α-synuclein expression from a single copy transgene increases sensitivity to stress and accelerates neuronal loss in genetic models of Parkinson's disease

Sink or swim: Does a worm paralysis phenotype hold clues to neurodegenerative disease?

Receiving a neurodegenerative disease (NDD) diagnosis, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is devastating, particularly given the limited options for treatment. Advances in genetic technologies have allowed for efficient modeling of NDDs in animals and brought hope for new disease-modifying medications. The complexity of the mammalian brain and the costs and time needed to identify and develop therapeutic leads limits progress. Modeling NDDs in invertebrates, such as the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, offers orders of magnitude increases in speed of genetic analysis and manipulation, and can be pursued at substantially reduced cost, providing an important, platform complement and inform research with mammalian NDD models. In this review, we describe how our efforts to exploit C. elegans for the study of neural signaling and health led to the discovery of a paralytic phenotype (swimming-induced paralysis) associated with altered dopamine signaling and, surprisingly, to the discovery of a novel gene and pathway whose dysfunction in glial cells triggers neurodegeneration. Research to date on swip-10 and its putative mammalian ortholog MBLAC1, suggests that a tandem analysis will offer insights into NDD mechanisms and insights into novel, disease-modifying therapeutics.

Using C. elegans as a model for neurodegenerative diseases: Methodology and evaluation

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.

Exploring Caenorhabditis elegans as Parkinson's Disease Model: Neurotoxins and Genetic Implications

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world, the first being Alzheimer's disease. Patients with PD have a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the basal ganglia, which controls voluntary movements, causing a motor impairment as a result of dopaminergic signaling impairment. Studies have shown that mutations in several genes, such as SNCA, PARK2, PINK1, DJ-1, ATP13A2, and LRRK2, and the exposure to neurotoxic agents can potentially increase the chances of PD development. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) plays an important role in studying the risk factors, such as genetic factors, aging, exposure to chemicals, disease progression, and drug treatments for PD. C. elegans has a conserved neurotransmission system during evolution; it produces dopamine, through the eight dopaminergic neurons; it can be used to study the effect of neurotoxins and also has strains that express human α-synuclein. Furthermore, the human PD-related genes, LRK-1, PINK-1, PDR-1, DJR-1.1, and CATP-6, are present and functional in this model. Therefore, this review focuses on highlighting and discussing the use of C. elegans an in vivo model in PD-related studies. Here, we identified that nematodes exposed to the neurotoxins, such as 6-OHDA, MPTP, paraquat, and rotenone, had a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons, dopamine deficits, and decreased survival rate. Several studies have reported that expression of human LRRK2 (G2019S) caused neurodegeneration and pink-1, pdr-1, and djr-1.1 deletion caused several effects PD-related in C. elegans, including mitochondrial dysfunctions. Of note, the deletion of catp-6 in nematodes caused behavioral dysfunction, mitochondrial damage, and reduced survival. In addition, nematodes expressing α-synuclein had neurodegeneration and dopamine-dependent deficits. Therefore, C. elegans can be considered an accurate animal model of PD that can be used to elucidate to assess the underlying mechanisms implicated in PD to find novel therapeutic targets.

Animal models of Parkinson's disease: bridging the gap between disease hallmarks and research questions

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms. More than 200 years after its first clinical description, PD remains a serious affliction that affects a growing proportion of the population. Prevailing treatments only alleviate symptoms; there is still neither a cure that targets the neurodegenerative processes nor therapies that modify the course of the disease. Over the past decades, several animal models have been developed to study PD. Although no model precisely recapitulates the pathology, they still provide valuable information that contributes to our understanding of the disease and the limitations of our treatment options. This review comprehensively summarizes the different animal models available for Parkinson's research, with a focus on those induced by drugs, neurotoxins, pesticides, genetic alterations, α-synuclein inoculation, and viral vector injections. We highlight their characteristics and ability to reproduce PD-like phenotypes. It is essential to realize that the strengths and weaknesses of each model and the induction technique at our disposal are determined by the research question being asked. Our review, therefore, seeks to better aid researchers by ensuring a concrete discernment of classical and novel animal models in PD research.

