes larval metamorphosis by coordinating growth and maturation. In Drosophila melanogaster, prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH)-releasing neurons are considered to be the primary promoting factor in ecdysone biosynthesis. Recently, studies have reported that the regulatory mechanisms of PTTH release in Drosophila larvae are controlled by different neuropeptides, including allatostatin A and corazonin. However, it remains unclear whether neurotransmitters provide input to PTTH neurons and control the metamorphosis in Drosophila larvae. Here, we report that the neurotransmitters acetylcholine (ACh) affect larval development by modulating the activity of PTTH neurons. By downregulating the expression of different subunits of nicotinic ACh receptors in PTTH neurons, pupal volume was significantly increased, whereas pupariation timing was relatively unchanged. We also identified that PTTH neurons were excited by ACh application ex vivo in a dose-dependent manner via ionotropic nicotinic ACh receptors. Moreover, in our Ca2+ imaging experiments, relatively low doses of OA caused increased Ca2+ levels in PTTH neurons, whereas higher doses led to decreased Ca2+ levels. We also demonstrated that a low dose of OA was conveyed through OA β-type receptors. Additionally, our electrophysiological experiments revealed that PTTH neurons produced spontaneous activity in vivo, which provides the possibility of the bidirectional regulation, coming from neurons upstream of PTTH cells in Drosophila larvae. In summary, our findings indicate that several different neurotransmitters are involved in the regulation of larval metamorphosis by altering the activity of PTTH neurons in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Julia Yvonne Gestrich
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mengbo Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongying Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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12
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Coordination among multiple receptor tyrosine kinase signals controls Drosophila developmental timing and body size. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109644. [PMID: 34469735 PMCID: PMC8428980 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In holometabolous insects, metamorphic timing and body size are controlled by a neuroendocrine axis composed of the ecdysone-producing prothoracic gland (PG) and its presynaptic neurons (PGNs) producing PTTH. Although PTTH/Torso signaling is considered the primary mediator of metamorphic timing, recent studies indicate that other unidentified PGN-derived factors also affect timing. Here, we demonstrate that the receptor tyrosine kinases anaplastic lymphoma kinase (Alk) and PDGF and VEGF receptor-related (Pvr), function in coordination with PTTH/Torso signaling to regulate pupariation timing and body size. Both Alk and Pvr trigger Ras/Erk signaling in the PG to upregulate expression of ecdysone biosynthetic enzymes, while Alk also suppresses autophagy by activating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt. The Alk ligand Jelly belly (Jeb) is produced by the PGNs and serves as a second PGN-derived tropic factor, while Pvr activation mainly relies on autocrine signaling by PG-derived Pvf2 and Pvf3. These findings illustrate that a combination of juxtacrine and autocrine signaling regulates metamorphic timing, the defining event of holometabolous development.
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13
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Liu N, Li T, Wang Y, Liu S. G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) in Insects-A Potential Target for New Insecticide Development. Molecules 2021; 26:2993. [PMID: 34069969 PMCID: PMC8157829 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26102993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) play important roles in cell biology and insects' physiological processes, toxicological response and the development of insecticide resistance. New information on genome sequences, proteomic and transcriptome analysis and expression patterns of GPCRs in organs such as the central nervous system in different organisms has shown the importance of these signaling regulatory GPCRs and their impact on vital cell functions. Our growing understanding of the role played by GPCRs at the cellular, genome, transcriptome and tissue levels is now being utilized to develop new targets that will sidestep many of the problems currently hindering human disease control and insect pest management. This article reviews recent work on the expression and function of GPCRs in insects, focusing on the molecular complexes governing the insect physiology and development of insecticide resistance and examining the genome information for GPCRs in two medically important insects, mosquitoes and house flies, and their orthologs in the model insect species Drosophila melanogaster. The tissue specific distribution and expression of the insect GPCRs is discussed, along with fresh insights into practical aspects of insect physiology and toxicology that could be fundamental for efforts to develop new, more effective, strategies for pest control and resistance management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nannan Liu
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (T.L.); (Y.W.)
