1
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Hamamoto H. Silkworm model of bacterial infection facilitates the identification of lysocin E, a potent, ultra-rapid bactericidal antibiotic. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 2024; 77:477-485. [PMID: 38773231 DOI: 10.1038/s41429-024-00739-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
The development of novel antimicrobial agents is required to solve the problem of antimicrobial resistance. We established a quantitative method for evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of antimicrobial agents in a silkworm bacterial infection model. Pharmacokinetic factors are present in the silkworm as well as in mice, and evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of antimicrobial agents is possible in a silkworm infection model, comparable to that in a mammalian model. This silkworm model was used to screen for novel antimicrobial agents with therapeutic efficacy as an indicator. As a result, a new antibiotic, lysocin E, was discovered. Lysocin E has a completely different mechanism of action from existing antimicrobial agents, and its potent bactericidal activity leads to remarkable therapeutic efficacy in a mouse model. In this review, I describe the features of the silkworm model that have contributed to the discovery of lysocin E and its mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Hamamoto
- Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, 2-2-2 Iida-Nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan.
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2
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Zarroug SHO, Bajaman JS, Hamza FN, Saleem RA, Abdalla HK. Caenorhabditis elegans as an In Vivo Model for the Discovery and Development of Natural Plant-Based Antimicrobial Compounds. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1070. [PMID: 37630985 PMCID: PMC10458014 DOI: 10.3390/ph16081070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) due to the prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens is rapidly increasing worldwide, and the identification of new antimicrobial agents with innovative mechanisms of action is urgently required. Medicinal plants that have been utilised for centuries with minor side effects may hold great promise as sources of effective antimicrobial products. The free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is an excellent live infection model for the discovery and development of new antimicrobial compounds. However, while C. elegans has widely been utilised to explore the effectiveness and toxicity of synthetic antibiotics, it has not been used to a comparable extent for the analysis of natural products. By screening the PubMed database, we identified articles reporting the use of the C. elegans model for the identification of natural products endowed with antibacterial and antifungal potential, and we critically analysed their results. The studies discussed here provide important information regarding "in vivo" antimicrobial effectiveness and toxicity of natural products, as evaluated prior to testing in conventional vertebrate models, thereby supporting the relevance of C. elegans as a highly proficient model for their identification and functional assessment. However, their critical evaluation also underlines that the characterisation of active phytochemicals and of their chemical structure, and the unravelling of their mechanisms of action represent decisive challenges for future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samah H. O. Zarroug
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Takassusy Road, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia
| | - Juhaina S. Bajaman
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Takassusy Road, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatheia N. Hamza
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Takassusy Road, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia; (F.N.H.); (R.A.S.)
| | - Rimah A. Saleem
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Takassusy Road, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia; (F.N.H.); (R.A.S.)
| | - Hana K. Abdalla
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Takassusy Road, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia;
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3
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Khan N, Sajid M, Bibi S, Rehman W, Alanazi MM, Abdellatif MH. Nematicidal Characterization of Solanum nigrum and Mentha arvensis Leaf Extracts Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model Organism. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:9454-9463. [PMID: 36936282 PMCID: PMC10018721 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c08124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Considering foremost global issues instigated by parasitic nematodes, Solanum nigrum (S. nigrum) and Mentha arvensis (M. arvensis) nematicidal potential at the gene level has been explored herein. Methanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, n-hexane, and distilled water were used for extract preparation. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) was used as the model organism. Nematicidal and anti-egg hatching assays, fluorescence microscopy, and quantitative real-time PCR were done. S. nigrum chloroform (LD50 = 1.21 mg/mL) and M. arvensis methanol (LD50 = 2.47 mg/mL) extracts exhibited excellent nematicidal potential. Both plants showed potent anti-egg hatching activity (1 mg/mL). S. nigrum methanol and M. arvensis ethyl acetate extracts showed high apoptotic effect in muscles, gonads, and uterus (eggs). Stress genes, that is, gst-4, hsp-16.2, and gpdh-1 were highly expressed in affected C. elegans (treated with S. nigrum and M. arvensis leaf extracts) when compared with normal C. elegans. Phytochemicals and bioactive compounds present in plants may be the major cause of their excellent nematicidal potential, which further confirmed that both plants could be an alternative candidate(s) for novel broad-scale anthelmintic drug(s).
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Affiliation(s)
- Naqeeb
Ullah Khan
- Department
of Biochemistry, Hazara University, Mansehra 21300, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Sajid
- Department
of Biochemistry, Hazara University, Mansehra 21300, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Saira Bibi
- Department
of Chemistry, Hazara University, Mansehra 21300, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Wajid Rehman
- Department
of Chemistry, Hazara University, Mansehra 21300, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Mohammed M. Alanazi
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Magda H. Abdellatif
- Department
of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Taif
University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
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4
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Anupom T, Vanapalli SA. A Compact Imaging Platform for Conducting C. elegans Phenotypic Assays on Earth and in Spaceflight. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:200. [PMID: 36676149 PMCID: PMC9862956 DOI: 10.3390/life13010200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans is used in a variety of applications ranging from fundamental biological studies, to drug screening, to disease modeling, and to space-biology investigations. These applications rely on conducting whole-organism phenotypic assays involving animal behavior and locomotion. In this study, we report a 3D printed compact imaging platform (CIP) that is integrated with a smart-device camera for the whole-organism phenotyping of C. elegans. The CIP has no external optical elements and does not require mechanical focusing, simplifying the optical configuration. The small footprint of the system powered with a standard USB provides capabilities ranging from plug-and-play, to parallel operation, and to housing it in incubators for temperature control. We demonstrate on Earth the compatibility of the CIP with different C. elegans substrates, including agar plates, liquid droplets on glass slides and microfluidic chips. We validate the system with behavioral and thrashing assays and show that the phenotypic readouts are in good agreement with the literature data. We conduct a pilot study with mutants and show that the phenotypic data collected from the CIP distinguishes these mutants. Finally, we discuss how the simplicity and versatility offered by CIP makes it amenable to future C. elegans investigations on the International Space Station, where science experiments are constrained by system size, payload weight and crew time. Overall, the compactness, portability and ease-of-use makes the CIP desirable for research and educational outreach applications on Earth and in space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taslim Anupom
- Electrical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
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5
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Son S, Choi MK, Lim DS, Shim J, Lee J. A genetic screen for aldicarb resistance of Caenorhabditiselegans dauer larvae uncovers 2 alleles of dach-1, a cytochrome P450 gene. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2022; 12:6747961. [PMID: 36194018 PMCID: PMC9713407 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Animals exhibit phenotypic plasticity through the interaction of genes with the environment, and little is known about the genetic factors that change synaptic function at different developmental stages. Here, we investigated the genetic determinants of how animal's sensitivity to drugs that alter synaptic activity is regulated at a specific developmental stage using the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. C. elegans enters the stress-resistant dauer larval stage under harsh conditions. Although dauer is known to have reduced permeability and increased resistance to most known exogenous chemicals, we discovered that dauer is hypersensitive to a cholinesterase inhibitor, aldicarb. To investigate genes regulating dauer-specific acetylcholine transduction, we first screened for aldicarb-resistant mutations in dauer and then performed a secondary screen to rule out aldicarb-resistant mutations that also affect adults. We isolated 2 different mutations of a single gene called cyp-34A4 or dach-1 encoding a cytochrome P450. In the nondauer stages, dach-1 is mainly expressed in the intestine, but its expression is robustly increased in the epidermis of dauers. By tissue-specific rescue experiments, we found that dach-1 modulates aldicarb sensitivity in a cell nonautonomous manner. In addition, dach-1 plays pleiotropic functions in dauers by regulating quiescence and surviving heat shock and hyperosmolar stress. Our study reveals novel functions of the cytochrome P450 in synaptic and physiological changes during the developmental plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Daisy S Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Jaegal Shim
- Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang 10408, Korea
| | - Junho Lee
- Corresponding author: Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea.
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6
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Egan BM, Scharf A, Pohl F, Kornfeld K. Control of aging by the renin–angiotensin system: a review of C. elegans, Drosophila, and mammals. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:938650. [PMID: 36188619 PMCID: PMC9518657 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.938650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The free-living, non-parasitic nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a premier model organism for the study of aging and longevity due to its short lifespan, powerful genetic tools, and conservation of fundamental mechanisms with mammals. Approximately 70 percent of human genes have homologs in C. elegans, including many that encode proteins in pathways that influence aging. Numerous genetic pathways have been identified in C. elegans that affect lifespan, including the dietary restriction pathway, the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway, and the disruption of components of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. C. elegans is also a powerful system for performing drug screens, and many lifespan-extending compounds have been reported; notably, several FDA-approved medications extend the lifespan in C. elegans, raising the possibility that they can also extend the lifespan in humans. The renin–angiotensin system (RAS) in mammals is an endocrine system that regulates blood pressure and a paracrine system that acts in a wide range of tissues to control physiological processes; it is a popular target for drugs that reduce blood pressure, including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). Emerging evidence indicates that this system influences aging. In C. elegans, decreasing the activity of the ACE homolog acn-1 or treatment with the ACE-inhibitor Captopril significantly extends the lifespan. In Drosophila, treatment with ACE inhibitors extends the lifespan. In rodents, manipulating the RAS with genetic or pharmacological interventions can extend the lifespan. In humans, polymorphisms in the ACE gene are associated with extreme longevity. These results suggest the RAS plays a conserved role in controlling longevity. Here, we review studies of the RAS and aging, emphasizing the potential of C. elegans as a model for understanding the mechanism of lifespan control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian M. Egan
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Andrea Scharf
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, United States
| | - Franziska Pohl
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Kerry Kornfeld
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- *Correspondence: Kerry Kornfeld,
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7
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Ke JP, Yu JY, Gao B, Hu FL, Xu FQ, Yao G, Bao GH. Two new catechins from Zijuan green tea enhance the fitness and lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans via insulin-like signaling pathways. Food Funct 2022; 13:9299-9310. [PMID: 35968754 DOI: 10.1039/d2fo01795d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Green tea polyphenols show positive effects on human health and longevity. However, knowledge of the antiaging properties of green tea is limited to the major catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). The search for new ingredients in tea with strong antiaging activity deserves further study. Here we isolated and identified two new catechins from Zijuan green tea, named zijuanin E (1) and zijuanin F (2). Their structures were identified by extensive high-resolution mass spectroscopy (HR-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ultraviolet-vis (UV), infrared (IR) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic analyses, and their 13C NMR and CD data were calculated. We used the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) to analyze the health benefits and longevity effects of 1 and 2. Compounds 1 and 2 (100 μM) remarkably prolonged the lifespan of C. elegans by 67.2% and 56.0%, respectively, delaying the age-related decline of phenotypes, enhancing stress resistance, and reducing ROS and lipid accumulation. Furthermore, 1 and 2 did not affect the lifespan of daf-16, daf-2, sir-2.1, and skn-1 mutant worms, suggesting that they might work via the insulin/IGF and SKN-1/Nrf2 signaling pathways. Meanwhile, 1 and 2 also exhibited strong antioxidant activity in vitro. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) evidence suggests that zijuanins E and F have strong human serum albumin (HSA) binding ability. Together, zijuanins E and F represent a new valuable class of tea components that promote healthspan and could be developed as potential dietary therapies against aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Ping Ke
- Natural Products Laboratory, International Joint Laboratory of Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jing-Ya Yu
- Natural Products Laboratory, International Joint Laboratory of Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, People's Republic of China.
