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Chen H, Li J, Huang Z, Fan X, Wang X, Chen X, Guo H, Liu H, Li S, Yu S, Li H, Huang X, Ma X, Deng X, Wang C, Liu Y. Dopaminergic system and neurons: Role in multiple neurological diseases. Neuropharmacology 2024; 260:110133. [PMID: 39197818 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2024] [Revised: 08/24/2024] [Accepted: 08/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024]
Abstract
The dopaminergic system is a complex and powerful neurotransmitter system in the brain. It plays an important regulatory role in motivation, reward, cognition, and motor control. In recent decades, research in the field of the dopaminergic system and neurons has increased exponentially and is gradually becoming a point of intervention in the study and understanding of a wide range of neurological diseases related to human health. Studies have shown that the dopaminergic system and neurons are involved in the development of many neurological diseases (including, but not limited to Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, etc.) and that dopaminergic neurons either have too much stress or too weak function in the dopaminergic system can lead to disease. Therefore, targeting dopaminergic neurons is considered key to treating these diseases. This article provides a comprehensive review of the dopaminergic system and neurons in terms of brain region distribution, physiological function and subtypes of dopaminergic neurons, as well as the role of the dopaminergic system and neurons in a variety of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Chen
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Jieshu Li
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Zhixing Huang
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Fan
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Xiaofei Wang
- Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xing Chen
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China
| | - Haitao Guo
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Shuqi Li
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Shaojun Yu
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Honghong Li
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Xinyu Huang
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Xuehua Ma
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Xinqi Deng
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
| | - Chunguo Wang
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Yonggang Liu
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
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DuPlissis A, Medewar A, Hegarty E, Laing A, Shen A, Gomez S, Mondal S, Ben-Yakar A. vivoBodySeg: Machine learning-based analysis of C. elegans immobilized in vivoChip for automated developmental toxicity testing. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4796642. [PMID: 39281859 PMCID: PMC11398583 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4796642/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/18/2024]
Abstract
Developmental toxicity (DevTox) tests evaluate the adverse effects of chemical exposures on an organism's development. While large animal tests are currently heavily relied on, the development of new approach methodologies (NAMs) is encouraging industries and regulatory agencies to evaluate these novel assays. Several practical advantages have made C. elegans a useful model for rapid toxicity testing and studying developmental biology. Although the potential to study DevTox is promising, current low-resolution and labor-intensive methodologies prohibit the use of C. elegans for sub-lethal DevTox studies at high throughputs. With the recent availability of a large-scale microfluidic device, vivoChip, we can now rapidly collect 3D high-resolution images of ~ 1,000 C. elegans from 24 different populations. In this paper, we demonstrate DevTox studies using a 2.5D U-Net architecture (vivoBodySeg) that can precisely segment C. elegans in images obtained from vivoChip devices, achieving an average Dice score of 97.80. The fully automated platform can analyze 36 GB data from each device to phenotype multiple body parameters within 35 min on a desktop PC at speeds ~ 140× faster than the manual analysis. Highly reproducible DevTox parameters (4-8% CV) and additional autofluorescence-based phenotypes allow us to assess the toxicity of chemicals with high statistical power.
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Li R, Huang X, Shen L, Zhang T, Liu N, Hou X, Wong G. Novel C. elegans models of Lewy body disease reveal pathological protein interactions and widespread miRNA dysregulation. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:377. [PMID: 39212733 PMCID: PMC11364739 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05383-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Lewy body diseases (LBD) comprise a group of complex neurodegenerative conditions originating from accumulation of misfolded alpha-synuclein (α-syn) in the form of Lewy bodies. LBD pathologies are characterized by α-syn deposition in association with other proteins such as Amyloid β (Aβ), Tau, and TAR-DNA-binding protein. To investigate the complex interactions of these proteins, we constructed 2 novel transgenic overexpressing (OE) C. elegans strains (α-synA53T;Taupro-agg (OE) and α-synA53T;Aβ1-42;Taupro-agg (OE)) and compared them with previously established Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Lewy Body Dementia disease models. The LBD models presented here demonstrate impairments including uncoordinated movement, egg-laying deficits, altered serotonergic and cholinergic signaling, memory and posture deficits, as well as dopaminergic neuron damage and loss. Expression levels of total and prone to aggregation α-syn protein were increased in α-synA53T;Aβ1-42 but decreased in α-synA53T;Taupro-agg animals when compared to α-synA53T animals suggesting protein interactions. These alterations were also observed at the mRNA level suggesting a pre-transcriptional mechanism. miRNA-seq revealed that cel-miR-1018 was upregulated in LBD models α-synA53T, α-synA53T;Aβ1-42, and α-synA53T;Taupro-agg compared with WT. cel-miR-58c was upregulated in α-synA53T;Taupro-agg but downregulated in α-synA53T and α-synA53T;Aβ1-42 compared with WT. cel-miR-41-3p and cel-miR-355-5p were significantly downregulated in 3 LBD models. Our results obtained in a model organism provide evidence of interactions between different pathological proteins and alterations in specific miRNAs that may further exacerbate or ameliorate LBD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongzhen Li
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, E12-3005 Avenida da Universidade, Macau, 999078, China
| | - Xiaobing Huang
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, E12-3005 Avenida da Universidade, Macau, 999078, China
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen, 518118, China
| | - Linjing Shen
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, E12-3005 Avenida da Universidade, Macau, 999078, China
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Tianjiao Zhang
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, E12-3005 Avenida da Universidade, Macau, 999078, China
- School of Pharmacy and Food Engineering, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, 529020, China
| | - Ning Liu
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, E12-3005 Avenida da Universidade, Macau, 999078, China
| | - Xiangqing Hou
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, E12-3005 Avenida da Universidade, Macau, 999078, China
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou International Bio Island, Guangzhou, 510005, China
| | - Garry Wong
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, E12-3005 Avenida da Universidade, Macau, 999078, China.
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Calabrese V, Osakabe N, Khan F, Wenzel U, Modafferi S, Nicolosi L, Fritsch T, Jacob UM, Abdelhameed AS, Rashan L. Frankincense: A neuronutrient to approach Parkinson's disease treatment. Open Med (Wars) 2024; 19:20240988. [PMID: 38911256 PMCID: PMC11193358 DOI: 10.1515/med-2024-0988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD), characterized by tremor, slowness of movement, stiffness, and poor balance, is due to a significant loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and dopaminergic nerve terminals in the striatum with deficit of dopamine. To date the mechanisms sustaining PD pathogenesis are under investigation; however, a solid body of experimental evidence involves neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptotic cell death as the crucial factors operating in the pathogenesis of PD. Nutrition is known to modulate neuroinflammatory processes implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of this neurodegenerative disorder. Consistent with this notion, the Burseraceae family, which includes the genera Boswellia and Commiphora, are attracting emerging interest in the treatment of a wide range of pathological conditions, including neuroinflammation and cognitive decline. Bioactive components present in these species have been shown to improve cognitive function and to protect neurons from degeneration in in vitro, animal, as well as clinical research. These effects are mediated through the anti-inflammatory, antiamyloidogenic, anti-apoptotic, and antioxidative properties of bioactive components. Although many studies have exploited possible therapeutic approaches, data from human studies are lacking and their neuroprotective potential makes them a promising option for preventing and treating major neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittorio Calabrese
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Torre Biologica, 95125Catania, Italy
| | - Naomi Osakabe
- Department of Bioscience and Engineering, Shibaura Institute Technology,
Tokyo, Japan
| | - Foziya Khan
- Biodiversity Unit, Dhofar University,
Salalah, Oman
| | - Uwe Wenzel
- Institute of Nutritional Science, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Sergio Modafferi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Torre Biologica, 95125Catania, Italy
| | - Lidia Nicolosi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Torre Biologica, 95125Catania, Italy
| | | | | | - Ali S. Abdelhameed
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Luay Rashan
- Biodiversity Unit, Dhofar University,
Salalah, Oman
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Ropert B, Gallrein C, Schumacher B. DNA repair deficiencies and neurodegeneration. DNA Repair (Amst) 2024; 138:103679. [PMID: 38640601 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2024.103679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are the second most prevalent cause of death in industrialized countries. Alzheimer's Disease is the most widespread and also most acknowledged form of dementia today. Together with Parkinson's Disease they account for over 90 % cases of neurodegenerative disorders caused by proteopathies. Far less known are the neurodegenerative pathologies in DNA repair deficiency syndromes. Such diseases like Cockayne - or Werner Syndrome are described as progeroid syndromes - diseases that cause the premature ageing of the affected persons, and there are clear implications of such diseases in neurologic dysfunction and degeneration. In this review, we aim to draw the attention on commonalities between proteopathy-associated neurodegeneration and neurodegeneration caused by DNA repair defects and discuss how mitochondria are implicated in the development of both disorder classes. Furthermore, we highlight how nematodes are a valuable and indispensable model organism to study conserved neurodegenerative processes in a fast-forward manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baptiste Ropert
- Institute for Genome Stability in Aging and Disease, Medical Faculty, University and University Hospital of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, Cologne 50931, Germany; Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, Cologne 50931, Germany
| | - Christian Gallrein
- Institute for Genome Stability in Aging and Disease, Medical Faculty, University and University Hospital of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, Cologne 50931, Germany; Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, Cologne 50931, Germany; Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Beutenbergstraße 11, Jena 07745, Germany
| | - Björn Schumacher
- Institute for Genome Stability in Aging and Disease, Medical Faculty, University and University Hospital of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, Cologne 50931, Germany; Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, Cologne 50931, Germany.
