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Da'as SI, Thanassoulas A, Calver BL, Saleh A, Abdelrahman D, Hasan W, Safieh-Garabedian B, Kontogianni I, Nasrallah GK, Nounesis G, Lai FA, Nomikos M. Divergent Biochemical Properties and Disparate Impact of Arrhythmogenic Calmodulin Mutations on Zebrafish Cardiac Function. J Cell Biochem 2024; 125:e30619. [PMID: 38946237 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Calmodulin (CaM) is a ubiquitous, small cytosolic calcium (Ca2+)-binding sensor that plays a vital role in many cellular processes by binding and regulating the activity of over 300 protein targets. In cardiac muscle, CaM modulates directly or indirectly the activity of several proteins that play a key role in excitation-contraction coupling (ECC), such as ryanodine receptor type 2 (RyR2), l-type Ca2+ (Cav1.2), sodium (NaV1.5) and potassium (KV7.1) channels. Many recent clinical and genetic studies have reported a series of CaM mutations in patients with life-threatening arrhythmogenic syndromes, such as long QT syndrome (LQTS) and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT). We recently showed that four arrhythmogenic CaM mutations (N98I, D132E, D134H, and Q136P) significantly reduce the binding of CaM to RyR2. Herein, we investigate in vivo functional effects of these CaM mutations on the normal zebrafish embryonic heart function by microinjecting complementary RNA corresponding to CaMN98I, CaMD132E, CaMD134H, and CaMQ136P mutants. Expression of CaMD132E and CaMD134H mutants results in significant reduction of the zebrafish heart rate, mimicking a severe form of human bradycardia, whereas expression of CaMQ136P results in an increased heart rate mimicking human ventricular tachycardia. Moreover, analysis of cardiac ventricular rhythm revealed that the CaMD132E and CaMN98I zebrafish groups display an irregular pattern of heart beating and increased amplitude in comparison to the control groups. Furthermore, circular dichroism spectroscopy experiments using recombinant CaM proteins reveals a decreased structural stability of the four mutants compared to the wild-type CaM protein in the presence of Ca2+. Finally, Ca2+-binding studies indicates that all CaM mutations display reduced CaM Ca2+-binding affinities, with CaMD132E exhibiting the most prominent change. Our data suggest that CaM mutations can trigger different arrhythmogenic phenotypes through multiple and complex molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar I Da'as
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Brian L Calver
- Sir Geraint Evans Wales Heart Research Institute, College of Biomedical and Life Science, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Alaaeldin Saleh
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Waseem Hasan
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Iris Kontogianni
- National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos", Agia Paraskevi, Greece
- National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Gheyath K Nasrallah
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - George Nounesis
- National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos", Agia Paraskevi, Greece
| | - F Anthony Lai
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Sir Geraint Evans Wales Heart Research Institute, College of Biomedical and Life Science, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Michail Nomikos
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
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2
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Machikhin A, Guryleva A, Chakraborty A, Khokhlov D, Selyukov A, Shuman L, Bukova V, Efremova E, Rudenko E, Burlakov A. Microscopic photoplethysmography-based evaluation of cardiotoxicity in whitefish larvae induced by acute exposure to cadmium and phenol. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2024:e202400111. [PMID: 39031962 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202400111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Toxic environmental pollutants pose a health risk for both humans and animals. Accumulation of industrial contaminants in freshwater fish may become a significant threat to biodiversity. Comprehensive monitoring of the impact of environmental stressors on fish functional systems is important and use of non-invasive tools that can detect the presence of these toxicants in vivo is desirable. The blood circulatory system, by virtue of its sensitivity to the external stimuli, could be an informative indicator of chemical exposure. In this study, microscopic photoplethysmography-based approach was used to investigate the cardiac activity in broad whitefish larvae (Coregonus nasus) under acute exposure to cadmium and phenol. We identified contamination-induced abnormalities in the rhythms of the ventricle and atrium. Our results allow introducing additional endpoints to evaluate the cardiac dysfunction in fish larvae and contribute to the non-invasive evaluation of the toxic effects of industrial pollutants on bioaccumulation and aquatic life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Machikhin
- Scientific and Technological Center of Unique Instrumentation of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia Guryleva
- Scientific and Technological Center of Unique Instrumentation of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anirban Chakraborty
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Cancer, Nitte University Centre for Science Education & Research, Nitte (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, India
| | - Demid Khokhlov
- Scientific and Technological Center of Unique Instrumentation of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Leonid Shuman
- Tyumen State University, Laboratory AquaBioSafe, Tyumen, Russia
| | - Valeriya Bukova
- Scientific and Technological Center of Unique Instrumentation of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - Alexander Burlakov
- Scientific and Technological Center of Unique Instrumentation of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Ichthyology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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3
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Hasan M, Zedan HT, Al-Fakhroo D, Elsayed Ibrahim H, Abiib SI, El-Sherbiny IM, Yalcin HC. In vivo testing of novel nitric oxide-releasing nanoparticles for alleviating heart failure using the zebrafish embryo model. Nitric Oxide 2024; 144:47-57. [PMID: 38307377 DOI: 10.1016/j.niox.2024.