| | - Biao Gao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
| | - Feng-Lin Hu
- Research Center on Entomogenous Fungi, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China.
| | - Feng-Qing Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China.
| | - Guangmin Yao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
| | - Guan-Hu Bao
- Natural Products Laboratory, International Joint Laboratory of Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, People's Republic of China.
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8
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Choudhary S, Kashyap SS, Martin RJ, Robertson AP. Advances in our understanding of nematode ion channels as potential anthelmintic targets. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2022; 18:52-86. [PMID: 35149380 PMCID: PMC8841521 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2021.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Ion channels are specialized multimeric proteins that underlie cell excitability. These channels integrate with a variety of neuromuscular and biological functions. In nematodes, the physiological behaviors including locomotion, navigation, feeding and reproduction, are regulated by these protein entities. Majority of the antinematodal chemotherapeutics target the ion channels to disrupt essential biological functions. Here, we have summarized current advances in our understanding of nematode ion channel pharmacology. We review cys-loop ligand gated ion channels (LGICs), including nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), acetylcholine-chloride gated ion channels (ACCs), glutamate-gated chloride channels (GluCls), and GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) receptors, and other ionotropic receptors (transient receptor potential (TRP) channels and potassium ion channels). We have provided an update on the pharmacological properties of these channels from various nematodes. This article catalogs the differences in ion channel composition and resulting pharmacology in the phylum Nematoda. This diversity in ion channel subunit repertoire and pharmacology emphasizes the importance of pursuing species-specific drug target research. In this review, we have provided an overview of recent advances in techniques and functional assays available for screening ion channel properties and their application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Choudhary
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Sudhanva S Kashyap
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Richard J Martin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Alan P Robertson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
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A journey through 50 years of research relevant to the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in ruminant livestock and thoughts on future directions. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:1133-1151. [PMID: 34774857 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This review article provides an historical perspective on some of the major research advances of relevance to ruminant livestock gastrointestinal nematode control over the last 50 years. Over this period, gastrointestinal nematode control has been dominated by the use of broad-spectrum anthelmintic drugs. Whilst this has provided unprecedented levels of successful control for many years, this approach has been gradually breaking down for more than two decades and is increasingly unsustainable which is due, at least in part, to the emergence of anthelmintic drug resistance and a number of other factors discussed in this article. We first cover the remarkable success story of the discovery and development of broad-spectrum anthelmintic drugs, the changing face of anthelmintic drug discovery research and the emergence of anthelmintic resistance. This is followed by a review of some of the major advances in the increasingly important area of non-pharmaceutical gastrointestinal nematode control including immunology and vaccine development, epidemiological modelling and some of the alternative control strategies such as breeding for host resistance, refugia-based methods and biological control. The last 50 years have witnessed remarkable innovation and success in research aiming to improve ruminant livestock gastrointestinal nematode control, particularly given the relatively small size of the research community and limited funding. In spite of this, the growing global demand for livestock products, together with the need to maximise production efficiencies, reduce environmental impacts and safeguard animal welfare - as well as specific challenges such as anthelmintic drug resistance and climate change- mean that gastrointestinal nematode researchers will need to be as innovative in the next 50 years as in the last.
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10
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Quantitative behavioural phenotyping to investigate anaesthesia induced neurobehavioural impairment. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19398. [PMID: 34588499 PMCID: PMC8481492 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98405-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaesthesia exposure to the developing nervous system causes neuroapoptosis and behavioural impairment in vertebrate models. Mechanistic understanding is limited, and target-based approaches are challenging. High-throughput methods may be an important parallel approach to drug-discovery and mechanistic research. The nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans is an ideal candidate model. A rich subset of its behaviour can be studied, and hundreds of behavioural features can be quantified, then aggregated to yield a 'signature'. Perturbation of this behavioural signature may provide a tool that can be used to quantify the effects of anaesthetic regimes, and act as an outcome marker for drug screening and molecular target research. Larval C. elegans were exposed to: isoflurane, ketamine, morphine, dexmedetomidine, and lithium (and combinations). Behaviour was recorded, and videos analysed with automated algorithms to extract behavioural features. Anaesthetic exposure during early development leads to persisting behavioural variation (in total, 125 features across exposure combinations). Higher concentrations, and combinations of isoflurane with ketamine, lead to persistent change in a greater number of features. Morphine and dexmedetomidine do not appear to lead to behavioural impairment. Lithium rescues the neurotoxic phenotype produced by isoflurane. Findings correlate well with vertebrate research: impairment is dependent on agent, is concentration-specific, is more likely with combination therapies, and can potentially be rescued by lithium. These results suggest that C. elegans may be an appropriate model with which to pursue phenotypic screens for drugs that mitigate the neurobehavioural impairment. Some possibilities are suggested for how high-throughput platforms might be organised in service of this field.
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11
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Gagman HA, Him NAIIN, Ahmad H, Sulaiman SF, Zakaria R, Termizi FHM. In Vitro Efficacy of Aqueous and Methanol Extract of Cassia siamea Against the Motility of Caenorhabditis elegans. Trop Life Sci Res 2020; 31:145-159. [PMID: 33214861 PMCID: PMC7652247 DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2020.31.3.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal nematode infections can cause great losses in revenue due to decrease livestock production and animal death. The use of anthelmintic to control gastrointestinal nematode put a selection pressure on nematode populations which led to emergence of anthelmintic resistance. Because of that, this study was carried out to investigate the efficacy of aqueous and methanol extract of Cassia siamea against the motility of C. elegans Bristol N2 and C. elegans DA1316. Caenorhabditis elegans Bristol N2 is a susceptible strain and C. elegans DA1316 is an ivermectin resistant strain. In vitro bioassay of various concentrations of (0.2, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 2.0 mg mL−1) aqueous and methanol extracts of C. siamea was conducted against the motility of L4 larvae of C. elegans Bristol N2 and C. elegans DA1316. The L4 larvae were treated with 0.02 μg mL−1 of ivermectin served as positive control while those in M9 solution served as negative control. The activity of the extracts was observed after 24 h and 48 h. A significant difference was recorded in the extract performance compared to control at (P < 0.001) after 48 h against the motility of the larvae of both strains. The methanol extracts inhibited the motility of C. elegans Bristol N2 by 86.7% as well as DA1316 up to 84.9% at 2.0 mg mL−1 after 48 h. The methanol extract was more efficient than aqueous extract (P < 0.05) against the motility of both strains of C. elegans. Cassia siamea may be used as a natural source of lead compounds for the development of alternative anthelmintic against parasitic nematodes as well ivermectin resistant strains of nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haladu Ali Gagman
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.,Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Bauchi State University Gadau, 751 Itas Gadau, Nigeria
| | | | - Hamdan Ahmad
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Shaida Fariza Sulaiman
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Rahmad Zakaria
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
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12
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C. elegans Models to Study the Propagation of Prions and Prion-Like Proteins. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10081188. [PMID: 32824215 PMCID: PMC7464663 DOI: 10.3390/biom10081188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A hallmark common to many age-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is that patients develop proteinaceous deposits in their central nervous system (CNS). The progressive spreading of these inclusions from initially affected sites to interconnected brain areas is reminiscent of the behavior of bona fide prions in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), hence the term prion-like proteins has been coined. Despite intensive research, the exact mechanisms that facilitate the spreading of protein aggregation between cells, and the associated loss of neurons, remain poorly understood. As population demographics in many countries continue to shift to higher life expectancy, the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases is also rising. This represents a major challenge for healthcare systems and patients’ families, since patients require extensive support over several years and there is still no therapy to cure or stop these diseases. The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans offers unique opportunities to accelerate research and drug development due to its genetic amenability, its transparency, and the high degree of conservation of molecular pathways. Here, we will review how recent studies that utilize this soil dwelling nematode have proceeded to investigate the propagation and intercellular transmission of prions and prion-like proteins and discuss their relevance by comparing their findings to observations in other model systems and patients.