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Romussi S, Giunti S, Andersen N, De Rosa MJ. C. elegans: a prominent platform for modeling and drug screening in neurological disorders. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:565-585. [PMID: 38509691 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2024.2329103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Human neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases (NDevDs and NDegDs, respectively) encompass a broad spectrum of disorders affecting the nervous system with an increasing incidence. In this context, the nematode C. elegans, has emerged as a benchmark model for biological research, especially in the field of neuroscience. AREAS COVERED The authors highlight the numerous advantages of this tiny worm as a model for exploring nervous system pathologies and as a platform for drug discovery. There is a particular focus given to describing the existing models of C. elegans for the study of NDevDs and NDegDs. Specifically, the authors underscore their strong applicability in preclinical drug development. Furthermore, they place particular emphasis on detailing the common techniques employed to explore the nervous system in both healthy and diseased states. EXPERT OPINION Drug discovery constitutes a long and expensive process. The incorporation of invertebrate models, such as C. elegans, stands as an exemplary strategy for mitigating costs and expediting timelines. The utilization of C. elegans as a platform to replicate nervous system pathologies and conduct high-throughput automated assays in the initial phases of drug discovery is pivotal for rendering therapeutic options more attainable and cost-effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Romussi
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología de Invertebrados, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB), UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Sebastián Giunti
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología de Invertebrados, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB), UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Natalia Andersen
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología de Invertebrados, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB), UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - María José De Rosa
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología de Invertebrados, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB), UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
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Parmasad JLA, Ricke KM, Nguyen B, Stykel MG, Buchner-Duby B, Bruce A, Geertsma HM, Lian E, Lengacher NA, Callaghan SM, Joselin A, Tomlinson JJ, Schlossmacher MG, Stanford WL, Ma J, Brundin P, Ryan SD, Rousseaux MWC. Genetic and pharmacological reduction of CDK14 mitigates synucleinopathy. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:246. [PMID: 38575601 PMCID: PMC10994937 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06534-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons (DaNs) and the abnormal accumulation of α-Synuclein (α-Syn) protein. Currently, no treatment can slow nor halt the progression of PD. Multiplications and mutations of the α-Syn gene (SNCA) cause PD-associated syndromes and animal models that overexpress α-Syn replicate several features of PD. Decreasing total α-Syn levels, therefore, is an attractive approach to slow down neurodegeneration in patients with synucleinopathy. We previously performed a genetic screen for modifiers of α-Syn levels and identified CDK14, a kinase of largely unknown function as a regulator of α-Syn. To test the potential therapeutic effects of CDK14 reduction in PD, we ablated Cdk14 in the α-Syn preformed fibrils (PFF)-induced PD mouse model. We found that loss of Cdk14 mitigates the grip strength deficit of PFF-treated mice and ameliorates PFF-induced cortical α-Syn pathology, indicated by reduced numbers of pS129 α-Syn-containing cells. In primary neurons, we found that Cdk14 depletion protects against the propagation of toxic α-Syn species. We further validated these findings on pS129 α-Syn levels in PD patient neurons. Finally, we leveraged the recent discovery of a covalent inhibitor of CDK14 to determine whether this target is pharmacologically tractable in vitro and in vivo. We found that CDK14 inhibition decreases total and pathologically aggregated α-Syn in human neurons, in PFF-challenged rat neurons and in the brains of α-Syn-humanized mice. In summary, we suggest that CDK14 represents a novel therapeutic target for PD-associated synucleinopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Louis A Parmasad
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Konrad M Ricke
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Benjamin Nguyen
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Morgan G Stykel
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Brodie Buchner-Duby
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Amanda Bruce
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Haley M Geertsma
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Eric Lian
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Program in Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa Institute for Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Nathalie A Lengacher
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Steve M Callaghan
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Alvin Joselin
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Julianna J Tomlinson
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Michael G Schlossmacher
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - William L Stanford
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Program in Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa Institute for Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jiyan Ma
- Parkinson's Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Patrik Brundin
- Parkinson's Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Scott D Ryan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Maxime W C Rousseaux
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
- Ottawa Institute for Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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Wang C, Yang M, Liu D, Zheng C. Metabolic rescue of α-synuclein-induced neurodegeneration through propionate supplementation and intestine-neuron signaling in C. elegans. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113865. [PMID: 38412096 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbial metabolites that can modulate neurodegeneration are promising therapeutic targets. Here, we found that the short-chain fatty acid propionate protects against α-synuclein-induced neuronal death and locomotion defects in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of Parkinson's disease (PD) through bidirectional regulation between the intestine and neurons. Both depletion of dietary vitamin B12, which induces propionate breakdown, and propionate supplementation suppress neurodegeneration and reverse PD-associated transcriptomic aberrations. Neuronal α-synuclein aggregation induces intestinal mitochondrial unfolded protein response (mitoUPR), which leads to reduced propionate levels that trigger transcriptional reprogramming in the intestine and cause defects in energy production. Weakened intestinal metabolism exacerbates neurodegeneration through interorgan signaling. Genetically enhancing propionate production or overexpressing metabolic regulators downstream of propionate in the intestine rescues neurodegeneration, which then relieves mitoUPR. Importantly, propionate supplementation suppresses neurodegeneration without reducing α-synuclein aggregation, demonstrating metabolic rescue of neuronal proteotoxicity downstream of protein aggregates. Our study highlights the involvement of small metabolites in the gut-brain interaction in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyin Wang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Meigui Yang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Dongyao Liu
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Chaogu Zheng
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
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Rahimpouresfahani F, Tabatabaei N, Rezai P. High-throughput light sheet imaging of adult and larval C. elegans Parkinson's disease model using a low-cost optofluidic device and a fluorescent microscope. RSC Adv 2024; 14:626-639. [PMID: 38173569 PMCID: PMC10759043 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra06323b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent advancements at the interface of microfluidics technology and light sheet fluorescence microscopy have opened the door for high-throughput and high-content investigation of C. elegans disease models. In this paper, we report on the development of a simple, miniaturized, and low-cost optofluidic platform that can be added to a conventional inverted fluorescent microscope for continuous light sheet imaging of transgenic worm populations with high lateral and axial resolutions of 1.1 µm and 2.4 µm, respectively. The optofluidic device is made entirely of PDMS with integrated optics for light sheet generation. Laser excitation is delivered to the device via a low-cost free space laser, and cross-sections of worm populations are imaged as they pass continuously through a channel. Results show the platform can image NW1229 whole worms with pan-neural fluorescent expression at a throughput of >20 worms per minute at L3 and young adult (YA) stages. As a benchmark test, we show that the low-cost device can quantify the reduced neuronal expressions of L3 and YA NW1229 worms when exposed to 500 µM 6-OHDA neurodegenerative agent. Following the benchmark validation, we utilized the platform in a novel application for imaging human alpha-synuclein reporter in populations of Parkinson's transgenic model (ERS100). Results show the ability of the low-cost platform to reliably detect and quantify the anomalous neural phenotypic changes in ERS100 populations at L3 and YA stages with high spatial resolution. The findings of this study show the potential of our low-cost optofluidic add-on platform to equip conventional fluorescent microscopes with light sheet capability for quantitative phenotypic studies of transgenic C. elegans at high resolution and throughput.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faraz Rahimpouresfahani
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University 4700 Keele St Toronto M3J 1P3 Ontario Canada +1-416-7362100
| | - Nima Tabatabaei
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University 4700 Keele St Toronto M3J 1P3 Ontario Canada +1-416-7362100
| | - Pouya Rezai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University 4700 Keele St Toronto M3J 1P3 Ontario Canada +1-416-7362100
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Wal A, Wal P, Vig H, Samad A, Khandai M, Tyagi S. A Systematic Review of Various In-vivo Screening Models as well as the Mechanisms Involved in Parkinson's Disease Screening Procedures. Curr Rev Clin Exp Pharmacol 2024; 19:124-136. [PMID: 35796452 DOI: 10.2174/2772432817666220707101550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurological ailment. It is also known that it affects practically all other brain components, although only gradually. Animal models are mostly used to test the efficacy of treatment against a specific enzyme and aid in creating a new drug dose. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this review is to highlight in vivo Parkinson's disease screening approaches, as well as the mechanism of action of each drug involved in Parkinson's disease development, and discuss the limitations of each model. In addition, it also sheds light on Parkinson's disease genetic models. METHODS The data for the publication was gathered from databases, such as PubMed, Bentham Science, Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, and Research Gate, after a thorough examination of diverse research findings linked to Parkinson's disease and its screening models. RESULTS Each chemical or drug has a unique mechanism for causing disease, whether through the production of reactive oxygen species or the blockage of the dopamine receptor. Almost every disease symptom, whether physical or behavioral, is covered by each of the constructed models' unique set of indicators and symptoms. CONCLUSION Animal models are typically used to assess a medicine's activity against a specific enzyme and aid in the creation of a new drug dose. The process, restrictions, and mechanisms interfering with the screening, as well as the level of animal suffering, must all be thoroughly reviewed before any model for screening for Parkinson's disease can be implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Wal
- Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology (Pharmacy), Kanpur, India
| | - Pranay Wal
- Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology (Pharmacy), Kanpur, India
| | - Himangi Vig
- Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology (Pharmacy), Kanpur, India
| | - Abdul Samad
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Tishk International University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | | | - Sachin Tyagi
- Bharat Institute of Technology, School of Pharmacy, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
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11
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Shan L, Heusinkveld HJ, Paul KC, Hughes S, Darweesh SKL, Bloem BR, Homberg JR. Towards improved screening of toxins for Parkinson's risk. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2023; 9:169. [PMID: 38114496 PMCID: PMC10730534 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-023-00615-9] [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: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive and disabling neurodegenerative disorder. The prevalence of PD has risen considerably over the past decades. A growing body of evidence suggest that exposure to environmental toxins, including pesticides, solvents and heavy metals (collectively called toxins), is at least in part responsible for this rapid growth. It is worrying that the current screening procedures being applied internationally to test for possible neurotoxicity of specific compounds offer inadequate insights into the risk of developing PD in humans. Improved screening procedures are therefore urgently needed. Our review first substantiates current evidence on the relation between exposure to environmental toxins and the risk of developing PD. We subsequently propose to replace the current standard toxin screening by a well-controlled multi-tier toxin screening involving the following steps: in silico studies (tier 1) followed by in vitro tests (tier 2), aiming to prioritize agents with human relevant routes of exposure. More in depth studies can be undertaken in tier 3, with whole-organism (in)vertebrate models. Tier 4 has a dedicated focus on cell loss in the substantia nigra and on the presumed mechanisms of neurotoxicity in rodent models, which are required to confirm or refute the possible neurotoxicity of any individual compound. This improved screening procedure should not only evaluate new pesticides that seek access to the market, but also critically assess all pesticides that are being used today, acknowledging that none of these has ever been proven to be safe from a perspective of PD. Importantly, the improved screening procedures should not just assess the neurotoxic risk of isolated compounds, but should also specifically look at the cumulative risk conveyed by exposure to commonly used combinations of pesticides (cocktails). The worldwide implementation of such an improved screening procedure, would be an essential step for policy makers and governments to recognize PD-related environmental risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Shan
- Department Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Harm J Heusinkveld
- Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Kimberly C Paul
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Samantha Hughes
- A-LIFE Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Section Environmental Health and Toxicology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sirwan K L Darweesh
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bastiaan R Bloem
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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12
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Ye P, Fang Q, Hu X, Zou W, Huang M, Ke M, Li Y, Liu M, Cai X, Zhang C, Hua N, Al-Sheikh U, Liu X, Yu P, Jiang P, Pan PY, Luo J, Jiang LH, Xu S, Fang EF, Su H, Kang L, Yang W. TRPM2 as a conserved gatekeeper determines the vulnerability of DA neurons by mediating ROS sensing and calcium dyshomeostasis. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 231:102530. [PMID: 37739206 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Different dopaminergic (DA) neuronal subgroups exhibit distinct vulnerability to stress, while the underlying mechanisms are elusive. Here we report that the transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) channel is preferentially expressed in vulnerable DA neuronal subgroups, which correlates positively with aging in Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients. Overexpression of human TRPM2 in the DA neurons of C. elegans resulted in selective death of ADE but not CEP neurons in aged worms. Mechanistically, TRPM2 activation mediates FZO-1/CED-9-dependent mitochondrial hyperfusion and mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), leading to ADE death. In mice, TRPM2 knockout reduced vulnerable substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) DA neuronal death induced by stress. Moreover, the TRPM2-mediated vulnerable DA neuronal death pathway is conserved from C. elegans to toxin-treated mice model and PD patient iPSC-derived DA neurons. The vulnerable SNc DA neuronal loss is the major symptom and cause of PD, and therefore the TRPM2-mediated pathway serves as a promising therapeutic target against PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwu Ye
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Neuroscience, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qiuyuan Fang
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Neuroscience, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xupang Hu
- Second Clinical Medical College, Affiliated Secondary Hospital, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310011, China
| | - Wenjuan Zou
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang 310053, China
| | - Miaodan Huang
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Minjing Ke
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Yunhao Li
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Min Liu
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Neuroscience, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiaobo Cai
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Neuroscience, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Congyi Zhang
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Neuroscience, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ning Hua
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Neuroscience, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Umar Al-Sheikh
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang 310053, China
| | - Xingyu Liu
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Neuroscience, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Peilin Yu
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Peiran Jiang
- School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ping-Yue Pan
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Jianhong Luo
- School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lin-Hua Jiang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; Sino-UK Laboratory of Brain Function and Injury of Henan Province, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, China; University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Suhong Xu
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Cardiology of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Evandro F Fang
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo and Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Huanxing Su
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.