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Heart failure (HF) is a multifactorial, heterogeneous systemic disease that is considered one of the leading causes of death and morbidity worldwide. It is well-known that endothelial dysfunction (ED) plays an important role in cardiac disease etiology. A reduction in the bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO) in the bloodstream leads to vasoconstriction and ED. Many studies indicated diminishment of peripheral arteries vasodilation that is mediated by the endothelium in the of patients with chronic HF. With the advancement of nanomedicine, nanotechnology can provide adequate solutions for delivering exogenous NO with the aid of nanoparticles (NPs) to treat ED. The properties of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) enable both passive and active delivery of drugs. This prompted us to investigate the efficacy of our newly-developed hydrogel nanoparticles (NO-RPs) for the delivery and sustained release of NO gas to alleviate cardiac failure and inflammation in the heart failure zebrafish model. The hydrogel NO-RPs incorporate SPIONS and NO precursor. The sustainend release of NO in the NO-RPs (4200 s), overcomes the problem of the short half life of NO in vivo which is expected to ameliorate the reduced NO bioavailabilty, and its consequences in endothelial and cardiac dysfunction. Zebrafish embryos were used as the animal model in this study to determine the effect of SPIONs-loaded NO-RPs on the cardiovascular system. Cardiac failure was induced in 24hpf embryos by exposure to aristolochic acid (AA)(0.25, 0.5 μM) for 8 h, followed by the SPIONs-loaded NO-RPs (0.25, 0.5 mg/ml) for 48 h, experimental groups included: control group which is healthy non treated zebrafish embryos, AA injured zebrafish embryos (HF) model,and NO-RP treated HF zebrafish embryos. Survival rate was assessed at 72hpf. Cardiac function was also evaluated by analyzing cardiac parameters including heartbeat, major blood vessels primordial cardinal vein and dorsal aorta (PCV &DA) diameter, blood flow velocity in PCV & DA vessels, cardiac output, and PCV & DA shear stresses. All cardiac parameters were analyzed with the aid of MicroZebraLab blood flow analysis software from Viewpoint. In addition, we studied the molecular effects of the developed NO-RPs on the mRNA expression of selected pro-inflammatory markers: IL-6, and Cox-2. Our findings demonstrated that the NO-RPs improved the survival rate in the heart failure zebrafish model and reversed heart failure by enhancing blood flow perfusion in Zebrafish embryos, significantly. In addition, RT-PCR results showed that the NO-RPs significantly reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory markers (lL-6&COX-2) in the heart failure zebrafish model. Our study confirmed that the developed SPIONs-loaded NO-RPs are effective tool to alleviate cardiac failure and inflammation in the HF zebrafish model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maram Hasan
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Hadeel T Zedan
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar; Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Dana Al-Fakhroo
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar; Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Hend Elsayed Ibrahim
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar; Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sumaya Ibrahim Abiib
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ibrahim M El-Sherbiny
- Nanomedicine Research Labs, Center for Materials Science, Zewail City of Science and Technology, 6 of October City, 12578, Giza, Egypt
| | - Huseyin C Yalcin
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar; Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar.
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4
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Nathan J, Shameera R, Devarajan N, Perumal E. Role of berberine on angiogenesis and blood flow hemodynamics using zebrafish model. J Appl Toxicol 2024; 44:165-174. [PMID: 37615217 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4529] [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: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Angiogenesis and hemodynamic instability created by the irregular blood vessels causes hypoperfusion and angiogenesis-mediated diseases. Therefore, therapies focusing on controlling angiogenesis will be a valuable approach to treat a broad spectrum of diseases. In this study, we explored the anti-angiogenic potential of berberine (BBR) and also analyzed blood flow hemodynamics using zebrafish embryos. Zebrafish embryos treated with BBR (0.01-0.75 mM) at various doses at 1 hour post-fertilization (hpf) developed a variety of phenotypic variations including aberrant blood vessels, tail bending, edema, and hemorrhage. Survival rates were much lower at higher dosages, and hatching rates were almost 99%, whereas control group appeared normal. Heart rate is an essential measure that has a strong association with hemodynamics. We used ImageJ software to study the heart rate of embryos treated with BBR, preceded by video processing. The resultant graph shows a significant decrease in heart rate of embryos treated with BBR in dose-dependent manner. Also, RBC staining using o-Dianisidine confirms the anti-angiogenic potential of BBR by indicating the decrease in the intersegmental vessels at 0.5 and 0.75 mM treated embryos. Further, the gene expression study determined that the transcripts (vegf, vegfr2, nrp1a, hif-1α, nos2a, nos2b, cox-2a, and cox-2b) measured were found to be downregulated by BBR at 0.5 mM concentration, from which we conclude that enos/vegf signaling could play an important role in modulating angiogenesis. Our data imply that BBR may be an effective compound for suppressing angiogenesis in vivo, which might be helpful in the treatment of vascular disorders like cancer and diabetic retinopathy in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhansi Nathan
- Zebrafish Developmental Biology Laboratory, AUKBC Research Centre for Emerging Technologies, Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Rabiathul Shameera
- Zebrafish Developmental Biology Laboratory, AUKBC Research Centre for Emerging Technologies, Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Nalini Devarajan
- Central Research Laboratory, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research (Deemed to be University), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Elumalai Perumal
- Centre for Transdisciplinary Research, Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
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He J, Blazeski A, Nilanthi U, Menéndez J, Pirani SC, Levic DS, Bagnat M, Singh MK, Raya JG, García-Cardeña G, Torres-Vázquez J. Plxnd1-mediated mechanosensing of blood flow controls the caliber of the Dorsal Aorta via the transcription factor Klf2. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.24.576555. [PMID: 38328196 PMCID: PMC10849625 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.24.576555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The cardiovascular system generates and responds to mechanical forces. The heartbeat pumps blood through a network of vascular tubes, which adjust their caliber in response to the hemodynamic environment. However, how endothelial cells in the developing vascular system integrate inputs from circulatory forces into signaling pathways to define vessel caliber is poorly understood. Using vertebrate embryos and in vitro-assembled microvascular networks of human endothelial cells as models, flow and genetic manipulations, and custom software, we reveal that Plexin-D1, an endothelial Semaphorin receptor critical for angiogenic guidance, employs its mechanosensing activity to serve as a crucial positive regulator of the Dorsal Aorta's (DA) caliber. We also uncover that the flow-responsive transcription factor KLF2 acts as a paramount mechanosensitive effector of Plexin-D1 that enlarges endothelial cells to widen the vessel. These findings illuminate the molecular and cellular mechanisms orchestrating the interplay between cardiovascular development and hemodynamic forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia He
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Adriana Blazeski