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13
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Partridge FA, Forman R, Bataille CJR, Wynne GM, Nick M, Russell AJ, Else KJ, Sattelle DB. Anthelmintic drug discovery: target identification, screening methods and the role of open science. Beilstein J Org Chem 2020; 16:1203-1224. [PMID: 32550933 PMCID: PMC7277699 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.16.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Helminths, including cestodes, nematodes and trematodes, are a huge global health burden, infecting hundreds of millions of people. In many cases, existing drugs such as benzimidazoles, diethylcarbamazine, ivermectin and praziquantel are insufficiently efficacious, contraindicated in some populations, or at risk of the development of resistance, thereby impeding progress towards World Health Organization goals to control or eliminate these neglected tropical diseases. However, there has been limited recent progress in developing new drugs for these diseases due to lack of commercial attractiveness, leading to the introduction of novel, more efficient models for drug innovation that attempt to reduce the cost of research and development. Open science aims to achieve this by encouraging collaboration and the sharing of data and resources between organisations. In this review we discuss how open science has been applied to anthelmintic drug discovery. Open resources, including genomic information from many parasites, are enabling the identification of targets for new antiparasitic agents. Phenotypic screening remains important, and there has been much progress in open-source systems for compound screening with parasites, including motility assays but also high content assays with more detailed investigation of helminth physiology. Distributed open science compound screening programs, such as the Medicines for Malaria Venture Pathogen Box, have been successful at facilitating screening in diverse assays against many different parasite pathogens and models. Of the compounds identified so far in these screens, tolfenpyrad, a repurposed insecticide, shows significant promise and there has been much progress in creating more potent and selective derivatives. This work exemplifies how open science approaches can catalyse drug discovery against neglected diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick A Partridge
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Forman
- The Lydia Becker Institute for Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Carole J R Bataille
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA United Kingdom
| | - Graham M Wynne
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA United Kingdom
| | - Marina Nick
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Angela J Russell
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA United Kingdom
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3QT, United Kingdom
| | - Kathryn J Else
- The Lydia Becker Institute for Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - David B Sattelle
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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14
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Mechanism of murderous mushrooms paves path for parasitic helminth halt. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:6974-6975. [PMID: 32152107 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2002662117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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15
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Gonzales DL, Badhiwala KN, Avants BW, Robinson JT. Bioelectronics for Millimeter-Sized Model Organisms. iScience 2020; 23:100917. [PMID: 32114383 PMCID: PMC7049667 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.100917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in microfabrication technologies and biomaterials have enabled a growing class of electronic devices that can stimulate and record bioelectronic signals. Many of these devices have been developed for humans or vertebrate animals, where miniaturization allows for implantation within the body. There are, however, another class of bioelectronic interfaces that exploit microfabrication and nanoelectronics to record signals from tiny, millimeter-sized organisms. In these cases, rather than implanting a device inside an animal, animals themselves are loaded in large numbers into bioelectronic devices for neural circuit and behavioral interrogation. These scalable interfaces provide platforms to develop new therapeutics as well as better understand basic principles of bioelectronic communication, neuroscience, and behavior. Here we review recent progress in these bioelectronic technologies and describe how they can complement on-chip optical, mechanical, and chemical interrogation methods to achieve high-throughput, multimodal studies of millimeter-sized small animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L Gonzales
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, 206 S. Martin Jischke Dr., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Krishna N Badhiwala
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Benjamin W Avants
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Jacob T Robinson
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA; Applied Physics Program, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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16
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Soares FGN, Göethel G, Kagami LP, das Neves GM, Sauer E, Birriel E, Varela J, Gonçalves IL, Von Poser G, González M, Kawano DF, Paula FR, de Melo EB, Garcia SC, Cerecetto H, Eifler-Lima VL. Novel coumarins active against Trypanosoma cruzi and toxicity assessment using the animal model Caenorhabditis elegans. BMC Pharmacol Toxicol 2019; 20:76. [PMID: 31852548 PMCID: PMC6921407 DOI: 10.1186/s40360-019-0357-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease (CD) is a tropical parasitic disease. Although the number of people infected is very high, the only drugs available to treat CD, nifurtimox (Nfx) and benznidazole, are highly toxic, particularly in the chronic stage of the disease. Coumarins are a large class of compounds that display a wide range of interesting biological properties, such as antiparasitic. Hence, the aim of this work is to find a good antitrypanosomal drug with less toxicity. The use of simple organism models has become increasingly attractive for planning and simplifying efficient drug discovery. Within these models, Caenorhabditis elegans has emerged as a convenient and versatile tool with significant advantages for the toxicological potential identification for new compounds. METHODS Trypanocidal activity: Forty-two 4-methylamino-coumarins were assayed against the epimastigote form of Trypanosoma cruzi (Tulahuen 2 strain) by inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50). Toxicity assays: Lethal dose 50% (LD50) and Body Area were determined by Caenorhabditis elegans N2 strain (wild type) after acute exposure. Structure-activity relationship: A classificatory model was built using 3D descriptors. RESULTS Two of these coumarins demonstrated near equipotency to Nifurtimox (IC50 = 5.0 ± 1 μM), with values of: 11 h (LaSOM 266), (IC50 = 6.4 ± 1 μM) and 11 g (LaSOM 231), (IC50 = 8.2 ± 2.3 μM). In C. elegans it was possible to observe that Nfx showed greater toxicity in both the LD50 assay and the evaluation of the development of worms. It is possible to observe that the efficacy between Nfx and the synthesized compounds (11 h and 11 g) are similar. On the other hand, the toxicity of Nfx is approximately three times higher than that of the compounds. Results from the QSAR-3D study indicate that the volume and hydrophobicity of the substituents have a significant impact on the trypanocidal activities for derivatives that cause more than 50% of inhibition. These results show that the C. elegans model is efficient for screening potentially toxic compounds. CONCLUSION Two coumarins (11 h and 11 g) showed activity against T. cruzi epimastigote similar to Nifurtimox, however with lower toxicity in both LD50 and development of C. elegans assays. These two compounds may be a feasible starting point for the development of new trypanocidal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana Gomes Nascimento Soares
- Laboratório de Síntese Orgânica Medicinal/LaSOM, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Göethel
- Laboratório Toxicologia/LATOX, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Luciano Porto Kagami
- Laboratório de Síntese Orgânica Medicinal/LaSOM, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Machado das Neves
- Laboratório de Síntese Orgânica Medicinal/LaSOM, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Elisa Sauer
- Laboratório de Síntese Orgânica Medicinal/LaSOM, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Estefania Birriel
- Facultad de Ciencias-Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Javier Varela
- Facultad de Ciencias-Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Itamar Luís Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Síntese Orgânica Medicinal/LaSOM, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Gilsane Von Poser
- Laboratório de Síntese Orgânica Medicinal/LaSOM, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Mercedes González
- Facultad de Ciencias-Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Daniel Fábio Kawano
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Departamento de Química Orgânica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Fávero Reisdorfer Paula
- Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, Centro de Ciências Médicas e Farmacêuticas, Cascavel, PR, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Borges de Melo
- Centro de Ciências Médicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, Cascavel, PR, Brazil
| | - Solange Cristina Garcia
- Laboratório Toxicologia/LATOX, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Hugo Cerecetto
- Facultad de Ciencias-Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Vera Lucia Eifler-Lima
- Laboratório de Síntese Orgânica Medicinal/LaSOM, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Hernando G, Turani O, Bouzat C. Caenorhabditis elegans muscle Cys-loop receptors as novel targets of terpenoids with potential anthelmintic activity. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007895. [PMID: 31765374 PMCID: PMC6901230 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The anthelmintic treatment of nematode infections remains the pillar of worm control in both human and veterinary medicine. Since control is threatened by the appearance of drug resistant nematodes, there is a need to develop novel compounds, among which phytochemicals constitute potential anthelmintic agents. Caenorhabditis elegans has been pivotal in anthelmintic drug discovery and in revealing mechanisms of drug action and resistance. By using C. elegans, we here revealed the anthelmintic actions of three plant terpenoids -thymol, carvacrol and eugenol- at the behavioral level. Terpenoids produce a rapid paralysis of worms with a potency rank order carvacrol > thymol > eugenol. In addition to their paralyzing activity, they also inhibit egg hatching, which would, in turn, lead to a broader anthelmintic spectrum of activity. To identify drug targets, we performed an in vivo screening of selected strains carrying mutations in receptors involved in worm locomotion for determining resistance to the paralyzing effect of terpenoids. The assays revealed that two Cys-loop receptors with key roles in worm locomotion -Levamisole sensitive nicotinic receptor (L-AChR) and GABA(A) (UNC-49) receptor- are involved in the paralyzing effects of terpenoids. To decipher the mechanism by which terpenoids affect these receptors, we performed electrophysiological studies using a primary culture of C. elegans L1 muscle cells. Whole cell recordings from L1 cells demonstrated that terpenoids decrease macroscopic responses of L-AChR and UNC-49 receptor to their endogenous agonists, thus acting as inhibitors. Single-channel recordings from L-AChR revealed that terpenoids decrease the frequency of opening events, probably by acting as negative allosteric modulators. The fact that terpenoids act at different receptors may have important advantages regarding efficacy and development of resistance. Thus, our findings give support to the use of terpenoids as either an alternative or a complementary anthelmintic strategy to overcome the ever-increasing resistance of parasites to classical anthelmintic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermina Hernando
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca, Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS)-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Ornella Turani
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca, Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS)-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Cecilia Bouzat
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca, Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS)-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
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18
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Benedetto A, Bambade T, Au C, Tullet JM, Monkhouse J, Dang H, Cetnar K, Chan B, Cabreiro F, Gems D. New label-free automated survival assays reveal unexpected stress resistance patterns during C. elegans aging. Aging Cell 2019; 18:e12998. [PMID: 31309734 PMCID: PMC6718543 DOI: 10.1111/acel.12998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent model for high‐throughput experimental approaches but lacks an automated means to pinpoint time of death during survival assays over a short time frame, that is, easy to implement, highly scalable, robust, and versatile. Here, we describe an automated, label‐free, high‐throughput method using death‐associated fluorescence to monitor nematode population survival (dubbed LFASS for label‐free automated survival scoring), which we apply to severe stress and infection resistance assays. We demonstrate its use to define correlations between age, longevity, and severe stress resistance, and its applicability to parasitic nematodes. The use of LFASS to assess the effects of aging on susceptibility to severe stress revealed an unexpected increase in stress resistance with advancing age, which was largely autophagy‐dependent. Correlation analysis further revealed that while severe thermal stress resistance positively correlates with lifespan, severe oxidative stress resistance does not. This supports the view that temperature‐sensitive protein‐handling processes more than redox homeostasis underpin aging in C. elegans. That the ages of peak resistance to infection, severe oxidative stress, heat shock, and milder stressors differ markedly suggests that stress resistance and health span do not show a simple correspondence in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Benedetto
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences Lancaster University Lancaster UK
| | - Timothée Bambade
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
| | - Catherine Au
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences Lancaster University Lancaster UK
| | - Jennifer M.A. Tullet
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
- School of Biosciences University of Kent Canterbury UK
| | - Jennifer Monkhouse
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences Lancaster University Lancaster UK
| | - Hairuo Dang
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
| | - Kalina Cetnar
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
| | - Brian Chan
- Division of Infection, Immunity & Respiratory Medicine University of Manchester Manchester UK
| | - Filipe Cabreiro