| | - Lijun Kang
- Second Clinical Medical College, Affiliated Secondary Hospital, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310011, China; School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Neuroscience, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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13
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Huang X, Wang C, Zhang T, Li R, Chen L, Leung KL, Lakso M, Zhou Q, Zhang H, Wong G. PIWI-interacting RNA expression regulates pathogenesis in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of Lewy body disease. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6137. [PMID: 37783675 PMCID: PMC10545829 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41881-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression, yet their molecular functions in neurobiology are unclear. While investigating neurodegeneration mechanisms using human α-syn(A53T)Tg and AβTg;α-syn(A53T)Tg pan-neuronal overexpressing strains, we unexpectedly observed dysregulation of piRNAs. RNAi screening revealed that knock down of piRNA biogenesis genes improved thrashing behavior; further, a tofu-1 gene deletion ameliorated phenotypic deficits in α-syn(A53T)Tg and AβTg;α-syn(A53T)Tg transgenic strains. piRNA expression was extensively downregulated and H3K9me3 marks were decreased after tofu-1 deletion in α-syn(A53T)Tg and AβTg;α-syn(A53T)Tg strains. Dysregulated piRNAs targeted protein degradation genes suggesting that a decrease of piRNA expression leads to an increase of degradation ability in C. elegans. Finally, we interrogated piRNA expression in brain samples from PD patients. piRNAs were observed to be widely overexpressed at late motor stage. In this work, our results provide evidence that piRNAs are mediators in pathogenesis of Lewy body diseases and suggest a molecular mechanism for neurodegeneration in these and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhuhai People's Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
| | - Changliang Wang
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510799, China
| | - Tianjiao Zhang
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
| | - Rongzhen Li
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
| | - Liang Chen
- Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Ka Lai Leung
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
| | - Merja Lakso
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
| | - Qinghua Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Science, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Hongjie Zhang
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
| | - Garry Wong
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China.
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14
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Maor G, Dubreuil RR, Feany MB. α-synuclein promotes neuronal dysfunction and death by disrupting the binding of ankyrin to ß-spectrin. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.02.543481. [PMID: 37333277 PMCID: PMC10274672 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.02.543481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
α-synuclein plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and related disorders, but critical interacting partners and molecular mechanisms mediating neurotoxicity are incompletely understood. We show that α-synuclein binds directly to ß-spectrin. Using males and females in a Drosophila model of α-synuclein-related disorders we demonstrate that ß-spectrin is critical for α-synuclein neurotoxicity. Further, the ankyrin binding domain of ß-spectrin is required for α-synuclein binding and neurotoxicity. A key plasma membrane target of ankyrin, Na+/K+ ATPase, is mislocalized when human α-synuclein is expressed in Drosophila. Accordingly, membrane potential is depolarized in α-synuclein transgenic fly brains. We examine the same pathway in human neurons and find that Parkinson's disease patient-derived neurons with a triplication of the α-synuclein locus show disruption of the spectrin cytoskeleton, mislocalization of ankyrin and Na+/K+ ATPase, and membrane potential depolarization. Our findings define a specific molecular mechanism by which elevated levels of α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease and related α-synucleinopathies leads to neuronal dysfunction and death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gali Maor
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Ronald R. Dubreuil
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607
| | - Mel B. Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815
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15
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Chen M, Mor DE. Gut-to-Brain α-Synuclein Transmission in Parkinson's Disease: Evidence for Prion-like Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087205. [PMID: 37108366 PMCID: PMC10139032 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multifactorial disorder involving both motor and non-motor symptoms caused by the progressive death of distinct neuronal populations, including dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The deposition of aggregated α-synuclein protein into Lewy body inclusions is a hallmark of the disorder, and α-synuclein pathology has been found in the enteric nervous system (ENS) of PD patients up to two decades prior to diagnosis. In combination with the high occurrence of gastrointestinal dysfunction in early stages of PD, current evidence strongly suggests that some forms of PD may originate in the gut. In this review, we discuss human studies that support ENS Lewy pathology as a characteristic feature of PD, and present evidence from humans and animal model systems that α-synuclein aggregation may follow a prion-like spreading cascade from enteric neurons, through the vagal nerve, and into the brain. Given the accessibility of the human gut to pharmacologic and dietary interventions, therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing pathological α-synuclein in the gastrointestinal tract hold significant promise for PD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merry Chen
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Danielle E Mor
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
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16
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Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System to Study Human Neurodegenerative Disorders. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13030478. [PMID: 36979413 PMCID: PMC10046667 DOI: 10.3390/biom13030478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, advances in science and technology have improved our quality of life, enabling us to tackle diseases and increase human life expectancy. However, longevity is accompanied by an accretion in the frequency of age-related neurodegenerative diseases, creating a growing burden, with pervasive social impact for human societies. The cost of managing such chronic disorders and the lack of effective treatments highlight the need to decipher their molecular and genetic underpinnings, in order to discover new therapeutic targets. In this effort, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans serves as a powerful tool to recapitulate several disease-related phenotypes and provides a highly malleable genetic model that allows the implementation of multidisciplinary approaches, in addition to large-scale genetic and pharmacological screens. Its anatomical transparency allows the use of co-expressed fluorescent proteins to track the progress of neurodegeneration. Moreover, the functional conservation of neuronal processes, along with the high homology between nematode and human genomes, render C. elegans extremely suitable for the study of human neurodegenerative disorders. This review describes nematode models used to study neurodegeneration and underscores their contribution in the effort to dissect the molecular basis of human diseases and identify novel gene targets with therapeutic potential.
