Aluminium exposure disrupts elemental homeostasis in Caenorhabditis elegans

Comparative toxicity of coal and coal ash: Assessing biological impacts and potential mechanisms through in vitro and in vivo testing

BACKGROUND

Coal and coal ash present inorganic elements associated with negative impacts on environment and human health. The objective of this study was to compare the toxicity of coal and coal ash from a power plant, assess their inorganic components, and investigate the biological impacts and potential mechanisms through in vitro and in vivo testing.

METHODS

Particle-Induced X-ray Emission method was used to quantify inorganic elements and the toxicity was evaluated in Caenorhabditis elegans and Daphnia magna in acute and chronic procedures. The genotoxic potential was assessed using alkaline and FPG-modified Comet assay in HepG2 cells and mutagenicity was evaluated using Salmonella/microsome assay in TA97a, TA100, and TA102 strains.

RESULTS

Inorganic elements such as aluminum (Al) and chromium (Cr) were detected at higher concentrations in coal ash compared to coal. These elements were found to be associated with increased toxicity of coal ash in both Caenorhabditis elegans and Daphnia magna. Coal and coal ash did not induce gene mutations, but showed genotoxic effects in HepG2 cells, which were increased using the FPG enzyme, indicating DNA oxidative damage.

CONCLUSIONS

The combined findings from bioassays using C. elegans and D. magna support the higher toxicity of coal ash, which can be attributed to its elevated levels of inorganic elements. The genotoxicity observed in HepG2 cells confirms these results. This study highlights the need for continuous monitoring in areas affected by environmental degradation caused by coal power plants. Additionally, the analysis reveals significantly higher concentrations of various inorganic elements in coal ash compared to coal, providing insight into the specific elemental composition contributing to its increased toxicity.

Water-soluble optical sensors: keys to detect aluminium in biological environment

Metal ion plays a critical role from enzyme catalysis to cellular health and functions. The concentration of metal ions in a living system is highly regulated. Among the biologically relevant metal ions, the role and toxicity of aluminium in specific biological functions have been getting significant attention in recent years. The interaction of aluminium and the living system is unavoidable due to its high earth crust abundance, and the long-term exposure to aluminium can be fatal for life. The adverse Al3+ toxicity effects in humans result in various diseases ranging from cancers to neurogenetic disorders. Several Al3+ ions sensors have been developed over the past decades using the optical responses of synthesized molecules. However, only limited numbers of water-soluble optical sensors have been reported so far. In this review, we have confined our discussion to water-soluble Al3+ ions detection using optical methods and their utility for live-cell imaging and real-life application.

Novel Extraction Method for Combined Lipid and Metal Speciation From Caenorhabditis elegans With Focus on Iron Redox Status and Lipid Profiling

Parkinson´s disease progression is linked to iron redox status homeostasis via reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, and lipids are the primary targets of ROS. The determination of iron redox status in vivo is challenging and requires specific extraction methods, which are so far tedious and very time-consuming. We demonstrated a novel, faster, and less laborious extraction method using the chelator ethylene glycol l-bis(β-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N′,N′-tetra acetic acid (EGTA) as a stabilizing agent and synthetic quartz beads for homogenization under an argon atmosphere. Additionally, we combined the metal extraction with a well-established lipid extraction protocol using methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) to avoid the problems of lipid precipitation in frozen samples and to determine lipid profiles and metal species from the same batch. The nonextractable matrix, such as the debris, is removed by centrifugation and digested to determine the total metal content of the sample as well. Lipid profiling using RP-LC–MS demonstrated high accordance of the modified extraction method to the reference method, and the organic solvent does not affect the iron redox status equilibrium. Furthermore, rigorous testing demonstrated the stability of the iron redox status equilibrium during the extraction process, secured by complexation, inert atmosphere, fast preparation, and immediately deep frozen extracts.

Metallobiology and therapeutic chelation of biometals (copper, zinc and iron) in Alzheimer's disease: Limitations, and current and future perspectives

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of cognitive impairment and dementia worldwide. The pathobiology of the disease has been studied in the form of several hypotheses, ranging from oxidative stress, amyloid-beta (Aβ) aggregation, accumulation of tau forming neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) through metal dysregulation and homeostasis, dysfunction of the cholinergic system, and to inflammatory and autophagic mechanism. However, none of these hypotheses has led to confirmed diagnostics or approved cure for the disease.

