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Caldero-Escudero E, Romero-Sanz S, De la Fuente S. Using C. elegans as a model for neurodegenerative diseases: Methodology and evaluation. Methods Cell Biol 2024; 188:1-34. [PMID: 38880519 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2024.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans is a nematode that has been used as an animal model for almost 50years. It has primitive and simple tissues and organs, making it an ideal model for studying neurological pathways involved in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). C. elegans has conserved neurological pathways and is able to mimic human diseases, providing valuable insights into the human disease phenotype. This methodological review presents current approaches to generate neurodegenerative-like models of AD and PD in C. elegans, and evaluates the experiments commonly used to validate the diseases. These experimental approaches include assessing survival, fertility, mobility, electropharyngeogram assays, confocal mitochondrial imaging, RNA extraction for qRT-PCR or RT-PCR, and rate of defecation. This review also summarizes the current knowledge acquired on AD and PD using the aforementioned experimental approaches. Additionally, gaps in knowledge and future directions for research are also discussed in the review.
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Barker E, Morgan A, Barclay JW. Tissue distribution of cysteine string protein/DNAJC5 in C. elegans analysed by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated tagging of endogenous DNJ-14. Cell Tissue Res 2024; 396:41-55. [PMID: 38403745 PMCID: PMC10997724 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-024-03875-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Cysteine string protein (CSP) is a member of the DnaJ/Hsp40 family of molecular chaperones. CSP is enriched in neurons, where it mainly localises to synaptic vesicles. Mutations in CSP-encoding genes in flies, worms, mice and humans result in neuronal dysfunction, neurodegeneration and reduced lifespan. Most attention has therefore focused on CSP's neuronal functions, although CSP is also expressed in non-neuronal cells. Here, we used genome editing to fluorescently tag the Caenorhabditis elegans CSP orthologue, dnj-14, to identify which tissues preferentially express CSP and hence may contribute to the observed mutant phenotypes. Replacement of dnj-14 with wrmScarlet caused a strong chemotaxis defect, as seen with other dnj-14 null mutants. In contrast, inserting the reporter in-frame to create a DNJ-14-wrmScarlet fusion protein had no effect on chemotaxis, indicating that C-terminal tagging does not impair DNJ-14 function. WrmScarlet fluorescence appeared most obvious in the intestine, head/pharynx, spermathecae and vulva/uterus in the reporter strains, suggesting that DNJ-14 is preferentially expressed in these tissues. Crossing the DNJ-14-wrmScarlet strain with GFP marker strains confirmed the intestinal and pharyngeal expression, but only a partial overlap with neuronal GFP was observed. DNJ-14-wrmScarlet fluorescence in the intestine was increased in response to starvation, which may be relevant to mammalian CSPα's role in microautophagy. DNJ-14's enrichment in worm reproductive tissues (spermathecae and vulva/uterus) parallels the testis-specific expression of CSPβ and CSPγ isoforms in mammals. Furthermore, CSPα messenger RNA is highly expressed in the human proximal digestive tract, suggesting that CSP may have a conserved, but overlooked, function within the gastrointestinal system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Barker
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Cell Signalling, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK
- Current address: Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Alan Morgan
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Cell Signalling, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK.
| | - Jeff W Barclay
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Cell Signalling, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK.
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Li L, Liu Z, Hu H, Cai R, Bi J, Wang Q, Zhou X, Luo H, Zhang C, Wan R. Dendrobium Nobile Alcohol Extract Extends the Lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans via hsf-1 and daf-16. Molecules 2024; 29:908. [PMID: 38398658 PMCID: PMC10891841 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29040908] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Dendrobium nobile is a traditional Chinese herb with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. However, its antiaging effects are unclear. Herein, we studied the aging-related functions and the mechanism of action of the alcohol extract of Dendrobium nobile (DnAE) in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. The results indicated that 1 mg/mL DnAE slowed lipofuscin accumulation, decreased the levels of reactive oxygen species, elevated superoxide dismutase activity, enhanced oxidative and heat stress resistance, extended the lifespan of nematodes, protected their dopamine neurons from 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neurodegeneration, and reduced Aβ-induced neurotoxicity. DnAE upregulated the mRNA expression of the transcription factors DAF-16 and HSF-1, promoted the nuclear localization of DAF-16, and enhanced the fluorescence intensity of HSP-16.2. However, it had no effect on the lifespan of DAF-16 mutants. Thus, DnAE can significantly extend lifespan, enhance heat stress tolerance, and delay age-related diseases through a DAF-16-dependent pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linfeng Li
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Key Laboratory of Luzhou City for Aging Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Key Laboratory of Luzhou City for Aging Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Huiling Hu
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Key Laboratory of Luzhou City for Aging Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Renming Cai
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Key Laboratory of Luzhou City for Aging Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Jingdou Bi
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Qin Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Dazhou Vocational College of Chinese Medicine, Dazhou 635000, China
| | - Xiaogang Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Huairong Luo
- Key Laboratory of Luzhou City for Aging Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Chun Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Key Laboratory of Luzhou City for Aging Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Runlan Wan
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Key Laboratory of Luzhou City for Aging Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Ministry of Education & Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
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Chen L, Zhang S, Liu S, Gao S. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Mechanism: Insights from the Caenorhabditis elegans Models. Cells 2024; 13:99. [PMID: 38201303 PMCID: PMC10778397 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010099] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a debilitating neurodegenerative condition characterized by the progressive degeneration of motor neurons. Despite extensive research in various model animals, the cellular signal mechanisms of ALS remain elusive, impeding the development of efficacious treatments. Among these models, a well-characterized and diminutive organism, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), has emerged as a potent tool for investigating the molecular and cellular dimensions of ALS pathogenesis. This review summarizes the contributions of C. elegans models to our comprehension of ALS, emphasizing pivotal findings pertaining to genetics, protein aggregation, cellular pathways, and potential therapeutic strategies. We analyze both the merits and constraints of the C. elegans system in the realm of ALS research and point towards future investigations that could bridge the chasm between C. elegans foundational discoveries and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Shangbang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; (L.C.); (S.Z.); (S.L.)
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Ceyhan B, LaMar J, Nategh P, Neghabi M, Konjalwar S, Rodriguez P, Hahn MK, Blakely RD, Ranji M. Optical Imaging Reveals Liver Metabolic Perturbations in Mblac1 Knockout Mice. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2023; 2023:1-4. [PMID: 38083729 DOI: 10.1109/embc40787.2023.10341032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic changes have been extensively documented in brain tissue undergoing neurodegeneration, including Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mutations in the C. elegans swip-10 gene result in dopamine (DA) dependent motor dysfunction accompanied by DA neuron degeneration. Recently, the putative human ortholog of swip-10 (MBLAC1) was implicated as a risk factor in AD, that like PD, has been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Interestingly, the AD risk associated with MBLAC1 arises in subjects with cardiovascular morbidity, suggesting the possibility of a broader functional insult arising from reduced MBLAC1 protein expression, and one possibly linked to metabolic alterations. Our current studies, utilizing Mblac1 knockout (KO) mice, seeks to determine whether mitochondrial respiration is affected in peripheral tissues of these animals in this model. To initiate these studies, we quantified the levels of mitochondrial coenzymes, NADH, FAD, and their redox ratio (NADH/FAD, RR) in the livers of wild type (WT) mice and their homozygous KO littermates, using 3D optical cryo-imaging. We found that Mblac1 KO mice exhibited a greater oxidized redox state compared to WT mice. When compared to the WT group, the redox ratio of KO mice was decreased by 46.32%, driven predominantly by significantly lower NADH levels (more oxidized state). We speculate that, as seen with C. elegans swip-10 mutants, that loss of MBLAC1 protein results in deficits in tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) production of NADH and FAD TCA that leads to diminished cellular ATP production and oxidative stress. Such observations are consistent with changes that in the central nervous system (CNS) could support neurodegeneration and in the periphery account for comorbidities.