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17
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Maor G, Dubreuil RR, Feany MB. α-Synuclein Promotes Neuronal Dysfunction and Death by Disrupting the Binding of Ankyrin to β-Spectrin. J Neurosci 2023; 43:1614-1626. [PMID: 36653193 PMCID: PMC10008058 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1922-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and related disorders, but critical interacting partners and molecular mechanisms mediating neurotoxicity are incompletely understood. We show that α-synuclein binds directly to β-spectrin. Using males and females in a Drosophila model of α-synuclein-related disorders, we demonstrate that β-spectrin is critical for α-synuclein neurotoxicity. Further, the ankyrin binding domain of β-spectrin is required for α-synuclein binding and neurotoxicity. A key plasma membrane target of ankyrin, Na+/K+ ATPase, is mislocalized when human α-synuclein is expressed in Drosophila Accordingly, membrane potential is depolarized in α-synuclein transgenic fly brains. We examine the same pathway in human neurons and find that Parkinson's disease patient-derived neurons with a triplication of the α-synuclein locus show disruption of the spectrin cytoskeleton, mislocalization of ankyrin and Na+/K+ ATPase, and membrane potential depolarization. Our findings define a specific molecular mechanism by which elevated levels of α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease and related α-synucleinopathies lead to neuronal dysfunction and death.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The small synaptic vesicle associate protein α-synuclein plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and related disorders, but the disease-relevant binding partners of α-synuclein and proximate pathways critical for neurotoxicity require further definition. We show that α-synuclein binds directly to β-spectrin, a key cytoskeletal protein required for localization of plasma membrane proteins and maintenance of neuronal viability. Binding of α-synuclein to β-spectrin alters the organization of the spectrin-ankyrin complex, which is critical for localization and function of integral membrane proteins, including Na+/K+ ATPase. These finding outline a previously undescribed mechanism of α-synuclein neurotoxicity and thus suggest potential new therapeutic approaches in Parkinson's disease and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gali Maor
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Ronald R Dubreuil
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607
| | - Mel B Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
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18
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Bhadra J, Sridhar N, Fajrial AK, Hammond N, Xue D, Ding X. Acoustic streaming enabled moderate swimming exercise reduces neurodegeneration in C. elegans. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf5056. [PMID: 36812319 PMCID: PMC9946341 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf5056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Regular physical exercise has been shown to delay and alleviate neurodegenerative diseases. Yet, optimum physical exercise conditions that provide neuronal protection and exercise-related factors remain poorly understood. Here, we create an Acoustic Gym on a chip through the surface acoustic wave (SAW) microfluidic technology to precisely control the duration and intensity of swimming exercise of model organisms. We find that precisely dosed swimming exercise enabled by acoustic streaming decreases neuronal loss in two different neurodegenerative disease models of Caenorhabditis elegans, a Parkinson's disease model and a tauopathy model. These findings highlight the importance of optimum exercise conditions for effective neuronal protection, a key characteristic of healthy aging in the elderly population. This SAW device also paves avenues for screening for compounds that can enhance or replace the beneficial effects of exercise and for identifying drug targets for treating neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyita Bhadra
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Nakul Sridhar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, 1111 Engineering Dr., Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Apresio Kefin Fajrial
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, 1111 Engineering Dr., Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Nia Hammond
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Ding Xue
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Xiaoyun Ding
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, 1111 Engineering Dr., Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
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19
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Dong-Chen X, Yong C, Yang X, Chen-Yu S, Li-Hua P. Signaling pathways in Parkinson's disease: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic interventions. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:73. [PMID: 36810524 PMCID: PMC9944326 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01353-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 74.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide, and its treatment remains a big challenge. The pathogenesis of PD may be related to environmental and genetic factors, and exposure to toxins and gene mutations may be the beginning of brain lesions. The identified mechanisms of PD include α-synuclein aggregation, oxidative stress, ferroptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and gut dysbiosis. The interactions among these molecular mechanisms complicate the pathogenesis of PD and pose great challenges to drug development. At the same time, the diagnosis and detection of PD are also one of obstacles to the treatment of PD due to its long latency and complex mechanism. Most conventional therapeutic interventions for PD possess limited effects and have serious side effects, heightening the need to develop novel treatments for this disease. In this review, we systematically summarized the pathogenesis, especially the molecular mechanisms of PD, the classical research models, clinical diagnostic criteria, and the reported drug therapy strategies, as well as the newly reported drug candidates in clinical trials. We also shed light on the components derived from medicinal plants that are newly identified for their effects in PD treatment, with the expectation to provide the summary and outlook for developing the next generation of drugs and preparations for PD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Dong-Chen
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Chen Yong
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xu Yang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, P. R. China
| | - ShenTu Chen-Yu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Peng Li-Hua
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, P. R. China. .,State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, P. R. China.
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20
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Sharma M, Burré J. α-Synuclein in synaptic function and dysfunction. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:153-166. [PMID: 36567199 PMCID: PMC9877183 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
α-Synuclein is a neuronal protein that is enriched in presynaptic terminals. Under physiological conditions, it binds to synaptic vesicle membranes and functions in neurotransmitter release, although the molecular details remain unclear, and it is controversial whether α-synuclein inhibits or facilitates neurotransmitter release. Pathologically, in synucleinopathies including Parkinson's disease (PD), α-synuclein forms aggregates that recruit monomeric α-synuclein and spread throughout the brain, which triggers neuronal dysfunction at molecular, cellular, and organ levels. Here, we present an overview of the effects of α-synuclein on SNARE-complex assembly, neurotransmitter release, and synaptic vesicle pool homeostasis, and discuss how the observed divergent effects of α-synuclein on neurotransmitter release can be reconciled. We also discuss how gain-of-function versus loss-of-function of α-synuclein may contribute to pathogenesis in synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manu Sharma
- Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Jacqueline Burré
- Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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21
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SenGupta T, Lefol Y, Lirussi L, Suaste V, Luders T, Gupta S, Aman Y, Sharma K, Fang EF, Nilsen H. Krill oil protects dopaminergic neurons from age-related degeneration through temporal transcriptome rewiring and suppression of several hallmarks of aging. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:8661-8687. [DOI: 10.18632/aging.204375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tanima SenGupta
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo N-0318, Norway
- Section of Clinical Molecular Biology, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen N-1474, Norway
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo N-0318, Norway
| | - Yohan Lefol
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo N-0318, Norway
| | - Lisa Lirussi
- Section of Clinical Molecular Biology, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen N-1474, Norway
| | - Veronica Suaste
- Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo N-0424, Norway
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo N-0318, Norway
| | - Torben Luders
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo N-0318, Norway
| | - Swapnil Gupta
- Section of Clinical Molecular Biology, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen N-1474, Norway
| | - Yahyah Aman
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo N-0318, Norway
- Section of Clinical Molecular Biology, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen N-1474, Norway
| | - Kulbhushan Sharma
- Section of Clinical Molecular Biology, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen N-1474, Norway
| | - Evandro Fei Fang
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo N-0318, Norway
- Section of Clinical Molecular Biology, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen N-1474, Norway
| | - Hilde Nilsen
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo N-0318, Norway
- Section of Clinical Molecular Biology, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen N-1474, Norway
- Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo N-0424, Norway
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22
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Zhang C, Chen S, Li X, Xu Q, Lin Y, Lin F, Yuan M, Zi Y, Cai J. Progress in Parkinson's disease animal models of genetic defects: Characteristics and application. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 155:113768. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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23
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Kitisin T, Muangkaew W, Sukphopetch P. Infections of Cryptococcus species induce degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and accumulation of α-Synuclein in Caenorhabditis elegans. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1039336. [PMID: 36389163 PMCID: PMC9643722 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1039336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis in the central nervous system (CNS) can present with motor declines described as Parkinsonism. Although several lines of evidence indicate that dopaminergic (DA) neuron degeneration and α-synuclein accumulation contribute to the hallmark of Parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease (PD), little is known about cryptococcal infections associated with neuronal degeneration. In this study, the effects of Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii infections on dopaminergic neuron degeneration, α-synuclein accumulation, and lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans were investigated. The results showed that cryptococcal infections significantly (P<0.05) induced DA neuron degeneration similar to a selective cathecholamine neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in C. elegans (BZ555 strain) when compared to mock infected controls. Cryptococcal infections also significantly (P< 0.05) induced α-synuclein aggregation in C. elegans (NL5901 strain). Moreover, lifespan of the infected worms was significantly decreased (P<0.0001). In conclusion, DA neurodegeneration and α-synuclein accumulation are associated with lifespan reduction during cryptococcal infection in C elegans.
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24
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Chauhan P, Wadhwa K, Singh G. Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system to evaluate neuroprotective potential of nano formulations. FRONTIERS IN NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fnano.2022.1018754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of neurodegenerative illnesses on society is significant, but the mechanisms leading to neuronal malfunction and death in these conditions remain largely unknown despite identifying essential disease genes. To pinpoint the mechanisms behind the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, several researchers have turned to nematode C. elegans instead of using mammals. Since C. elegans is transparent, free-living, and amenable to culture, it has several benefits. As a result, all the neurons in C. elegans can be easily identified, and their connections are understood. Human proteins linked to Neurodegeneration can be made to express in them. It is also possible to analyze how C. elegans orthologs of the genes responsible for human neurodegenerative diseases function. In this article, we focused at some of the most important C. elegans neurodegeneration models that accurately represent many elements of human neurodegenerative illness. It has been observed that studies using the adaptable C. elegans have helped us in better understanding of human diseases. These studies have used it to replicate several aspects of human neurodegeneration. A nanotech approach involves engineering materials or equipments interacting with biological systems at the molecular level to trigger physiological responses by increasing stimulation, responding, and interacting with target sites while minimizing side effects, thus revolutionizing the treatment and diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. Nanotechnologies are being used to treat neurological disorders and deliver nanoscale drugs. This review explores the current and future uses of these nanotechnologies as innovative therapeutic modalities in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases using C elegans as an experimental model.