OBJECTIVE

This review is aimed as a basic and an encyclopedic short course into metals in AD and discusses the advances in chelation strategies and developments adopted in the treatment of the disease. Since there is accumulating evidence of the role of both biometal dyshomeostasis (iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn)) and metal-amyloid interactions that lead to the pathogenesis of AD, this review focuses on unraveling therapeutic chelation strategies that have been considered in the treatment of the disease, aiming to sequester free and protein-bound metal ions and reducing cerebral metal burden. Promising compounds possessing chemically modified moieties evolving as multi-target ligands used as anti-AD drug candidates are also covered.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Several multidirectional and multifaceted studies on metal chelation therapeutics show the need for improved synthesis, screening, and analysis of compounds to be able to effectively present chelating anti-AD drugs. Most drug candidates studied have limitations in their physicochemical properties; some enhance redistribution of metal ions, while others indirectly activate signaling pathways in AD. The metal chelation process in vivo still needs to be established and the design of potential anti-AD compounds that bi-functionally sequester metal ions as well as inhibit the Aβ aggregation by competing with the metal ions and reducing metal-induced oxidative damage and neurotoxicity may signal a bright end in chelation-based therapeutics of AD.

Amino modification enhances reproductive toxicity of nanopolystyrene on gonad development and reproductive capacity in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Although amino modified nanopolystyrene could cause toxicity on environmental organisms, the effect of amino modification on nanopolystyrene toxicity is still largely unclear. We here employed Caenorhabditis elegans as an animal model to compare the effects between pristine and amino modified nanopolystyrene particles in inducing reproductive toxicity. Nanopolystyrene (35 nm) could cause the damage on gonad development as indicated by the endpoints of number of total germline cells, length of gonad arm, and relative area of gonad arm. Nanopolystyrene exposure also reduced the reproductive capacity as reflected by the endpoints of brood size and number of fertilized eggs in uterus. Moreover, amino modification enhanced nanopolystyrene toxicity on both the gonad development and the reproductive capacity. Additionally, induction of germline apoptosis and formation of germline DNA damage contributed to the enhancement of nanopolystyrene toxicity in reducing reproductive capacity by amino modification. Our results highlight the potential environmental risk of amino modified nanopolystyrene in inducing reproductive toxicity on gonad development and reproductive capacity of environmental organisms.

Aluminum toxicity related to SOD and expression of presenilin and CREB in Bombyx mori

Aluminum (Al) is an important environmental metal factor that can be potentially associated with pathological changes leading to neurotoxicity. The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is an important economic insect and has also been used as a model organism in various research areas. However, the toxicity of Al on silkworm physiology has not been reported. Here, we comprehensively investigate the toxic effects of Al on the silkworm, focusing on its effects on viability and development, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and the expression of presenilin and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in BmE cells and silkworm larvae. BmE cell viability decreased after treatment with aluminum chloride (AlCl₃ ) in both dose- and time-dependent manners. When AlCl₃ solution was injected into newly hatched fifth instar larvae, both larval weight gain and survival rate were significantly decreased in a manner correlating with AlCl₃ dose and developmental stage. Furthermore, when BmE cells and silkworm larvae were exposed to AlCl₃ , SOD activity decreased significantly relative to the control group, whereas presenilin expression increased more than twofold. Additionally, CREB and phosphorylated CREB (p-CREB) expression in the heads of fifth instar larvae decreased by 28.0% and 50.0%, respectively. These results indicate that Al inhibits the growth and development of silkworms in vitro and in vivo, altering SOD activity and the expressions of presenilin, CREB, and p-CREB. Our data suggest that B. mori can serve as a model animal for studying Al-induced neurotoxicity or neurodegeneration.

Hamp1 mRNA and plasma hepcidin levels are influenced by sex and strain but do not predict tissue iron levels in inbred mice