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London London UK
| | - David Gems
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
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19
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Quantitative molecular diagnosis of levamisole resistance in populations of Haemonchus contortus. Exp Parasitol 2019; 205:107734. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2019.107734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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20
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Del Borrello S, Lautens M, Dolan K, Tan JH, Davie T, Schertzberg MR, Spensley MA, Caudy AA, Fraser AG. Rhodoquinone biosynthesis in C. elegans requires precursors generated by the kynurenine pathway. eLife 2019; 8:e48165. [PMID: 31232688 PMCID: PMC6656428 DOI: 10.7554/elife.48165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic helminths infect over a billion humans. To survive in the low oxygen environment of their hosts, these parasites use unusual anaerobic metabolism - this requires rhodoquinone (RQ), an electron carrier that is made by very few animal species. Crucially RQ is not made or used by any parasitic hosts and RQ synthesis is thus an ideal target for anthelmintics. However, little is known about how RQ is made and no drugs are known to block RQ synthesis. C. elegans makes RQ and can use RQ-dependent metabolic pathways - here, we use C. elegans genetics to show that tryptophan degradation via the kynurenine pathway is required to generate the key amine-containing precursors for RQ synthesis. We show that C. elegans requires RQ for survival in hypoxic conditions and, finally, we establish a high throughput assay for drugs that block RQ-dependent metabolism. This may drive the development of a new class of anthelmintic drugs. This study is a key first step in understanding how RQ is made in parasitic helminths.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - June H Tan
- The Donnelly CentreUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Taylor Davie
- The Donnelly CentreUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | | | - Mark A Spensley
- The Donnelly CentreUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Whole Animal PhenotypingPhenalysys IncTorontoCanada
| | - Amy A Caudy
- The Donnelly CentreUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
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Cintra GAS, Neto BAD, Carvalho PHPR, Moraes CB, Freitas-Junior LH. Expanding the Biological Application of Fluorescent Benzothiadiazole Derivatives: A Phenotypic Screening Strategy for Anthelmintic Drug Discovery Using Caenorhabditis elegans. SLAS DISCOVERY 2019; 24:755-765. [PMID: 31180789 DOI: 10.1177/2472555219851130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The current methodologies used to identify promising new anthelmintic compounds rely on subjective microscopic examination of worm motility or involve genetic modified organisms. We describe a new methodology to detect worm viability that takes advantage of the differential incorporation of the fluorescent molecular marker propidium iodide and the 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole core, which has been widely applied in light technology. The new assay developed could be validated using the "Pathogen Box" library. By use of this bioassay, it was possible to identify three molecules with activity against Caenorhabditis elegans that were previously described as effective in in vitro assays against other pathogens, such as Schistosoma mansoni, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Plasmodium falciparum, accelerating the identification of molecules with anthelmintic potential. The current fluorescence-based bioassay may be used for assessing C. elegans viability. The described methodology replaces the subjectivity of previous assays and provides an enabling technology that is useful for rapid in vitro screens of both natural and synthetic compound libraries. It is expected that the results obtained from these robust in vitro screens would select the most effective compounds for follow-up in vivo experimentation with pathogenic helminths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovana A S Cintra
- 1 Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB), Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,2 Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,3 Laboratório Nacional de Biociências, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Brenno A D Neto
- 4 Laboratory of Medicinal and Technological Chemistry, University of Brasília (IQ-UnB), Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Pedro H P R Carvalho
- 4 Laboratory of Medicinal and Technological Chemistry, University of Brasília (IQ-UnB), Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Carolina B Moraes
- 1 Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB), Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,2 Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,3 Laboratório Nacional de Biociências, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Lucio H Freitas-Junior
- 1 Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB), Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,2 Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,3 Laboratório Nacional de Biociências, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais, Campinas, SP, Brazil
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Spensley M, Del Borrello S, Pajkic D, Fraser AG. Acute Effects of Drugs on Caenorhabditis elegans Movement Reveal Complex Responses and Plasticity. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2018; 8:2941-2952. [PMID: 30061375 PMCID: PMC6118317 DOI: 10.1534/g3.118.200374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Many drugs act very rapidly - they can turn on or off their targets within minutes in a whole animal. What are the acute effects of drug treatment and how does an animal respond to these? We developed a simple assay to measure the acute effects of drugs on C. elegans movement and examined the effects of a range of compounds including neuroactive drugs, toxins, environmental stresses and novel compounds on worm movement over a time period of 3 hr. We found a wide variety of acute responses. Many compounds cause rapid paralysis which may be permanent or followed by one or more recovery phases. The recoveries are not the result of some generic stress response but are specific to the drug e.g., recovery from paralysis due to a neuroactive drug requires neurotransmitter pathways whereas recovery from a metabolic inhibitor requires metabolic changes. Finally, we also find that acute responses can vary greatly across development and that there is extensive natural variation in acute responses. In summary, acute responses are sensitive probes of the ability of biological networks to respond to drug treatment and these responses can reveal the action of unexplored pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Spensley
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E1 Canada
| | - Samantha Del Borrello
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E1 Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E1 Canada
| | - Djina Pajkic
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E1 Canada
| | - Andrew G Fraser
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E1 Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E1 Canada
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23
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Blanchard A, Guégnard F, Charvet CL, Crisford A, Courtot E, Sauvé C, Harmache A, Duguet T, O’Connor V, Castagnone-Sereno P, Reaves B, Wolstenholme AJ, Beech RN, Holden-Dye L, Neveu C. Deciphering the molecular determinants of cholinergic anthelmintic sensitivity in nematodes: When novel functional validation approaches highlight major differences between the model Caenorhabditis elegans and parasitic species. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1006996. [PMID: 29719008 PMCID: PMC5931475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic agonists such as levamisole and pyrantel are widely used as anthelmintics to treat parasitic nematode infestations. These drugs elicit spastic paralysis by activating acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) expressed in nematode body wall muscles. In the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, genetic screens led to the identification of five genes encoding levamisole-sensitive-AChR (L-AChR) subunits: unc-38, unc-63, unc-29, lev-1 and lev-8. These subunits form a functional L-AChR when heterologously expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Here we show that the majority of parasitic species that are sensitive to levamisole lack a gene orthologous to C. elegans lev-8. This raises important questions concerning the properties of the native receptor that constitutes the target for cholinergic anthelmintics. We demonstrate that the closely related ACR-8 subunit from phylogenetically distant animal and plant parasitic nematode species functionally substitutes for LEV-8 in the C. elegans L-AChR when expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The importance of ACR-8 in parasitic nematode sensitivity to cholinergic anthelmintics is reinforced by a ‘model hopping’ approach in which we demonstrate the ability of ACR-8 from the hematophagous parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus to fully restore levamisole sensitivity, and to confer high sensitivity to pyrantel, when expressed in the body wall muscle of C. elegans lev-8 null mutants. The critical role of acr-8 to in vivo drug sensitivity is substantiated by the successful demonstration of RNAi gene silencing for Hco-acr-8 which reduced the sensitivity of H. contortus larvae to levamisole. Intriguingly, the pyrantel sensitivity remained unchanged thus providing new evidence for distinct modes of action of these important anthelmintics in parasitic species versus C. elegans. More broadly, this highlights the limits of C. elegans as a predictive model to decipher cholinergic agonist targets from parasitic nematode species and provides key molecular insight to inform the discovery of next generation anthelmintic compounds. Parasitic nematodes have global health and economic impacts. They infect animals, including livestock, humans, and plants including all major food crops. Their control in human and veterinary medicine is reliant on anthelmintic drugs but this is now challenged by resistant worms especially in livestock. Importantly, for anthelmintics such as levamisole and other cholinergic agonists, resistance appears to be less frequent stressing the need to investigate their molecular target in parasitic nematodes. The levamisole receptor was first identified in the free-living model nematode C. elegans but it is now becoming apparent that this is not a good predictor for many parasitic species. In particular we have found that the LEV-8 subunit which is involved in levamisole sensitivity in C. elegans, is not present in many levamisole-sensitive parasitic species. Here we used heterologous expression systems and gene silencing to provide the functional in vivo demonstration that the ACR-8 subunit, which is not an essential component of the levamisole receptor in C. elegans, has a critical role in the levamisole sensitivity of parasitic nematodes. This has important significance for understanding the molecular targets of cholinergic anthelmintics and addresses the increasing challenge of drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Anna Crisford
- Biological Sciences, Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Elise Courtot
- ISP, INRA, Université Tours, UMR1282, Nouzilly, France
| | | | | | - Thomas Duguet
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Macdonald Campus, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Québec, Canada
| | - Vincent O’Connor
- Biological Sciences, Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | | | - Barbara Reaves
- Department of Infectious Disease & Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Adrian J. Wolstenholme
- Department of Infectious Disease & Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Robin N. Beech
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Macdonald Campus, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Québec, Canada
| | - Lindy Holden-Dye
- Biological Sciences, Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Cedric Neveu
- ISP, INRA, Université Tours, UMR1282, Nouzilly, France
- * E-mail:
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24
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Zamanian M, Cook DE, Zdraljevic S, Brady SC, Lee D, Lee J, Andersen EC. Discovery of genomic intervals that underlie nematode responses to benzimidazoles. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006368. [PMID: 29601575 PMCID: PMC5895046 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Revised: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic nematodes impose a debilitating health and economic burden across much of the world. Nematode resistance to anthelmintic drugs threatens parasite control efforts in both human and veterinary medicine. Despite this threat, the genetic landscape of potential resistance mechanisms to these critical drugs remains largely unexplored. Here, we exploit natural variation in the model nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans and Caenorhabditis briggsae to discover quantitative trait loci (QTL) that control sensitivity to benzimidazoles widely used in human and animal medicine. High-throughput phenotyping of albendazole, fenbendazole, mebendazole, and thiabendazole responses in panels of recombinant lines led to the discovery of over 15 QTL in C. elegans and four QTL in C. briggsae associated with divergent responses to these anthelmintics. Many of these QTL are conserved across benzimidazole derivatives, but others show drug and dose specificity. We used near-isogenic lines to recapitulate and narrow the C. elegans albendazole QTL of largest effect and identified candidate variants correlated with the resistance phenotype. These QTL do not overlap with known benzimidazole target resistance genes from parasitic nematodes and present specific new leads for the discovery of novel mechanisms of nematode benzimidazole resistance. Analyses of orthologous genes reveal conservation of candidate benzimidazole resistance genes in medically important parasitic nematodes. These data provide a basis for extending these approaches to other anthelmintic drug classes and a pathway towards validating new markers for anthelmintic resistance that can be deployed to improve parasite disease control. The treatment of roundworm (nematode) infections in both humans and animals relies on a small number of anti-parasitic drugs. Resistance to these drugs has appeared in veterinary parasite populations and is a growing concern in human medicine. A better understanding of the genetic basis for parasite drug resistance can be used to help maintain the effectiveness of anti-parasitic drugs and to slow or to prevent the spread of drug resistance in parasite populations. This goal is hampered by the experimental intractability of nematode parasites. Here, we use non-parasitic model nematodes to systematically explore responses to the critical benzimidazole class of anti-parasitic compounds. Using a quantitative genetics approach, we discovered unique genomic intervals that control drug effects, and we identified differences in the effects of these intervals across compounds and doses. We were able to narrow a major-effect genomic region associated with albendazole resistance and to establish that candidate genes discovered in our genetic mappings are largely conserved in important human and animal parasites. This work provides new leads for understanding parasite drug resistance and contributes a powerful template that can be extended to other anti-parasitic drug classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Zamanian