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25
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Ma L, Li X, Liu C, Yan W, Ma J, Petersen RB, Peng A, Huang K. Modelling Parkinson's Disease in C. elegans: Strengths and Limitations. Curr Pharm Des 2022; 28:3033-3048. [PMID: 36111767 DOI: 10.2174/1381612828666220915103502] [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: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease that affects the motor system and progressively worsens with age. Current treatment options for PD mainly target symptoms, due to our limited understanding of the etiology and pathophysiology of PD. A variety of preclinical models have been developed to study different aspects of the disease. The models have been used to elucidate the pathogenesis and for testing new treatments. These models include cell models, non-mammalian models, rodent models, and non-human primate models. Over the past few decades, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has been widely adopted as a model system due to its small size, transparent body, short generation time and life cycle, fully sequenced genome, the tractability of genetic manipulation and suitability for large scale screening for disease modifiers. Here, we review studies using C. elegans as a model for PD and highlight the strengths and limitations of the C. elegans model. Various C. elegans PD models, including neurotoxin-induced models and genetic models, are described in detail. Moreover, met.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Ma
- Department of Pharmacy, Wuhan Mental Health Center, Wuhan, China.,Department of Pharmacy, Wuhan Hospital for Psychotherapy, Wuhan, China
| | - Xi Li
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chengyu Liu
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wanyao Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, Wuhan Fourth Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinlu Ma
- Human Resources Department, Wuhan Mental Health Center, Wuhan, China.,Human Resources Department, Wuhan Hospital for Psychotherapy, Wuhan, China
| | - Robert B Petersen
- Foundational Sciences, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA
| | - Anlin Peng
- Department of Pharmacy, The Third Hospital of Wuhan, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Kun Huang
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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26
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Guo SY, Guan RX, Chi XD, Yue-Zhang, Sui AR, Zhao W, Kundu S, Yang JY, Zhao J, Li S. Scorpion venom heat-resistant synthetic peptide protects dopamine neurons against 6-hydroxydopamine neurotoxicity in C. elegans. Brain Res Bull 2022; 190:195-203. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2022.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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27
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Naranjo-Galindo FJ, Ai R, Fang EF, Nilsen HL, SenGupta T. C. elegans as an Animal Model to Study the Intersection of DNA Repair, Aging and Neurodegeneration. FRONTIERS IN AGING 2022; 3:916118. [PMID: 35821838 PMCID: PMC9261396 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2022.916118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Since its introduction as a genetic model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans has yielded insights into the causes of aging. In addition, it has provided a molecular understanding of mechanisms of neurodegeneration, one of the devastating effects of aging. However, C. elegans has been less popular as an animal model to investigate DNA repair and genomic instability, which is a major hallmark of aging and also a cause of many rare neurological disorders. This article provides an overview of DNA repair pathways in C. elegans and the impact of DNA repair on aging hallmarks, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, telomere maintenance, and autophagy. In addition, we discuss how the combination of biological characteristics, new technical tools, and the potential of following precise phenotypic assays through a natural life-course make C. elegans an ideal model organism to study how DNA repair impact neurodegeneration in models of common age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco José Naranjo-Galindo
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Section of Clinical Molecular Biology (EpiGen), Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Ruixue Ai
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Evandro Fei Fang
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hilde Loge Nilsen
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Section of Clinical Molecular Biology (EpiGen), Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
- Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tanima SenGupta
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Section of Clinical Molecular Biology (EpiGen), Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
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28
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Culig L, Chu X, Bohr VA. Neurogenesis in aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Ageing Res Rev 2022; 78:101636. [PMID: 35490966 PMCID: PMC9168971 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2022.101636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis, the process by which neurons are generated in certain areas of the adult brain, declines in an age-dependent manner and is one potential target for extending cognitive healthspan. Aging is a major risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases and, as lifespans are increasing, these health challenges are becoming more prevalent. An age-associated loss in neural stem cell number and/or activity could cause this decline in brain function, so interventions that reverse aging in stem cells might increase the human cognitive healthspan. In this review, we describe the involvement of adult neurogenesis in neurodegenerative diseases and address the molecular mechanistic aspects of neurogenesis that involve some of the key aggregation-prone proteins in the brain (i.e., tau, Aβ, α-synuclein, …). We summarize the research pertaining to interventions that increase neurogenesis and regulate known targets in aging research, such as mTOR and sirtuins. Lastly, we share our outlook on restoring the levels of neurogenesis to physiological levels in elderly individuals and those with neurodegeneration. We suggest that modulating neurogenesis represents a potential target for interventions that could help in the fight against neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luka Culig
- Section on DNA Repair, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Xixia Chu
- Section on DNA Repair, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Vilhelm A Bohr
- Section on DNA Repair, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
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29
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Andersen N, Veuthey T, Blanco MG, Silbestri GF, Rayes D, De Rosa MJ. 1-Mesityl-3-(3-Sulfonatopropyl) Imidazolium Protects Against Oxidative Stress and Delays Proteotoxicity in C. elegans. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:908696. [PMID: 35685626 PMCID: PMC9171001 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.908696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the increase in life expectancy worldwide, age-related disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) have become more prevalent. Conventional treatments comprise drugs that only attenuate some of the symptoms, but fail to arrest or delay neuronal proteotoxicity that characterizes these diseases. Due to their diverse biological activities, imidazole rings are intensively explored as powerful scaffolds for the development of new bioactive molecules. By using C. elegans, our work aims to explore novel biological roles for these compounds. To this end, we have tested the in vivo anti-proteotoxic effects of imidazolium salts. Since NDs have been largely linked to impaired antioxidant defense mechanisms, we focused on 1-Mesityl-3-(3-sulfonatopropyl) imidazolium (MSI), one of the imidazolium salts that we identified as capable of improving iron-induced oxidative stress resistance in wild-type animals. By combining mutant and gene expression analysis we have determined that this protective effect depends on the activation of the Heat Shock Transcription Factor (HSF-1), whereas it is independent of other canonical cytoprotective molecules such as abnormal Dauer Formation-16 (DAF-16/FOXO) and Skinhead-1 (SKN-1/Nrf2). To delve deeper into the biological roles of MSI, we analyzed the impact of this compound on previously established C. elegans models of protein aggregation. We found that MSI ameliorates β-amyloid-induced paralysis in worms expressing the pathological protein involved in Alzheimer’s Disease. Moreover, this compound also delays age-related locomotion decline in other proteotoxic C. elegans models, suggesting a broad protective effect. Taken together, our results point to MSI as a promising anti-proteotoxic compound and provide proof of concept of the potential of imidazole derivatives in the development of novel therapies to retard age-related proteotoxic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Andersen
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional Del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Tania Veuthey
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional Del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - María Gabriela Blanco
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional Del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Gustavo Fabian Silbestri
- Departamento de Química, INQUISUR, Universidad Nacional Del Sur, UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Diego Rayes
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional Del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- *Correspondence: Diego Rayes, ; María José De Rosa,
| | - María José De Rosa
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional Del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- *Correspondence: Diego Rayes, ; María José De Rosa,
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30
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Scuto M, Modafferi S, Rampulla F, Zimbone V, Tomasello M, Spano’ S, Ontario M, Palmeri A, Trovato Salinaro A, Siracusa R, Di Paola R, Cuzzocrea S, Calabrese E, Wenzel U, Calabrese V. Redox modulation of stress resilience by Crocus Sativus L. for potential neuroprotective and anti-neuroinflammatory applications in brain disorders: From molecular basis to therapy. Mech Ageing Dev 2022; 205:111686. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2022.111686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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31
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Invited review: Unearthing the mechanisms of age-related neurodegenerative disease using Caenorhabditis elegans. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2022; 267:111166. [PMID: 35176489 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
As human life expectancy increases, neurodegenerative diseases present a growing public health threat, for which there are currently few effective treatments. There is an urgent need to understand the molecular and genetic underpinnings of these disorders so new therapeutic targets can be identified. Here we present the argument that the simple nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful tool to rapidly study neurodegenerative disorders due to their short lifespan and vast array of genetic tools, which can be combined with characterization of conserved neuronal processes and behavior orthologous to those disrupted in human disease. We review how pre-existing C. elegans models provide insight into human neurological disease as well as an overview of current tools available to study neurodegenerative diseases in the worm, with an emphasis on genetics and behavior. We also discuss open questions that C. elegans may be particularly well suited for in future studies and how worms will be a valuable preclinical model to better understand these devastating neurological disorders.
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32
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Vozdek R, Pramstaller PP, Hicks AA. Functional Screening of Parkinson's Disease Susceptibility Genes to Identify Novel Modulators of α-Synuclein Neurotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:806000. [PMID: 35572147 PMCID: PMC9093606 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.806000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons during aging. The pathological hallmark of PD is the Lewy body detected in postmortem brain tissue, which is mainly composed of aggregated α-Synuclein (αSyn). However, it is estimated that 90% of PD cases have unknown pathogenetic triggers. Here, we generated a new transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans PD model eraIs1 expressing green fluorescent protein- (GFP-) based reporter of human αSyn in DA neurons, and exhibited a nice readout of the developed αSyn inclusions in DA neurons, leading to their degeneration during aging. Using these animals in a preliminary reverse genetic screening of >100-PD genome-wide association study- (GWAS-) based susceptibility genes, we identified 28 orthologs of C. elegans and their inactivation altered the phenotype of eraIs1; 10 knockdowns exhibited reduced penetrance of αSyn:Venus inclusions formed in the axons of cephalic (CEP) DA neurons, 18 knockdowns exhibited increased penetrance of disrupted CEP dendrite integrity among which nine knockdowns also exhibited disrupted neuronal morphology independent of the expressed αSyn reporter. Loss-of-function alleles of the five identified genes, such as sac-2, rig-6 or lfe-2, unc-43, and nsf-1, modulated the corresponding eraIs1 phenotype, respectively, and supported the RNA interference (RNAi) data. The Western blot analysis showed that the levels of insoluble αSyn:Venus were not correlated with the observed phenotypes in these mutants. However, RNAi of 12 identified modulators reduced the formation of pro-aggregating polyglutamine Q40:YFP foci in muscle cells, suggesting the possible role of these genes in cellular proteotoxicity. Therefore, modulators identified by their associated biological pathways, such as calcium signaling or vesicular trafficking, represent new potential therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative proteopathies and other diseases associated with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Vozdek