| | - Ting Li
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (T.L.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yifan Wang
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (T.L.); (Y.W.)
| | - Shikai Liu
- College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China;
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14
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Kannangara JR, Mirth CK, Warr CG. Regulation of ecdysone production in Drosophila by neuropeptides and peptide hormones. Open Biol 2021; 11:200373. [PMID: 33593157 PMCID: PMC8103234 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.200373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In both mammals and insects, steroid hormones play a major role in directing the animal's progression through developmental stages. To maximize fitness outcomes, steroid hormone production is regulated by the environmental conditions experienced by the animal. In insects, the steroid hormone ecdysone mediates transitions between developmental stages and is regulated in response to environmental factors such as nutrition. These environmental signals are communicated to the ecdysone-producing gland via the action of neuropeptide and peptide hormone signalling pathways. While some of these pathways have been well characterized, there is evidence to suggest more signalling pathways than has previously been thought function to control ecdysone production, potentially in response to a greater range of environmental conditions. Here, we review the neuropeptide and peptide hormone signalling pathways known to regulate the production of ecdysone in the model genetic insect Drosophila melanogaster, as well as what is known regarding the environmental signals that trigger these pathways. Areas for future research are highlighted that can further contribute to our overall understanding of the complex orchestration of environmental, physiological and developmental cues that together produce a functioning adult organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade R Kannangara
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Christen K Mirth
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Coral G Warr
- Tasmanian School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
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15
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Pan X, Connacher RP, O'Connor MB. Control of the insect metamorphic transition by ecdysteroid production and secretion. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 43:11-20. [PMID: 32950745 PMCID: PMC7965781 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Ecdysteroids are a class of steroid hormones that controls molting and metamorphic transitions in Ecdysozoan species including insects, in which ecdysteroid biosynthesis and its regulation have been extensively studied. Insect ecdysteroids are produced from dietary sterols by a series of reduction-oxidation reactions in the prothoracic gland and in Drosophila they are released into the hemolymph via vesicle-mediated secretion at the time of metamorphosis. To initiate precisely controlled ecdysteroid pulses, the prothoracic gland functions as a central node integrating both intrinsic and extrinsic signals to control ecdysteroid biosynthesis and secretion. In this review, we outline recent progress in the characterization of ecdysone biosynthesis and steroid trafficking pathways and the discoveries of novel factors regulating prothoracic gland function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyang Pan
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
| | - Robert P Connacher
- Department Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, USA
| | - Michael B O'Connor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, USA.
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16
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Sood C, Doyle SE, Siegrist SE. Steroid hormones, dietary nutrients, and temporal progression of neurogenesis. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 43:70-77. [PMID: 33127508 PMCID: PMC8058227 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Temporal patterning of neural progenitors, in which different factors are sequentially expressed, is an evolutionarily conserved strategy for generating neuronal diversity during development. In the Drosophila embryo, mechanisms that mediate temporal patterning of neural stem cells (neuroblasts) are largely cell-intrinsic. However, after embryogenesis, neuroblast temporal patterning relies on extrinsic cues as well, as freshly hatched larvae seek out nutrients and other key resources in varying natural environments. We recap current understanding of neuroblast-intrinsic temporal programs and discuss how neuroblast extrinsic cues integrate and coordinate with neuroblast intrinsic programs to control numbers and types of neurons produced. One key emerging extrinsic factor that impacts temporal patterning of neuroblasts and their daughters as well as termination of neurogenesis is the steroid hormone, ecdysone, a known regulator of large-scale developmental transitions in insects and arthropods. Lastly, we consider evolutionary conservation and discuss recent work on thyroid hormone signaling in early vertebrate brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhavi Sood
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Susan E Doyle
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Sarah E Siegrist