C. elegans as an Animal Model to Study the Intersection of DNA Repair, Aging and Neurodegeneration

Since its introduction as a genetic model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans has yielded insights into the causes of aging. In addition, it has provided a molecular understanding of mechanisms of neurodegeneration, one of the devastating effects of aging. However, C. elegans has been less popular as an animal model to investigate DNA repair and genomic instability, which is a major hallmark of aging and also a cause of many rare neurological disorders. This article provides an overview of DNA repair pathways in C. elegans and the impact of DNA repair on aging hallmarks, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, telomere maintenance, and autophagy. In addition, we discuss how the combination of biological characteristics, new technical tools, and the potential of following precise phenotypic assays through a natural life-course make C. elegans an ideal model organism to study how DNA repair impact neurodegeneration in models of common age-related neurodegenerative diseases.

1-Mesityl-3-(3-Sulfonatopropyl) Imidazolium Protects Against Oxidative Stress and Delays Proteotoxicity in C. elegans

Due to the increase in life expectancy worldwide, age-related disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) have become more prevalent. Conventional treatments comprise drugs that only attenuate some of the symptoms, but fail to arrest or delay neuronal proteotoxicity that characterizes these diseases. Due to their diverse biological activities, imidazole rings are intensively explored as powerful scaffolds for the development of new bioactive molecules. By using C. elegans, our work aims to explore novel biological roles for these compounds. To this end, we have tested the in vivo anti-proteotoxic effects of imidazolium salts. Since NDs have been largely linked to impaired antioxidant defense mechanisms, we focused on 1-Mesityl-3-(3-sulfonatopropyl) imidazolium (MSI), one of the imidazolium salts that we identified as capable of improving iron-induced oxidative stress resistance in wild-type animals. By combining mutant and gene expression analysis we have determined that this protective effect depends on the activation of the Heat Shock Transcription Factor (HSF-1), whereas it is independent of other canonical cytoprotective molecules such as abnormal Dauer Formation-16 (DAF-16/FOXO) and Skinhead-1 (SKN-1/Nrf2). To delve deeper into the biological roles of MSI, we analyzed the impact of this compound on previously established C. elegans models of protein aggregation. We found that MSI ameliorates β-amyloid-induced paralysis in worms expressing the pathological protein involved in Alzheimer’s Disease. Moreover, this compound also delays age-related locomotion decline in other proteotoxic C. elegans models, suggesting a broad protective effect. Taken together, our results point to MSI as a promising anti-proteotoxic compound and provide proof of concept of the potential of imidazole derivatives in the development of novel therapies to retard age-related proteotoxic diseases.

Functional Screening of Parkinson's Disease Susceptibility Genes to Identify Novel Modulators of α-Synuclein Neurotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons during aging. The pathological hallmark of PD is the Lewy body detected in postmortem brain tissue, which is mainly composed of aggregated α-Synuclein (αSyn). However, it is estimated that 90% of PD cases have unknown pathogenetic triggers. Here, we generated a new transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans PD model eraIs1 expressing green fluorescent protein- (GFP-) based reporter of human αSyn in DA neurons, and exhibited a nice readout of the developed αSyn inclusions in DA neurons, leading to their degeneration during aging. Using these animals in a preliminary reverse genetic screening of >100-PD genome-wide association study- (GWAS-) based susceptibility genes, we identified 28 orthologs of C. elegans and their inactivation altered the phenotype of eraIs1; 10 knockdowns exhibited reduced penetrance of αSyn:Venus inclusions formed in the axons of cephalic (CEP) DA neurons, 18 knockdowns exhibited increased penetrance of disrupted CEP dendrite integrity among which nine knockdowns also exhibited disrupted neuronal morphology independent of the expressed αSyn reporter. Loss-of-function alleles of the five identified genes, such as sac-2, rig-6 or lfe-2, unc-43, and nsf-1, modulated the corresponding eraIs1 phenotype, respectively, and supported the RNA interference (RNAi) data. The Western blot analysis showed that the levels of insoluble αSyn:Venus were not correlated with the observed phenotypes in these mutants. However, RNAi of 12 identified modulators reduced the formation of pro-aggregating polyglutamine Q40:YFP foci in muscle cells, suggesting the possible role of these genes in cellular proteotoxicity. Therefore, modulators identified by their associated biological pathways, such as calcium signaling or vesicular trafficking, represent new potential therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative proteopathies and other diseases associated with aging.