- Institute for Biomedicine, Eurac Research, Affiliated Institute of the University of Lübeck, Bolzano, Italy
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33
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Kirchweger B, Klein-Junior LC, Pretsch D, Chen Y, Cretton S, Gasper AL, Heyden YV, Christen P, Kirchmair J, Henriques AT, Rollinger JM. Azepine-Indole Alkaloids From Psychotria nemorosa Modulate 5-HT 2A Receptors and Prevent in vivo Protein Toxicity in Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:826289. [PMID: 35360162 PMCID: PMC8963987 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.826289] [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: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Nemorosine A (1) and fargesine (2), the main azepine-indole alkaloids of Psychotria nemorosa, were explored for their pharmacological profile on neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) applying a combined in silico–in vitro–in vivo approach. By using 1 and 2 as queries for similarity-based searches of the ChEMBL database, structurally related compounds were identified to modulate the 5-HT2A receptor; in vitro experiments confirmed an agonistic effect for 1 and 2 (24 and 36% at 10 μM, respectively), which might be linked to cognition-enhancing properties. This and the previously reported target profile of 1 and 2, which also includes BuChE and MAO-A inhibition, prompted the evaluation of these compounds in several Caenorhabditis elegans models linked to 5-HT modulation and proteotoxicity. On C. elegans transgenic strain CL4659, which expresses amyloid beta (Aβ) in muscle cells leading to a phenotypic paralysis, 1 and 2 reduced Aβ proteotoxicity by reducing the percentage of paralyzed worms to 51%. Treatment of the NL5901 strain, in which α-synuclein is yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-tagged, with 1 and 2 (10 μM) significantly reduced the α-synuclein expression. Both alkaloids were further able to significantly extend the time of metallothionein induction, which is associated with reduced neurodegeneration of aged brain tissue. These results add to the multitarget profiles of 1 and 2 and corroborate their potential in the treatment of NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Kirchweger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Luiz C Klein-Junior
- School of Health Sciences, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Brazil.,Laboratory of Pharmacognosy and Quality Control of Phytomedicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Dagmar Pretsch
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ya Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sylvian Cretton
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - André L Gasper
- Herbarium Dr. Roberto Miguel Klein, Department of Natural Sciences, Universidade Regional de Blumenau (FURB), Blumenau, Brazil
| | - Yvan Vander Heyden
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Applied Chemometrics and Molecular Modeling, Center for Pharmaceutical Research (CePhaR), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Philippe Christen
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Johannes Kirchmair
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Amélia T Henriques
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy and Quality Control of Phytomedicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Judith M Rollinger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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34
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Soares MV, Mesadri J, Gonçalves DF, Cordeiro LM, Franzen da Silva A, Obetine Baptista FB, Wagner R, Dalla Corte CL, Soares FAA, Ávila DS. Neurotoxicity induced by toluene: In silico and in vivo evidences of mitochondrial dysfunction and dopaminergic neurodegeneration. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 298:118856. [PMID: 35033616 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Toluene is an air pollutant widely used as an organic solvent in industrial production and emitted by fossil fuel combustion, in addition to being used as a drug of abuse. Its toxic effects in the central nervous system have not been well established, and how and which neurons are affected remains unknown. Hence, this study aimed to fill this gap by investigating three central questions: 1) How does toluene induce neurotoxicity? 2) Which neurons are affected? And 3) What are the long-term effects induced by airborne exposure to toluene? To this end, a Caenorhabditis elegans model was employed, in which worms at the fourth larval stage were exposed to toluene in the air for 24 h in a vapor chamber to simulate four exposure scenarios. After the concentration-response curve analysis, we chose scenarios 3 (E3: 792 ppm) and 4 (E4: 1094 ppm) for the following experiments. The assays were performed 1, 48, or 96 h after removal from the exposure environments, and an irreversible reduction in neuron fluorescence and morphologic alterations were observed in different neurons of exposed worms, particularly in the dopaminergic neurons. Moreover, a significant impairment in a dopaminergic-dependent behavior was also associated with negative effects in healthspan endpoints, and we also noted that mitochondria may be involved in toluene-induced neurotoxicity since lower adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) levels and mitochondrial viability were observed. In addition, a reduction of electron transport chain activity was evidenced using ex vivo protocols, which were reinforced by in silico and in vitro analysis, demonstrating toluene action in the mitochondrial complexes. Based on these findings model, it is plausible that toluene neurotoxicity can be initiated by complex I inhibition, triggering a mitochondrial dysfunction that may lead to irreversible dopaminergic neuronal death, thus impairing neurobehavioral signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcell Valandro Soares
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Camobi, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Grupo de Pesquisa em Bioquímica e Toxicologia em Caenorhabditis elegans (GBToxCe), Universidade Federal do Pampa - UNIPAMPA, CEP 97500-970, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | - Juliana Mesadri
- Departamento: Tecnologia e Ciência dos Alimentos, Centro de Ciência Rurais, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia dos Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Débora Farina Gonçalves
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Camobi, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Larissa Marafiga Cordeiro
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Camobi, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Aline Franzen da Silva
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Camobi, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Fabiane Bicca Obetine Baptista
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Camobi, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Roger Wagner
- Departamento: Tecnologia e Ciência dos Alimentos, Centro de Ciência Rurais, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia dos Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Lenz Dalla Corte
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Camobi, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Félix Alexandre Antunes Soares
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Camobi, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Daiana Silva Ávila
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Bioquímica e Toxicologia em Caenorhabditis elegans (GBToxCe), Universidade Federal do Pampa - UNIPAMPA, CEP 97500-970, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil.
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Yoshida S, Hasegawa T. Deciphering the prion-like behavior of pathogenic protein aggregates in neurodegenerative diseases. Neurochem Int 2022; 155:105307. [PMID: 35181393 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2022.105307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are hitherto classified based on their core clinical features, the anatomical distribution of neurodegeneration, and the cell populations mainly affected. On the other hand, the wealth of neuropathological, genetic, molecular and biochemical studies have identified the existence of distinct insoluble protein aggregates in the affected brain regions. These findings have spread the use of a collective term, proteinopathy, for neurodegenerative disorders with particular type of structurally altered protein accumulation. Particularly, a recent breakthrough in this field came with the discovery that these protein aggregates can transfer from one cell to another, thereby converting normal proteins to potentially toxic, misfolded species in a prion-like manner. In this review, we focus specifically on the molecular and cellular basis that underlies the seeding activity and transcellular spreading phenomenon of neurodegeneration-related protein aggregates, and discuss how these events contribute to the disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Yoshida
- Division of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience & Sensory Organs, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, 9808574, Japan; Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Yonezawa Hospital, Yonezawa, Yamagata, 992-1202, Japan
| | - Takafumi Hasegawa
- Division of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience & Sensory Organs, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, 9808574, Japan.
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Suzuki M, Sango K, Nagai Y. Roles of α-Synuclein and Disease-Associated Factors in Drosophila Models of Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031519. [PMID: 35163450 PMCID: PMC8835920 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (αSyn) plays a major role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease. The accumulation of αSyn is a pathological hallmark of PD, and mutations in the SNCA gene encoding αSyn cause familial forms of PD. Moreover, the ectopic expression of αSyn has been demonstrated to mimic several key aspects of PD in experimental model systems. Among the various model systems, Drosophila melanogaster has several advantages for modeling human neurodegenerative diseases. Drosophila has a well-defined nervous system, and numerous tools have been established for its genetic analyses. The rapid generation cycle and short lifespan of Drosophila renders them suitable for high-throughput analyses. PD model flies expressing αSyn have contributed to our understanding of the roles of various disease-associated factors, including genetic and nongenetic factors, in the pathogenesis of PD. In this review, we summarize the molecular pathomechanisms revealed to date using αSyn-expressing Drosophila models of PD, and discuss the possibilities of using these models to demonstrate the biological significance of disease-associated factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Suzuki
- Diabetic Neuropathy Project, Department of Diseases and Infection, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan;
- Department of Neurotherapeutics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
- Correspondence: (M.S.); (Y.N.); Tel.: +81-5316-3100 (M.S.); +81-72-366-0221 (Y.N.)
| | - Kazunori Sango
- Diabetic Neuropathy Project, Department of Diseases and Infection, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan;
| | - Yoshitaka Nagai
- Department of Neurotherapeutics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka-Sayama 589-8511, Japan
- Correspondence: (M.S.); (Y.N.); Tel.: +81-5316-3100 (M.S.); +81-72-366-0221 (Y.N.)
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37
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Marino G, Calabresi P, Ghiglieri V. Alpha-synuclein and cortico-striatal plasticity in animal models of Parkinson disease. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2022; 184:153-166. [PMID: 35034731 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-819410-2.00008-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (α-synuclein) is a small, acidic protein containing 140 amino acids, highly expressed in the brain and primarily localized in the presynaptic terminals. It is found in high concentrations in Lewy Bodies, proteinaceous aggregates that constitute a typical histopathologic hallmark of Parkinson's disease. Altered environmental conditions, genetic mutations and post-translational changes can trigger abnormal aggregation processes with the increased frequency of oligomers, protofibrils, and fibrils formation that perturbs the neuronal homeostasis leading to cell death. Relevant to neuronal activity, a function of α-synuclein that has been extensively detailed is its regulatory actions in the trafficking of synaptic vesicles, including the processes of exocytosis, endocytosis and neurotransmitter release. Most recently, increasing attention has been paid to the possible role that α-synuclein plays at a postsynaptic level by interacting with selective subunits of the glutamate N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor, altering the corticostriatal plasticity of distinct neuronal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gioia Marino
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Dipartimento di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Paolo Calabresi
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; UOC Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Kounakis K, Tavernarakis N. Assessment of Neuronal Cell Death in Caenorhabditis elegans. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2515:309-317. [PMID: 35776360 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2409-8_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful experimental platform for cell biology studies. The molecular mechanisms that mediate cell death and neurodegeneration have been characterized extensively in the nematode. In addition, the availability of a wide arsenal of genetic and molecular tools and methodologies renders C. elegans an organism of choice for modeling human neurodegenerative diseases. Indeed, neuronal necrosis can readily be observed and examined in vivo, in the worm. In this chapter, we describe the two main approaches that are routinely used for monitoring and quantifying neuronal cell death in C. elegans. The first is based on direct visualization of dying cells via Nomarski differential interference contrast (DiC) microscopy, and the second on the assessment of neuronal survival by fluorescence microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Kounakis
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas , Crete, Greece
| | - Nektarios Tavernarakis
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas , Crete, Greece.