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Daniel E Cook
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America.,Interdisciplinary Biological Science Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Stefan Zdraljevic
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America.,Interdisciplinary Biological Science Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Shannon C Brady
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America.,Interdisciplinary Biological Science Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Daehan Lee
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America.,Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Junho Lee
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Erik C Andersen
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America.,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.,Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
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25
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Gonzales DL, Badhiwala KN, Vercosa DG, Avants BW, Liu Z, Zhong W, Robinson JT. Scalable electrophysiology in intact small animals with nanoscale suspended electrode arrays. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2017; 12:684-691. [PMID: 28416816 PMCID: PMC5500410 DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2017.55] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Electrical measurements from large populations of animals would help reveal fundamental properties of the nervous system and neurological diseases. Small invertebrates are ideal for these large-scale studies; however, patch-clamp electrophysiology in microscopic animals typically requires invasive dissections and is low-throughput. To overcome these limitations, we present nano-SPEARs: suspended electrodes integrated into a scalable microfluidic device. Using this technology, we have made the first extracellular recordings of body-wall muscle electrophysiology inside an intact roundworm, Caenorhabditis elegans. We can also use nano-SPEARs to record from multiple animals in parallel and even from other species, such as Hydra littoralis. Furthermore, we use nano-SPEARs to establish the first electrophysiological phenotypes for C. elegans models for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, and show a partial rescue of the Parkinson's phenotype through drug treatment. These results demonstrate that nano-SPEARs provide the core technology for microchips that enable scalable, in vivo studies of neurobiology and neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L. Gonzales
- Applied Physics Program, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Krishna N. Badhiwala
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Daniel G. Vercosa
- Applied Physics Program, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Ben W. Avants
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Zheng Liu
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Weiwei Zhong
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Jacob T. Robinson
- Applied Physics Program, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Correspondence to:
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26
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The novel nematicide wact-86 interacts with aldicarb to kill nematodes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005502. [PMID: 28379972 PMCID: PMC5393889 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Revised: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitic nematodes negatively impact human and animal health worldwide. The market withdrawal of nematicidal agents due to unfavourable toxicities has limited the available treatment options. In principle, co-administering nematicides at lower doses along with molecules that potentiate their activity could mitigate adverse toxicities without compromising efficacy. Here, we screened for new small molecules that interact with aldicarb, which is a highly effective treatment for plant-parasitic nematodes whose toxicity hampers its utility. From our collection of 638 worm-bioactive compounds, we identified 20 molecules that interact positively with aldicarb to either kill or arrest the growth of the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We investigated the mechanism of interaction between aldicarb and one of these novel nematicides called wact-86. We found that the carboxylesterase enzyme GES-1 hydrolyzes wact-86, and that the interaction is manifested by aldicarb’s inhibition of wact-86’s metabolism by GES-1. This work demonstrates the utility of C. elegans as a platform to search for new molecules that can positively interact with industrial nematicides, and provides proof-of-concept for prospective discovery efforts. Many nematicides that have been used to kill plant and animal parasitic nematodes are being phased out over concerns of toxicity to humans. One potential solution to reduce toxicity is to use the nematicide at a lower concentration in combination with a second compound that together will produce a synergistic killing effect. That is, the use of either molecule alone at low concentrations is non-lethal, but when used together at these same concentrations, the cocktail is lethal. This strategy has two benefits. First, the killing effect is concentrated at the site of use and as the two molecules diffuse from the targeted site, toxicity is negated. Second, less of the toxic molecule is needed and therefore less is dispersed into the environment. Here, we describe our use of a model nematode called C. elegans to search for molecules that interact with aldicarb, which is one of the nematicides being phased out by environmental agencies. We identified 20 compounds that interact with aldicarb and describe how one of these, called wact-86, functions with aldicarb to kill worms. Our work provides proof-of-principle that C. elegans is a useful model for identifying compounds that positively interact with industrial nematicides and for understanding the nature of such interactions.
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27
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Hodge G, Hodge S. Steroid Resistant CD8 +CD28 null NKT-Like Pro-inflammatory Cytotoxic Cells in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Front Immunol 2016; 7:617. [PMID: 28066427 PMCID: PMC5165019 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2016] [Accepted: 12/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Corticosteroid resistance is a major barrier to effective treatment in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and failure to suppress systemic inflammation in these patients may result in increased comorbidity. Although much of the research to date has focused on the role of macrophages and neutrophils involved in inflammation in the airways in COPD, recent evidence suggests that CD8+ T cells may be central regulators of the inflammatory network in this disease. CD8+ cytotoxic pro-inflammatory T cells have been shown to be increased in the peripheral blood and airways in patients with COPD, whereas smokers that have not progressed to COPD only show an increase in the lungs. Although the mechanisms underlying steroid resistance in these lymphocytes is largely unknown, new research has identified a role for cytotoxic pro-inflammatory CD8+ T-cells and CD8+ natural killer T-like (NKT-like) cells. Increased numbers of these cells and their significant loss of the co-stimulatory molecule CD28 have been shown in COPD, consistent with findings in the elderly and in clinical conditions involving chronic activation of the immune system. In COPD, these senescent cells expressed increased levels of the cytotoxic mediators, perforin and granzyme b, and the pro-inflammatory cytokines, IFNγ and TNFα. They also demonstrated increased cytotoxicity toward lung epithelial cells and importantly were resistant to immunosuppression by corticosteroids compared with their CD28+ counterparts. Further research has shown these cells evade the immunosuppressive effects of steroids via multiple mechanisms. This mini review will focus on cytotoxic pro-inflammatory CD8+CD28null NKT-like cells involved in COPD and novel approaches to reverse steroid resistance in these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg Hodge
- Chronic Inflammatory Lung Disease Research Laboratory, Lung Research Unit, Hanson Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Department of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Sandra Hodge
- Chronic Inflammatory Lung Disease Research Laboratory, Lung Research Unit, Hanson Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Department of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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28
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Mathew MD, Mathew ND, Miller A, Simpson M, Au V, Garland S, Gestin M, Edgley ML, Flibotte S, Balgi A, Chiang J, Giaever G, Dean P, Tung A, Roberge M, Roskelley C, Forge T, Nislow C, Moerman D. Using C. elegans Forward and Reverse Genetics to Identify New Compounds with Anthelmintic Activity. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0005058. [PMID: 27755544 PMCID: PMC5068747 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The lack of new anthelmintic agents is of growing concern because it affects human health and our food supply, as both livestock and plants are affected. Two principal factors contribute to this problem. First, nematode resistance to anthelmintic drugs is increasing worldwide and second, many effective nematicides pose environmental hazards. In this paper we address this problem by deploying a high throughput screening platform for anthelmintic drug discovery using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a surrogate for infectious nematodes. This method offers the possibility of identifying new anthelmintics in a cost-effective and timely manner. Methods/Principal findings Using our high throughput screening platform we have identified 14 new potential anthelmintics by screening more than 26,000 compounds from the Chembridge and Maybridge chemical libraries. Using phylogenetic profiling we identified a subset of the 14 compounds as potential anthelmintics based on the relative sensitivity of C. elegans when compared to yeast and mammalian cells in culture. We showed that a subset of these compounds might employ mechanisms distinct from currently used anthelmintics by testing diverse drug resistant strains of C. elegans. One of these newly identified compounds targets mitochondrial complex II, and we used structural analysis of the target to suggest how differential binding of this compound may account for its different effects in nematodes versus mammalian cells. Conclusions/Significance The challenge of anthelmintic drug discovery is exacerbated by several factors; including, 1) the biochemical similarity between host and parasite genomes, 2) the geographic location of parasitic nematodes and 3) the rapid development of resistance. Accordingly, an approach that can screen large compound collections rapidly is required. C. elegans as a surrogate parasite offers the ability to screen compounds rapidly and, equally importantly, with specificity, thus reducing the potential toxicity of these compounds to the host and the environment. We believe this approach will help to replenish the pipeline of potential nematicides. With over two billion people infected and many billions of dollars of lost crops annually, nematode infections are a serious problem for human health and for agricultural production. While there are drugs to treat infections, many pockets of parasites have been identified worldwide that are developing immunity to the standard treatment regimen. In this study we describe a strategy using the model organism C. elegans as a surrogate parasite to identify several new chemical compounds that may offer additional treatments for infection. We demonstrate how to use our platform to identify compounds that are specific in their effect to nematodes and are not simply biocides. We also show through genetic and molecular analysis in this organism that we can quickly identify the mode of action of any new compound. Most critically, we show that a compound first identified in a free-living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, is also effective on a parasitic nematode, Meloidogyne hapla. With this result and considering the level of sequence conservation across much of the nematode phyla we believe our strategy can be more widely applied to find new anthelmintics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark D. Mathew
- Department of Zoology and Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Neal D. Mathew
- Department of Zoology and Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Angela Miller
- Department of Zoology and Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mike Simpson
- Department of Zoology and Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Vinci Au
- Department of Zoology and Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Stephanie Garland
- Department of Zoology and Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Mark L. Edgley
- Department of Zoology and Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Stephane Flibotte
- Department of Zoology and Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Aruna Balgi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jennifer Chiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Guri Giaever
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Pamela Dean
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Audrey Tung
- Summerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michel Roberge
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Calvin Roskelley
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Tom Forge
- Summerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Corey Nislow
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Donald Moerman
- Department of Zoology and Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
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29
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Patten SA, Parker JA, Wen XY, Drapeau P. Simple animal models for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2016; 11:797-804. [DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2016.1196183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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30
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Functional genomics to uncover drug mechanism of action. Nat Chem Biol 2015; 11:942-8. [PMID: 26575241 DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.1963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The upswing in US Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency drug approvals in 2014 may have marked an end to the dry spell that has troubled the pharmaceutical industry over the past decade. Regardless, the attrition rate of drugs in late clinical phases remains high, and a lack of target validation has been highlighted as an explanation. This has led to a resurgence in appreciation of phenotypic drug screens, as these may be more likely to yield compounds with relevant modes of action. However, cell-based screening approaches do not directly reveal cellular targets, and hence target deconvolution and a detailed understanding of drug action are needed for efficient lead optimization and biomarker development. Here, recently developed functional genomics technologies that address this need are reviewed. The approaches pioneered in model organisms, particularly in yeast, and more recently adapted to mammalian systems are discussed. Finally, areas of particular interest and directions for future tool development are highlighted.