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Cordeiro LM, Soares MV, da Silva AF, Dos Santos LV, de Souza LI, da Silveira TL, Baptista FBO, de Oliveira GV, Pappis C, Dressler VL, Arantes LP, Zheng F, Soares FAA. Toxicity of Copper and Zinc alone and in combination in Caenorhabditis elegans model of Huntington's disease and protective effects of rutin. Neurotoxicology 2023:S0161-813X(23)00085-2. [PMID: 37302585 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn) are required in small concentrations for metabolic functions, but are also toxic. There is a great concern about soil pollution by heavy metals, which may exposure the population to these toxicants, either by inhalation of dust or exposure to toxicants through ingestion of food derived from contaminated soils. In addition, the toxicity of metals in combination is questionable, as soil quality guidelines only assess them separately. It is well known that metal accumulation is often found in the pathologically affected regions of many neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease (HD). HD is caused by an autosomal dominantly inherited CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. This results in the formation of a mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein with an abnormally long polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat. The pathology of HD results in loss of neuronal cells, motor changes, and dementia. Rutin is a flavonoid found in various food sources, and previous studies indicate it has protective effects in HD models and acts as a metal chelator. However, further studies are needed to unravel its effects on metal dyshomeostasis and to discern the underlying mechanisms. In the present study, we investigated the toxic effects of long-term exposure to copper, zinc, and their mixture, and the relationship with the progression of neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration in a C. elegans-based HD model. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of rutin post metal exposure. Overall, we demonstrate that chronic exposure to the metals and their mixture altered body parameters, locomotion, and developmental delay, in addition to increasing polyQ protein aggregates in muscles and neurons causing neurodegeneration. We also propose that rutin has protective effects acting through mechanisms involving antioxidant and chelating properties. Altogether, our data provides new indications about the higher toxicity of metals in combination, the chelating potential of rutin in the C. elegans model of HD and possible strategies for future treatments of neurodegenerative diseases caused by the aggregation of proteins related to metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Marafiga Cordeiro
- Federal University of Santa Maria, Center for Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Camobi, Zip code 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Marcell Valandro Soares
- Federal University of Santa Maria, Center for Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Camobi, Zip code 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Aline Franzen da Silva
- Federal University of Santa Maria, Center for Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Camobi, Zip code 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Luiza Venturini Dos Santos
- Federal University of Santa Maria, Center for Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Camobi, Zip code 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Larissa Ilha de Souza
- Federal University of Santa Maria, Center for Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Camobi, Zip code 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Tássia Limana da Silveira
- Federal University of Santa Maria, Center for Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Camobi, Zip code 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Fabiane Bicca Obetine Baptista
- Federal University of Santa Maria, Center for Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Camobi, Zip code 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Vitória de Oliveira
- Federal University of Santa Maria, Center for Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Camobi, Zip code 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Pappis
- Federal University of Santa Maria, Center for Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Valderi Luiz Dressler
- Federal University of Santa Maria, Center for Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Leticia Priscilla Arantes
- State University of Minas Gerais, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Health, Zip code 37900-106, Passos, MG, Brazil
| | - Fuli Zheng
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, Fujian Province, China
| | - Felix Alexandre Antunes Soares
- Federal University of Santa Maria, Center for Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Camobi, Zip code 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
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da Cruz Guedes E, Erustes AG, Leão AHFF, Carneiro CA, Abílio VC, Zuardi AW, Hallak JEC, Crippa JA, Bincoletto C, Smaili SS, Reckziegel P, Pereira GJS. Cannabidiol Recovers Dopaminergic Neuronal Damage Induced by Reserpine or α-synuclein in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neurochem Res 2023:10.1007/s11064-023-03905-z. [PMID: 36964823 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-023-03905-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
Progressive neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson Disease (PD) lack curative or long-term treatments. At the same time, the increase of the worldwide elderly population and, consequently, the extension in the prevalence of age-related diseases have promoted research interest in neurodegenerative disorders. Caenorhabditis elegans is a free-living nematode widely used as an animal model in studies of human diseases. Here we evaluated cannabidiol (CBD) as a possible neuroprotective compound in PD using the C. elegans models exposed to reserpine. Our results demonstrated that CBD reversed the reserpine-induced locomotor alterations and this response was independent of the NPR-19 receptors, an orthologous receptor for central cannabinoid receptor type 1. Morphological alterations of cephalic sensilla (CEP) dopaminergic neurons indicated that CBD also protects neurons from reserpine-induced degeneration. That is, CBD attenuates the reserpine-induced increase of worms with shrunken soma and dendrites loss, increasing the number of worms with intact CEP neurons. Finally, we found that CBD also reduced ROS formation and α-syn protein accumulation in mutant worms. Our findings collectively provide new evidence that CBD acts as neuroprotector in dopaminergic neurons, reducing neurotoxicity and α-syn accumulation highlighting its potential in the treatment of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika da Cruz Guedes
- Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Três de Maio Street, 100, São Paulo, SP, 04044-020, Brazil
| | - Adolfo Garcia Erustes
- Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Três de Maio Street, 100, São Paulo, SP, 04044-020, Brazil
| | - Anderson H F F Leão
- Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Três de Maio Street, 100, São Paulo, SP, 04044-020, Brazil
| | - César Alves Carneiro
- Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Três de Maio Street, 100, São Paulo, SP, 04044-020, Brazil
| | - Vanessa C Abílio
- Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Três de Maio Street, 100, São Paulo, SP, 04044-020, Brazil
- National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM, CNPq), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Antonio W Zuardi
- National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM, CNPq), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Universidade de São Paulo, USP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Jaime Eduardo C Hallak
- National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM, CNPq), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Universidade de São Paulo, USP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - José Alexandre Crippa
- National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM, CNPq), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Universidade de São Paulo, USP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Claudia Bincoletto
- Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Três de Maio Street, 100, São Paulo, SP, 04044-020, Brazil
| | - Soraya S Smaili
- Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Três de Maio Street, 100, São Paulo, SP, 04044-020, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Reckziegel
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gustavo J S Pereira
- Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Três de Maio Street, 100, São Paulo, SP, 04044-020, Brazil.
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de los Ríos C, Viejo L, Carretero VJ, Juárez NH, Cruz-Martins N, Hernández-Guijo JM. Promising Molecular Targets in Pharmacological Therapy for Neuronal Damage in Brain Injury. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:118. [PMID: 36670980 PMCID: PMC9854812 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12010118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The complex etiopathogenesis of brain injury associated with neurodegeneration has sparked a lot of studies in the last century. These clinical situations are incurable, and the currently available therapies merely act on symptoms or slow down the course of the diseases. Effective methods are being sought with an intent to modify the disease, directly acting on the properly studied targets, as well as to contribute to the development of effective therapeutic strategies, opening the possibility of refocusing on drug development for disease management. In this sense, this review discusses the available evidence for mitochondrial dysfunction induced by Ca2+ miscommunication in neurons, as well as how targeting phosphorylation events may be used to modulate protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity in the treatment of neuronal damage. Ca2+ tends to be the catalyst for mitochondrial dysfunction, contributing to the synaptic deficiency seen in brain injury. Additionally, emerging data have shown that PP2A-activating drugs (PADs) suppress inflammatory responses by inhibiting different signaling pathways, indicating that PADs may be beneficial for the management of neuronal damage. In addition, a few bioactive compounds have also triggered the activation of PP2A-targeted drugs for this treatment, and clinical studies will help in the authentication of these compounds. If the safety profiles of PADs are proven to be satisfactory, there is a case to be made for starting clinical studies in the setting of neurological diseases as quickly as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristóbal de los Ríos
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic and Teófilo Hernando Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University Autónoma de Madrid, C/. Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas de la Salud, University Rey Juan Carlos, Avda. Atenas s/n, 28922 Alcorcón, Spain
| | - Lucía Viejo
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic and Teófilo Hernando Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University Autónoma de Madrid, C/. Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Victoria Jiménez Carretero
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic and Teófilo Hernando Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University Autónoma de Madrid, C/. Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalia Hernández Juárez
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic and Teófilo Hernando Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University Autónoma de Madrid, C/. Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Natália Cruz-Martins
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Institute for Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies, Rua Central de Gandra, 1317, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal
| | - Jesús M. Hernández-Guijo
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic and Teófilo Hernando Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University Autónoma de Madrid, C/. Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research, IRYCIS, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Ctra. de Colmenar Viejo, Km. 9,100, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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Nainu F, Mamada SS, Harapan H, Emran TB. Inflammation-Mediated Responses in the Development of Neurodegenerative Diseases. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1411:39-70. [PMID: 36949305 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-19-7376-5_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Since its first description over a century ago, neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) have impaired the lives of millions of people worldwide. As one of the major threats to human health, NDDs are characterized by progressive loss of neuronal structure and function, leading to the impaired function of the CNS. While the precise mechanisms underlying the emergence of NDDs remains elusive, association of neuroinflammation with the emergence of NDDs has been suggested. The immune system is tightly controlled to maintain homeostatic milieu and failure in doing so has been shown catastrophic. Here, we review current concepts on the cellular and molecular drivers responsible in the induction of neuroinflammation and how such event further promotes neuronal damage leading to neurodegeneration. Experimental data generated from cell culture and animal studies, gross and molecular pathologies of human CNS samples, and genome-wide association study are discussed to provide deeper insights into the mechanistic details of neuroinflammation and its roles in the emergence of NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Firzan Nainu
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
| | - Sukamto S Mamada
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
| | - Harapan Harapan
- School of Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
| | - Talha Bin Emran
- Department of Pharmacy, BGC Trust University Bangladesh, Chittagong, Bangladesh
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Chauhan P, Wadhwa K, Singh G. Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system to evaluate neuroprotective potential of nano formulations. FRONTIERS IN NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fnano.2022.1018754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of neurodegenerative illnesses on society is significant, but the mechanisms leading to neuronal malfunction and death in these conditions remain largely unknown despite identifying essential disease genes. To pinpoint the mechanisms behind the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, several researchers have turned to nematode C. elegans instead of using mammals. Since C. elegans is transparent, free-living, and amenable to culture, it has several benefits. As a result, all the neurons in C. elegans can be easily identified, and their connections are understood. Human proteins linked to Neurodegeneration can be made to express in them. It is also possible to analyze how C. elegans orthologs of the genes responsible for human neurodegenerative diseases function. In this article, we focused at some of the most important C. elegans neurodegeneration models that accurately represent many elements of human neurodegenerative illness. It has been observed that studies using the adaptable C. elegans have helped us in better understanding of human diseases. These studies have used it to replicate several aspects of human neurodegeneration. A nanotech approach involves engineering materials or equipments interacting with biological systems at the molecular level to trigger physiological responses by increasing stimulation, responding, and interacting with target sites while minimizing side effects, thus revolutionizing the treatment and diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. Nanotechnologies are being used to treat neurological disorders and deliver nanoscale drugs. This review explores the current and future uses of these nanotechnologies as innovative therapeutic modalities in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases using C elegans as an experimental model.