- Center for Excellence in Vascular Biology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Uthayanan Nilanthi
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857
| | - Javier Menéndez
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Samuel C. Pirani
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Daniel S. Levic
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Michel Bagnat
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Manvendra K. Singh
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857
- National Heart Research Institute Singapore, National Heart Centre Singapore, 5 Hospital Drive, Singapore, 169609
| | - José G Raya
- Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Guillermo García-Cardeña
- Center for Excellence in Vascular Biology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jesús Torres-Vázquez
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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6
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Yuan J, Que R, Zhao W, Song F, Cao Y, Yu B. Influences of lysine-specific demethylase 1 inhibitors on NO synthase-Kruppel-like factor pathways in human endothelial cells in vitro and zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae in vivo. J Appl Toxicol 2023; 43:1748-1760. [PMID: 37408164 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) inhibitors are being developed for cancer therapy, but their bioeffects on vasculatures are not clear. In this study, we compared the influences of ORY-1001 (an LSD1 inhibitor being advanced into clinical trials) and 199 (a novel LSD1 inhibitor recently developed by us) to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro and further verified the bioeffects of ORY-1001 to zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae in vivo. The results showed that up to 10 μM ORY-1001 or 199 did not significantly affect the cellular viability of HUVECs but substantially reduced the release of inflammatory interleukin-8 (IL-8) and IL-6. The signaling molecule in vasculatures, NO, was also increased in HUVECs. As the mechanism, the protein levels of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) or p-eNOS, and their regulators Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) or KLF4, were also increased after drug treatment. In vivo, 24 h treatment with up to 100 nM ORY-1001 reduced blood speed without changing morphologies or locomotor activities in zebrafish larvae. ORY-1001 treatment reduced the expression of il8 but promoted the expression of klf2a and nos in the zebrafish model. These data show that LSD1 inhibitors were not toxic but capable to inhibit inflammatory responses and affect the function of blood vessels through the up-regulation of the NOS-KLF pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialin Yuan
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Typical Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards, School of Public Health, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Ruiman Que
- Department of Pharmacy, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Weichao Zhao
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Typical Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards, School of Public Health, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Fengmei Song
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Typical Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards, School of Public Health, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Yi Cao
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Typical Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards, School of Public Health, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Bin Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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7
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Wang H, He J, Han X, Wu X, Ye X, Lv W, Zu Y. hoxa1a-Null Zebrafish as a Model for Studying HOXA1-Associated Heart Malformation in Bosley-Salih-Alorainy Syndrome. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:899. [PMID: 37508332 PMCID: PMC10376578 DOI: 10.3390/biology12070899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in HOXA1 can lead to diseases such as Bosley-Salih-Alorainy syndrome, involving severe cardiovascular malformations. However, the role of HOXA1 in cardiac morphogenesis remains unclear. hoxa1a is a homologous gene to human HOXA1 in zebrafish. We used CRISPR to make hoxa1a-null zebrafish that exhibited multiple heart malformations. In situ hybridization and sections revealed the morphological changes in mutants: enlarged ventricle with thickened myocardium and increased trabeculae, intensified OFT and inadequate heart looping, with electrocardiography supporting these pathological changes. High-speed photography captured cardiac pumping and revealed a significant decrease in cardiac output. Furthermore, lacking hoxa1a led to posterior body abnormality that affected movement ability, corresponding with the motor development delay in patients. Upregulation of hox paralogues in hoxa1a-null fish implied a compensatory mechanism between hox genes. Accordingly, we successfully constructed a hoxa1a-null model with a cardiac disease pattern which occurred in human HOXA1-associated heart malformation. The study of hoxa1a in zebrafish can further promote the understanding of hox genes and related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjie Wang
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Jingwei He
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Xuemei Han
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Xiuzhi Wu
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Xuebin Ye
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Marine Biomedical Science and Technology Innovation Platform of Lin-gang Special Area, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Wenchao Lv
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Yao Zu
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Marine Biomedical Science and Technology Innovation Platform of Lin-gang Special Area, Shanghai 201306, China
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Sokary S, Zakaria Z, Bawadi H, Al-Asmakh M. Testing the Anticancer Effect of Matcha Using Zebrafish as an Animal Model. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15102369. [PMID: 37242252 DOI: 10.3390/nu15102369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients show the poorest prognosis and survival and the highest metastasis prevalence among all breast cancer subtypes. Matcha has recently been associated with multiple health benefits, and in vitro studies showed the potential effect of matcha in inhibiting cancer development and metastasis. We aimed to determine the safe, non-toxic dose of matcha suitable for zebrafish and to investigate the anticancer effect of matcha on the metastasis and growth of human TBNC cells using a zebrafish xenograft model. Wild-type AB zebrafish were used to conduct multiple general toxicity assessments, including developmental, neuromuscular, and cardiovascular toxicities. The safe, non-toxic concentration of matcha was determined to be 50 µg/mL and 100 µg/mL. Afterward, the zebrafish xenograft model was successfully established for MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells. The tumor size and metastasis of the injected cancer cells were traced through CM-Dil red fluorescent dye. Upon exposure to matcha at the safe doses, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 showed a trend toward reduction in tumor size in a dose-dependent manner, indicated by quantified fluorescence. Matcha also visibly suppressed metastasis of cancer cells in the zebrafish body. Our results point to a potential dose-dependent anticancer effect of matcha on TNBC cells; however, more extended observation periods after xenotransplantation are required to confirm the long-term anticancer effect of matcha on tumor growth and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Sokary