ATP13A2 protects dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease: from biology to pathology

As a late endosomal/lysosomal transport protein of the P5-type, ATP13A2 is capable of removing the abnormal accumulation of α-synuclein, which maintains the homeostasis of metal ions and polyamines in the central nervous system. Furthermore, ATP13A2 regulates the normal function of several organelles such as lysosomes, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria, and maintains the normal physiological activity of neural cells. Especially, ATP13A2 protects dopaminergic (DA) neurons against environmental or genetically induced Parkinson's disease (PD). As we all know, PD is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of DA neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. An increasing number of studies have reported that the loss-of-function of ATP13A2 affects normal physiological processes of various organelles, leading to abnormalities and the death of DA neurons. Previous studies in our laboratory have also shown that ATP13A2 deletion intensifies the neuroinflammatory response induced by astrocytes, thus inducing DA neuronal injury. In addition to elucidating the normal structure and function of ATP13A2, this review summarized the pathological mechanisms of ATP13A2 mutations leading to PD in existing literature studies, deepening the understanding of ATP13A2 in the pathological process of PD and other related neurodegenerative diseases. This review provides inspiration for investigators to explore the essential regulatory role of ATP13A2 in PD in the future.

Neuroprotective effects of catechin and quercetin in experimental Parkinsonism through modulation of dopamine metabolism and expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, NF-κB, IκKB, and p53 genes in male Wistar rats

The neurobehavioral, brain redox-stabilizing and neurochemical modulatory properties of catechin and quercetin in rotenone-induced Parkinsonism, and the involvement of NF-κB-mediated inflammation, were investigated. Male Wistar rats subcutaneously administered with multiple doses of 1.5mg/kg rotenone were post-treated with 5-20mg/kg catechin or quercetin. This was followed by neurobehavioral evaluation, biochemical estimations, and assessment of neurotransmitter metabolism in the striatum. Expression of genes involved in the canonical pathway for the activation of NF-κB mediated inflammation (IL-1β, TNF-α, NF-κB, and IκKB) and the pro-apoptotic gene, p53, in the striatum was determined by RT-qPCR. Catechin and quercetin mitigated neurobehavioral deficits caused by rotenone. Both flavonoids attenuated striatal redox stress and neurochemical dysfunction, optimized disturbed dopamine metabolism, and improved depletion of neuron density caused by rotenone toxicity. While administration of catechin produced a more pronounced attenuating effect on IL-1β, TNF-α, and p53 genes, the attenuating effect of quercetin (20mg/kg) was more pronounced on NF-κB and IκKB gene expressions when compared to the group administered with rotenone only. Comparatively, quercetin demonstrated superior protection against rotenone neurotoxicity. It is concluded that catechin and quercetin have potential relevance in Parkinson's disease therapy through amelioration of redox stress, optimization of dopamine metabolism, and modulation of anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic pathways.

Modelling the functional genomics of Parkinson's disease in Caenorhabditis elegans: LRRK2 and beyond

For decades, Parkinson's disease (PD) cases have been genetically categorised into familial, when caused by mutations in single genes with a clear inheritance pattern in affected families, or idiopathic, in the absence of an evident monogenic determinant. Recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed how common genetic variability can explain up to 36% of PD heritability and that PD manifestation is often determined by multiple variants at different genetic loci. Thus, one of the current challenges in PD research stands in modelling the complex genetic architecture of this condition and translating this into functional studies. Caenorhabditis elegans provide a profound advantage as a reductionist, economical model for PD research, with a short lifecycle, straightforward genome engineering and high conservation of PD relevant neural, cellular and molecular pathways. Functional models of PD genes utilising C. elegans show many phenotypes recapitulating pathologies observed in PD. When contrasted with mammalian in vivo and in vitro models, these are frequently validated, suggesting relevance of C. elegans in the development of novel PD functional models. This review will discuss how the nematode C. elegans PD models have contributed to the uncovering of molecular and cellular mechanisms of disease, with a focus on the genes most commonly found as causative in familial PD and risk factors in idiopathic PD. Specifically, we will examine the current knowledge on a central player in both familial and idiopathic PD, Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) and how it connects to multiple PD associated GWAS candidates and Mendelian disease-causing genes.