Iron homeostasis is tightly regulated, and the peptide hormone hepcidin is considered to be a principal regulator of iron metabolism. Previous studies in a limited number of mouse strains found equivocal sex- and strain-dependent differences in mRNA and serum levels of hepcidin and reported conflicting data on the relationship between hepcidin (Hamp1) mRNA levels and iron status. Our aim was to clarify the relationships between strain, sex, and hepcidin expression by examining multiple tissues and the effects of different dietary conditions in multiple inbred strains. Two studies were done: first, Hamp1 mRNA, liver iron, and plasma diferric transferrin levels were measured in 14 inbred strains on a control diet; and second, Hamp1 mRNA and plasma hepcidin levels in both sexes and iron levels in the heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and spleen in males were measured in nine inbred/recombinant inbred strains raised on an iron-sufficient or high-iron diet. Both sex and strain have a significant effect on both hepcidin mRNA (primarily a sex effect) and plasma hepcidin levels (primarily a strain effect). However, liver iron and diferric transferrin levels are not predictors of Hamp1 mRNA levels in mice fed iron-sufficient or high-iron diets, nor are the Hamp1 mRNA and plasma hepcidin levels good predictors of tissue iron levels, at least in males. We also measured plasma erythroferrone, performed RNA-sequencing analysis of liver samples from six inbred strains fed the iron-sufficient, low-iron, or high-iron diets, and explored differences in gene expression between the strains with the highest and lowest hepcidin levels.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Both sex and strain have a significant effect on both hepcidin mRNA (primarily a sex effect) and plasma hepcidin levels (primarily a strain effect). Liver iron and diferric transferrin levels are not predictors of Hamp1 mRNA levels in mice, nor are the Hamp1 mRNA and plasma hepcidin levels good predictors of tissue iron levels, at least in males.

Neurodegeneration Induced by Metals in Caenorhabditis elegans

Metals are a component of a variety of ecosystems and organisms. They can generally be divided into essential and nonessential metals. The essential metals are involved in physiological processes once the deficiency of these metals has been associated with diseases. Although iron, manganese, copper, and zinc are important for life, it has been evidenced that they are also involved in neuronal damage in many neurodegenerative disorders. Nonessential metals, which are metals without physiological functions, are present in trace or higher levels in living organisms. Occupational, environmental, or deliberate exposures to lead, mercury, aluminum, and cadmium are clearly correlated with the increase of toxicity and varied kinds of pathological situations. Actually, the field of neurotoxicology needs to satisfy two opposing demands: the testing of a growing list of chemicals and resource limitations and ethical concerns associated with testing using traditional mammalian species. Toxicological assays using alternative animal models may relieve some of this pressure by allowing testing of more compounds while reducing expenses and using fewer mammals. The nervous system is by far the more complex system in C. elegans. Almost a third of their cells are neurons (302 neurons versus 959 cells in adult hermaphrodite). It initially underwent extensive development as a model organism in order to study the nervous system, and its neuronal lineage and the complete wiring diagram of its nervous system are stereotyped and fully described. The neurotransmission systems are phylogenetically conserved from nematodes to vertebrates, which allows for findings from C. elegans to be extrapolated and further confirmed in vertebrate systems. Different strains of C. elegans offer a new perspective on neurodegenerative processes. Some genes have been found to be related to neurodegeneration induced by metals. Studying these interactions may be an effective tool to slow neuronal loss and deterioration.

Iron promotes protein insolubility and aging in C. elegans

Many late-onset proteotoxic diseases are accompanied by a disruption in homeostasis of metals (metallostasis) including iron, copper and zinc. Although aging is the most prominent risk factor for these disorders, the impact of aging on metallostasis and its role in proteotoxic disease remain poorly understood. Moreover, it is not clear whether a loss of metallostasis influences normal aging. We have investigated the role of metallostasis in longevity ofCaenorhabditis elegans. We found that calcium, copper, iron, and manganese levels increase as a function of age, while potassium and phosphorus levels tend to decrease. Increased dietary iron significantly accelerated the age-related accumulation of insoluble protein, a molecular pathology of aging. Proteomic analysis revealed widespread effects of dietary iron in multiple organelles and tissues. Pharmacological interventions to block accumulation of specific metals attenuated many models of proteotoxicity and extended normal lifespan. Collectively, these results suggest that a loss of metallostasis with aging contributes to age-related protein aggregation.

Manganese disturbs metal and protein homeostasis in Caenorhabditis elegans

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a debilitating motor and cognitive neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no cure. While aging is the major risk factor for developing PD, clear environmental risks have also been identified. Environmental exposure to the manganese (Mn) metal is a prominent risk factor for developing PD and occupational exposure to high levels of Mn can cause a syndrome known as manganism, which has symptoms that closely resemble PD. In this study, we developed a model of manganism in the environmentally tractable nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. We find that, in addition to previously described modes of Mn toxicity, which primarily include mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, Mn exposure also significantly antagonizes protein homeostasis, another key pathological feature associated with PD and many age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Mn treatment activates the ER unfolded protein response, severely exacerbates toxicity in a disease model of protein misfolding, and alters aggregate solubility. Further, aged animals, which have previously been shown to exhibit decreased protein homeostasis, are particularly susceptible to Mn toxicity when compared to young animals, indicating that the aging process sensitizes animals to metal toxicity. Mn exposure also significantly alters iron (Fe) and calcium (Ca) homeostasis, which is important for mitochondrial and ER health and which may further compound toxicity. These findings indicate that modeling manganism in C. elegans can provide a useful platform for identifying therapeutic interventions for ER stress, proteotoxicity, and age-dependent susceptibilities, key pathological features of PD and other related neurodegenerative diseases.