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Ma L, Li X, Liu C, Yan W, Ma J, Petersen RB, Peng A, Huang K. Modelling Parkinson's Disease in C. elegans: Strengths and Limitations. Curr Pharm Des 2022; 28:3033-3048. [PMID: 36111767 DOI: 10.2174/1381612828666220915103502] [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: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease that affects the motor system and progressively worsens with age. Current treatment options for PD mainly target symptoms, due to our limited understanding of the etiology and pathophysiology of PD. A variety of preclinical models have been developed to study different aspects of the disease. The models have been used to elucidate the pathogenesis and for testing new treatments. These models include cell models, non-mammalian models, rodent models, and non-human primate models. Over the past few decades, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has been widely adopted as a model system due to its small size, transparent body, short generation time and life cycle, fully sequenced genome, the tractability of genetic manipulation and suitability for large scale screening for disease modifiers. Here, we review studies using C. elegans as a model for PD and highlight the strengths and limitations of the C. elegans model. Various C. elegans PD models, including neurotoxin-induced models and genetic models, are described in detail. Moreover, met.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Ma
- Department of Pharmacy, Wuhan Mental Health Center, Wuhan, China.,Department of Pharmacy, Wuhan Hospital for Psychotherapy, Wuhan, China
| | - Xi Li
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chengyu Liu
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wanyao Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, Wuhan Fourth Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinlu Ma
- Human Resources Department, Wuhan Mental Health Center, Wuhan, China.,Human Resources Department, Wuhan Hospital for Psychotherapy, Wuhan, China
| | - Robert B Petersen
- Foundational Sciences, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA
| | - Anlin Peng
- Department of Pharmacy, The Third Hospital of Wuhan, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Kun Huang
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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12
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Costa MD, Maciel P. Modifier pathways in polyglutamine (PolyQ) diseases: from genetic screens to drug targets. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:274. [PMID: 35503478 PMCID: PMC11071829 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04280-8] [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: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Polyglutamine (PolyQ) diseases include a group of inherited neurodegenerative disorders caused by unstable expansions of CAG trinucleotide repeats in the coding region of specific genes. Such genetic alterations produce abnormal proteins containing an unusually long PolyQ tract that renders them more prone to aggregate and cause toxicity. Although research in the field in the last years has contributed significantly to the knowledge of the biological mechanisms implicated in these diseases, effective treatments are still lacking. In this review, we revisit work performed in models of PolyQ diseases, namely the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, and provide a critical overview of the high-throughput unbiased genetic screens that have been performed using these systems to identify novel genetic modifiers of PolyQ diseases. These approaches have revealed a wide variety of cellular processes that modulate the toxicity and aggregation of mutant PolyQ proteins, reflecting the complexity of these disorders and demonstrating how challenging the development of therapeutic strategies can be. In addition to the unbiased large-scale genetic screenings in non-vertebrate models, complementary studies in mammalian systems, closer to humans, have contributed with novel genetic modifiers of PolyQ diseases, revealing neuronal function and inflammation as key disease modulators. A pathway enrichment analysis, using the human orthologues of genetic modifiers of PolyQ diseases clustered modifier genes into major themes translatable to the human disease context, such as protein folding and transport as well as transcription regulation. Innovative genetic strategies of genetic manipulation, together with significant advances in genomics and bioinformatics, are taking modifier genetic studies to more realistic disease contexts. The characterization of PolyQ disease modifier pathways is of extreme relevance to reveal novel therapeutic possibilities to delay disease onset and progression in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Daniela Costa
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3Bs-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Maciel
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
- ICVS/3Bs-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
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13
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Hughes S, van Dop M, Kolsters N, van de Klashorst D, Pogosova A, Rijs AM. Using a Caenorhabditis elegans Parkinson's Disease Model to Assess Disease Progression and Therapy Efficiency. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:512. [PMID: 35631338 PMCID: PMC9143865 DOI: 10.3390/ph15050512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite Parkinson's Disease (PD) being the second most common neurodegenerative disease, treatment options are limited. Consequently, there is an urgent need to identify and screen new therapeutic compounds that slow or reverse the pathology of PD. Unfortunately, few new therapeutics are being produced, partly due to the low throughput and/or poor predictability of the currently used model organisms and in vivo screening methods. Our objective was to develop a simple and affordable platform for drug screening utilizing the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The effect of Levodopa, the "Gold standard" of PD treatment, was explored in nematodes expressing the disease-causing α-synuclein protein. We focused on two key hallmarks of PD: plaque formation and mobility. Exposure to Levodopa ameliorated the mobility defect in C. elegans, similar to people living with PD who take the drug. Further, long-term Levodopa exposure was not detrimental to lifespan. This C. elegans-based method was used to screen a selection of small-molecule drugs for an impact on α-synuclein aggregation and mobility, identifying several promising compounds worthy of further investigation, most notably Ambroxol. The simple methodology means it can be adopted in many labs to pre-screen candidate compounds for a positive impact on disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Hughes
- HAN BioCentre, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Laan van Scheut 2, 6525 EM Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (M.v.D.); (N.K.); (D.v.d.K.); (A.P.)
- A-LIFE Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Section Environmental Health and Toxicology, Vrije Univeristeit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maritza van Dop
- HAN BioCentre, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Laan van Scheut 2, 6525 EM Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (M.v.D.); (N.K.); (D.v.d.K.); (A.P.)
| | - Nikki Kolsters
- HAN BioCentre, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Laan van Scheut 2, 6525 EM Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (M.v.D.); (N.K.); (D.v.d.K.); (A.P.)
| | - David van de Klashorst
- HAN BioCentre, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Laan van Scheut 2, 6525 EM Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (M.v.D.); (N.K.); (D.v.d.K.); (A.P.)
| | - Anastasia Pogosova
- HAN BioCentre, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Laan van Scheut 2, 6525 EM Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (M.v.D.); (N.K.); (D.v.d.K.); (A.P.)
| | - Anouk M. Rijs
- Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, AIMMS Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Univeristeit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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14
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Tello JA, Williams HE, Eppler RM, Steinhilb ML, Khanna M. Animal Models of Neurodegenerative Disease: Recent Advances in Fly Highlight Innovative Approaches to Drug Discovery. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:883358. [PMID: 35514431 PMCID: PMC9063566 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.883358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases represent a formidable challenge to global health. As advances in other areas of medicine grant healthy living into later decades of life, aging diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders can diminish the quality of these additional years, owed largely to the lack of efficacious treatments and the absence of durable cures. Alzheimer's disease prevalence is predicted to more than double in the next 30 years, affecting nearly 15 million Americans, with AD-associated costs exceeding $1 billion by 2050. Delaying onset of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases is critical to improving the quality of life for patients and reducing the burden of disease on caregivers and healthcare systems. Significant progress has been made to model disease pathogenesis and identify points of therapeutic intervention. While some researchers have contributed to our understanding of the proteins and pathways that drive biological dysfunction in disease using in vitro and in vivo models, others have provided mathematical, biophysical, and computational technologies to identify potential therapeutic compounds using in silico modeling. The most exciting phase of the drug discovery process is now: by applying a target-directed approach that leverages the strengths of multiple techniques and validates lead hits using Drosophila as an animal model of disease, we are on the fast-track to identifying novel therapeutics to restore health to those impacted by neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith A. Tello
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Center of Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Haley E. Williams
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Center of Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Robert M. Eppler
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, United States
| | - Michelle L. Steinhilb
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, United States
| | - May Khanna
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Center of Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
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15
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Ontario ML, Siracusa R, Modafferi S, Scuto M, Sciuto S, Greco V, Bertuccio MP, Salinaro AT, Crea R, Calabrese EJ, Di Paola R, Calabrese V. POTENTIAL PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS BY OLIVE POLYPHENOLS AND HYDROX. Mech Ageing Dev 2022; 203:111637. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2022.111637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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16
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Barmaver SN, Muthaiyan Shanmugam M, Wagner OI. Methods to Quantify and Relate Axonal Transport Defects to Changes in C. elegans Behavior. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2431:481-497. [PMID: 35412294 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1990-2_26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal growth, differentiation, homeostasis, viability, and injury response heavily rely on functional axonal transport (AT). Erroneous and disturbed AT may lead to accumulation of "disease proteins" such as tau, α-synuclein, or amyloid precursor protein causing various neurological disorders. Changes in AT often lead to observable behavioral consequences in C. elegans such as impeded movements, defects in touch response, chemosensation, and even egg laying. Long C. elegans neurons with clear distinguishable axons and dendrites provide an excellent platform to analyze AT. The possibility to relate changes in AT to neuronal defects that in turn lead to quantifiable changes in worm behavior allows for the advancement of neuropathological disease models. Even more, subsequent suppressor screens may aid in identifying genes responsible for observed behavioral changes providing a target for drug development to eventually delay or cure neurological diseases. Thus, in this chapter, we summarize critical methods to identify and quantify defects in axonal transport as well as exemplified behavioral assays that may relate to these defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Nooruzuha Barmaver
- Department of Life Science, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Muniesh Muthaiyan Shanmugam
- Department of Life Science, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Oliver Ingvar Wagner
- Department of Life Science, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
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17
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p21-Activated kinase 1 (PAK1) in aging and longevity: An overview. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 71:101443. [PMID: 34390849 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The p21-activated kinases (PAKs) belong to serine/threonine kinases family, regulated by ∼21 kDa small signaling G proteins RAC1 and CDC42. The mammalian PAK family comprises six members (PAK1-6) that are classified into two groups (I and II) based on their domain architecture and regulatory mechanisms. PAKs are implicated in a wide range of cellular functions. PAK1 has recently attracted increasing attention owing to its involvement in oncogenesis, tumor progression, and metastasis as well as several life-limiting diseases and pathological conditions. In Caenorhabditis elegans, PAK1 functions limit the lifespan under basal conditions by inhibiting forkhead transcription factor DAF-16. Interestingly, PAK depletion extended longevity and attenuated the onset of age-related phenotypes in a premature-aging mouse model and delayed senescence in mammalian fibroblasts. These observations implicate PAKs as not only oncogenic but also aging kinases. Therefore, PAK-targeting genetic and/or pharmacological interventions, particularly PAK1-targeting, could be a viable strategy for developing cancer therapies with relatively no side effects and promoting healthy longevity. This review describes PAK family proteins, their biological functions, and their role in regulating aging and longevity using C. elegans. Moreover, we discuss the effect of small-molecule PAK1 inhibitors on the lifespan and healthspan of C. elegans.