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Evans B, Furlong HA, de Lencastre A. Parkinson's disease and microRNAs - Lessons from model organisms and human studies. Exp Gerontol 2021; 155:111585. [PMID: 34634413 PMCID: PMC8596463 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive, age-associated neurodegenerative disorder that affects an estimated 10 million people worldwide. PD is characterized by proteinaceous, cytoplasmic inclusions containing α-synuclein, called Lewy Bodies, which form in dopaminergic neurons in an age-dependent manner, and are associated with the emergence of characteristic PD symptoms such as resting tremor, rigidity, slow movements and postural instability. Although considerable progress has been made in recent years in identifying genetic and environmental factors that are associated with PD, early diagnosis and therapeutic options remain severely lacking. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as novel therapeutic targets in various diseases, such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. MiRNAs have been shown to play roles in various aging and neurodegenerative disease models across phyla. More recently, studies have identified specific roles for miRNAs and their targets in the pathogenesis and progression of PD in several model organisms. Here, we discuss the evolving field of miRNAs, their association with PD, and the outlook for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Evans
- Department of Biological Sciences, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT 06518, USA
| | - Howard A Furlong
- Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT 06473, USA
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40
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Chalorak P, Sornkaew N, Manohong P, Niamnont N, Malaiwong N, Limboonreung T, Sobhon P, Aschner M, Meemon K. Diterpene glycosides from Holothuria scabra exert the α-synuclein degradation and neuroprotection against α-synuclein-Mediated neurodegeneration in C. elegans model. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 279:114347. [PMID: 34147616 PMCID: PMC8381228 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Holothuria (Metriatyla) scabra Jaeger (H. scabra), sea cucumber, is the marine organism that has been used as traditional food and medicine to gain the health benefits since ancient time. Although our recent studies have shown that crude extracts from H. scabra exhibited neuroprotective effects against Parkinson's disease (PD), the underlying mechanisms and bioactive compounds are still unknown. AIM OF THE STUDY In the present study, we examined the efficacy of purified compounds from H. scabra and their underlying mechanism on α-synuclein degradation and neuroprotection against α-synuclein-mediated neurodegeneration in a transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans PD model. MATERIAL AND METHODS The H. scabra compounds (HSEA-P1 and P2) were purified and examined for their toxicity and optimal dose-range by food-clearance and lifespan assays. The α-synuclein degradation and neuroprotection against α-synuclein-mediated neurodegeneration were determined using transgenic C. elegans model, Punc-54::α-syn and Pdat-1:: α-syn; Pdat-1::GFP, respectively, and then further investigated by determining the behavioral assays including locomotion rate, basal slowing rate, ethanol avoidance, and area-restricted searching. The underlying mechanisms related to autophagy were clarified by quantitative PCR and RNAi experiments. RESULTS Our results showed that HSEA-P1 and HSEA-P2 significantly diminished α-synuclein accumulation, improved motility deficits, and recovered the shortened lifespan. Moreover, HSEA-P1 and HSEA-P2 significantly protected dopaminergic neurons from α-synuclein toxicity and alleviated dopamine-associated behavioral deficits, i.e., basal slowing, ethanol avoidance, and area-restricted searching. HSEA-P1 and HSEA-P2 also up-regulated autophagy-related genes, including beclin-1/bec-1, lc-3/lgg-1, and atg-7/atg-7. RNA interference (RNAi) of these genes in transgenic α-synuclein worms confirmed that lc-3/lgg-1 and atg-7/atg-7 were required for α-synuclein degradation and DAergic neuroprotection activities of HSEA-P1 and HSEA-P2. NMR and mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the HSEA-P1 and HSEA-P2 contained diterpene glycosides. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that diterpene glycosides extracted from H. scabra decreases α-synuclein accumulation and protects α-synuclein-mediated DAergic neuronal loss and its toxicities via lgg-1 and atg-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawanrat Chalorak
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
| | - Nilubon Sornkaew
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bang Mod, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand.
| | - Preeyanuch Manohong
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bang Mod, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand.
| | - Nakorn Niamnont
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bang Mod, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand.
| | - Nawaphat Malaiwong
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
| | - Tanapol Limboonreung
- Division of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Ladkrabang, Bangkok, 10520, Thailand.
| | - Prasert Sobhon
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
| | - Krai Meemon
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
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41
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Chandler R, Cogo S, Lewis P, Kevei E. Modelling the functional genomics of Parkinson's disease in Caenorhabditis elegans: LRRK2 and beyond. Biosci Rep 2021; 41:BSR20203672. [PMID: 34397087 PMCID: PMC8415217 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20203672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, Parkinson's disease (PD) cases have been genetically categorised into familial, when caused by mutations in single genes with a clear inheritance pattern in affected families, or idiopathic, in the absence of an evident monogenic determinant. Recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed how common genetic variability can explain up to 36% of PD heritability and that PD manifestation is often determined by multiple variants at different genetic loci. Thus, one of the current challenges in PD research stands in modelling the complex genetic architecture of this condition and translating this into functional studies. Caenorhabditis elegans provide a profound advantage as a reductionist, economical model for PD research, with a short lifecycle, straightforward genome engineering and high conservation of PD relevant neural, cellular and molecular pathways. Functional models of PD genes utilising C. elegans show many phenotypes recapitulating pathologies observed in PD. When contrasted with mammalian in vivo and in vitro models, these are frequently validated, suggesting relevance of C. elegans in the development of novel PD functional models. This review will discuss how the nematode C. elegans PD models have contributed to the uncovering of molecular and cellular mechanisms of disease, with a focus on the genes most commonly found as causative in familial PD and risk factors in idiopathic PD. Specifically, we will examine the current knowledge on a central player in both familial and idiopathic PD, Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) and how it connects to multiple PD associated GWAS candidates and Mendelian disease-causing genes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Susanna Cogo
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AH, U.K
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35121, Italy
| | - Patrick A. Lewis
- Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, NW1 0TU, U.K
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, U.K
| | - Eva Kevei
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AH, U.K
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42
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SenGupta T, Palikaras K, Esbensen YQ, Konstantinidis G, Galindo FJN, Achanta K, Kassahun H, Stavgiannoudaki I, Bohr VA, Akbari M, Gaare J, Tzoulis C, Tavernarakis N, Nilsen H. Base excision repair causes age-dependent accumulation of single-stranded DNA breaks that contribute to Parkinson disease pathology. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109668. [PMID: 34496255 PMCID: PMC8441048 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging, genomic stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction are risk factors for neurodegenerative pathologies, such as Parkinson disease (PD). Although genomic instability is associated with aging and mitochondrial impairment, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we show that base excision repair generates genomic stress, promoting age-related neurodegeneration in a Caenorhabditis elegans PD model. A physiological level of NTH-1 DNA glycosylase mediates mitochondrial and nuclear genomic instability, which promote degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in older nematodes. Conversely, NTH-1 deficiency protects against α-synuclein-induced neurotoxicity, maintaining neuronal function with age. This apparent paradox is caused by modulation of mitochondrial transcription in NTH-1-deficient cells, and this modulation activates LMD-3, JNK-1, and SKN-1 and induces mitohormesis. The dependance of neuroprotection on mitochondrial transcription highlights the integration of BER and transcription regulation during physiological aging. Finally, whole-exome sequencing of genomic DNA from patients with idiopathic PD suggests that base excision repair might modulate susceptibility to PD in humans. Incomplete base excision repair is a source of genomic stress during aging The NTH-1 DNA glycosylase is a key mediator of age-dependent genomic instability Compromised NTH-1 activity promotes neuroprotection in PD nematodes NTH-1 deficiency triggers LMD-3/JNK-1/SKN-1-dependent mitohormetic response
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanima SenGupta
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Konstantinos Palikaras
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Hellas, Greece; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Ying Q Esbensen
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Georgios Konstantinidis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Hellas, Greece
| | - Francisco Jose Naranjo Galindo
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Kavya Achanta
- Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, SUND, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Henok Kassahun
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ioanna Stavgiannoudaki
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Hellas, Greece
| | - Vilhelm A Bohr
- Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, SUND, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; DNA Repair Section, National Institute on Aging, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mansour Akbari
- Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, SUND, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Johannes Gaare
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Pb 7804, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Charalampos Tzoulis
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Pb 7804, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Nektarios Tavernarakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Hellas, Greece; Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, 70013 Crete, Greece.
| | - Hilde Nilsen
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.
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Shadrina M, Slominsky P. Modeling Parkinson's Disease: Not Only Rodents? Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:695718. [PMID: 34421573 PMCID: PMC8377290 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.695718] [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: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common chronic progressive multifactorial neurodegenerative disease. In most cases, PD develops as a sporadic idiopathic disease. However, in 10%–15% of all patients, Mendelian inheritance of the disease is observed in an autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive manner. To date, mutations in seven genes have been convincingly confirmed as causative in typical familial forms of PD, i.e., SNCA, LRRK2, VPS35, PRKN, PINK1, GBA, and DJ-1. Family and genome-wide association studies have also identified a number of candidate disease genes and a common genetic variability at 90 loci has been linked to risk for PD. The analysis of the biological function of both proven and candidate genes made it possible to conclude that mitochondrial dysfunction, lysosomal dysfunction, impaired exosomal transport, and immunological processes can play important roles in the development of the pathological process of PD. The mechanisms of initiation of the pathological process and its earliest stages remain unclear. The study of the early stages of the disease (before the first motor symptoms appear) is extremely complicated by the long preclinical period. In addition, at present, the possibility of performing complex biochemical and molecular biological studies familial forms of PD is limited. However, in this case, the analysis of the state of the central nervous system can only be assessed by indirect signs, such as the level of metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid, peripheral blood, and other biological fluids. One of the potential solutions to this problem is the analysis of disease models, in which it is possible to conduct a detailed in-depth study of all aspects of the pathological process, starting from its earliest stages. Many modeling options are available currently. An analysis of studies published in the 2000s suggests that toxic models in rodents are used in the vast majority of cases. However, interesting and important data for understanding the pathogenesis of PD can be obtained from other in vivo models. Within the framework of this review, we will consider various models of PD that were created using various living organisms, from unicellular yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and invertebrate (Nematode and Drosophila) forms to various mammalian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Shadrina
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Hereditary Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow, Russia
| | - Petr Slominsky
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Hereditary Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow, Russia
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44
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Wang C, Lau CY, Ma F, Zheng C. Genome-wide screen identifies curli amyloid fibril as a bacterial component promoting host neurodegeneration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2106504118. [PMID: 34413194 PMCID: PMC8403922 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2106504118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence indicates that gut microbiota play a critical role in regulating the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease. The molecular mechanism underlying such microbe-host interaction is unclear. In this study, by feeding Caenorhabditis elegans expressing human α-syn with Escherichia coli knockout mutants, we conducted a genome-wide screen to identify bacterial genes that promote host neurodegeneration. The screen yielded 38 genes that fall into several genetic pathways including curli formation, lipopolysaccharide assembly, and adenosylcobalamin synthesis among others. We then focused on the curli amyloid fibril and found that genetically deleting or pharmacologically inhibiting the curli major subunit CsgA in E. coli reduced α-syn-induced neuronal death, restored mitochondrial health, and improved neuronal functions. CsgA secreted by the bacteria colocalized with α-syn inside neurons and promoted α-syn aggregation through cross-seeding. Similarly, curli also promoted neurodegeneration in C. elegans models of Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington's disease and in human neuroblastoma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyin Wang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Chun Yin Lau
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Fuqiang Ma
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Chaogu Zheng
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
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45
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Bagoudou AF, Zheng Y, Nakabayashi M, Rawdkuen S, Park HY, Vattem DA, Sato K, Nakamura S, Katayama S. Glochidion littorale Leaf Extract Exhibits Neuroprotective Effects in Caenorhabditis elegans via DAF-16 Activation. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26133958. [PMID: 34203560 PMCID: PMC8271589 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26133958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of plants used in folk medicine in Thailand and Eastern Asia are attracting interest due to the high bioactivities of their extracts. The aim of this study was to screen the edible leaf extracts of 20 plants found in Thailand and investigate the potential neuroprotective effects of the most bioactive sample. The total phenol and flavonoid content and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity were determined for all 20 leaf extracts. Based on these assays, Glochidion littorale leaf extract (GLE), which showed a high value in all tested parameters, was used in further experiments to evaluate its effects on neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans. GLE treatment ameliorated H2O2-induced oxidative stress by attenuating the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and protected the worms against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium-induced neurodegeneration. The neuroprotective effects observed may be associated with the activation of the transcription factor DAF-16. The characterization of this extract by LC-MS identified several phenolic compounds, including myricetin, coumestrin, chlorogenic acid, and hesperidin, which may play a key role in neuroprotection. This study reports the novel neuroprotective activity of GLE, which may be used to develop treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdel Fawaz Bagoudou
- Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Shinshu University, 8304 Minamiminowa, Kamiina, Nagano 399-4598, Japan; (A.F.B.); (S.N.)