- Department of Human Nutrition, College of Health Science, QU-Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
| | - Zain Zakaria
- Medical and Health Sciences Office, QU-Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
| | - Hiba Bawadi
- Department of Human Nutrition, College of Health Science, QU-Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
| | - Maha Al-Asmakh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Science, QU-Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
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Cheng Y, Tao J, Zhang Y, Xi L, Han R, Xu M, Lee SMY, Ge W, Gan Y, Zheng Y. Shape and Shear Stress Impact on the Toxicity of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles: In Vitro and In Vivo Evidence. Mol Pharm 2023. [PMID: 37167021 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00180] [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] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are widely used in the biomedical field because of their unique and excellent properties. However, the potential toxicity of different shaped MSNs via injection has not been fully studied. This study aims to systematically explore the impact of shape and shear stress on the toxicity of MSNs after injection. An in vitro blood flow model was developed to investigate the cytotoxicity and the underlying mechanisms of spherical MSNs (S-MSN) and rodlike MSNs (R-MSN) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The results suggested that the interactions between MSNs and HUVECs under the physiological flow conditions were significantly different from that under static conditions. Whether under static or flow conditions, R-MSN showed better cellular uptake and less oxidative damage than S-MSN. The main mechanism of cytotoxicity induced by R-MSN was due to shear stress-dependent mechanical damage of the cell membrane, while the toxicity of S-MSN was attributed to mechanical damage and oxidative damage. The addition of fetal bovine serum (FBS) alleviated the toxicity of S-MSN by reducing cellular uptake and oxidative stress under static and flow conditions. Moreover, the in vivo results showed that both S-MSN and R-MSN caused cardiovascular toxicity in zebrafish and mouse models due to the high shear stress, especially in the heart. S-MSN led to severe oxidative damage at the accumulation site, such as liver, spleen, and lung in mice, while R-MSN did not cause significant oxidative stress. The results of in vitro blood flow and in vivo models indicated that particle shape and shear stress are crucial to the biosafety of MSNs, providing new evidence for the toxicity mechanisms of the injected MSNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxin Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Jinsong Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Yaqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Long Xi
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Run Han
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Meng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Simon Ming-Yuen Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Wei Ge
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Yong Gan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Pharmaceutical Excipients, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Ying Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
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10
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Kämmer N, Reimann T, Ovcharova V, Braunbeck T. A novel automated method for the simultaneous detection of breathing frequency and amplitude in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and larvae. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 258:106493. [PMID: 36963131 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Stress responses of fish to disruption of oxygen homeostasis include adjusted oxygen consumption rate (MO2) as well as the hyperventilation consisting of changes in breathing frequency (fv) and amplitude (fampl). However, studying the HVR in very small organisms such as zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and larvae is challenging, and breathing movements (i.e., fv) are usually manually counted, which is time- and human resource-intense, error-prone and does not provide information on the amplitude of breathing movements of the response, the breathing amplitude (fampl). Hence, in the present study, a new automated method was developed to simultaneously measure fv and fampl in small zebrafish embryos and larvae with the computer software DanioScope™. To compare HVR strategies at different life-stages of zebrafish and the physiologically linked MO2, hatched 4 d old embryos and early gill-breathing 12 d old larvae were treated with the HVR-inducing neurotoxic compound lindane (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane; γ-HCH) as a model substance. Comparison of manually counted fv with fv data measured by DanioScope™ at both life-stages showed high to moderate agreement between the two methods with respect to fv in control fish and in fish treated with lower lindane concentrations (3 - 18% deviation at 25 µg/L γ-HCH). With increasing lindane concentrations (100 and 400 µg/L γ-HCH), however, manual counts showed an average underestimation of fv by up to 30%, mainly due to very fast, rapidly successive, and indistinct movements of the fish, which cannot be properly detected by manual counts. Automated measurement thus proved significantly more sensitive, although several pre- and post-processing steps are needed. The improved automated detection of fv and the first reliable estimation of fampl in small fish embryos and larvae, as well as the inclusion of MO2, may provide new insights into different respiratory strategies and may, thus, represent a tool to lower the detection limit for reactions of different life-stages of fish to environmental stressors. In the present study, this became evident, as early gill-breathing 12 d old zebrafish larvae showed symptoms of respiratory failure (i.e., increase in fv, fampl and MO2, followed by subsequent lethargy) after exposure to lindane, whereas skin-breathing in 4 d old embryos proved mainly insensitive to the paralytic effects of lindane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Kämmer
- Aquatic Ecology and Toxicology Section, Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 504, Heidelberg D-69210, Germany.
| | - Tanja Reimann
- Aquatic Ecology and Toxicology Section, Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 504, Heidelberg D-69210, Germany
| | - Viktoriia Ovcharova
- Aquatic Ecology and Toxicology Section, Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 504, Heidelberg D-69210, Germany
| | - Thomas Braunbeck
- Aquatic Ecology and Toxicology Section, Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 504, Heidelberg D-69210, Germany.