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31
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Srivastava M, Misra-Bhattacharya S. Overcoming drug resistance for macro parasites. Future Microbiol 2015; 10:1783-9. [PMID: 26517758 DOI: 10.2217/fmb.15.73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Helminth infections impose burden on human and livestock populations, and their control predominantly relies on periodic mass administration of anthelmintic drugs. However, recent emergence of drug resistance among parasites to currently available drugs raises serious problems for continuation of control strategies and achievement of elimination of parasitic diseases. This review discusses the problem of anthelmintic resistance in humans and livestock, and suggests steps that can be taken to overcome this problem. To achieve the goals of morbidity reduction or elimination of infection we need to develop novel tools, including more efficacious drugs, vaccines and/or antivectorial agents; new diagnostics for infection and assessment of drug efficacy; and markers for possible anthelmintic resistance. Harnessing the knowledge generated from sequencing of parasite genome sequences is the key to identify genes responsible for drug resistance, which can be used as a starting point for discovery of target-specific pharmacological or genetic modulation to test the functional importance of individual genes and pathways. Involvement of chemical genetic screens and Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system for drug discovery needs to be explored in greater detail. Collective effort from several quarters is needed to think of a world that is free of parasitic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrigank Srivastava
- Division of Parasitology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, UP, India.,Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Shailja Misra-Bhattacharya
- Division of Parasitology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, UP, India.,Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), New Delhi 110025, India
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32
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Burns AR, Luciani GM, Musso G, Bagg R, Yeo M, Zhang Y, Rajendran L, Glavin J, Hunter R, Redman E, Stasiuk S, Schertzberg M, Angus McQuibban G, Caffrey CR, Cutler SR, Tyers M, Giaever G, Nislow C, Fraser AG, MacRae CA, Gilleard J, Roy PJ. Caenorhabditis elegans is a useful model for anthelmintic discovery. Nat Commun 2015; 6:7485. [PMID: 26108372 PMCID: PMC4491176 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2015] [Accepted: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitic nematodes infect one quarter of the world's population and impact all humans through widespread infection of crops and livestock. Resistance to current anthelmintics has prompted the search for new drugs. Traditional screens that rely on parasitic worms are costly and labour intensive and target-based approaches have failed to yield novel anthelmintics. Here, we present our screen of 67,012 compounds to identify those that kill the non-parasitic nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We then rescreen our hits in two parasitic nematode species and two vertebrate models (HEK293 cells and zebrafish), and identify 30 structurally distinct anthelmintic lead molecules. Genetic screens of 19 million C. elegans mutants reveal those nematicides for which the generation of resistance is and is not likely. We identify the target of one lead with nematode specificity and nanomolar potency as complex II of the electron transport chain. This work establishes C. elegans as an effective and cost-efficient model system for anthelmintic discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R. Burns
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E1
| | - Genna M. Luciani
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E1
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8
| | - Gabriel Musso
- Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Rachel Bagg
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E1
| | - May Yeo
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E1
| | - Yuqian Zhang
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E1
| | - Luckshika Rajendran
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E1
| | - John Glavin
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E1
| | - Robert Hunter
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E1
| | - Elizabeth Redman
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4Z6
| | - Susan Stasiuk
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4Z6
| | - Michael Schertzberg
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E1
| | - G. Angus McQuibban
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8
| | - Conor R. Caffrey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases and Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, USA
| | - Sean R. Cutler
- Center for Plant Cell Biology, Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Mike Tyers
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3T 1J4
| | - Guri Giaever
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z3
| | - Corey Nislow
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z3
| | - Andy G. Fraser
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E1
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8
| | - Calum A. MacRae
- Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - John Gilleard
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4Z6
| | - Peter J. Roy
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E1
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8
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Ballestriero F, Daim M, Penesyan A, Nappi J, Schleheck D, Bazzicalupo P, Di Schiavi E, Egan S. Antinematode activity of Violacein and the role of the insulin/IGF-1 pathway in controlling violacein sensitivity in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109201. [PMID: 25295516 PMCID: PMC4189955 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 09/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The purple pigment violacein is well known for its numerous biological activities including antibacterial, antiviral, antiprotozoan, and antitumor effects. In the current study we identify violacein as the antinematode agent produced by the marine bacterium Microbulbifer sp. D250, thereby extending the target range of this small molecule. Heterologous expression of the violacein biosynthetic pathway in E. coli and experiments using pure violacein demonstrated that this secondary metabolite facilitates bacterial accumulation in the nematode intestine, which is accompanied by tissue damage and apoptosis. Nematodes such as Caenorhabditis elegans utilise a well-defined innate immune system to defend against pathogens. Using C. elegans as a model we demonstrate the DAF-2/DAF-16 insulin/IGF-1 signalling (IIS) component of the innate immune pathway modulates sensitivity to violacein-mediated killing. Further analysis shows that resistance to violacein can occur due to a loss of DAF-2 function and/or an increased function of DAF-16 controlled genes involved in antimicrobial production (spp-1) and detoxification (sod-3). These data suggest that violacein is a novel candidate antinematode agent and that the IIS pathway is also involved in the defence against metabolites from non-pathogenic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ballestriero
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences and Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Malak Daim
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences and Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Anahit Penesyan
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jadranka Nappi
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences and Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David Schleheck
- Biology Department, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Paolo Bazzicalupo
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "Adriano Buzzati Traverso", National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Elia Di Schiavi
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "Adriano Buzzati Traverso", National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Suhelen Egan
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences and Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Sashidhara KV, Modukuri RK, Jadiya P, Dodda RP, Kumar M, Sridhar B, Kumar V, Haque R, Siddiqi MI, Nazir A. Benzofuran-chalcone hybrids as potential multifunctional agents against Alzheimer's disease: synthesis and in vivo studies with transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans. ChemMedChem 2014; 9:2671-84. [PMID: 25251917 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201402291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In the search for effective multifunctional agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a series of novel hybrids incorporating benzofuran and chalcone fragments were designed and synthesized. These hybrids were screened by using a transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans model that expresses the human β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide. Among the hybrids investigated, (E)-3-(7-methyl-2-(4-methylbenzoyl)benzofuran-5-yl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (4 f), (E)-3-(2-benzoyl-7-methylbenzofuran-5-yl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (4 i), and (E)-3-(2-benzoyl-7-methylbenzofuran-5-yl)-1-(thiophen-2-yl)prop-2-en-1-one (4 m) significantly decreased Aβ aggregation and increased acetylcholine (ACh) levels along with the overall availability of ACh at the synaptic junction. These compounds were also found to decrease acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels, reduce oxidative stress in the worms, lower lipid content, and to provide protection against chemically induced cholinergic neurodegeneration. Overall, the multifunctional effects of these hybrids qualify them as potential drug leads for further development in AD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koneni V Sashidhara
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031 (India).