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18
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Pigazzini ML, Lawrenz M, Margineanu A, Kaminski Schierle GS, Kirstein J. An Expanded Polyproline Domain Maintains Mutant Huntingtin Soluble in vivo and During Aging. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:721749. [PMID: 34720872 PMCID: PMC8554126 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.721749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of a CAG repeat, encoding for the amino acid glutamine (Q), present in the first exon of the protein huntingtin. Over the threshold of Q39 HTT exon 1 (HTTEx1) tends to misfold and aggregate into large intracellular structures, but whether these end-stage aggregates or their on-pathway intermediates are responsible for cytotoxicity is still debated. HTTEx1 can be separated into three domains: an N-terminal 17 amino acid region, the polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion and a C-terminal proline rich domain (PRD). Alongside the expanded polyQ, these flanking domains influence the aggregation propensity of HTTEx1: with the N17 initiating and promoting aggregation, and the PRD modulating it. In this study we focus on the first 11 amino acids of the PRD, a stretch of pure prolines, which are an evolutionary recent addition to the expanding polyQ region. We hypothesize that this proline region is expanding alongside the polyQ to counteract its ability to misfold and cause toxicity, and that expanding this proline region would be overall beneficial. We generated HTTEx1 mutants lacking both flanking domains singularly, missing the first 11 prolines of the PRD, or with this stretch of prolines expanded. We then followed their aggregation landscape in vitro with a battery of biochemical assays, and in vivo in novel models of C. elegans expressing the HTTEx1 mutants pan-neuronally. Employing fluorescence lifetime imaging we could observe the aggregation propensity of all HTTEx1 mutants during aging and correlate this with toxicity via various phenotypic assays. We found that the presence of an expanded proline stretch is beneficial in maintaining HTTEx1 soluble over time, regardless of polyQ length. However, the expanded prolines were only advantageous in promoting the survival and fitness of an organism carrying a pathogenic stretch of Q48 but were extremely deleterious to the nematode expressing a physiological stretch of Q23. Our results reveal the unique importance of the prolines which have and still are evolving alongside expanding glutamines to promote the function of HTTEx1 and avoid pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lucia Pigazzini
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FMP), Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mandy Lawrenz
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FMP), Berlin, Germany
| | - Anca Margineanu
- Advanced Light Microscopy, Max-Delbrück Centrum for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Gabriele S. Kaminski Schierle
- Molecular Neuroscience Group, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Janine Kirstein
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FMP), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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19
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Wei CC, Yang NC, Huang CW. Zearalenone Induces Dopaminergic Neurodegeneration via DRP-1-Involved Mitochondrial Fragmentation and Apoptosis in a Caenorhabditis elegans Parkinson's Disease Model. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2021; 69:12030-12038. [PMID: 34586801 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c05836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The contamination of mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEN) in foods has been reported worldwide, resulting in potential risks to food safety. However, the toxic mechanism of ZEN on neurodegenerative diseases has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, this study conducted in vivo ZEN neurotoxicity assessment on Parkinson's disease (PD)-related dopaminergic neurodegeneration and mitochondrial dysfunction using Caenorhabditis elegans. The results demonstrated that dopaminergic neuron damage was induced by ZEN exposure (1.25, 10, and 50 μM), and dopaminergic neuron-related behaviors were adversely affected subsequently. Additionally, the mitochondrial fragmentation was significantly increased by ZEN exposure. Moreover, upregulated expression of mitochondrial fission and cell apoptosis-related genes (drp-1, egl-1, ced-4, and ced-3) revealed the crucial role of DRP-1 on ZEN-induced neurotoxicity, which was further confirmed by drp-1 mutant and RNAi assays. In conclusion, our study indicates ZEN-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration via DRP-1-involved mitochondrial fragmentation and apoptosis, which might cause harmful effects on PD-related symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Cheng Wei
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, No. 17, Xuzhou Rd., Taipei 100, Taiwan
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, No. 17, Xuzhou Rd., Taipei 100, Taiwan
| | - Nien-Chieh Yang
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, No. 17, Xuzhou Rd., Taipei 100, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Wei Huang
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, No. 17, Xuzhou Rd., Taipei 100, Taiwan
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20
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Althobaiti NA, Menaa F, Albalawi AE, Dalzell JJ, Warnock ND, Mccammick EM, Alsolais A, Alkhaibari AM, Green BD. Assessment and Validation of Globodera pallida as a Novel In Vivo Model for Studying Alzheimer's Disease. Cells 2021; 10:2481. [PMID: 34572130 PMCID: PMC8465914 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whole transgenic or non-transgenic organism model systems allow the screening of pharmacological compounds for protective actions in Alzheimer's disease (AD). AIM In this study, a plant parasitic nematode, Globodera pallida, which assimilates intact peptides from the external environment, was investigated as a new potential non-transgenic model system of AD. Methods: Fresh second-stage juveniles of G. pallida were used to measure their chemosensory, perform immunocytochemistry on their neurological structures, evaluate their survival rate, measure reactive oxygen species, and determine total oxidized glutathione to reduced glutathione ratio (GSSG/GSH) levels, before and after treatment with 100 µM of various amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides (1-40, 1-42, 17-42, 17-40, 1-28, or 1-16). Wild-type N2 C. elegans (strain N2) was cultured on Nematode Growth Medium and directly used, as control, for chemosensory assays. RESULTS We demonstrated that: (i) G. pallida (unlike Caenorhabditis elegans) assimilates amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides which co-localise with its neurological structures; (ii) pre-treatment with various Aβ isoforms (1-40, 1-42, 17-42, 17-40, 1-28, or 1-16) impairs G. pallida's chemotaxis to differing extents; (iii) Aβ peptides reduced survival, increased the production of ROS, and increased GSSG/GSH levels in this model; (iv) this unique model can distinguish differences between different treatment concentrations, durations, and modalities, displaying good sensitivity; (v) clinically approved neuroprotective agents were effective in protecting G. pallida from Aβ (1-42) exposure. Taken together, the data indicate that G. pallida is an interesting in vivo model with strong potential for discovery of novel bioactive compounds with anti-AD activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norah A. Althobaiti
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK; (J.J.D.); (N.D.W.); (E.M.M.)
- Biology Department, College of Science and Humanities-Al Quwaiiyah, Shaqra University, Al Quwaiiyah 19257, Saudi Arabia
| | - Farid Menaa
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Advanced Technologies, Fluorotronics-California Innovations Corporation, San Diego, CA 92037, USA
| | - Aishah E. Albalawi
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia; (A.E.A.); (A.M.A.)
| | - Johnathan J. Dalzell
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK; (J.J.D.); (N.D.W.); (E.M.M.)
| | - Neil D. Warnock
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK; (J.J.D.); (N.D.W.); (E.M.M.)
| | - Erin M. Mccammick
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK; (J.J.D.); (N.D.W.); (E.M.M.)
| | - Abdulellah Alsolais
- Nursing Department, Faculty of Applied Health Science, Shaqra University, Al Dawadmi 17452, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Abeer M. Alkhaibari
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia; (A.E.A.); (A.M.A.)
| | - Brian D. Green
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK; (J.J.D.); (N.D.W.); (E.M.M.)
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21
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Cordeiro LM, Soares MV, da Silva AF, Machado ML, Bicca Obetine Baptista F, da Silveira TL, Arantes LP, Soares FAA. Neuroprotective effects of rutin on ASH neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans model of Huntington's disease. Nutr Neurosci 2021; 25:2288-2301. [PMID: 34311678 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2021.1956254] [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: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant, progressive neurodegenerative disease. It occurs due to a mutated huntingtin gene that contains an abnormal expansion of cytosine-adenine-guanine repeats, leading to a variable-length N-terminal polyglutamine (polyQ) chain. The mutation confers toxic functions to mutant huntingtin protein, causing neurodegeneration. Rutin is a flavonoid found in various plants, such as buckwheat, some teas, and apples. Our previous studies have indicated that rutin has protective effects in HD models, but more studies are needed to unravel its effects on protein homeostasis, and to discern the underlying mechanisms. In the present study, we investigated the effects of rutin in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of HD, focusing on ASH neurons and antioxidant defense. We tested behavioral changes (touch response, movement, and octanol response), measured neuronal polyQ aggregates, and assessed degeneration using a dye-filling assay. In addition, we analyzed expression levels of heat-shock protein-16.2 and superoxide dismutase-3. Overall, our data demonstrate that chronic rutin treatment maintains the function of ASH neurons, and decreases the degeneration of their sensory terminations. We propose that rutin does so in a mechanism that involves antioxidant activity by controlling the expression of antioxidant enzymes and other chaperones regulating proteostasis. Our findings provide new evidence of rutin's potential neuroprotective role in the C. elegans model and should inform treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases and other diseases caused by age-related protein aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Marafiga Cordeiro
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Marcell Valandro Soares
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Aline Franzen da Silva
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Marina Lopes Machado
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Fabiane Bicca Obetine Baptista
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Tássia Limana da Silveira
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Leticia Priscilla Arantes
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Felix Alexandre Antunes Soares
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
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Viri V, Arveiler M, Lehnert T, Gijs MAM. An In Vivo Microfluidic Study of Bacterial Load Dynamics and Absorption in the C. elegans Intestine. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:832. [PMID: 34357242 PMCID: PMC8304684 DOI: 10.3390/mi12070832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Caenorhabditiselegans (C. elegans) has gained importance as a model for studying host-microbiota interactions and bacterial infections related to human pathogens. Assessing the fate of ingested bacteria in the worm's intestine is therefore of great interest, in particular with respect to normal bacterial digestion or intestinal colonization by pathogens. Here, we report an in vivo study of bacteria in the gut of C. elegans. We take advantage of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic device enabling passive immobilization of adult worms under physiological conditions. Non-pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria expressing either pH-sensitive or pH-insensitive fluorescence reporters as well as fluorescently marked indigestible microbeads were used for the different assays. Dynamic fluorescence patterns of the bacterial load in the worm gut were conveniently monitored by time-lapse imaging. Cyclic motion of the bacterial load due to peristaltic activity of the gut was observed and biochemical digestion of E. coli was characterized by high-resolution fluorescence imaging of the worm's intestine. We could discriminate between individual intact bacteria and diffuse signals related to disrupted bacteria that can be digested. From the decay of the diffuse fluorescent signal, we determined a digestion time constant of 14 ± 4 s. In order to evaluate the possibility to perform infection assays with our platform, immobilized C. elegans worms were fed pathogenic Mycobacterium marinum (M. marinum) bacteria. We analyzed bacterial fate and accumulation in the gut of N2 worms and mitochondrial stress response in a hsp-6::gfp mutant.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Martin A. M. Gijs
- Laboratory of Microsystems, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; (V.V.); (M.A.); (T.L.)
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Abstract
Sustaining a healthy proteome is a lifelong challenge for each individual cell of an organism. However, protein homeostasis or proteostasis is constantly jeopardized since damaged proteins accumulate under proteotoxic stress that originates from ever-changing metabolic, environmental, and pathological conditions. Proteostasis is achieved via a conserved network of quality control pathways that orchestrate the biogenesis of correctly folded proteins, prevent proteins from misfolding, and remove potentially harmful proteins by selective degradation. Nevertheless, the proteostasis network has a limited capacity and its collapse deteriorates cellular functionality and organismal viability, causing metabolic, oncological, or neurodegenerative disorders. While cell-autonomous quality control mechanisms have been described intensely, recent work on Caenorhabditis elegans has demonstrated the systemic coordination of proteostasis between distinct tissues of an organism. These findings indicate the existence of intricately balanced proteostasis networks important for integration and maintenance of the organismal proteome, opening a new door to define novel therapeutic targets for protein aggregation diseases. Here, we provide an overview of individual protein quality control pathways and the systemic coordination between central proteostatic nodes. We further provide insights into the dynamic regulation of cellular and organismal proteostasis mechanisms that integrate environmental and metabolic changes. The use of C. elegans as a model has pioneered our understanding of conserved quality control mechanisms important to safeguard the organismal proteome in health and disease.