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
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17
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Malita A, Rewitz K. Interorgan communication in the control of metamorphosis. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 43:54-62. [PMID: 33214126 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Steroid hormones control major developmental transitions such as metamorphosis in insects and puberty in mammals. The juvenile must attain a sufficient size before it begins maturation in order to give rise to a properly sized and reproductively fit adult. Studies in the insect Drosophila have begun to reveal a remarkable example of the complex interplay between different organs and the neuroendocrine system that controls the production of the steroid ecdysone, which triggers metamorphosis. This review discusses the inter-organ signals mediating this crosstalk, which allows the neuroendocrine system to assess nutrient availability and growth status of internal organs, ensuring that maturation is initiated at the appropriate time. We discuss how the neuroendocrine system integrates signals from different tissues to coordinate growth and maturation. These studies are still unraveling the organ-to-organ signaling networks that control the timing of metamorphosis, defining important principles underlying the logic of growth and maturation coordination in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Malita
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kim Rewitz
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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18
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Nässel DR, Zandawala M. Hormonal axes in Drosophila: regulation of hormone release and multiplicity of actions. Cell Tissue Res 2020; 382:233-266. [PMID: 32827072 PMCID: PMC7584566 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-020-03264-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Hormones regulate development, as well as many vital processes in the daily life of an animal. Many of these hormones are peptides that act at a higher hierarchical level in the animal with roles as organizers that globally orchestrate metabolism, physiology and behavior. Peptide hormones can act on multiple peripheral targets and simultaneously convey basal states, such as metabolic status and sleep-awake or arousal across many central neuronal circuits. Thereby, they coordinate responses to changing internal and external environments. The activity of neurosecretory cells is controlled either by (1) cell autonomous sensors, or (2) by other neurons that relay signals from sensors in peripheral tissues and (3) by feedback from target cells. Thus, a hormonal signaling axis commonly comprises several components. In mammals and other vertebrates, several hormonal axes are known, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis or the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis that regulate reproduction and metabolism, respectively. It has been proposed that the basic organization of such hormonal axes is evolutionarily old and that cellular homologs of the hypothalamic-pituitary system can be found for instance in insects. To obtain an appreciation of the similarities between insect and vertebrate neurosecretory axes, we review the organization of neurosecretory cell systems in Drosophila. Our review outlines the major peptidergic hormonal pathways known in Drosophila and presents a set of schemes of hormonal axes and orchestrating peptidergic systems. The detailed organization of the larval and adult Drosophila neurosecretory systems displays only very basic similarities to those in other arthropods and vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dick R. Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Meet Zandawala
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
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19
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Koyama T, Texada MJ, Halberg KA, Rewitz K. Metabolism and growth adaptation to environmental conditions in Drosophila. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:4523-4551. [PMID: 32448994 PMCID: PMC7599194 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03547-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Organisms adapt to changing environments by adjusting their development, metabolism, and behavior to improve their chances of survival and reproduction. To achieve such flexibility, organisms must be able to sense and respond to changes in external environmental conditions and their internal state. Metabolic adaptation in response to altered nutrient availability is key to maintaining energy homeostasis and sustaining developmental growth. Furthermore, environmental variables exert major influences on growth and final adult body size in animals. This developmental plasticity depends on adaptive responses to internal state and external cues that are essential for developmental processes. Genetic studies have shown that the fruit fly Drosophila, similarly to mammals, regulates its metabolism, growth, and behavior in response to the environment through several key hormones including insulin, peptides with glucagon-like function, and steroid hormones. Here we review emerging evidence showing that various environmental cues and internal conditions are sensed in different organs that, via inter-organ communication, relay information to neuroendocrine centers that control insulin and steroid signaling. This review focuses on endocrine regulation of development, metabolism, and behavior in Drosophila, highlighting recent advances in the role of the neuroendocrine system as a signaling hub that integrates environmental inputs and drives adaptive responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Koyama