The Application of Nanotechnology for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Brain Diseases and Disorders

Brain is by far the most complex organ in the body. It is involved in the regulation of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional activities. The organ is also a target for many diseases and disorders ranging from injuries to cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. Brain diseases are the main causes of disability and one of the leading causes of deaths. Several drugs that have shown potential in improving brain structure and functioning in animal models face many challenges including the delivery, specificity, and toxicity. For many years, researchers have been facing challenge of developing drugs that can cross the physical (blood–brain barrier), electrical, and chemical barriers of the brain and target the desired region with few adverse events. In recent years, nanotechnology emerged as an important technique for modifying and manipulating different objects at the molecular level to obtain desired features. The technique has proven to be useful in diagnosis as well as treatments of brain diseases and disorders by facilitating the delivery of drugs and improving their efficacy. As the subject is still hot, and new research findings are emerging, it is clear that nanotechnology could upgrade health care systems by providing easy and highly efficient diagnostic and treatment methods. In this review, we will focus on the application of nanotechnology in the diagnosis and treatment of brain diseases and disorders by illuminating the potential of nanoparticles.

RAB39B's role in membrane traffic, autophagy, and associated neuropathology

Neuropathological disorders are increasingly associated with dysfunctions in neuronal membrane traffic and autophagy, with defects among members of the Rab family of small GTPases implicated. Mutations in the human Xq28 localized gene RAB39B have been associated with X-linked neurodevelopmental defects including macrocephaly, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as rare cases of early-onset Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite the finding that RAB39B regulates GluA2 trafficking and could thus influence synaptic α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor subunit composition, reasons for the wide-ranging neuropathological consequences associated with RAB39B defects have been unclear. Recent studies have now unraveled possible mechanisms underlying the neuropathological roles of this brain-enriched small GTPase. Studies in RAB39B knockout mice showed that RAB39B interacts with components of Class I phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling. In its absence, the PI3K-AKT-mechanistic target of rapamycin signaling pathway in neural progenitor cells (NPCs) is hyperactivated, which promotes NPC proliferation, leading to macrocephaly and ASD. Pertaining to early-onset PD, a complex of C9orf72, Smith-Magenis syndrome chromosome region candidate 8 and WD repeat domain 41 that functions in autophagy has been identified as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor of RAB39B. Here, recent findings that have shed light on our mechanistic understanding of RAB39B's role in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative pathologies are reviewed. Caveats and unanswered questions are also discussed, and future perspectives outlined.

Calpain mediated expansion of CD4+ cytotoxic T cells in rodent models of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD), a debilitating progressive degenerative movement disorder associated with loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN), afflicts approximately one million people in the U.S., including a significant number of Veterans. Disease characteristics include tremor, rigidity, postural instability, bradykinesia, and at a cellular level, glial cell activation and Lewy body inclusions in DA neurons. The most potent medical/surgical treatments do not ultimately prevent disease progression. Therefore, new therapies must be developed to halt progression of the disease. While the mechanisms of the degenerative process in PD remain elusive, chronic inflammation, a common factor in many neurodegenerative diseases, has been implicated with associated accumulation of toxic aggregated α-synuclein in neurons. Calpain, a calcium-activated cysteine neutral protease, plays a pivotal role in SN and spinal cord degeneration in PD via its role in α-synuclein aggregation, activation/migration of microglia and T cells, and upregulation of inflammatory processes. Here we report an increased expression of a subset of CD4+ T cells in rodent models of PD, including MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) mice and DSP-4 [N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine hydrochloride]/6-hydroxydopamine rats, which produced higher levels of perforin and granzyme B - typically found in cytotoxic T cells. Importantly, the CD4+ cytotoxic subtype was attenuated following calpain inhibition in MPTP mice, suggesting that calpain and this distinct CD4+ T cell subset may have critical roles in the inflammatory process, disease progression, and neurodegeneration in PD.