Altered transition metal homeostasis in Niemann-Pick disease, type C1

The loss of NPC1 protein function is the predominant cause of Niemann-Pick type C1 disease (NP-C1), a systemic and neurodegenerative disorder characterized by late-endosomal/lysosomal accumulation of cholesterol and other lipids. Limited evidence from post-mortem human tissues, an Npc1(-/-) mouse model, and cell culture studies also suggest failure of metal homeostasis in NP-C1. To investigate these findings, we performed a comprehensive transition metal analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), plasma and tissue samples from human NP-C1 patients and an Npc1(-/-) mouse model. NPC1 deficiency in the Npc1(-/-) mouse model resulted in a perturbation of transition metal homeostasis in the plasma and key organs (brain, liver, spleen, heart, lungs, and kidneys). Analysis of human patient CSF, plasma and post-mortem brain tissues also indicated disrupted metal homeostasis. There was a disparity in the direction of metal changes between the human and the Npc1(-/-) mouse samples, which may reflect species-specific metal metabolism. Nevertheless, common to both species is brain zinc accumulation. Furthermore, treatment with the glucosylceramide synthase inhibitor miglustat, the only drug shown in a controlled clinical trial to have some efficacy for NP-C1, did not correct the alterations in CSF and plasma transition metal and ceruloplasmin (CP) metabolism in NP-C1 patients. These findings highlight the importance of NPC1 function in metal homeostasis, and indicate that metal-targeting therapy may be of value as a treatment for NP-C.

Microworms swallow the nanobait: the use of nanocoated microbial cells for the direct delivery of nanoparticles into Caenorhabditis elegans

The application of in vivo models in assessing the toxicity of nanomaterials is currently regarded as a promising way to investigate the effects of nanomaterials on living organisms. In this paper we introduce a novel method to deliver nanomaterials into Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes. Our approach is based on using nanoparticle-coated microbial cells as "nanobait", which are ingested by nematodes as a sole food source. We found that nematodes feed on the nanocoated bacteria (Escherichia coli) and microalgae (Chlorella pyrenoidosa) ingesting them via pharyngeal pumping, which results in localization of nanoparticles inside the digestive tract of the worms. Nanoparticles were detected exclusively inside the intestine, indicating the efficient delivery based on microbial cells. Delivery of iron oxide nanoparticles results in magnetic labelling of living nematodes, rendering them magnetically-responsive. The use of cell-mediated delivery of nanoparticles can be applied to investigate the toxicity of polymer-coated magnetic nanoparticles and citrate-capped silver nanoparticles in Caenorhabditis elegans in vivo.

Metal-induced neurodegeneration in C. elegans

The model species, Caenorhabditis elegans, has been used as a tool to probe for mechanisms underlying numerous neurodegenerative diseases. This use has been exploited to study neurodegeneration induced by metals. The allure of the nematode comes from the ease of genetic manipulation, the ability to fluorescently label neuronal subtypes, and the relative simplicity of the nervous system. Notably, C. elegans have approximately 60-80% of human genes and contain genes involved in metal homeostasis and transport, allowing for the study of metal-induced degeneration in the nematode. This review discusses methods to assess degeneration as well as outlines techniques for genetic manipulation and presents a comprehensive survey of the existing literature on metal-induced degeneration studies in the worm.

Meeting report: British Society for Research on Ageing (BSRA) annual scientific meeting 2012, Aston University, Birmingham, 3rd to 4th July 2012

The focus of the British Society for Research on Ageing (BSRA) annual scientific meeting 2012 was aging mechanisms and mitigants. The themes covered included epigenetics, stem cells and regeneration, aging pathways and molecules, the aging bladder and bowel, as well as updates from the New Dynamics of Ageing (NDA) programme. The topics incorporated new directions for staple aging research in caloric restriction (CR), inflammation, immunesenescence, neurodegeneration, homeostasis and stress resistance, as well as newer research areas such as bioengineering of tissues, including the internal anal sphincter and thymus.