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Braems E, Tziortzouda P, Van Den Bosch L. Exploring the alternative: Fish, flies and worms as preclinical models for ALS. Neurosci Lett 2021; 759:136041. [PMID: 34118308 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons. In general, patients succumb to respiratory insufficiency due to respiratory muscle weakness. Despite many promising therapeutic strategies primarily identified in rodent models, patient trials remain rather unsuccessful. There is a clear need for alternative approaches, which could provide directions towards the justified use of rodents and which increase the likelihood to identify new promising clinical candidates. In the last decades, the use of fast genetic approaches and the development of high-throughput screening platforms in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, in the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and in zebrafish (Danio rerio) have contributed to new insights into ALS pathomechanisms, disease modifiers and therapeutic targets. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of these alternative small animal studies, modeling the most common ALS genes and discuss the most recent preclinical discoveries. We conclude that small animal models will not replace rodent models, yet they clearly represent an important asset for preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Braems
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paraskevi Tziortzouda
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium.
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WITHDRAWN: Assessment and Validation of Globodera pallida as a Novel In Vivo Model for Studying Alzheimer's Disease. Neurobiol Aging 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Koch SC, Nelson A, Hartenstein V. Structural aspects of the aging invertebrate brain. Cell Tissue Res 2021; 383:931-947. [PMID: 33409654 PMCID: PMC7965346 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-020-03314-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Aging is characterized by a decline in neuronal function in all animal species investigated so far. Functional changes are accompanied by and may be in part caused by, structurally visible degenerative changes in neurons. In the mammalian brain, normal aging shows abnormalities in dendrites and axons, as well as ultrastructural changes in synapses, rather than global neuron loss. The analysis of the structural features of aging neurons, as well as their causal link to molecular mechanisms on the one hand, and the functional decline on the other hand is crucial in order to understand the aging process in the brain. Invertebrate model organisms like Drosophila and C. elegans offer the opportunity to apply a forward genetic approach to the analysis of aging. In the present review, we aim to summarize findings concerning abnormalities in morphology and ultrastructure in invertebrate brains during normal aging and compare them to what is known for the mammalian brain. It becomes clear that despite of their considerably shorter life span, invertebrates display several age-related changes very similar to the mammalian condition, including the retraction of dendritic and axonal branches at specific locations, changes in synaptic density and increased accumulation of presynaptic protein complexes. We anticipate that continued research efforts in invertebrate systems will significantly contribute to reveal (and possibly manipulate) the molecular/cellular pathways leading to neuronal aging in the mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra C Koch
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Annie Nelson
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Volker Hartenstein
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, USA.
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Steroid hormones sulfatase inactivation extends lifespan and ameliorates age-related diseases. Nat Commun 2021; 12:49. [PMID: 33397961 PMCID: PMC7782729 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20269-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging and fertility are two interconnected processes. From invertebrates to mammals, absence of the germline increases longevity. Here we show that loss of function of sul-2, the Caenorhabditis elegans steroid sulfatase (STS), raises the pool of sulfated steroid hormones, increases longevity and ameliorates protein aggregation diseases. This increased longevity requires factors involved in germline-mediated longevity (daf-16, daf-12, kri-1, tcer-1 and daf-36 genes) although sul-2 mutations do not affect fertility. Interestingly, sul-2 is only expressed in sensory neurons, suggesting a regulation of sulfated hormones state by environmental cues. Treatment with the specific STS inhibitor STX64, as well as with testosterone-derived sulfated hormones reproduces the longevity phenotype of sul-2 mutants. Remarkably, those treatments ameliorate protein aggregation diseases in C. elegans, and STX64 also Alzheimer’s disease in a mammalian model. These results open the possibility of reallocating steroid sulfatase inhibitors or derivates for the treatment of aging and aging related diseases. Sul-2 is a steroid sulfatase in c.elegans. Here the authors show that, in the absence of sul-2 enzymatic activity, worm lifespan is increased, and that chemical inhibition ameliorates symptoms of neurodegenerative disorders in worms and mice.
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McAlary L, Chew YL, Lum JS, Geraghty NJ, Yerbury JJ, Cashman NR. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Proteins, Proteostasis, Prions, and Promises. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:581907. [PMID: 33328890 PMCID: PMC7671971 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.581907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by the progressive degeneration of the motor neurons that innervate muscle, resulting in gradual paralysis and culminating in the inability to breathe or swallow. This neuronal degeneration occurs in a spatiotemporal manner from a point of onset in the central nervous system (CNS), suggesting that there is a molecule that spreads from cell-to-cell. There is strong evidence that the onset and progression of ALS pathology is a consequence of protein misfolding and aggregation. In line with this, a hallmark pathology of ALS is protein deposition and inclusion formation within motor neurons and surrounding glia of the proteins TAR DNA-binding protein 43, superoxide dismutase-1, or fused in sarcoma. Collectively, the observed protein aggregation, in conjunction with the spatiotemporal spread of symptoms, strongly suggests a prion-like propagation of protein aggregation occurs in ALS. In this review, we discuss the role of protein aggregation in ALS concerning protein homeostasis (proteostasis) mechanisms and prion-like propagation. Furthermore, we examine the experimental models used to investigate these processes, including in vitro assays, cultured cells, invertebrate models, and murine models. Finally, we evaluate the therapeutics that may best prevent the onset or spread of pathology in ALS and discuss what lies on the horizon for treating this currently incurable disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke McAlary
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Yee Lian Chew
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Jeremy Stephen Lum
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicholas John Geraghty
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Justin John Yerbury
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Neil R. Cashman
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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29
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Guo X, Yuan J, Song X, Wang X, Sun Q, Tian J, Li X, Ding M, Liu Y. Bacteria metabolites from Peganum harmala L. polysaccharides inhibits polyQ aggregation through proteasome-mediated protein degradation in C. elegans. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 161:681-691. [PMID: 32544588 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.06.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a relentlessly progressive neurodegenerative disease featured by the over-expanded polyglutamine (polyQ)-induced protein aggregation. Using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as a model system, we show that water soluble polysaccharide extracted from the herb Peganum harmala L. (PS1) not only reduces polyQ aggregation but also alleviates the associated neurotoxicity. Genetic and pharmacologic analysis suggested that PS1 treatment acts though proteasome-mediated protein degradation pathway to inhibit polyQ aggregation. Notably, the efficacy of PS1 is aroused specifically by co-incubation with live Escherichia coli OP50, which is the sole food source for worms. Further UPLC-Q-TOF/MS analysis determined the bioactivity of polyQ inhibition, which is composed of several oligosaccharides, including stachyoses, verbascoses, trisaccharides and tetrasaccharides composed of galacturonic acids. Together, our study revealed a potential drug target for further HD treatment and pinpointed the possibility that the secreted metabolites produced from bacteria treated with various compounds may provide direct beneficial effect to human bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Guo
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Jiang Yuan
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Xingzhuo Song
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Xirui Wang
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Qianqian Sun
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Jingyun Tian
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Xia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Mei Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Yonggang Liu
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China.
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30
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C. elegans Models to Study the Propagation of Prions and Prion-Like Proteins. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10081188. [PMID: 32824215 PMCID: PMC7464663 DOI: 10.3390/biom10081188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A hallmark common to many age-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is that patients develop proteinaceous deposits in their central nervous system (CNS). The progressive spreading of these inclusions from initially affected sites to interconnected brain areas is reminiscent of the behavior of bona fide prions in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), hence the term prion-like proteins has been coined. Despite intensive research, the exact mechanisms that facilitate the spreading of protein aggregation between cells, and the associated loss of neurons, remain poorly understood. As population demographics in many countries continue to shift to higher life expectancy, the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases is also rising. This represents a major challenge for healthcare systems and patients’ families, since patients require extensive support over several years and there is still no therapy to cure or stop these diseases. The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans offers unique opportunities to accelerate research and drug development due to its genetic amenability, its transparency, and the high degree of conservation of molecular pathways. Here, we will review how recent studies that utilize this soil dwelling nematode have proceeded to investigate the propagation and intercellular transmission of prions and prion-like proteins and discuss their relevance by comparing their findings to observations in other model systems and patients.
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31
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Viri V, Cornaglia M, Atakan HB, Lehnert T, Gijs MAM. An in vivo microfluidic study of bacterial transit in C. elegans nematodes. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:2696-2708. [PMID: 32633746 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00064g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) constitutes an important model organism for use in nutrition and aging studies. We report a novel method for studying the dynamics of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacterial transit through the worms' intestine. A microfluidic chip was designed for alternating C. elegans on-chip culture and immobilization, thereby enabling periodic high-resolution time-lapse imaging at single-worm resolution over several days. Immobilization was achieved in a reversible way using arrays of tapered channels suitable for assay parallelization. Dedicated C. elegans feeding protocols were applied. Two E. coli bacterial strains, HT115 and OP50, respectively labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP) and red fluorescent protein (RFP), were used as food source and imaged with fluorescence microscopy techniques to measure relevant parameters of the bacterial transit process. Feeding behavior and E. coli transit dynamics in the whole intestinal tract of the worms were characterized in an automated way over the first 3 days of adulthood, revealing both fast transit phenomena and variations in microbial accumulation. In particular, we studied the bacterial food transit periodicity in wild-type and eat-2 (ad465) mutant C. elegans strains in both trapped and free-swimming conditions. In order to further demonstrate the versatility of our microfluidic platform, we also studied drug-induced modifications of the bacterial transit by measuring the response of the worms' intestine to exposure to the neurotransmitter serotonin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittorio Viri
- Laboratory of Microsystems, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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32
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Parallel-Channel Electrotaxis and Neuron Screening of Caenorhabditis elegans. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11080756. [PMID: 32759767 PMCID: PMC7465510 DOI: 10.3390/mi11080756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we report a novel microfluidic method to conduct a Caenorhabditis elegans electrotaxis movement assay and neuronal imaging on up to 16 worms in parallel. C. elegans is a model organism for neurodegenerative disease and movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), and for screening chemicals that alleviate protein aggregation, neuronal death, and movement impairment in PD. Electrotaxis of C. elegans in microfluidic channels has led to the development of neurobehavioral screening platforms, but enhancing the throughput of the electrotactic behavioral assay has remained a challenge. Our device consisted of a hierarchy of tree-like channels for worm loading into 16 parallel electrotaxis screening channels with equivalent electric fields. Tapered channels at the ends of electrotaxis channels were used for worm immobilization and fluorescent imaging of neurons. Parallel electrotaxis of worms was first validated against established single-worm electrotaxis phenotypes. Then, mutant screening was demonstrated using the NL5901 strain, carrying human α-synuclein in the muscle cells, by showing the associated electrotaxis defects in the average speed, body bend frequency (BBF), and electrotaxis time index (ETI). Moreover, chemical screening of a PD worm model was shown by exposing the BZ555 strain, expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP) in the dopaminergic neurons (DNs), to 6-hydroxydopamine neurotoxin. The neurotoxin-treated worms exhibited a reduction in electrotaxis swimming speed, BBF, ETI, and DNs fluorescence intensity. We envision our technique to be used widely in C. elegans-based movement disorder assays to accelerate behavioral and cellular phenotypic investigations.