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael J Texada
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kenneth A Halberg
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kim Rewitz
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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20
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Texada MJ, Koyama T, Rewitz K. Regulation of Body Size and Growth Control. Genetics 2020; 216:269-313. [PMID: 33023929 PMCID: PMC7536854 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.120.303095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The control of body and organ growth is essential for the development of adults with proper size and proportions, which is important for survival and reproduction. In animals, adult body size is determined by the rate and duration of juvenile growth, which are influenced by the environment. In nutrient-scarce environments in which more time is needed for growth, the juvenile growth period can be extended by delaying maturation, whereas juvenile development is rapidly completed in nutrient-rich conditions. This flexibility requires the integration of environmental cues with developmental signals that govern internal checkpoints to ensure that maturation does not begin until sufficient tissue growth has occurred to reach a proper adult size. The Target of Rapamycin (TOR) pathway is the primary cell-autonomous nutrient sensor, while circulating hormones such as steroids and insulin-like growth factors are the main systemic regulators of growth and maturation in animals. We discuss recent findings in Drosophila melanogaster showing that cell-autonomous environment and growth-sensing mechanisms, involving TOR and other growth-regulatory pathways, that converge on insulin and steroid relay centers are responsible for adjusting systemic growth, and development, in response to external and internal conditions. In addition to this, proper organ growth is also monitored and coordinated with whole-body growth and the timing of maturation through modulation of steroid signaling. This coordination involves interorgan communication mediated by Drosophila insulin-like peptide 8 in response to tissue growth status. Together, these multiple nutritional and developmental cues feed into neuroendocrine hubs controlling insulin and steroid signaling, serving as checkpoints at which developmental progression toward maturation can be delayed. This review focuses on these mechanisms by which external and internal conditions can modulate developmental growth and ensure proper adult body size, and highlights the conserved architecture of this system, which has made Drosophila a prime model for understanding the coordination of growth and maturation in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Takashi Koyama
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
| | - Kim Rewitz
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
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21
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Bendena WG, Hui JHL, Chin-Sang I, Tobe SS. Neuropeptide and microRNA regulators of juvenile hormone production. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 295:113507. [PMID: 32413346 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The sesquiterpenoid juvenile hormone(s) (JHs) of insects are the primary regulators of growth, metamorphosis, and reproduction in most insect species. As a consequence, it is essential that JH production be precisely regulated so that it is present only during appropriate periods necessary for the control of these processes. The presence of JH at inappropriate times results in disruption to metamorphosis and development and, in some cases, to disturbances in female reproduction. Neuropeptides regulate the timing and production of JH by the corpora allata. Allatostatin and allatotropin were the names coined for neuropeptides that serve as inhibitors or stimulators of JH biosynthesis, respectively. Three different allatostatin neuropeptide families are capable of inhibiting juvenile hormone but only one family is utilized for that purpose dependent on the insect studied. The function of allatotropin also varies in different insects. These neuropeptides are pleiotropic in function acting on diverse physiological processes in different insects such as muscle contraction, sleep and neuromodulation. Genome projects and expression studies have assigned individual neuropeptide families to their respective receptors. An understanding of the localization of these receptors is providing clues as to how numerous peptide families might be integrated in regulating physiological functions. In recent years microRNAs have been identified that down-regulate enzymes and transcription factors that are involved in the biosynthesis and action of juvenile hormone.
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Affiliation(s)
- William G Bendena
- Department of Biology and Centre for Neuroscience, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada.