Dysregulated iron metabolism in C. elegans catp-6/ATP13A2 mutant impairs mitochondrial function

Mutations in the human ATP13A2 gene are associated with an early-onset form of Parkinson's disease (PD) known as Kufor Rakeb Syndrome (KRS). Patients with KRS show increased iron deposition in the basal ganglia, suggesting iron toxicity-induced neurodegeneration as a potential pathogenesis associated with the ATP13A2 mutation. Previously we demonstrated that functional losses of ATP13A2 disrupt the lysosomes ability to store excess iron, leading to reduce survival of dopaminergic neuronal cells. To understand the possible mechanisms involved, we studied a Caenorhabditis elegans mutant defective in catp-6 function, an ortholog of human ATP13A2 gene. Here we show that catp-6 mutant worms have defective autophagy and lysosomal function, demonstrate characteristic PD phenotypes including reduced motor function and dysregulated iron metabolism. Additionally, these mutants have defective mitochondrial health, which is rescuable via iron chelation or mitophagy induction.

Disruption of mitochondrial dynamics increases stress resistance through activation of multiple stress response pathways

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that can change shape and size depending on the needs of the cell through the processes of mitochondrial fission and fusion. In this work, we investigated the role of mitochondrial dynamics in organismal stress response. By using C. elegans as a genetic model, we could visualize mitochondrial morphology in a live organism with well‐established stress assays and well‐characterized stress response pathways. We found that disrupting mitochondrial fission (DRP1/drp‐1) or fusion (OPA1/eat‐3, MFN/fzo‐1) genes caused alterations in mitochondrial morphology that impacted both mitochondrial function and physiologic rates. While both mitochondrial fission and mitochondrial fusion mutants showed increased sensitivity to osmotic stress and anoxia, surprisingly we found that the mitochondrial fusion mutants eat‐3 and fzo‐1 are more resistant to both heat stress and oxidative stress. In exploring the mechanism of increased stress resistance, we found that disruption of mitochondrial fusion genes resulted in the upregulation of multiple stress response pathways. Overall, this work demonstrates that disrupting mitochondrial dynamics can have opposite effects on resistance to different types of stress. Our results suggest that disruption of mitochondrial fusion activates multiple stress response pathways that enhance resistance to specific stresses.

Hepcidin-to-Ferritin Ratio Is Decreased in Astrocytes With Extracellular Alpha-Synuclein and Iron Exposure

Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS). As indispensable elements of the neurovascular unit, they are involved in the inflammatory response and disease-associated processes. Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) is released into the extracellular space by neurons and can be internalized by adjacent astrocytes, which activates glial cells to induce neuroinflammation. We were interested in whether astrocyte-mediated neuroinflammation is modulated by intracellular iron status and extracellular α-syn. Our results showed that recombinant α-syn (1 μg/ml and 5 μg/ml) treatment for 24 h did not affect the expression of the iron transporters divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) and ferroportin 1 (FPN1), nor those of iron regulatory protein (IRP) 1 or IRP2. Several proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 exhibited up-regulated mRNA levels in 5 μg/ml α-syn-treated astrocytes. TNF-α release was increased, indicating that inflammatory responses were triggered in these cells. Pretreatment with the iron-overload reagent ferric ammonium citrate (FAC, 100 μmol/L) for 24 h had no effects on mRNA levels and release of proinflammatory cytokines. Inflammatory responses triggered by α-syn were not affected by iron overload. The iron chelator desferrioxamine (DFO, 100 μmol/L) exerted suppressive effects on TNF-α mRNA levels, although no change was observed for TNF-α release. Hepcidin mRNA levels were down-regulated significantly in astrocytes co-treated with FAC and α-syn, although independent treatment with either FAC or α-syn did not alter hepcidin levels. In contrast, hepcidin mRNA levels were up-regulated in DFO and α-syn co-treated cells. As expected, ferritin protein levels were up-regulated or down-regulated with FAC or DFO treatment, respectively. Following the up-regulation of ferritin mediated by α-syn, hepcidin-to-ferritin levels were indicative of modulatory effects in α-syn-treated astrocytes with altered iron status. Therefore, we propose that the hepcidin-to-ferritin ratio is indicative of a detrimental response in primary cultured astrocytes experiencing iron and extracellular α-syn.