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Soh MS, Cheng X, Vijayaraghavan T, Vernon A, Liu J, Neumann B. Disruption of genes associated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2 lead to common behavioural, cellular and molecular defects in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231600. [PMID: 32294113 PMCID: PMC7159224 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is an inherited peripheral motor and sensory neuropathy. The disease is divided into demyelinating (CMT1) and axonal (CMT2) neuropathies, and although we have gained molecular information into the details of CMT1 pathology, much less is known about CMT2. Due to its clinical and genetic heterogeneity, coupled with a lack of animal models, common underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In order to gain an understanding of the normal function of genes associated with CMT2, and to draw direct comparisons between them, we have studied the behavioural, cellular and molecular consequences of mutating nine different genes in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (lin-41/TRIM2, dyn-1/DNM2, unc-116/KIF5A, fzo-1/MFN2, osm-9/TRPV4, cua-1/ATP7A, hsp-25/HSPB1, hint-1/HINT1, nep-2/MME). We show that C. elegans defective for these genes display debilitated movement in crawling and swimming assays. Severe morphological defects in cholinergic motors neurons are also evident in two of the mutants (dyn-1 and unc-116). Furthermore, we establish methods for quantifying muscle morphology and use these to demonstrate that loss of muscle structure occurs in the majority of mutants studied. Finally, using electrophysiological recordings of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) activity, we uncover reductions in spontaneous postsynaptic current frequency in lin-41, dyn-1, unc-116 and fzo-1 mutants. By comparing the consequences of mutating numerous CMT2-related genes, this study reveals common deficits in muscle structure and function, as well as NMJ signalling when these genes are disrupted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming S. Soh
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Xinran Cheng
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Tarika Vijayaraghavan
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Arwen Vernon
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jie Liu
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Brent Neumann
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Rutin protects Huntington's disease through the insulin/IGF1 (IIS) signaling pathway and autophagy activity: Study in Caenorhabditis elegans model. Food Chem Toxicol 2020; 141:111323. [PMID: 32278002 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is inherited neurodegenerative disease, it is characterized by excessive motor movements and cognitive and emotional deficits. HD is caused by an abnormally long polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion in the huntingtin (Htt) protein, which confers toxic functions to mutant Htt leading to neurodegeneration. Rutin is a flavonoid found in plants, buckwheat, some teas and also in apples. Although previous studies have already indicated that rutin has some protective effects in HD's models, the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. In our study, we investigated the effects of rutin in Caenorhabditis elegans model of HD. We assessed polyQ aggregation, oxidative damage, neurodegeneration level and lifespan, and investigated the possible role of autophagy and insulin/IGF1 (IIS) signaling pathways in the beneficial effects induced by rutin. Overall, our data demonstrate that chronic rutin treatment reduced polyglutamine (polyQ) protein aggregation in muscle, reduced polyQ-mediated neuronal death in ASH sensory neurons, and extended lifespan. The possible mechanisms involved are antioxidant activity, activation of protein degradation (autophagy) and insulin/IGF1 (IIS) signaling pathways. These findings indicate that rutin consumption might be helpful in preventing HD and also provide possible pathways to be explored to search for new therapies against proteinopathies related to aging.
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35
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Wong SQ, Kumar AV, Mills J, Lapierre LR. C. elegans to model autophagy-related human disorders. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2020; 172:325-373. [PMID: 32620247 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy is a highly conserved degradation process that clears damaged intracellular macromolecules and organelles in order to maintain cellular health. Dysfunctional autophagy is fundamentally linked to the development of various human disorders and pathologies. The use of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system to study autophagy has improved our understanding of its regulation and function in organismal physiology. Here, we review the genetic, functional, and regulatory conservation of the autophagy pathway in C. elegans and we describe tools to quantify and study the autophagy process in this incredibly useful model organism. We further discuss how these nematodes have been modified to model autophagy-related human diseases and underscore the important insights obtained from such models. Altogether, we highlight the strengths of C. elegans as an exceptional tool to understand the genetic and molecular foundations underlying autophagy-related human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Quan Wong
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Anita V Kumar
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Joslyn Mills
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Louis R Lapierre
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.
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36
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Csobonyeiova M, Polak S, Danisovic L. Recent Overview of the Use of iPSCs Huntington's Disease Modeling and Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21062239. [PMID: 32213859 PMCID: PMC7139425 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21062239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited, autosomal dominant, degenerative disease characterized by involuntary movements, cognitive decline, and behavioral impairment ending in death. HD is caused by an expansion in the number of CAG repeats in the huntingtin gene on chromosome 4. To date, no effective therapy for preventing the onset or progression of the disease has been found, and many symptoms do not respond to pharmacologic treatment. However, recent results of pre-clinical trials suggest a beneficial effect of stem-cell-based therapy. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) represent an unlimited cell source and are the most suitable among the various types of autologous stem cells due to their patient specificity and ability to differentiate into a variety of cell types both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the cultivation of iPSC-derived neural cells offers the possibility of studying the etiopathology of neurodegenerative diseases, such as HD. Moreover, differentiated neural cells can organize into three-dimensional (3D) organoids, mimicking the complex architecture of the brain. In this article, we present a comprehensive review of recent HD models, the methods for differentiating HD–iPSCs into the desired neural cell types, and the progress in gene editing techniques leading toward stem-cell-based therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Csobonyeiova
- Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Sasinkova 4, 811 08 Bratislava, Slovakia; (M.C.); (S.P.)
| | - Stefan Polak
- Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Sasinkova 4, 811 08 Bratislava, Slovakia; (M.C.); (S.P.)
| | - Lubos Danisovic
- Institute of Medical Biology, Genetics and Clinical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Sasinkova 4, 811 08 Bratislava, Slovakia
- Regenmed Ltd., Medena 29, 811 01 Bratislava, Slovakia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +421-2-59357215
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Alvarez J, Alvarez-Illera P, García-Casas P, Fonteriz RI, Montero M. The Role of Ca 2+ Signaling in Aging and Neurodegeneration: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans Models. Cells 2020; 9:cells9010204. [PMID: 31947609 PMCID: PMC7016793 DOI: 10.3390/cells9010204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ca2+ is a ubiquitous second messenger that plays an essential role in physiological processes such as muscle contraction, neuronal secretion, and cell proliferation or differentiation. There is ample evidence that the dysregulation of Ca2+ signaling is one of the key events in the development of neurodegenerative processes, an idea called the "calcium hypothesis" of neurodegeneration. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a very good model for the study of aging and neurodegeneration. In fact, many of the signaling pathways involved in longevity were first discovered in this nematode, and many models of neurodegenerative diseases have also been developed therein, either through mutations in the worm genome or by expressing human proteins involved in neurodegeneration (β-amyloid, α-synuclein, polyglutamine, or others) in defined worm tissues. The worm is completely transparent throughout its whole life, which makes it possible to carry out Ca2+ dynamics studies in vivo at any time, by expressing Ca2+ fluorescent probes in defined worm tissues, and even in specific organelles such as mitochondria. This review will summarize the evidence obtained using this model organism to understand the role of Ca2+ signaling in aging and neurodegeneration.
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Bhan P, Muthaiyan Shanmugam M, Wang D, Bayansan O, Chen C, Wagner OI. Characterization of TAG‐63 and its role on axonal transport inC.elegans. Traffic 2019; 21:231-249. [DOI: 10.1111/tra.12706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 10/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Prerana Bhan
- Department of Life ScienceNational Tsing Hua University, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology Hsinchu Taiwan, ROC
- Research Center for Healthy AgingChina Medical University Taichung Taiwan, ROC
| | - Muniesh Muthaiyan Shanmugam
- Department of Life ScienceNational Tsing Hua University, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology Hsinchu Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ding Wang
- Department of Life ScienceNational Tsing Hua University, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology Hsinchu Taiwan, ROC
| | - Odvogmed Bayansan
- Department of Life ScienceNational Tsing Hua University, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology Hsinchu Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chih‐Wei Chen
- Department of Life ScienceNational Tsing Hua University, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology Hsinchu Taiwan, ROC
| | - Oliver I. Wagner
- Department of Life ScienceNational Tsing Hua University, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology Hsinchu Taiwan, ROC
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Acosta-Coley I, Duran-Izquierdo M, Rodriguez-Cavallo E, Mercado-Camargo J, Mendez-Cuadro D, Olivero-Verbel J. Quantification of microplastics along the Caribbean Coastline of Colombia: Pollution profile and biological effects on Caenorhabditis elegans. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 146:574-583. [PMID: 31426195 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.06.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Revised: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The Caribbean Coast of Colombia has a flourishing plastic industry with weak and insufficient waste management policies and practices, leading to plastic pollution along its touristic beaches. In this work, primary and secondary microplastics (MPs) were surveyed at four different locations along the Colombian Caribbean Coast. Primary microplastics, specifically white new plastic pellets, represented the largest amount of MPs found, with densities decreasing in the order Cartagena > Coveñas > Puerto Colombia > Riohacha. This distribution was connected to the vicinity of MPs sources, marine currents and wind direction. The presence of secondary MPs was associated with urban centers and proximity to river mouths. The FTIR characterization showed polyethylene as the predominant resin type, with different degrees of surface oxidation. Aqueous extracts from sampled MPs were tested on Caenorhabditis elegans. Secondary MPs elicited greater toxicological responses than pellets, especially those from Cartagena Bay, suggesting MPs act as carriers for biologically-active pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Acosta-Coley
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia; Analytical Chemistry and Biomedicine Group, School of Sciences, San Pablo Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, Colombia
| | - Margareth Duran-Izquierdo
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia
| | - Erika Rodriguez-Cavallo
- Analytical Chemistry and Biomedicine Group, School of Sciences, San Pablo Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, Colombia
| | - Jairo Mercado-Camargo
- Research Group on Drug Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia
| | - Dario Mendez-Cuadro
- Analytical Chemistry and Biomedicine Group, School of Sciences, San Pablo Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, Colombia
| | - Jesus Olivero-Verbel
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia.