| | - Jerome H L Hui
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, Partner State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Ian Chin-Sang
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L3N6, Canada
| | - Stephen S Tobe
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Ramsey-Wright Bldg., 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G5, Canada
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22
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Christensen CF, Koyama T, Nagy S, Danielsen ET, Texada MJ, Halberg KA, Rewitz K. Ecdysone-dependent feedback regulation of prothoracicotropic hormone controls the timing of developmental maturation. Development 2020; 147:dev188110. [PMID: 32631830 PMCID: PMC7390634 DOI: 10.1242/dev.188110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The activation of a neuroendocrine system that induces a surge in steroid production is a conserved initiator of the juvenile-to-adult transition in many animals. The trigger for maturation is the secretion of brain-derived neuropeptides, yet the mechanisms controlling the timely onset of this event remain ill-defined. Here, we show that a regulatory feedback circuit controlling the Drosophila neuropeptide Prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) triggers maturation onset. We identify the Ecdysone Receptor (EcR) in the PTTH-expressing neurons (PTTHn) as a regulator of developmental maturation onset. Loss of EcR in these PTTHn impairs PTTH signaling, which delays maturation. We find that the steroid ecdysone dose-dependently affects Ptth transcription, promoting its expression at lower concentrations and inhibiting it at higher concentrations. Our findings indicate the existence of a feedback circuit in which rising ecdysone levels trigger, via EcR activity in the PTTHn, the PTTH surge that generates the maturation-inducing ecdysone peak toward the end of larval development. Because steroid feedback is also known to control the vertebrate maturation-inducing hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, our findings suggest an overall conservation of the feedback-regulatory neuroendocrine circuitry that controls the timing of maturation initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Takashi Koyama
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Stanislav Nagy
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - E Thomas Danielsen
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Michael J Texada
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Kenneth A Halberg
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Kim Rewitz
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
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23
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Imura E, Shimada-Niwa Y, Nishimura T, Hückesfeld S, Schlegel P, Ohhara Y, Kondo S, Tanimoto H, Cardona A, Pankratz MJ, Niwa R. The Corazonin-PTTH Neuronal Axis Controls Systemic Body Growth by Regulating Basal Ecdysteroid Biosynthesis in Drosophila melanogaster. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2156-2165.e5. [PMID: 32386525 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.03.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Steroid hormones play key roles in development, growth, and reproduction in various animal phyla [1]. The insect steroid hormone, ecdysteroid, coordinates growth and maturation, represented by molting and metamorphosis [2]. In Drosophila melanogaster, the prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH)-producing neurons stimulate peak levels of ecdysteroid biosynthesis for maturation [3]. Additionally, recent studies on PTTH signaling indicated that basal levels of ecdysteroid negatively affect systemic growth prior to maturation [4-8]. However, it remains unclear how PTTH signaling is regulated for basal ecdysteroid biosynthesis. Here, we report that Corazonin (Crz)-producing neurons regulate basal ecdysteroid biosynthesis by affecting PTTH neurons. Crz belongs to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) superfamily, implying an analogous role in growth and maturation [9]. Inhibition of Crz neuronal activity increased pupal size, whereas it hardly affected pupariation timing. This phenotype resulted from enhanced growth rate and a delay in ecdysteroid elevation during the mid-third instar larval (L3) stage. Interestingly, Crz receptor (CrzR) expression in PTTH neurons was higher during the mid- than the late-L3 stage. Silencing of CrzR in PTTH neurons increased pupal size, phenocopying the inhibition of Crz neuronal activity. When Crz neurons were optogenetically activated, a strong calcium response was observed in PTTH neurons during the mid-L3, but not the late-L3, stage. Furthermore, we found that octopamine neurons contact Crz neurons in the subesophageal zone (SEZ), transmitting signals for systemic growth. Together, our results suggest that the Crz-PTTH neuronal axis modulates ecdysteroid biosynthesis in response to octopamine, uncovering a regulatory neuroendocrine system in the developmental transition from growth to maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eisuke Imura
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
| | - Yuko Shimada-Niwa
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, 305-8577 Tsukuba, Japan.
