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Costa FV, Zabegalov KN, Kolesnikova TO, de Abreu MS, Kotova MM, Petersen EV, Kalueff AV. Experimental models of human cortical malformations: from mammals to 'acortical' zebrafish. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 155:105429. [PMID: 37863278 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Human neocortex controls and integrates cognition, emotions, perception and complex behaviors. Aberrant cortical development can be triggered by multiple genetic and environmental factors, causing cortical malformations. Animal models, especially rodents, are a valuable tool to probe molecular and physiological mechanisms of cortical malformations. Complementing rodent studies, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an important model organism in biomedicine. Although the zebrafish (like other fishes) lacks neocortex, here we argue that this species can still be used to model various aspects and brain phenomena related to human cortical malformations. We also discuss novel perspectives in this field, covering both advantages and limitations of using mammalian and zebrafish models in cortical malformation research. Summarizing mounting evidence, we also highlight the importance of translationally-relevant insights into the pathogenesis of cortical malformations from animal models, and discuss future strategies of research in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiano V Costa
- World-class Research Center "Center for Personalized Medicine", Almazov National Medical Research Center, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia; Neurobiology Program, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius Federal Territory, Russia
| | - Konstantin N Zabegalov
- Neurobiology Program, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius Federal Territory, Russia
| | - Tatiana O Kolesnikova
- World-class Research Center "Center for Personalized Medicine", Almazov National Medical Research Center, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia; Neurobiology Program, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius Federal Territory, Russia
| | | | - Maria M Kotova
- World-class Research Center "Center for Personalized Medicine", Almazov National Medical Research Center, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia; Neurobiology Program, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius Federal Territory, Russia
| | | | - Allan V Kalueff
- World-class Research Center "Center for Personalized Medicine", Almazov National Medical Research Center, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia; Laboratory of Preclinical Bioscreening, Granov Russian Research Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Pesochny, Russia; Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia; Neurobiology Program, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius Federal Territory, Russia.
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A low-molecular-weight chitosan fluorometric-based assay for evaluating antiangiogenic drugs. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 224:927-937. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.10.178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Alper SR, Dorsky RI. Unique advantages of zebrafish larvae as a model for spinal cord regeneration. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:983336. [PMID: 36157068 PMCID: PMC9489991 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.983336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The regenerative capacity of the spinal cord in mammals ends at birth. In contrast, teleost fish and amphibians retain this capacity throughout life, leading to the use of the powerful zebrafish model system to identify novel mechanisms that promote spinal cord regeneration. While adult zebrafish offer an effective comparison with non-regenerating mammals, they lack the complete array of experimental approaches that have made this animal model so successful. In contrast, the optical transparency, simple anatomy and complex behavior of zebrafish larvae, combined with the known conservation of pro-regenerative signals and cell types between larval and adult stages, suggest that they may hold even more promise as a system for investigating spinal cord regeneration. In this review, we highlight characteristics and advantages of the larval model that underlie its potential to provide future therapeutic approaches for treating human spinal cord injury.
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Alaiz Noya M, Berti F, Dietrich S. Comprehensive expression analysis for the core cell cycle regulators in the chicken embryo reveals novel tissue-specific synexpression groups and similarities and differences with expression in mouse, frog and zebrafish. J Anat 2022; 241:42-66. [PMID: 35146756 PMCID: PMC9178385 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The core cell cycle machinery is conserved from yeast to humans, and hence it is assumed that all vertebrates share the same set of players. Yet during vertebrate evolution, the genome was duplicated twice, followed by a further genome duplication in teleost fish. Thereafter, distinct genes were retained in different vertebrate lineages; some individual gene duplications also occurred. To which extent these diversifying tendencies were compensated by retaining the same expression patterns across homologous genes is not known. This study for the first time undertook a comprehensive expression analysis for the core cell cycle regulators in the chicken, focusing in on early neurula and pharyngula stages of development, with the latter representing the vertebrate phylotypic stage. We also compared our data with published data for the mouse, Xenopus and zebrafish, the other established vertebrate models. Our work shows that, while many genes are expressed widely, some are upregulated or specifically expressed in defined tissues of the chicken embryo, forming novel synexpression groups with markers for distinct developmental pathways. Moreover, we found that in the neural tube and in the somite, mRNAs of some of the genes investigated accumulate in a specific subcellular localisation, pointing at a novel link between the site of mRNA translation, cell cycle control and interkinetic nuclear movements. Finally, we show that expression patterns of orthologous genes may differ in the four vertebrate models. Thus, for any study investigating cell proliferation, cell differentiation, tissue regeneration, stem cell behaviour and cancer/cancer therapy, it has to be carefully examined which of the observed effects are due to the specific model organism used, and which can be generalised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Alaiz Noya
- Institute for Biomedical and Biomolecular Science (IBBS), School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK.,Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Alicante, Spain
| | - Federica Berti
- Institute for Biomedical and Biomolecular Science (IBBS), School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK.,Life Sciences Solutions, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Monza, Italy
| | - Susanne Dietrich
- Institute for Biomedical and Biomolecular Science (IBBS), School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