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Alzheimer's Disease and Sleep-Wake Disturbances: Amyloid, Astrocytes, and Animal Models. J Neurosci 2019; 38:2901-2910. [PMID: 29563238 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1135-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep-wake abnormalities are common in patients with Alzheimer's disease, and can be a major reason for institutionalization. However, an emerging concept is that these sleep-wake disturbances are part of the causal pathway accelerating the neurodegenerative process. Recently, new findings have provided intriguing evidence for a positive feedback loop between sleep-wake dysfunction and β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation. Studies in both humans and animal models have shown that extended periods of wakefulness increase Aβ levels and aggregation, and accumulation of Aβ causes fragmentation of sleep. This perspective is aimed at presenting evidence supporting causal links between sleep-wake dysfunction and aggregation of Aβ peptide in Alzheimer's disease, and explores the role of astrocytes, a specialized type of glial cell, in this context underlying Alzheimer's disease pathology. The utility of current animal models and the unexplored potential of alternative animal models for testing mechanisms involved in the reciprocal relationship between sleep disruption and Aβ are also discussed.Dual Perspectives Companion Paper: Microglia-Mediated Synapse Loss in Alzheimer's Disease by Lawrence Rajendran and Rosa Paolicelli.
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Youssef K, Tandon A, Rezai P. Studying Parkinson’s disease using Caenorhabditis elegans models in microfluidic devices. Integr Biol (Camb) 2019; 11:186-207. [DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyz017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder associated with the loss of dopaminergic neurons (DNs) in the substantia nigra and the widespread accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) protein, leading to motor impairments and eventual cognitive dysfunction. In-vitro cell cultures and in-vivo animal models have provided the opportunity to investigate the PD pathological hallmarks and identify different therapeutic compounds. However, PD pathogenesis and causes are still not well understood, and effective inhibitory drugs for PD are yet to be discovered. Biologically simple but pathologically relevant disease models and advanced screening technologies are needed to reveal the mechanisms underpinning protein aggregation and PD progression. For instance, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) offers many advantages for fundamental PD neurobehavioral studies including a simple, well-mapped, and accessible neuronal system, genetic homology to humans, body transparency and amenability to genetic manipulation. Several transgenic worm strains that exhibit multiple PD-related phenotypes have been developed to perform neuronal and behavioral assays and drug screening. However, in conventional worm-based assays, the commonly used techniques are equipment-intensive, slow and low in throughput. Over the past two decades, microfluidics technology has contributed significantly to automation and control of C. elegans assays. In this review, we focus on C. elegans PD models and the recent advancements in microfluidic platforms used for manipulation, handling and neurobehavioral screening of these models. Moreover, we highlight the potential of C. elegans to elucidate the in-vivo mechanisms of neuron-to-neuron protein transfer that may underlie spreading Lewy pathology in PD, and its suitability for in-vitro studies. Given the advantages of C. elegans and microfluidics technology, their integration has the potential to facilitate the investigation of disease pathology and discovery of potential chemical leads for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaled Youssef
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anurag Tandon
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Pouya Rezai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Yao C, Liu X, Zhou Z, Xiang Y, Yuan S, Xie W, Zhou M, Hu Z, Li Y, Ji A, Cai T. Melatonin attenuates expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in activated microglia induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2019; 82:437-446. [PMID: 31081481 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2019.1615019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a known neurotoxin and utilized most extensively as a microglial activator for induction of inflammatory neurodegeneration. Melatonin (MEL) is the main secretory product of pineal gland reported to be responsible for a variety of physiological functions. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the influence of MEL on microglia activation remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of MEL on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) levels in LPS-induced microglia. The results of RT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed that MEL significantly inhibited LPS-mediated upregulation of COX-2 in microglia. Data from ELISA demonstrated that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), the downstream effector of COX-2, concentrations were also reduced. In addition, MEL was found to decrease activation of ERK1/2, JNK, p38 MAPK, and NF-κB, the upstream signal pathways of COX-2. Taken together, evidence indicates that MEL may attenuate upregulation of COX-2 by blocking the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway in LPS-stimulated microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Yao
- a Department of Epidemiology , College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University) , Chongqing , China
| | - Xiaoling Liu
- a Department of Epidemiology , College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University) , Chongqing , China
| | - Zhengyu Zhou
- a Department of Epidemiology , College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University) , Chongqing , China
| | - Ying Xiang
- a Department of Epidemiology , College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University) , Chongqing , China
| | - Shuai Yuan
- a Department of Epidemiology , College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University) , Chongqing , China
| | - Weijia Xie
- a Department of Epidemiology , College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University) , Chongqing , China
| | - Meiyu Zhou
- a Department of Epidemiology , College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University) , Chongqing , China
| | - Zeyao Hu
- a Department of Epidemiology , College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University) , Chongqing , China
| | - Yafei Li
- a Department of Epidemiology , College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University) , Chongqing , China
| | - Ailing Ji
- b Department of Preventive Medicine & Chongqing Engineering Research Center of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College , Chongqing , China
| | - Tongjian Cai
- a Department of Epidemiology , College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University) , Chongqing , China
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Pasteurized Orange Juice Rich in Carotenoids Protects Caenorhabditis elegans against Oxidative Stress and β-Amyloid Toxicity through Direct and Indirect Mechanisms. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2019; 2019:5046280. [PMID: 31178963 PMCID: PMC6501168 DOI: 10.1155/2019/5046280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Revised: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
‘Cara Cara' is a red orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) variety originally from Venezuela characterized by a significantly higher and diversified carotenoid content including higher-concentration lycopene, all-E-β-carotene, phytoene, and other carotenoids when compared with the carotenoid profile of its isogenic blond counterpart ‘Bahia', also known as Washington navel. The exceptionally high carotenoid content of ‘Cara Cara' is of special interest due to its neuroprotective potential. Here, we used the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to analyze the antioxidant effect and the protection against β-amyloid-induced toxicity of pasteurized orange juice (POJ) obtained from ‘Cara Cara' and compare to that from ‘Bahia'. POJ treatment reduced the endogenous ROS levels and increased the worm's survival rate under normal and oxidative stress conditions. POJ treatment also upregulated the expression of antioxidant (gcs-1, gst-4, and sod-3) and chaperonin (hsp-16.2) genes. Remarkably, ROS reduction, gene expression activation, oxidative stress resistance, and longevity extension were significantly increased in the animals treated with ‘Cara Cara' orange juice compared to animals treated with ‘Bahia' orange juice. Furthermore, the body paralysis induced by β-amyloid peptide was delayed by both POJs but the mean paralysis time for the worms treated with ‘Cara Cara' orange juice was significantly higher compared to ‘Bahia' orange juice. Our mechanistic studies indicated that POJ-reduced ROS levels are primarily a result of the direct scavenging action of natural compounds available in the orange juice. Moreover, POJ-induced gst-4::GFP expression and –increased stress resistance was dependent of the SKN-1/Nrf2 transcription factor. Finally, the transcription factors SKN-1, DAF-16, and HSF-1 were required for the POJ-mediated protective effect against Aβ toxicity. Collectively, these results suggest that orange juice from ‘Cara Cara' induced a stronger response against oxidative stress and β-amyloid toxicity compared to orange juice from ‘Bahia' possibly due to its higher carotenoid content.