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11
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Chen C, Tang Y, Tan Y, Wang L, Li H. Three-dimensional cerebral vasculature topological parameter extraction of transgenic zebrafish embryos with a filling-enhancement deep learning network. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2023; 14:971-984. [PMID: 36874479 PMCID: PMC9979664 DOI: 10.1364/boe.484351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Quantitative analysis of zebrafish cerebral vasculature is essential for the study of vascular development and disease. We developed a method to accurately extract the cerebral vasculature topological parameters of transgenic zebrafish embryos. The intermittent and hollow vascular structures of transgenic zebrafish embryos, obtained from 3D light-sheet imaging, were transformed into continuous solid structures with a filling-enhancement deep learning network. The enhancement enables the extraction of 8 vascular topological parameters accurately. Quantitation of the zebrafish cerebral vasculature vessels with the topological parameters show a developmental pattern transition from 2.5 to 5.5 dpf.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Chen
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230041, China
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - YuJun Tang
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230041, China
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - Yao Tan
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - LinBo Wang
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - Hui Li
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
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12
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Optical transparency and label-free vessel imaging of zebrafish larvae in shortwave infrared range as a tool for prolonged studying of cardiovascular system development. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20884. [PMID: 36463350 PMCID: PMC9719527 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25386-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Optical techniques are utilized for the non-invasive analysis of the zebrafish cardiovascular system at early developmental stages. Being based mainly on conventional optical microscopy components and image sensors, the wavelength range of the collected and analyzed light is not out of the scope of 400-900 nm. In this paper, we compared the non-invasive optical approaches utilizing visible and near infrared range (VISNIR) 400-1000 and the shortwave infrared range (SWIR) 900-1700 nm. The transmittance spectra of zebrafish tissues were measured in these wavelength ranges, then vessel maps, heart rates, and blood flow velocities were calculated from data in VISNIR and SWIR. An increased pigment pattern transparency was registered in SWIR, while the heart and vessel detection quality in this range is not inferior to VISNIR. Obtained results indicate an increased efficiency of SWIR imaging for monitoring heart function and hemodynamic analysis of zebrafish embryos and larvae and suggest a prolonged registration period in this range compared to other optical techniques that are limited by pigment pattern development.
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13
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OpenBloodFlow: A User-Friendly OpenCV-Based Software Package for Blood Flow Velocity and Blood Cell Count Measurement for Fish Embryos. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11101471. [PMID: 36290375 PMCID: PMC9598615 DOI: 10.3390/biology11101471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The transparent appearance of fish embryos provides an excellent assessment feature for observing cardiovascular function in vivo. Previously, methods to conduct vascular function assessment were based on measuring blood-flow velocity using third-party software. In this study, we reported a simple software, free of costs and skills, called OpenBloodFlow, which can measure blood flow velocity and count blood cells in fish embryos for the first time. First, videos captured by high-speed CCD were processed for better image stabilization and contrast. Next, the optical flow of moving objects was extracted from the non-moving background in a frame-by-frame manner. Finally, blood flow velocity was calculated by the Gunner Farneback algorithm in Python. Data validation with zebrafish and medaka embryos in OpenBloodFlow was consistent with our previously published ImageJ-based method. We demonstrated consistent blood flow alterations by either OpenBloodFlow or ImageJ in the dorsal aorta of zebrafish embryos when exposed to either phenylhydrazine or ractopamine. In addition, we validated that OpenBloodFlow was able to conduct precise blood cell counting. In this study, we provide an easy and fully automatic programming for blood flow velocity calculation and blood cell counting that is useful for toxicology and pharmacology studies in fish.
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14
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Machikhin A, Huang CC, Khokhlov D, Galanova V, Burlakov A. Single-shot Mueller-matrix imaging of zebrafish tissues: In vivo analysis of developmental and pathological features. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2022; 15:e202200088. [PMID: 35582886 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202200088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Zebrafish is a well-established animal model for developmental and disease studies. Its optical transparency at early developmental stages allows in vivo tissues visualization. Interaction of polarized light with these tissues provides information on their structure and properties. This approach is effective for muscle tissue analysis due to its birefringence. To enable real-time Mueller-matrix characterization of unanesthetized fish, we assembled a microscope for single-shot Mueller-matrix imaging. First, we performed a continuous observation of 48 species within the period of 2 to 96 hpf and measured temporal dependencies of the polarization features in different tissues. These measurements show that hatching was accompanied by a sharp change in the angle and degree of linearly polarized light after interaction with muscles. Second, we analyzed nine species with skeletal disorders and demonstrated that the spatial distribution of light depolarization features clearly indicated them. Obtained results demonstrated that real-time Mueller-matrix imaging is a powerful tool for label-free monitoring zebrafish embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Machikhin
- Laboratory of Acousto-optical Spectroscopy, Scientific and Technological Center of Unique Instrumentation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Chih-Chung Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Demid Khokhlov
- Laboratory of Acousto-optical Spectroscopy, Scientific and Technological Center of Unique Instrumentation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Victoria Galanova
- Laboratory of Acousto-optical Spectroscopy, Scientific and Technological Center of Unique Instrumentation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Laser and Opto-Electronic Systems, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Burlakov
- Laboratory of Acousto-optical Spectroscopy, Scientific and Technological Center of Unique Instrumentation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Ichthyology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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15
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Voisard P, Diofano F, Glazier AA, Rottbauer W, Just S. CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Constitutive Loss of VCP (Valosin-Containing Protein) Impairs Proteostasis and Leads to Defective Striated Muscle Structure and Function In Vivo. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126722. [PMID: 35743185 PMCID: PMC9223409 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Valosin-containing protein (VCP) acts as a key regulator of cellular protein homeostasis by coordinating protein turnover and quality control. Mutations in VCP lead to (cardio-)myopathy and neurodegenerative diseases such as inclusion body myopathy with Paget’s disease of the bone and frontotemporal dementia (IBMPFD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). To date, due to embryonic lethality, no constitutive VCP knockout animal model exists. Here, we generated a constitutive CRISPR/Cas9-induced vcp knockout zebrafish model. Similar to the phenotype of vcp morphant knockdown zebrafish embryos, we found that vcp-null embryos displayed significantly impaired cardiac and skeletal muscle function. By ultrastructural analysis of skeletal muscle cells and cardiomyocytes, we observed severely disrupted myofibrillar organization and accumulation of inclusion bodies as well as mitochondrial degeneration. vcp knockout was associated with a significant accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, suggesting impaired proteasomal function. Additionally, markers of unfolded protein response (UPR)/ER-stress and autophagy-related mTOR signaling were elevated in vcp-deficient embryos, demonstrating impaired proteostasis in VCP-null zebrafish. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate the successful generation of a stable constitutive vcp knockout zebrafish line that will enable characterization of the detailed mechanistic underpinnings of vcp loss, particularly the impact of disturbed protein homeostasis on organ development and function in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Voisard
- Molecular Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (P.V.); (F.D.); (A.A.G.)