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Lee SG, Jez JM. Nematode phospholipid metabolism: an example of closing the genome-structure-function circle. Trends Parasitol 2014; 30:241-50. [PMID: 24685202 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2014.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2014] [Revised: 02/28/2014] [Accepted: 03/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic nematodes that infect humans, animals, and plants cause health problems, livestock and agricultural losses, and economic damage worldwide and are important targets for drug development. The growing availability of nematode genomes supports the discovery of new pathways that differ from host organisms and are a starting point for structural and functional studies of novel antiparasitic targets. As an example of how genome data, structural biology, and biochemistry integrate into a research cycle targeting parasites, we summarize the discovery of the phosphobase methylation pathway for phospholipid synthesis in nematodes and compare the phosphoethanolamine methyltransferases (PMTs) from nematodes, plants, and Plasmodium. Crystallographic and biochemical studies of the PMTs in this pathway provide a foundation that guides the next steps that close the genome-structure-function circle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soon Goo Lee
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1137, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Joseph M Jez
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1137, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
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Zlotkowski K, Eliasen AM, Mitra A, Siegel D. Small-molecule mechanism of action studies in Caenorhabditis elegans. Chembiochem 2013; 14:2338-44. [PMID: 24123757 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201300399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
A general protocol for exogenous small-molecule pull-down experiments with Caenorhabditis elegans is described; it provides a link between small-molecule screens in worms and existing mutant and RNAi technologies, thereby enabling organismal mechanism of action studies for the natural product clovanemagnolol. Forward chemical genetic screens followed by mechanism of action studies with C. elegans, when coupled with genetic validation of identified targets to reproduce the small molecule's phenotypic effects, provide a unique platform for discovering the biological targets of compounds that affect multicellular processes. First, the use of an immobilized FK506 derivative and soluble competition experiments with optimally prepared soluble C. elegans proteome successfully identified interactions with FK506 binding proteins 1 to 6. This approach was used to determine an unknown mechanism of action for clovanemagnolol, a small molecule that promotes axonal branching in both primary neuronal cultures and in vivo in C. elegans. Following the synthesis of an appropriately functionalized solid-phase reagent bearing a clovanemagnolol analogue pull-down experiments employing soluble competition identified kinesin light chain-1 (KLC-1), a protein involved in axonal cargo transport, as a putative target. This was corroborated through the use of mutant worms lacking klc-1 and possessing GFP neuronal labeling, reproducing the axonal branching phenotype induced by the small molecule clovanemagnolol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Zlotkowski
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (USA)
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Abstract
Nematodes represent a diverse phylum of both free living and parasitic species. While the species Caenorhabditis elegans is a valuable model organism, parasitic nematodes or helminths pose a serious threat to human health. Indeed, helminths cause many neglected tropical diseases that afflict humans. Nematode glycoconjugates have been implicated in evasive immunomodulation, a hallmark of nematode infections. One monosaccharide residue present in the glycoconjugates of several human pathogens is galactofuranose (Galf). This five-membered ring isomer of galactose has not been detected in mammals, making Galf metabolic enzymes attractive therapeutic targets. The only known pathway for biosynthetic incorporation of Galf into glycoconjugates depends upon generation of the glycosyl donor UDP-Galf by the flavoenzyme uridine 5'-diphosphate (UDP) galactopyranose mutase (UGM or Glf). A putative UGM encoding gene (glf-1) was recently identified in C. elegans. We sought to assess the catalytic activity of the corresponding gene product (CeUGM). CeUGM catalyzes the isomerization of UDP-Galf and UDP-galactopyranose (UDP-Galp). In the presence of enzyme, substrate, and a hydride source, a galactose-N5-FAD adduct was isolated, suggesting the CeUGM flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) cofactor serves as a nucleophile in covalent catalysis. Homology modeling and protein variants indicate that CeUGM possesses an active site similar to that of prokaryotic enzymes, despite the low sequence identity (∼15%) between eukaryotic and prokaryotic UGM proteins. Even with the primary sequence differences, heterocyclic UGM inhibitors developed against prokaryotic proteins also inhibit CeUGM activity. We postulate that inhibitors of CeUGM can serve as chemical probes of Galf in nematodes and as anthelmintic leads. The available data suggest that CeUGM facilitates the biosynthetic incorporation of Galf into nematode glycoconjugates through generation of the glycosyl donor UDP-Galf.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darryl A. Wesener
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706-1544 USA
| | - John F. May
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706-1544 USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Huffman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706-1322 USA
| | - Laura L. Kiessling
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706-1544 USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706-1322 USA
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Hu C, Dillon J, Kearn J, Murray C, O’Connor V, Holden-Dye L, Morgan H. NeuroChip: a microfluidic electrophysiological device for genetic and chemical biology screening of Caenorhabditis elegans adult and larvae. PLoS One 2013; 8:e64297. [PMID: 23717588 PMCID: PMC3661448 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2013] [Accepted: 04/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic and chemical biology screens of C. elegans have been of enormous benefit in providing fundamental insight into neural function and neuroactive drugs. Recently the exploitation of microfluidic devices has added greater power to this experimental approach providing more discrete and higher throughput phenotypic analysis of neural systems. Here we make a significant addition to this repertoire through the design of a semi-automated microfluidic device, NeuroChip, which has been optimised for selecting worms based on the electrophysiological features of the pharyngeal neural network. We demonstrate this device has the capability to sort mutant from wild-type worms based on high definition extracellular electrophysiological recordings. NeuroChip resolves discrete differences in excitatory, inhibitory and neuromodulatory components of the neural network from individual animals. Worms may be fed into the device consecutively from a reservoir and recovered unharmed. It combines microfluidics with integrated electrode recording for sequential trapping, restraining, recording, releasing and recovering of C. elegans. Thus mutant worms may be selected, recovered and propagated enabling mutagenesis screens based on an electrophysiological phenotype. Drugs may be rapidly applied during the recording thus permitting compound screening. For toxicology, this analysis can provide a precise description of sub-lethal effects on neural function. The chamber has been modified to accommodate L2 larval stages showing applicability for small size nematodes including parasitic species which otherwise are not tractable to this experimental approach. We also combine NeuroChip with optogenetics for targeted interrogation of the function of the neural circuit. NeuroChip thus adds a new tool for exploitation of C. elegans and has applications in neurogenetics, drug discovery and neurotoxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxiao Hu
- Hybrid Biodevices Group, Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - James Dillon
- Centre for Biological Sciences, Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - James Kearn
- Centre for Biological Sciences, Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Caitriona Murray
- Centre for Biological Sciences, Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Vincent O’Connor
- Centre for Biological Sciences, Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Lindy Holden-Dye
- Centre for Biological Sciences, Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Hywel Morgan
- Hybrid Biodevices Group, Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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Leung CK, Wang Y, Malany S, Deonarine A, Nguyen K, Vasile S, Choe KP. An ultra high-throughput, whole-animal screen for small molecule modulators of a specific genetic pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS One 2013; 8:e62166. [PMID: 23637990 PMCID: PMC3639262 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2013] [Accepted: 03/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
High-throughput screening (HTS) is a powerful approach to drug discovery, but many lead compounds are found to be unsuitable for use in vivo after initial screening. Screening in small animals like C. elegans can help avoid these problems, but this system has been limited to screens with low-throughput or no specific molecular target. We report the first in vivo 1536-well plate assay for a specific genetic pathway in C. elegans. Our assay measures induction of a gene regulated by SKN-1, a master regulator of detoxification genes. SKN-1 inhibitors will be used to study and potentially reverse multidrug resistance in parasitic nematodes. Screens of two small commercial libraries and the full Molecular Libraries Small Molecule Repository (MLSMR) of ∼364,000 compounds validate our platform for ultra HTS. Our platform overcomes current limitations of many whole-animal screens and can be widely adopted for other inducible genetic pathways in nematodes and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi K. Leung
- Department of Biology and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Biology and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Siobhan Malany
- Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida, United States of America
| | - Andrew Deonarine
- Department of Biology and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Kevin Nguyen
- Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida, United States of America
| | - Stefan Vasile
- Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida, United States of America
| | - Keith P. Choe
- Department of Biology and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
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40
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Holden-Dye L, Joyner M, O'Connor V, Walker RJ. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: a comparison of the nAChRs of Caenorhabditis elegans and parasitic nematodes. Parasitol Int 2013; 62:606-15. [PMID: 23500392 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2013.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2012] [Revised: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 03/05/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play a key role in the normal physiology of nematodes and provide an established target site for anthelmintics. The free-living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, has a large number of nAChR subunit genes in its genome and so provides an experimental model for testing novel anthelmintics which act at these sites. However, many parasitic nematodes lack specific genes present in C. elegans, and so care is required in extrapolating from studies using C. elegans to the situation in other nematodes. In this review the properties of C. elegans nAChRs are reviewed and compared to those of parasitic nematodes. This forms the basis for a discussion of the possible subunit composition of nAChRs from different species of parasitic nematodes. Currently our knowledge on this is largely based on studies using heterologous expression and pharmacological analysis of receptor subunits in Xenopus laevis oocytes. It is concluded that more information is required regarding the subunit composition and pharmacology of endogenous nAChRs in parasitic nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindy Holden-Dye
- Centre for Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building 85, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
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Sajid M, Azim MK. Characterization of the nematicidal activity of natural honey. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2012; 60:7428-7434. [PMID: 22783999 DOI: 10.1021/jf301653n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial activities of honey against bacteria and fungi are extensively reported in the scientific literature. However, its nematicidal potential has not been characterized so far. This study examined the effect of natural honey on model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and analyzed the honey component(s) responsible for nematicidal activity. Characterization of honey-treated C. elegans was done using fluorescence and phase contrast microscopy. Egg-laying and egg-hatching defects of honey-treated C. elegans were studied. For identification of nematicidal component(s), bioactivity-directed fractionation of honey samples was carried out using dialysis, ultrafiltration, chromatographic, and spectroscopic techniques. Natural honeys of different floral sources showed nematicidal activity against different developmental stages of C. elegans. The nematicidal components of honey induced cell death in intestinal lumen and gonads of C. elegans as revealed by microscopy. The nematicidal action of honey was found to be due to reproductive anomaly as manifested by defects in egg-laying and -hatching by C. elegans. Honey with concentration as low as 0.03% exerted profound egg-laying defects, whereas 6% honey showed defects in egg hatching. The major sugar components of honey were not involved in observed nematicidal activity. The bioactive components responsible for anti-C. elegans activity were found in the 2-10 kDa fraction of honey, which was resolved into ∼25 peaks by reverse phase HPLC. LC-MS followed by further spectroscopic characterization revealed a glycoconjugate with the molecular mass of 5511 as the major nematicidal component of honey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Sajid
- HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi , Karachi 75270, Pakistan