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Impaired Generation of Transit-Amplifying Progenitors in the Adult Subventricular Zone of Cyclin D2 Knockout Mice. Cells 2022; 11:cells11010135. [PMID: 35011697 PMCID: PMC8750346 DOI: 10.3390/cells11010135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In the adult brain, new neurons are constitutively derived from postnatal neural stem cells/progenitors located in two neurogenic regions: the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles (migrating and differentiating into different subtypes of the inhibitory interneurons of the olfactory bulbs), and the subgranular layer of the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Cyclin D2 knockout (cD2-KO) mice exhibit reduced numbers of new hippocampal neurons; however, the proliferation deficiency and the dysregulation of adult neurogenesis in the SVZ required further investigation. In this report, we characterized the differentiation potential of each subpopulation of the SVZ neural precursors in cD2-KO mice. The number of newly generated cells in the SVZs was significantly decreased in cD2-KO mice compared to wild type mice (WT), and was not accompanied by elevated levels of apoptosis. Although the number of B1-type quiescent precursors (B1q) and the overall B1-type activated precursors (B1a) were not affected in the SVZ neurogenic niche, the number of transit-amplifying progenitors (TaPs) was significantly reduced. Additionally, the subpopulations of calbindin D28k and calretinin interneurons were diminished in the olfactory bulbs of cD2-KO mice. Our results suggest that cyclin D2 might be critical for the proliferation of neural precursors and progenitors in the SVZ—the transition of B1a into TaPs and, thereafter, the production of newly generated interneurons in the olfactory bulbs. Untangling regulators that functionally modulate adult neurogenesis provides a basis for the development of regenerative therapies for injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Ho JY, Lu HY, Cheng HH, Kuo YC, Lee YLA, Cheng CH. UBE2S activates NF-κB signaling by binding with IκBα and promotes metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma cells. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2021; 44:1325-1338. [PMID: 34582005 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-021-00639-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling in cancer cells has been reported to be involved in tumorigenesis. Phosphorylation and degradation of inhibitor of NF-κBα (IκBα) is a canonical pathway of NF-κB signaling. Here, we aimed to identify and characterize noncanonical activation of NF-κB signaling by ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2S (UBE2S) in lung adenocarcinoma cells. METHODS TCGA and the Human Atlas Protein Database were used to analyze the survival rate of lung adenocarcinoma patients in conjunction with UBE2S expression. In addition, PC9, H460, H441 and A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells were used in this study. PC9 and H460 cells were selected for further analysis because they expressed different UBE2S protein levels. Specific IKK inhibitors, PS1145 and SC514, were used to assess IκBα phosphorylation. Western blot analysis was used to assess protein levels in PC9 and H460 cells. A scratch wound-healing assay was used to analyze the migrative abilities of PC9 and H460 cells. Overexpression and knockdown of UBE2S in H460 and PC9 cells were used to analyze their effects on downstream protein levels. Immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescent staining, glutathione S transferase (GST) pull-down and in vitro binding assays were used to analyze the interaction between UBE2S and IκBα. A luciferase assay was used to analyze activation of NF-κB signaling regulated by UBE2S. An in vivo zebrafish xenograft model was used to assess metastasis of PC9 cells regulated by UBE2S. RESULTS We found that UBE2S expression in lung adenocarcinoma patients was negatively related to survival rate. The protein level of UBE2S was higher in PC9 cells than in H460 cells, which was opposite to that observed for IκBα. PC9 cells showed a higher UBE2S expression and migrative ability than H460 cells. Phosphorylation of IκBα was not changed by treatment with the IKK-specific inhibitors PS1145 and SC514 in PC9 and H460 cells. Overexpression and knockdown of UBE2S in H460 and PC9 cells revealed that the protein levels of IκBα were inversely regulated. Immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescent staining, GST pull-down and in vitro binding assays revealed direct binding of UBE2S with IκBα. Nuclear P65 protein levels and luciferase assays showed that NF-κB signaling was regulated by UBE2S. The expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) markers and the migrative ability of lung adenocarcinoma cells were also regulated by UBE2S. A zebrafish xenograft tumor model showed a reduction in the metastasis of PC9 cells that was induced by UBE2S knockdown. CONCLUSIONS Higher UBE2S expression in lung adenocarcinomas may lead to increased binding with IκBα to activate NF-κB signaling and promote adenocarcinoma cell metastasis. UBE2S may serve as a potential therapeutic target for lung adenocarcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhih-Yun Ho
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 11031, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Ying Lu
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, 11031, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, 11031, Taipei, Taiwan
- Taipei Heart Institute, Taipei Medical University, 11031, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsing-Hsien Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 11031, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chieh Kuo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Lin Amy Lee
- Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC, 27704, USA
| | - Chia-Hsiung Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
- Graduate Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 11031, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, 11031, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Chen TH, Chen JA. Multifaceted roles of microRNAs: From motor neuron generation in embryos to degeneration in spinal muscular atrophy. eLife 2019; 8:50848. [PMID: 31738166 PMCID: PMC6861003 DOI: 10.7554/elife.50848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Two crucial questions in neuroscience are how neurons establish individual identity in the developing nervous system and why only specific neuron subtypes are vulnerable to neurodegenerative diseases. In the central nervous system, spinal motor neurons serve as one of the best-characterized cell types for addressing these two questions. In this review, we dissect these questions by evaluating the emerging role of regulatory microRNAs in motor neuron generation in developing embryos and their potential contributions to neurodegenerative diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Given recent promising results from novel microRNA-based medicines, we discuss the potential applications of microRNAs for clinical assessments of SMA disease progression and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tai-Heng Chen
- PhD Program in Translational Medicine, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Academia Sinica, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Jun-An Chen
- PhD Program in Translational Medicine, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Academia Sinica, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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