| | - Federica Diofano
- Molecular Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (P.V.); (F.D.); (A.A.G.)
| | - Amelia A. Glazier
- Molecular Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (P.V.); (F.D.); (A.A.G.)
| | - Wolfgang Rottbauer
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany;
| | - Steffen Just
- Molecular Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (P.V.); (F.D.); (A.A.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-731-500-45118; Fax: +49-731-500-45159
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16
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Reduced Cardiotoxicity of Ponatinib-Loaded PLGA-PEG-PLGA Nanoparticles in Zebrafish Xenograft Model. MATERIALS 2022; 15:ma15113960. [PMID: 35683259 PMCID: PMC9182153 DOI: 10.3390/ma15113960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the new generation of anti-cancer drugs with high potential against cancer cells’ proliferation and growth. However, TKIs are associated with severe cardiotoxicity, limiting their clinical value. One TKI that has been developed recently but not explored much is Ponatinib. The use of nanoparticles (NPs) as a better therapeutic agent to deliver anti-cancer drugs and reduce their cardiotoxicity has been recently considered. In this study, with the aim to reduce Ponatinib cardiotoxicity, Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)-b-poly(ethyleneoxide)-b-poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA-PEG-PLGA) triblock copolymer was used to synthesize Ponatinib in loaded PLGA-PEG-PLGA NPs for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treatment. In addition to physicochemical NPs characterization (NPs shape, size, size distribution, surface charge, dissolution rate, drug content, and efficacy of encapsulation) the efficacy and safety of these drug-delivery systems were assessed in vivo using zebrafish. Zebrafish are a powerful animal model for investigating the cardiotoxicity associated with anti-cancer drugs such as TKIs, to determine the optimum concentration of smart NPs with the least side effects, and to generate a xenograft model of several cancer types. Therefore, the cardiotoxicity of unloaded and drug-loaded PLGA-PEG-PLGA NPs was studied using the zebrafish model by measuring the survival rate and cardiac function parameters, and therapeutic concentration for in vivo efficacy studies was optimized in an in vivo setting. Further, the efficacy of drug-loaded PLGA-PEG-PLGA NPs was tested on the zebrafish cancer xenograft model, in which human myelogenous leukemia cell line K562 was transplanted into zebrafish embryos. Our results demonstrated that the Ponatinib-loaded PLGA-PEG-PLGA NPs at a concentration of 0.001 mg/mL are non-toxic/non-cardio-toxic in the studied zebrafish xenograft model.
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17
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Alser M, Salman HE, Naïja A, Seers TD, Khan T, Yalcin HC. Blood Flow Disturbance and Morphological Alterations Following the Right Atrial Ligation in the Chick Embryo. Front Physiol 2022; 13:849603. [PMID: 35492580 PMCID: PMC9047544 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.849603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Collectively known as congenital heart defects (CHDs), cardiac abnormalities at birth are the most common forms of neonatal defects. Being principally responsible for the heart‘s pumping power, ventricles are particularly affected by developmental abnormalities, such as flow disturbances or genomic defects. Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS) is a rare disease where the right ventricle is underdeveloped. In this study, we introduce a surgical procedure performed on chick embryo, termed right atrial ligation (RAL) for disturbing hemodynamics within the right heart aiming in order to generate an animal model of HRHS. RAL is a new surgical manipulation, similar to the well-studied left atrial ligation (LAL) surgery but it induces the hemodynamic change into the right side of the heart. After inducing RAL, We utilized techniques such as Doppler ultrasound, x-ray micro-CT, histology, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, for a comprehensive functional and structural analysis of a developing heart. Our results displayed that RAL does not induce severe flow disturbance and ventricular abnormalities consistent with clinical findings. This study allows us to better understand the hemodynamics-driven CHD development and sensitivities of ventricles under disturbed flows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha Alser
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Huseyin Enes Salman
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Azza Naïja
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Talha Khan
- Petroleum Engineering Program, Texas A&M University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Huseyin Cagatay Yalcin
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- *Correspondence: Huseyin Cagatay Yalcin,
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18
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Pharmacological assessment of zebrafish-based cardiotoxicity models. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 148:112695. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
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19
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Gupta A, Thirugnanam K, Thamilarasan M, Mohieldin AM, Zedan HT, Prabhudesai S, Griffin MR, Spearman AD, Pan A, Palecek SP, Yalcin HC, Nauli SM, Rarick KR, Zennadi R, Ramchandran R. Cilia proteins are biomarkers of altered flow in the vasculature. JCI Insight 2022; 7:151813. [PMID: 35143420 PMCID: PMC8986075 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.151813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cilia, microtubule-based organelles that project from the apical luminal surface of endothelial cells (ECs), are widely regarded as low-flow sensors. Previous reports suggest that upon high shear stress, cilia on the EC surface are lost, and more recent evidence suggests that deciliation—the physical removal of cilia from the cell surface—is a predominant mechanism for cilia loss in mammalian cells. Thus, we hypothesized that EC deciliation facilitated by changes in shear stress would manifest in increased abundance of cilia-related proteins in circulation. To test this hypothesis, we performed shear stress experiments that mimicked flow conditions from low to high shear stress in human primary cells and a zebrafish model system. In the primary cells, we showed that upon shear stress induction, indeed, ciliary fragments were observed in the effluent in vitro, and effluents contained ciliary proteins normally expressed in both endothelial and epithelial cells. In zebrafish, upon shear stress induction, fewer cilia-expressing ECs were observed. To test the translational relevance of these findings, we investigated our hypothesis using patient blood samples from sickle cell disease and found that plasma levels of ciliary proteins were elevated compared with healthy controls. Further, sickled red blood cells demonstrated high levels of ciliary protein (ARL13b) on their surface after adhesion to brain ECs. Brain ECs postinteraction with sickle RBCs showed high reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Attenuating ROS levels in brain ECs decreased cilia protein levels on RBCs and rescued ciliary protein levels in brain ECs. Collectively, these data suggest that cilia and ciliary proteins in circulation are detectable under various altered-flow conditions, which could serve as a surrogate biomarker of the damaged endothelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankan Gupta