| | | | - Sebastian Hückesfeld
- Department of Molecular Brain Physiology and Behavior, LIMES Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn 53115, Germany
| | - Philipp Schlegel
- Department of Molecular Brain Physiology and Behavior, LIMES Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn 53115, Germany
| | - Yuya Ohhara
- School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan
| | - Shu Kondo
- Invertebrate Genetics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima 411-8540, Japan
| | - Hiromu Tanimoto
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Albert Cardona
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Michael J Pankratz
- Department of Molecular Brain Physiology and Behavior, LIMES Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn 53115, Germany
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, 305-8577 Tsukuba, Japan; AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
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Delanoue R, Romero NM. Growth and Maturation in Development: A Fly's Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21041260. [PMID: 32070061 PMCID: PMC7072963 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In mammals like humans, adult fitness is improved due to resource allocation, investing energy in the developmental growth process during the juvenile period, and in reproduction at the adult stage. Therefore, the attainment of their target body height/size co-occurs with the acquisition of maturation, implying a need for coordination between mechanisms that regulate organismal growth and maturation timing. Insects like Drosophila melanogaster also define their adult body size by the end of the juvenile larval period. Recent studies in the fly have shown evolutionary conservation of the regulatory pathways controlling growth and maturation, suggesting the existence of common coordinator mechanisms between them. In this review, we will present an overview of the significant advancements in the coordination mechanisms ensuring developmental robustness in Drosophila. We will include (i) the characterization of feedback mechanisms between maturation and growth hormones, (ii) the recognition of a relaxin-like peptide Dilp8 as a central processor coordinating juvenile regeneration and time of maturation, and (iii) the identification of a novel coordinator mechanism involving the AstA/KISS system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renald Delanoue
- University Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Inserm, Institute of Biology Valrose, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice, France
| | - Nuria M. Romero
- University Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Inserm, Institute of Biology Valrose, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice, France
- Universitey Côte d’Azur, INRA, CNRS, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, 06900 Sophia Antipolis, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-492-07-6445
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Costa CP, Duennes MA, Fisher K, Der JP, Watrous KM, Okamoto N, Yamanaka N, Woodard SH. Transcriptome analysis reveals nutrition‐ and age‐related patterns of gene expression in the fat body of pre‐overwintering bumble bee queens. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:720-737. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kaleigh Fisher
- Department of Entomology University of California Riverside CA USA
| | - Joshua P. Der
- Department of Biological Science California State University Fullerton CA USA
| | | | - Naoki Okamoto
- Department of Entomology University of California Riverside CA USA
| | - Naoki Yamanaka
- Department of Entomology University of California Riverside CA USA
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Barredo CG, Gil-Marti B, Deveci D, Romero NM, Martin FA. Timing the Juvenile-Adult Neurohormonal Transition: Functions and Evolution. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:602285. [PMID: 33643219 PMCID: PMC7909313 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.602285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Puberty and metamorphosis are two major developmental transitions linked to the reproductive maturation. In mammals and vertebrates, the central brain acts as a gatekeeper, timing the developmental transition through the activation of a neuroendocrine circuitry. In addition to reproduction, these neuroendocrine axes and the sustaining genetic network play additional roles in metabolism, sleep and behavior. Although neurohormonal axes regulating juvenile-adult transition have been classically considered the result of convergent evolution (i.e., analogous) between mammals and insects, recent findings challenge this idea, suggesting that at least some neuroendocrine circuits might be present in the common bilaterian ancestor Urbilateria. The initial signaling pathways that trigger the transition in different species appear to be of a single evolutionary origin and, consequently, many of the resulting functions are conserved with a few other molecular players being co-opted during evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia G. Barredo
- Molecular Physiology of Behavior Laboratory, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology, Cajal Institute, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Gil-Marti
- Molecular Physiology of Behavior Laboratory, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology, Cajal Institute, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Derya Deveci
- Sartorius Netherlands BV, Amersfoor, Netherlands
| | - Nuria M. Romero
- Developmental Timing, Environment and Behaviors Laboratory, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, Université Côte d’Azur-INRAE-CNRS-INSERM, Sophia Antipolis, France
- *Correspondence: Nuria M. Romero, ; Francisco A. Martin,
| | - Francisco A. Martin
- Molecular Physiology of Behavior Laboratory, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology, Cajal Institute, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Nuria M. Romero, ; Francisco A. Martin,
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