A high-throughput microplate toxicity screening platform based on Caenorhabditis elegans

Promising tools into oxidative stress: A review of non-rodent model organisms

Oxidative stress is a crucial concept in redox biology, and significant progress has been made in recent years. Excessive levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can lead to oxidative damage, heightening vulnerability to various diseases. By contrast, ROS maintained within a moderate range plays a role in regulating normal physiological metabolism. Choosing suitable animal models in a complex research context is critical for enhancing research efficacy. While rodents are frequently utilized in medical experiments, they pose challenges such as high costs and ethical considerations. Alternatively, non-rodent model organisms like zebrafish, Drosophila, and C. elegans offer promising avenues into oxidative stress research. These organisms boast advantages such as their small size, high reproduction rate, availability for live imaging, and ease of gene manipulation. This review highlights advancements in the detection of oxidative stress using non-rodent models. The oxidative homeostasis regulatory pathway, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1-Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Keap1-Nrf2), is systematically reviewed alongside multiple regulation of Nrf2-centered pathways in different organisms. Ultimately, this review conducts a comprehensive comparative analysis of different model organisms and further explores the combination of novel techniques with non-rodents. This review aims to summarize state-of-the-art findings in oxidative stress research using non-rodents and to delineate future directions.

Antifungal and anti-biofilm activities of patchouli alcohol against Candida albicans

The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans could cause severe clinical outcomes which could be exacerbated by the scarcity of antifungals. The capacity of C. albicans to form biofilms on medical devices that are hard to eradicate, further deepen the need to develop antifungal agents. In this study, we, for the first time, showed that patchouli alcohol (PA) can inhibit the growth of multiple C. albicans strains, as well as four other Candida species, with MICs of 64 μg/mL and MFCs from 64 to 128 μg/mL. The biofilm formation and development, adhesion, yeast-to-hyphal transition and extracellular polysaccharide of C. albicans can be inhibited by PA in a concentration-dependent manner. Confocal microscopy analyses of cells treated with PA showed that PA can increase the membrane permeability and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In C. elegans, PA did not influence the survival below 64 μg/mL. In this study PA demonstrated antifungal and antibiofilm activity against C. albicans and our results showed the potential of developing PA to fight Candida infections.

Microfluidics in High-Throughput Drug Screening: Organ-on-a-Chip and C. elegans-Based Innovations

The development of therapeutic interventions for diseases necessitates a crucial step known as drug screening, wherein potential substances with medicinal properties are rigorously evaluated. This process has undergone a transformative evolution, driven by the imperative need for more efficient, rapid, and high-throughput screening platforms. Among these, microfluidic systems have emerged as the epitome of efficiency, enabling the screening of drug candidates with unprecedented speed and minimal sample consumption. This review paper explores the cutting-edge landscape of microfluidic-based drug screening platforms, with a specific emphasis on two pioneering approaches: organ-on-a-chip and C. elegans-based chips. Organ-on-a-chip technology harnesses human-derived cells to recreate the physiological functions of human organs, offering an invaluable tool for assessing drug efficacy and toxicity. In parallel, C. elegans-based chips, boasting up to 60% genetic homology with humans and a remarkable affinity for microfluidic systems, have proven to be robust models for drug screening. Our comprehensive review endeavors to provide readers with a profound understanding of the fundamental principles, advantages, and challenges associated with these innovative drug screening platforms. We delve into the latest breakthroughs and practical applications in this burgeoning field, illuminating the pivotal role these platforms play in expediting drug discovery and development. Furthermore, we engage in a forward-looking discussion to delineate the future directions and untapped potential inherent in these transformative technologies. Through this review, we aim to contribute to the collective knowledge base in the realm of drug screening, providing valuable insights to researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders alike. We invite readers to embark on a journey into the realm of microfluidic-based drug screening platforms, fostering a deeper appreciation for their significance and promising avenues yet to be explored.

Elegant Nematodes Improve Our Understanding of Human Neuronal Diseases, the Role of Pollutants and Strategies of Resilience

The prevalence of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease are rising globally. The role of environmental pollution in neurodegeneration is largely unknown. Thus, this perspective advocates exposome research in C. elegans models of human diseases. The models express amyloid proteins such as Aβ, recapitulate the degeneration of specifically vulnerable neurons and allow for correlated neurobehavioral phenotyping throughout the entire life span of the nematode. Neurobehavioral traits like locomotion gaits, rigidity, or cognitive decline are quantifiable and carefully mimic key aspects of the human diseases. Underlying molecular pathways of neurodegeneration are elucidated in pollutant-exposed C. elegans Alzheimer's or Parkinson's models by transcriptomics (RNA-seq), mass spectrometry-based proteomics and omics addressing other biochemical traits. Validation of the identified disease pathways can be achieved by genome-wide association studies in matching human cohorts. A consistent One Health approach includes isolation of nematodes from contaminated sites and their comparative investigation by imaging, neurobehavioral profiling and single worm proteomics. C. elegans models of neurodegenerative diseases are likewise well-suited for high throughput methods that provide a promising strategy to identify resilience pathways of neurosafety and keep up with the number of pollutants, nonchemical exposome factors, and their interactions.