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | | | | | - Ashraf M Mohieldin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University, Irvine, United States of America
| | - Hadeel T Zedan
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Doha, Qatar
| | - Shubhangi Prabhudesai
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Meghan R Griffin
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Andrew D Spearman
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Amy Pan
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Sean P Palecek
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, United States of America
| | - Huseyin C Yalcin
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Doha, Qatar
| | - Surya M Nauli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University, Irvine, United States of America
| | - Kevin R Rarick
- Division of Critical Care, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Rahima Zennadi
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, United States of America
| | - Ramani Ramchandran
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
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20
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Al-Ansari DE, Al-Badr M, Zakaria ZZ, Mohamed NA, Nasrallah GK, Yalcin HC, Abou-Saleh H. Evaluation of Metal‐Organic Framework MIL-89 nanoparticles toxicity on embryonic zebrafish development. Toxicol Rep 2022; 9:951-960. [PMID: 35875258 PMCID: PMC9301604 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2022.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Metal-Organic Framework MIL-89 nanoparticles garnered remarkable attention for their widespread use in technological applications. However, the impact of these nanomaterials on human and environmental health is still limited, and concerns regarding the potential risk of exposure during manipulation is constantly rising. Therefore, the extensive use of nanomaterials in the medical field necessitates a comprehensive assessment of their safety and interaction with different tissues of the body system. In this study, we evaluated the systemic toxicity of nanoMIL-89 using Zebrafish embryos as a model system to determine the acute developmental effect. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to a range of nanoMIL-89 concentrations (1 – 300 µM) at 4 h post-fertilization (hpf) for up to 120 hpf. The viability and hatching rate were evaluated at 24–72 hpf, whereas the cardiac function was assessed at 72 and 96 hpf, and the neurodevelopment and hepatic steatosis at 120 hpf. Our study shows that nanoMIL-89 exerted no developmental toxicity on zebrafish embryos at low concentrations (1–10 µM). However, the hatching time and heart development were affected at high concentrations of nanoMIL-89 (> 30 µM). Our findings add novel information into the available data about the in vivo toxicity of nanoMIL-89 and demonstrate its innocuity and safe use in biological, environmental, and medical applications. NanoMIL-89 is not lethal for zebrafish embryos. High concentrations of nanoMIL-89 alter the heart development and delay the hatching time in zebrafish embryos. Low concentrations of nanoMIL-89 showed no significant organ specific toxicity effects on zebrafish embryos.
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21
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Ling D, Chen H, Chan G, Lee SMY. Quantitative measurements of zebrafish heartrate and heart rate variability: A survey between 1990-2020. Comput Biol Med 2021; 142:105045. [PMID: 34995954 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.105045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Zebrafish is an essential model organism for studying cardiovascular diseases, given its advantages of fast proliferation and high gene homology with humans. Zebrafish embryos/larvae are valuable experimental models used in toxicology studies to analyze drug toxicity, including hepatoxicity, nephrotoxicity and cardiotoxicity, as well as for drug discovery and drug safety screening in the preclinical stage. Heart rate (HR) serves as a functional endpoint in studies of cardiotoxicity, while heart rate variability (HRV) serves as an indicator of cardiac arrhythmia. Cardiotoxicity is a major cause of early and late termination of drug trials, so a more comprehensive understanding of zebrafish HR and HRV is important. This review summarized HR and HRV in a specific range of applications and fields, focusing on zebrafish heartbeat detection procedures, signal analysis technology and well-established commercial software, such as LabVIEW, Rvlpulse, and ZebraLab. We also compared HR detection algorithms and electrocardiography (ECG)-based methods of heart signal extraction. The relationship between HR and HRV was also systematically analyzed; HR was shown to have an inverse correlation with HRV. Applications to drug testing are also highlighted in this review. Furthermore, HR and HRV were shown to be regulated by the automatic nervous system; their connections with ECG measurements are also summarized herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmin Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Science, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Huanxian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Science, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Ging Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Science, University of Macau, Macao, China; Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Simon Ming-Yuen Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Science, University of Macau, Macao, China; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China.
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22
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Effect of Water-Pipe Smoking on the Normal Development of Zebrafish. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182111659. [PMID: 34770174 PMCID: PMC8582815 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: Among all types of tobacco consumption, Water-Pipe Smoking (WPS) is the most widely used in the Middle East and second-most in several other countries. The effect of WPS on normal development is not yet fully understood, thus the aim of this study is to explore the acute toxicity effects of WPS extract on zebrafish larvae. Methods: In this study, we compared the effects of WPS smoke condensates at concentrations varying from 50 to 200 µg/mL on developmental, cardiac, and behavioural (neurotoxicity) functions. Gene expression patterns of cardiac biomarkers were also evaluated by RT-qPCR. Results: Exposing zebrafish embryos to 50, 100, 150 and 200 µg/mL WPS for three days did not affect the normal morphology of Zebrafish embryos, as the tail flicking, behavioural and locomotion assays did not show any change. However, WPS deregulated cardiac markers including atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP/NPPA) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP/NPPB). Furthermore, it induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that WPS can significantly affect specific cardiac parameters during the normal development of zebrafish. Further investigations are necessary to elucidate the pathogenic outcome of WPS on different aspects of human life, including pregnancy.