Zn homeostasis in genetic models of Parkinson's disease in Caenorhabditis elegans

While the underlying mechanisms of Parkinson's disease (PD) are still insufficiently studied, a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors is emphasized. Nevertheless, the role of the essential trace element zinc (Zn) in this regard remains controversial. In this study we altered Zn balance within PD models of the versatile model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) in order to examine whether a genetic predisposition in selected genes with relevance for PD affects Zn homeostasis. Protein-bound and labile Zn species act in various areas, such as enzymatic catalysis, protein stabilization pathways and cell signaling. Therefore, total Zn and labile Zn were quantitatively determined in living nematodes as individual biomarkers of Zn uptake and bioavailability with inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) or a multi-well method using the fluorescent probe ZinPyr-1. Young and middle-aged deletion mutants of catp-6 and pdr-1, which are orthologues of mammalian ATP13A2 (PARK9) and parkin (PARK2), showed altered Zn homeostasis following Zn exposure compared to wildtype worms. Furthermore, age-specific differences in Zn uptake were observed in wildtype worms for total as well as labile Zn species. These data emphasize the importance of differentiation between Zn species as meaningful biomarkers of Zn uptake as well as the need for further studies investigating the role of dysregulated Zn homeostasis in the etiology of PD.

Genetic Defects in Mitochondrial Dynamics in Caenorhabditis elegans Impact Ultraviolet C Radiation- and 6-hydroxydopamine-Induced Neurodegeneration

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders involving devastating loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Early steps in PD pathogenesis include mitochondrial dysfunction, and mutations in mitochondrial genes have been linked to familial forms of the disease. However, low penetrance of mutations indicates a likely important role for environmental factors in PD risk through gene by environment interactions. Herein, we study how genetic deficiencies in mitochondrial dynamics processes including fission, fusion, and mitophagy interact with environmental exposures to impact neurodegeneration. Methods: We utilized the powerful model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to study ultraviolet C radiation (UVC)- and 6-hydroxydopamine-induced degeneration of fluorescently-tagged dopaminergic neurons in the background of fusion deficiency (MFN1/2 homolog, fzo-1), fission deficiency (DMN1L homolog, drp-1), and mitochondria-specific autophagy (mitophagy) deficiency (PINK1 and PRKN homologs, pink-1 and pdr-1). Results: Overall, we found that deficiency in either mitochondrial fusion or fission sensitizes nematodes to UVC exposure (used to model common environmental pollutants) but protects from 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neurodegeneration. By contrast, mitophagy deficiency makes animals more sensitive to these stressors with an interesting exception—pink-1 deficiency conferred remarkable protection from 6-hydroxydopamine. We found that this protection could not be explained by compensatory antioxidant gene expression in pink-1 mutants or by differences in mitochondrial morphology. Conclusions: Together, our results support a strong role for gene by environment interactions in driving dopaminergic neurodegeneration and suggest that genetic deficiency in mitochondrial processes can have complex effects on neurodegeneration.

Found in Translation: The Utility of C. elegans Alpha-Synuclein Models of Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease in the world, yet the fundamental and underlying causes of the disease are largely unknown, and treatments remain sparse and impotent. Several biological systems have been employed to model the disease but the nematode roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) shows unique promise among these to disinter the elusive factors that may prevent, halt, and/or reverse PD phenotypes. Some of the most salient of these C. elegans models of PD are those that position the misfolding-prone protein alpha-synuclein (α-syn), a hallmark pathological component of PD, as the primary target for scientific interrogation. By transgenic expression of human α-syn in different tissues, including dopamine neurons and muscle cells, the primary cellular phenotypes of PD in humans have been recapitulated in these C. elegans models and have already uncovered multifarious genetic factors and chemical compounds that attenuate dopaminergic neurodegeneration. This review describes the paramount discoveries obtained through the application of different α-syn models of PD in C. elegans and highlights their established utility and respective promise to successfully uncover new conserved genetic modifiers, functional mechanisms, therapeutic targets and molecular leads for PD with the potential to translate to humans.