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Vaccaro A, Patten SA, Ciura S, Maios C, Therrien M, Drapeau P, Kabashi E, Parker JA. Methylene blue protects against TDP-43 and FUS neuronal toxicity in C. elegans and D. rerio. PLoS One 2012; 7:e42117. [PMID: 22848727 PMCID: PMC3407135 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2012] [Accepted: 07/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The DNA/RNA-binding proteins TDP-43 and FUS are found in protein aggregates in a growing number of neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and related dementia, but little is known about the neurotoxic mechanisms. We have generated Caenorhabditis elegans and zebrafish animal models expressing mutant human TDP-43 (A315T or G348C) or FUS (S57Δ or R521H) that reflect certain aspects of ALS including motor neuron degeneration, axonal deficits, and progressive paralysis. To explore the potential of our humanized transgenic C. elegans and zebrafish in identifying chemical suppressors of mutant TDP-43 and FUS neuronal toxicity, we tested three compounds with potential neuroprotective properties: lithium chloride, methylene blue and riluzole. We identified methylene blue as a potent suppressor of TDP-43 and FUS toxicity in both our models. Our results indicate that methylene blue can rescue toxic phenotypes associated with mutant TDP-43 and FUS including neuronal dysfunction and oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Vaccaro
- Université de Montréal Hospital Research Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Département de pathologie et biologie cellulaire and Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Centre of Excellence in Neuromics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Shunmoogum A. Patten
- Département de pathologie et biologie cellulaire and Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Centre of Excellence in Neuromics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Sorana Ciura
- Département de pathologie et biologie cellulaire and Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Centre of Excellence in Neuromics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Claudia Maios
- Département de pathologie et biologie cellulaire and Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Martine Therrien
- Université de Montréal Hospital Research Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Département de pathologie et biologie cellulaire and Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Centre of Excellence in Neuromics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Pierre Drapeau
- Département de pathologie et biologie cellulaire and Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Centre of Excellence in Neuromics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Edor Kabashi
- Département de pathologie et biologie cellulaire and Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- * E-mail: (EK); (JAP)
| | - J. Alex Parker
- Université de Montréal Hospital Research Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Département de pathologie et biologie cellulaire and Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Centre of Excellence in Neuromics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- * E-mail: (EK); (JAP)
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Hernando G, Bergé I, Rayes D, Bouzat C. Contribution of Subunits to Caenorhabditis elegans Levamisole-Sensitive Nicotinic Receptor Function. Mol Pharmacol 2012; 82:550-60. [DOI: 10.1124/mol.112.079962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Chung K, Zhan M, Srinivasan J, Sternberg PW, Gong E, Schroeder FC, Lu H. Microfluidic chamber arrays for whole-organism behavior-based chemical screening. LAB ON A CHIP 2011; 11:3689-3697. [PMID: 21935539 PMCID: PMC3924777 DOI: 10.1039/c1lc20400a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an important model organism in genetic research and drug screening because of its relative simplicity, ease of maintenance, amenability to simple genetic manipulation, and relevance to human biology. However, their small size and mobility make nematodes difficult to physically manipulate, particularly with spatial and temporal precision. We have developed a microfluidic device to overcome these challenges and enable fast behavior-based chemical screening in C. elegans. The key components of this easy-to-use device allow rapid loading and housing of C. elegans in a chamber array for chemical screening. A simple two-step loading process enables simultaneous loading of a large number of animals within a few minutes without using any expensive/active off-chip components. In addition, chemicals can be precisely delivered to the worms and exchanged with high temporal precision. To demonstrate this feature and the ability to measure time dependent responses to chemicals, we characterize the transient response of worms exposed to different concentrations of anesthetics. We then use the device to study the effect of chemical signals from hermaphrodite worms on male behavior. The ability of the device to maintain a large number of free moving animals in one field of view over a long period of time permits us to demonstrate an increase in the incidence of a specific behavior in males subjected to worm-conditioned medium. Because our device allows monitoring of a large number of worms with single-animal resolution, we envision that this platform will greatly expedite chemical screening in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwanghun Chung
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Dr, NW, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0100, USA
| | - Mei Zhan
- Interdisciplinary Program of Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Dr, NW, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0100, USA
| | - Jagan Srinivasan
- MC156-29, Biology Division, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Paul W. Sternberg
- MC156-29, Biology Division, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Emily Gong
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Dr, NW, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0100, USA
| | - Frank C. Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Hang Lu
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Dr, NW, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0100, USA
- Interdisciplinary Program of Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Dr, NW, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0100, USA
- ; Fax: +1-404-894-8473; Tel: +1-404-894-8473
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45
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Cahill H, Rattner A, Nathans J. Preclinical assessment of CNS drug action using eye movements in mice. J Clin Invest 2011; 121:3528-41. [PMID: 21821912 DOI: 10.1172/jci45557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2010] [Accepted: 06/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The drug development process for CNS indications is hampered by a paucity of preclinical tests that accurately predict drug efficacy in humans. Here, we show that a wide variety of CNS-active drugs induce characteristic alterations in visual stimulus-induced and/or spontaneous eye movements in mice. Active compounds included sedatives and antipsychotic, antidepressant, and antiseizure drugs as well as drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, morphine, and phencyclidine. The use of quantitative eye-movement analysis was demonstrated by comparing it with the commonly used rotarod test of motor coordination and by using eye movements to monitor pharmacokinetics, blood-brain barrier penetration, drug-receptor interactions, heavy metal toxicity, pharmacologic treatment in a model of schizophrenia, and degenerative CNS disease. We conclude that eye-movement analysis could complement existing animal tests to improve preclinical drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh Cahill
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
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Lemieux GA, Liu J, Mayer N, Bainton RJ, Ashrafi K, Werb Z. A whole-organism screen identifies new regulators of fat storage. Nat Chem Biol 2011; 7:206-13. [PMID: 21390037 PMCID: PMC3076723 DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2010] [Accepted: 01/24/2011] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The regulation of energy homeostasis integrates diverse biological processes ranging from behavior to metabolism and is linked fundamentally to numerous disease states. To identify new molecules that can bypass homeostatic compensatory mechanisms of energy balance in intact animals, we screened for small-molecule modulators of Caenorhabditis elegans fat content. We report on several molecules that modulate fat storage without obvious deleterious effects on feeding, growth and reproduction. A subset of these compounds also altered fat storage in mammalian and insect cell culture. We found that one of the newly identified compounds exerts its effects in C. elegans through a pathway that requires previously undescribed functions of an AMP-activated kinase catalytic subunit and a transcription factor previously unassociated with fat regulation. Thus, our strategy identifies small molecules that are effective within the context of intact animals and reveals relationships between new pathways that operate across phyla to influence energy homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- George A Lemieux
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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Fitzgerald V, Mensack M, Wolfe P, Thompson H. A transfer-less, multi-well liquid culture feeding system for screening small molecules that affect the longevity of Caenorhabditis elegans. Biotechniques 2011; 47:ix-xv. [PMID: 20041852 DOI: 10.2144/000113277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Agricultural sciences rely almost entirely on chemical assays to screen the thousands of crop cultivars generated in a crop improvement program for potential human health benefits. This situation exists in part because most animal models are expensive to implement, utilize large amounts of plant material, and require specialized facilities and technical training. A cost-effective, high-throughput animal model to screen crop extracts for small molecules with biological activity related to human health benefits would provide a much-needed resource. Here we introduce a new, relatively high-throughput method incorporating the microscopic Caenorhabditis elegans nematode, which is suitable for screening chemical extracts for bioactivity without the need for robotics. This system was chosen because longevity extension in C. elegans has been previously associated with human health benefits. Through the use of cell culture inserts, C. elegans can be exposed to fresh crop extracts daily throughout their lifespan without mechanical manipulation of the worm, thus minimizing stress and creating an environment suitable for experiments measuring longevity. Additionally, the duration of longevity experiments can be reduced by using type II right censoring in experimental design and survival analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Fitzgerald
- Cancer Prevention Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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Lee SG, Jez JM. The Phosphobase Methylation Pathway in Caernorhabditis elegans: A New Route to Phospholipids in Animals. CURRENT CHEMICAL BIOLOGY 2011; 5:183-188. [PMID: 34113540 PMCID: PMC8189325 DOI: 10.2174/2212796811105030183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Parasitic nematodes are a major cause of human health problems with an estimated 1 billion people infected worldwide by these organisms. Identifying biochemical targets that differ between the parasite and host species is essential for finding effective new anti-parasitic molecules. The free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful model system for experiments in genetics and developmental biology needed to achieve this goal; however, in-depth understanding of metabolic processes in this organism is limited as it still contains unexplored biochemical pathways. Eukaryotes. including nematodes and humans, share many similar metabolic pathways, which makes specific targeting of nematode parasites challenging. Recent studies suggest that C. elegans and other nematodes may use a plant-like pathway as the major biosynthetic route to phosphatidylcholine. In this pathway, a pair of phosphoethanolamine methyltransferases (PMT) catalyze the sequential methylation of phosphoethanolamine to phosphocholine, which can be incorporated into phosphatidylcholine. RNAi experiments demonstrate that both PMT are required for normal growth and development of C. elegans. Because the PMT are highly conserved across nematode parasites of humans, livestock, and plants, as well as in protozoan parasites, understanding how these enzymes function and the identification of inhibitors will aid in the development of new anti-parasite compounds of potential medical, veterinary, and agricultural value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soon Goo Lee
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | - Joseph M. Jez
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130
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Genetic diversity of levamisole receptor subunits in parasitic nematode species and abbreviated transcripts associated with resistance. Pharmacogenet Genomics 2010; 20:414-25. [DOI: 10.1097/fpc.0b013e328338ac8c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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50
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A predictive model for drug bioaccumulation and bioactivity in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nat Chem Biol 2010; 6:549-57. [PMID: 20512140 DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2009] [Accepted: 04/26/2010] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans to pharmacological perturbation limits its use as a screening tool for novel small bioactive molecules. One strategy to improve the hit rate of small-molecule screens is to preselect molecules that have an increased likelihood of reaching their target in the worm. To learn which structures evade the worm's defenses, we performed the first survey of the accumulation and metabolism of over 1,000 commercially available drug-like small molecules in the worm. We discovered that fewer than 10% of these molecules accumulate to concentrations greater than 50% of that present in the worm's environment. Using our dataset, we developed a structure-based accumulation model that identifies compounds with an increased likelihood of bioavailability and bioactivity, and we describe structural features that facilitate small-molecule accumulation in the worm. Preselecting molecules that are more likely to reach a target by first applying our model to the tens of millions of commercially available compounds will undoubtedly increase the success of future small-molecule screens with C. elegans.
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