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23
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Al-Thani HF, Shurbaji S, Yalcin HC. Zebrafish as a Model for Anticancer Nanomedicine Studies. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:625. [PMID: 34203407 PMCID: PMC8308643 DOI: 10.3390/ph14070625] [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: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanomedicine is a new approach to fight against cancer by the development of anticancer nanoparticles (NPs) that are of high sensitivity, specificity, and targeting ability to detect cancer cells, such as the ability of Silica NPs in targeting epithelial cancer cells. However, these anticancer NPs require preclinical testing, and zebrafish is a useful animal model for preclinical studies of anticancer NPs. This model affords a large sample size, optical imaging, and easy genetic manipulation that aid in nanomedicine studies. This review summarizes the numerous advantages of the zebrafish animal model for such investigation, various techniques for inducing cancer in zebrafish, and discusses the methods to assess cancer development in the model and to test for the toxicity of the anticancer drugs and NPs. In addition, it summarizes the recent studies that used zebrafish as a model to test the efficacy of several different anticancer NPs in treating cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hissa F Al-Thani
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
| | - Samar Shurbaji
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
| | - Huseyin C Yalcin
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
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Alser M, Shurbaji S, Yalcin HC. Mechanosensitive Pathways in Heart Development: Findings from Chick Embryo Studies. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2021; 8:jcdd8040032. [PMID: 33810288 PMCID: PMC8065436 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd8040032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The heart is the first organ that starts to function in a developing embryo. It continues to undergo dramatic morphological changes while pumping blood to the rest of the body. Genetic regulation of heart development is partly governed by hemodynamics. Chick embryo is a major animal model that has been used extensively in cardiogenesis research. To reveal mechanosensitive pathways, a variety of surgical interferences and chemical treatments can be applied to the chick embryo to manipulate the blood flow. Such manipulations alter expressions of mechanosensitive genes which may anticipate induction of morphological changes in the developing heart. This paper aims to present different approaches for generating clinically relevant disturbed hemodynamics conditions using this embryonic chick model and to summarize identified mechanosensitive genes using the model, providing insights into embryonic origins of congenital heart defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha Alser
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar; (M.A.); (S.S.)
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar
| | - Samar Shurbaji
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar; (M.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Huseyin C. Yalcin
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar; (M.A.); (S.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +974-4403-7719
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Computational Modeling of Blood Flow Hemodynamics for Biomechanical Investigation of Cardiac Development and Disease. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2021; 8:jcdd8020014. [PMID: 33572675 PMCID: PMC7912127 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd8020014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The heart is the first functional organ in a developing embryo. Cardiac development continues throughout developmental stages while the heart goes through a serious of drastic morphological changes. Previous animal experiments as well as clinical observations showed that disturbed hemodynamics interfere with the development of the heart and leads to the formation of a variety of defects in heart valves, heart chambers, and blood vessels, suggesting that hemodynamics is a governing factor for cardiogenesis, and disturbed hemodynamics is an important source of congenital heart defects. Therefore, there is an interest to image and quantify the flowing blood through a developing heart. Flow measurement in embryonic fetal heart can be performed using advanced techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or echocardiography. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling is another approach especially useful when the other imaging modalities are not available and in-depth flow assessment is needed. The approach is based on numerically solving relevant physical equations to approximate the flow hemodynamics and tissue behavior. This approach is becoming widely adapted to simulate cardiac flows during the embryonic development. While there are few studies for human fetal cardiac flows, many groups used zebrafish and chicken embryos as useful models for elucidating normal and diseased cardiogenesis. In this paper, we explain the major steps to generate CFD models for simulating cardiac hemodynamics in vivo and summarize the latest findings on chicken and zebrafish embryos as well as human fetal hearts.
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Salman HE, Alser M, Shekhar A, Gould RA, Benslimane FM, Butcher JT, Yalcin HC. Effect of left atrial ligation-driven altered inflow hemodynamics on embryonic heart development: clues for prenatal progression of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2021; 20:733-750. [PMID: 33481120 PMCID: PMC7979615 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-020-01413-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are abnormalities in the heart structure present at birth. One important condition is hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) where severely underdeveloped left ventricle (LV) cannot support systemic circulation. HLHS usually initiates as localized tissue malformations with no underlying genetic cause, suggesting that disturbed hemodynamics contribute to the embryonic development of these defects. Left atrial ligation (LAL) is a surgical procedure on embryonic chick resulting in a phenotype resembling clinical HLHS. In this study, we investigated disturbed hemodynamics and deteriorated cardiac growth following LAL to investigate possible mechanobiological mechanisms for the embryonic development of HLHS. We integrated techniques such as echocardiography, micro-CT and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for these analyses. Specifically, LAL procedure causes an immediate flow disturbance over atrioventricular (AV) cushions. At later stages after the heart septation, it causes hemodynamic disturbances in LV. As a consequence of the LAL procedure, the left-AV canal and LV volume decrease in size, and in the opposite way, the right-AV canal and right ventricle volume increase. According to our CFD analysis, LAL results in an immediate decrease in the left AV canal WSS levels for 3.5-day (HH21) pre-septated hearts. For 7-day post-septated hearts (HH30), LAL leads to further reduction in WSS levels in the left AV canal, and relatively increased WSS levels in the right AV canal. This study demonstrates the critical importance of the disturbed hemodynamics during the heart valve and ventricle development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huseyin Enes Salman
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Maha Alser
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Akshay Shekhar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY, USA
| | - Russell A Gould
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | - Jonathan T Butcher
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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