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Shin N, Cuenca L, Karthikraj R, Kannan K, Colaiácovo MP. Assessing effects of germline exposure to environmental toxicants by high-throughput screening in C. elegans. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007975. [PMID: 30763314 PMCID: PMC6375566 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemicals that are highly prevalent in our environment, such as phthalates and pesticides, have been linked to problems associated with reproductive health. However, rapid assessment of their impact on reproductive health and understanding how they cause such deleterious effects, remain challenging due to their fast-growing numbers and the limitations of various current toxicity assessment model systems. Here, we performed a high-throughput screen in C. elegans to identify chemicals inducing aneuploidy as a result of impaired germline function. We screened 46 chemicals that are widely present in our environment, but for which effects in the germline remain poorly understood. These included pesticides, phthalates, and chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing and crude oil processing. Of the 46 chemicals tested, 41% exhibited levels of aneuploidy higher than those detected for bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor shown to affect meiosis, at concentrations correlating well with mammalian reproductive endpoints. We further examined three candidates eliciting aneuploidy: dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a likely endocrine disruptor and frequently used plasticizer, and the pesticides 2-(thiocyanomethylthio) benzothiazole (TCMTB) and permethrin. Exposure to these chemicals resulted in increased embryonic lethality, elevated DNA double-strand break (DSB) formation, activation of p53/CEP-1-dependent germ cell apoptosis, chromosomal abnormalities in oocytes at diakinesis, impaired chromosome segregation during early embryogenesis, and germline-specific alterations in gene expression. This study indicates that this high-throughput screening system is highly reliable for the identification of environmental chemicals inducing aneuploidy, and provides new insights into the impact of exposure to three widely used chemicals on meiosis and germline function. The ever-increasing number of new chemicals introduced into our environment poses a significant problem for risk assessment. In addition, assessing the direct impact of toxicants on human meiosis remains challenging. We successfully utilized a high-throughput platform in the nematode C. elegans, a genetically tractable model organism which shares a high degree of gene conservation with humans, to identify chemicals that affect the germline leading to aneuploidy. We assessed chemicals that are highly prevalent in the environment in worms carrying a fluorescent reporter construct allowing for the identification of X chromosome nondisjunction combined with a mutation increasing cuticle permeability for analysis of low doses of exposure. Follow up analysis of three chemicals: DBP, permethrin and TCMTB, further validated the use of this strategy. Exposure to these chemicals resulted in elevated levels of DNA double-strand breaks, activation of a DNA damage checkpoint, chromosome morphology defects in late meiotic prophase I as well as impaired early embryogenesis and germline-specific changes in gene expression. Our results support the use of this high-throughput screening system to identify environmental chemicals inducing aneuploidy, and provide new insights into the effects of exposure to DBP, permethrin, and TCMTB on meiosis and germline function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nara Shin
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Luciann Cuenca
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Rajendiran Karthikraj
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York, United States of America
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Monica P. Colaiácovo
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Atakan HB, Cornaglia M, Mouchiroud L, Auwerx J, Gijs MAM. Automated high-content phenotyping from the first larval stage till the onset of adulthood of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 19:120-135. [PMID: 30484462 PMCID: PMC6309680 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00863a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is increasingly used as a model for human biology. However, in vivo culturing platforms for C. elegans allowing high-content phenotyping during their life cycle in an automated fashion are lacking so far. Here, a multiplexed microfluidic platform for the rapid high-content phenotyping of populations of C. elegans down to single animal resolution is presented. Nematodes are (i) reversibly and regularly confined during their life inside tapered channels for imaging fluorescence signal expression and to measure their growth parameters, and (ii) allowed to freely move in microfluidic chambers, during which the swimming behavior was video-recorded. The obtained data sets are analyzed in an automated way and 19 phenotypic parameters are extracted. Our platform is employed for studying the effect of bacteria dilution, a form of dietary restriction (DR) in nematodes, on a worm model of Huntington's disease and demonstrates the influence of DR on disease regression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huseyin Baris Atakan
- Laboratory of Microsystems, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Tsai CW, Tsai RT, Liu SP, Chen CS, Tsai MC, Chien SH, Hung HS, Lin SZ, Shyu WC, Fu RH. Neuroprotective Effects of Betulin in Pharmacological and Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans Models of Parkinson's Disease. Cell Transplant 2018; 26:1903-1918. [PMID: 29390878 PMCID: PMC5802634 DOI: 10.1177/0963689717738785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common degenerative disorder of the central nervous system in the elderly. It is characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, as well as by motor dysfunction. Although the causes of PD are not well understood, aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) in neurons contributes to this disease. Current therapeutics for PD provides satisfactory symptom relief but not a cure. Treatment strategies include attempts to identify new drugs that will prevent or arrest the progressive course of PD by correcting disease-specific pathogenic process. Betulin is derived from the bark of birch trees and possesses anticancer, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential for betulin to ameliorate PD features in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) models. We demonstrated that betulin diminished α-syn accumulation in the transgenic C. elegans model. Betulin also reduced 6-hydroxydopamine-induced dopaminergic neuron degeneration, reduced food-sensing behavioral abnormalities, and reversed life-span decreases in a pharmacological C. elegans model. Moreover, we found that the enhancement of proteasomes activity by promoting rpn1 expression and downregulation of the apoptosis pathway gene, egl-1, may be the molecular mechanism for betulin-mediated protection against PD pathology. Together, these findings support betulin as a possible treatment for PD and encourage further investigations of betulin as an antineurodegenerative agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Wen Tsai
- 1 Department of Nutrition, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Rong-Tzong Tsai
- 2 Institute of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Ping Liu
- 3 Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,4 Translational Medicine Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chang-Shi Chen
- 5 Department of Biochemical and Molecular Biology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Min-Chen Tsai
- 3 Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shao-Hsuan Chien
- 3 Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Huey-Shan Hung
- 3 Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,4 Translational Medicine Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shinn-Zong Lin
- 6 Bioinnovation Center, Tzu Chi foundation, Department of Neurosurgery, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Woei-Cherng Shyu
- 3 Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,4 Translational Medicine Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ru-Huei Fu
- 3 Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,4 Translational Medicine Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,7 Department of Psychology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
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Hu CC, Wu GH, Lai SF, Muthaiyan Shanmugam M, Hwu Y, Wagner OI, Yen TJ. Toxic Effects of Size-tunable Gold Nanoparticles on Caenorhabditis elegans Development and Gene Regulation. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15245. [PMID: 30323250 PMCID: PMC6189128 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33585-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We utilized size-tunable gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) to investigate the toxicogenomic responses of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrated that the nematode C. elegans can uptake Au NPs coated with or without 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA), and Au NPs are detectable in worm intestines using X-ray microscopy and confocal optical microscopy. After Au NP exposure, C. elegans neurons grew shorter axons, which may have been related to the impeded worm locomotion behavior detected. Furthermore, we determined that MUA to Au ratios of 0.5, 1 and 3 reduced the worm population by more than 50% within 72 hours. In addition, these MUA to Au ratios reduced the worm body size, thrashing frequency (worm mobility) and brood size. MTT assays were employed to analyze the viability of cultured C. elegans primary neurons exposed to MUA-Au NPs. Increasing the MUA to Au ratios increasingly reduced neuronal survival. To understand how developmental changes (after MUA-Au NP treatment) are related to changes in gene expression, we employed DNA microarray assays and identified changes in gene expression (e.g., clec-174 (involved in cellular defense), cut-3 and fil-1 (both involved in body morphogenesis), dpy-14 (expressed in embryonic neurons), and mtl-1 (functions in metal detoxification and homeostasis)).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Chih Hu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Gong-Her Wu
- Department of Life Science and Institute of Molecular & Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Feng Lai
- Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan
| | - Muniesh Muthaiyan Shanmugam
- Department of Life Science and Institute of Molecular & Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Y Hwu
- Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan
| | - Oliver I Wagner
- Department of Life Science and Institute of Molecular & Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
| | - Ta-Jen Yen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
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Dawson TM, Golde TE, Lagier-Tourenne C. Animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. Nat Neurosci 2018; 21:1370-1379. [PMID: 30250265 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-018-0236-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 305] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Animal models of adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases have enhanced the understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Nevertheless, our understanding of these disorders and the development of mechanistically designed therapeutics can still benefit from more rigorous use of the models and from generation of animals that more faithfully recapitulate human disease. Here we review the current state of rodent models for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We discuss the limitations and utility of current models, issues regarding translatability, and future directions for developing animal models of these human disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ted M Dawson
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Department of Neurology; and Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. .,Adrienne Helis Malvin Medical Research Foundation, New Orleans, LA, USA.
| | - Todd E Golde
- McKnight Brain Institute Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease Department of Neuroscience and Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Clotilde Lagier-Tourenne
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. .,Broad Institute of Harvard University and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Calabrese V, Santoro A, Trovato Salinaro A, Modafferi S, Scuto M, Albouchi F, Monti D, Giordano J, Zappia M, Franceschi C, Calabrese EJ. Hormetic approaches to the treatment of Parkinson's disease: Perspectives and possibilities. J Neurosci Res 2018; 96:1641-1662. [PMID: 30098077 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2017] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Age-related changes in the brain reflect a dynamic interaction of genetic, epigenetic, phenotypic, and environmental factors that can be temporally restricted or more longitudinally present throughout the lifespan. Fundamental to these mechanisms is the capacity for physiological adaptation through modulation of diverse molecular and biochemical signaling occurring from the intracellular to the network-systemic level throughout the brain. A number of agents that affect the onset and progression of Parkinson's disease (PD)-like effects in experimental models exhibit temporal features, and mechanisms of hormetic dose responses. These findings have particular significance since the hormetic dose response describes the amplitude and range of potential therapeutic effects, thereby affecting the design and conduct of studies of interventions against PD (and other neurodegenerative diseases), and may also be important to a broader consideration of hormetic processes in resilient adaptive responses that might afford protection against the onset and/or progression of PD and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittorio Calabrese
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania.,IBREGENS, Nutraceuticals and Functional Food Biotechnologies Research Associated, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Aurelia Santoro
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Angela Trovato Salinaro
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania
| | - Sergio Modafferi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania
| | - Maria Scuto
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania
| | - Ferdaous Albouchi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania
| | - Daniela Monti
- Department of Experimental, Clinical and Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - James Giordano
- Departments of Neurology and Biochemistry, and Neuroethics Studies Program, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Mario Zappia
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies G.F. Ingrassia, Section of Neurosciences, University of Catania, Italy
| | | | - Edward J Calabrese
- Environmental Health Sciences Division, School of Public Health, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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Wu S, Lei L, Song Y, Liu M, Lu S, Lou D, Shi Y, Wang Z, He D. Mutation of hop-1 and pink-1 attenuates vulnerability of neurotoxicity in C. elegans: the role of mitochondria-associated membrane proteins in Parkinsonism. Exp Neurol 2018; 309:67-78. [PMID: 30076829 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2018.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction is considered as a critical mechanism in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Increasing evidence supports the notion of mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs) in mitochondrial dysfunction; yet little is known about the role of MAMs-related proteins in the pathogenesis of PD. Herein we exposed the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to 0.5-10.0 μM rotenone (RO) or 0.2-1.6 mM paraquat (PQ) for 3 days. Our results showed that both RO and PQ induced similar Parkinsonism including motor deficits and dopaminergic degeneration. RO/PQ caused mitochondrial damages characterized by the increase of vacuole areas and autophagy vesicles, but the decrease of mitochondrial cristae. RO/PQ-impacted mitochondrial function was also demonstrated by the decrease of ATP level and mitochondrial membrane potential. Additionally, the attachment or surrounding of endoplasmic reticulum to the damaged mitochondria indicates ultrastructural alterations in MAMs. Using fluorescently labeled transgenic nematodes, we further found that the expression of tomm-7 and genes of Complex I, II and III was reduced, whereas the expression of pink-1 was increased in the exposed animals. To determine MAMs in toxicity toward PD, we investigated the mutants of hop-1 and pink-1, encoding presenilin and PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) in mitochondria-associated membranes, respectively. Results demonstrated that the mutation of both hop-1 and pink-1 reduced the vulnerability of lethal, behavioral, and mitochondrial toxicity induced by RO/PQ. These findings suggest that presenilin and PINK1 play important roles in the RO/PQ-induced neurotoxicity through the mechanisms involved in mitochondria-associated membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Wu
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 500# DongChuan RD, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Lili Lei
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 500# DongChuan RD, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yang Song
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 500# DongChuan RD, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Mengting Liu
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 500# DongChuan RD, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Shibo Lu
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 500# DongChuan RD, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Dan Lou
- Department of Environmental Health & Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore 21205, USA
| | - Yonghong Shi
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 518# Ziyue RD, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Zhibin Wang
- Department of Environmental Health & Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore 21205, USA.
| | - Defu He
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 500# DongChuan RD, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
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