| | - Yifeng Zheng
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Shinshu University, 8304 Minamiminowa, Kamiina, Nagano 399-4598, Japan; (Y.Z.); (M.N.)
| | - Masahiro Nakabayashi
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Shinshu University, 8304 Minamiminowa, Kamiina, Nagano 399-4598, Japan; (Y.Z.); (M.N.)
| | - Saroat Rawdkuen
- School of Agro-Industry, Mae Fah Luang University, 333 Moo 1, Thasud, Muang, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand;
| | - Hyun-Young Park
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Konneker Research Laboratories, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA; (H.-Y.P.); (D.A.V.)
| | - Dhiraj A. Vattem
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Konneker Research Laboratories, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA; (H.-Y.P.); (D.A.V.)
- College of Health Sciences & Professions, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
| | - Kenji Sato
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan;
| | - Soichiro Nakamura
- Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Shinshu University, 8304 Minamiminowa, Kamiina, Nagano 399-4598, Japan; (A.F.B.); (S.N.)
| | - Shigeru Katayama
- Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Shinshu University, 8304 Minamiminowa, Kamiina, Nagano 399-4598, Japan; (A.F.B.); (S.N.)
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Shinshu University, 8304 Minamiminowa, Kamiina, Nagano 399-4598, Japan; (Y.Z.); (M.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-265-77-1603
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Huang X, Wang C, Chen L, Zhang T, Leung KL, Wong G. Human amyloid beta and α-synuclein co-expression in neurons impair behavior and recapitulate features for Lewy body dementia in Caenorhabditis elegans. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2021; 1867:166203. [PMID: 34146705 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2021.166203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid β (Aβ), a product of APP, and SNCA (α-synuclein (α-syn)) are two of the key proteins found in lesions associated with the age-related neurodegenerative disorders Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), respectively. Previous clinical studies uncovered Aβ and α-syn co-expression in the brains of patients, which lead to Lewy body dementia (LBD), a disease encompassing Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD). To explore the pathogenesis and define the relationship between Aβ and α-syn for LBD, we established a C. elegans model which co-expresses human Aβ and α-syn with alanine 53 to threonine mutant (α-syn(A53T)) in pan-neurons. Compared to α-syn(A53T) single transgenic animals, pan-neuronal Aβ and α-syn(A53T) co-expression further enhanced the thrashing, egg laying, serotonin and cholinergic signaling deficits, and dopaminergic neuron damage in C. elegans. In addition, Aβ increased α-syn expression in transgenic animals. Transcriptome analysis of both Aβ;α-syn(A53T) strains and DLB patients showed common downregulation in lipid metabolism and lysosome function genes, suggesting that a decrease of lysosome function may reduce the clearance ability in DLB, and this may lead to the further pathogenic protein accumulation. These findings suggest that our model can recapitulate some features in LBD and provides a mechanism by which Aβ may exacerbate α-syn pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Huang
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Changliang Wang
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China; Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510005, China
| | - Liang Chen
- Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Technology of Ministry of Education, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Tianjiao Zhang
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Ka Lai Leung
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Garry Wong
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China.
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Murphy D, Patel H, Wimalasena K. Caenorhabditis elegans Model Studies Show MPP + Is a Simple Member of a Large Group of Related Potent Dopaminergic Toxins. Chem Res Toxicol 2021; 34:1275-1285. [PMID: 33496570 PMCID: PMC8931847 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Although the causes of Parkinson's disease (PD) are not fully understood, the consensus is that a combination of genetic and environmental factors plays a major role. The discovery that the synthetic chemical, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-derived N-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), recapitulates major pathophysiological characteristics of PD in humans and other mammals has provided the strongest support for this possibility; however, several key aspects of the mechanism remain unclear. In contrast to the widely accepted view that MPP+ is structurally unique and optimal for selective dopaminergic toxicity, previous in vitro studies have suggested that MPP+ is most likely a simple member of a large group of related dopaminergic toxins. Here we provide first in vivo evidence to support the above possibility using Caenorhabditis elegans PD models. We also provide in vivo evidence to show that the inherent predisposition of dopaminergic neurons to produce high oxidative stress and related downstream effects when exposed to MPP+ and related mitochondrial toxins is responsible for their selective vulnerability to these toxins. More significantly, present findings suggest that if this broad group of MPP+ related dopaminergic toxins are present in work places or in the environment, they could cause far-reaching public health consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Murphy
- Department of Chemistry, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS 67260
| | - Harshil Patel
- Department of Chemistry, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS 67260
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48
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Parvand M, Rankin CH. Is There a Shared Etiology of Olfactory Impairments in Normal Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease? J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 73:1-21. [PMID: 31744002 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
As we age, our olfactory function declines. In addition to occurring in normal aging, more rapid decrement of olfactory decline has been associated with several neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). It has been argued that since olfactory deficits occur less frequently or are absent in diseases such as progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, and multiple system atrophy, olfactory deficits can be used for differential diagnoses of AD and PD. The purpose of this review is to provide a survey of current knowledge about the molecular bases and differential patterns of olfactory deficits present in normal aging, AD, and PD. As substantial research has been conducted in this area, the majority of the content of this review focuses on articles published in the past decade. We hypothesize that olfactory deficits in normal aging, AD, and PD may have different underlying causes, and propose the use of model organisms with small, tractable nervous systems and/or easy to manipulate genomes to further investigate the cellular mechanisms responsible for these deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahraz Parvand
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Catharine H Rankin
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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49
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Giunti S, Andersen N, Rayes D, De Rosa MJ. Drug discovery: Insights from the invertebrate Caenorhabditis elegans. Pharmacol Res Perspect 2021; 9:e00721. [PMID: 33641258 PMCID: PMC7916527 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic drug development is a long, expensive, and complex process that usually takes 12-15 years. In the early phases of drug discovery, in particular, there is a growing need for animal models that ensure the reduction in both cost and time. Caenorhabditis elegans has been traditionally used to address fundamental aspects of key biological processes, such as apoptosis, aging, and gene expression regulation. During the last decade, with the advent of large-scale platforms for screenings, this invertebrate has also emerged as an essential tool in the pharmaceutical research industry to identify novel drugs and drug targets. In this review, we discuss the reasons why C. elegans has been positioned as an outstanding cost-effective option for drug discovery, highlighting both the advantages and drawbacks of this model. Particular attention is paid to the suitability of this nematode in large-scale genetic and pharmacological screenings. High-throughput screenings in C. elegans have indeed contributed to the breakthrough of a wide variety of candidate compounds involved in extensive fields including neurodegeneration, pathogen infections and metabolic disorders. The versatility of this nematode, which enables its instrumentation as a model of human diseases, is another attribute also herein underscored. As illustrative examples, we discuss the utility of C. elegans models of both human neurodegenerative diseases and parasitic nematodes in the drug discovery industry. Summing up, this review aims to demonstrate the impact of C. elegans models on the drug discovery pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Giunti
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS‐CONICETBahía BlancaArgentina
- Dpto de Biología, Bioquímica y FarmaciaUniversidad Nacional del SurBahía BlancaArgentina
| | - Natalia Andersen
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS‐CONICETBahía BlancaArgentina
- Dpto de Biología, Bioquímica y FarmaciaUniversidad Nacional del SurBahía BlancaArgentina
| | - Diego Rayes
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS‐CONICETBahía BlancaArgentina
- Dpto de Biología, Bioquímica y FarmaciaUniversidad Nacional del SurBahía BlancaArgentina
| | - María José De Rosa
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS‐CONICETBahía BlancaArgentina
- Dpto de Biología, Bioquímica y FarmaciaUniversidad Nacional del SurBahía BlancaArgentina
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50
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Shen L, Wang C, Chen L, Wong G. Dysregulation of MicroRNAs and PIWI-Interacting RNAs in a Caenorhabditis elegans Parkinson's Disease Model Overexpressing Human α-Synuclein and Influence of tdp-1. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:600462. [PMID: 33762903 PMCID: PMC7982545 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.600462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) regulate gene expression and biological processes through specific genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. Recent studies have described a dysregulation of small non-coding RNAs in Parkinson’s disease (PD) tissues but have been limited in scope. Here, we extend these studies by comparing the dysregulation of both miRNAs and piRNAs from transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) nematodes overexpressing pan-neuronally human α-synuclein wild-type (WT) (HASNWT OX) or mutant (HASNA53T OX). We observed 32 miRNAs and 112 piRNAs dysregulated in HASNA53T OX compared with WT. Genetic crosses of HASNA53T OX PD animal models with tdp-1 null mutants, the C. elegans ortholog of TDP-43, an RNA-binding protein aggregated in frontal temporal lobar degeneration, improved their behavioral deficits and changed the number of dysregulated miRNAs to 11 and piRNAs to none. Neuronal function-related genes T28F4.5, C34F6.1, C05C10.3, camt-1, and F54D10.3 were predicted to be targeted by cel-miR-1018, cel-miR-355-5p (C34F6.1 and C05C10.3), cel-miR-800-3p, and 21ur-1581 accordingly. This study provides a molecular landscape of small non-coding RNA dysregulation in an animal model that provides insight into the epigenetic changes, molecular processes, and interactions that occur during PD-associated neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linjing Shen
- Centre for Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Changliang Wang
- Centre for Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.,Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Liang Chen
- Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, China.,Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Technology of Ministry of Education, Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Garry Wong
- Centre for Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
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