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Garg V, Geurten BRH. Diving deep: zebrafish models in motor neuron degeneration research. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1424025. [PMID: 38966756 PMCID: PMC11222423 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1424025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In the dynamic landscape of biomedical science, the pursuit of effective treatments for motor neuron disorders like hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) remains a key priority. Central to this endeavor is the development of robust animal models, with the zebrafish emerging as a prime candidate. Exhibiting embryonic transparency, a swift life cycle, and significant genetic and neuroanatomical congruencies with humans, zebrafish offer substantial potential for research. Despite the difference in locomotion-zebrafish undulate while humans use limbs, the zebrafish presents relevant phenotypic parallels to human motor control disorders, providing valuable insights into neurodegenerative diseases. This review explores the zebrafish's inherent traits and how they facilitate profound insights into the complex behavioral and cellular phenotypes associated with these disorders. Furthermore, we examine recent advancements in high-throughput drug screening using the zebrafish model, a promising avenue for identifying therapeutically potent compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vranda Garg
- Department of Cellular Neurobiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
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2
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Oliveira NAS, Pinho BR, Pinto J, Guedes de Pinho P, Oliveira JMA. Edaravone counteracts redox and metabolic disruptions in an emerging zebrafish model of sporadic ALS. Free Radic Biol Med 2024; 217:126-140. [PMID: 38531462 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease in which the death of motor neurons leads to loss of muscle function. Additionally, cognitive and circadian disruptions are common in ALS patients, contributing to disease progression and burden. Most ALS cases are sporadic, and environmental exposures contribute to their aetiology. However, animal models of these sporadic ALS cases are scarce. The small vertebrate zebrafish is a leading organism to model neurodegenerative diseases; previous studies have proposed bisphenol A (BPA) or β-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) exposure to model sporadic ALS in zebrafish, damaging motor neurons and altering motor responses. Here we characterise the face and predictive validity of sporadic ALS models, showing their potential for the mechanistic study of ALS drugs. We phenotypically characterise the BPA and BMAA-induced models, going beyond motor activity and motor axon morphology, to include circadian, redox, proteostasis, and metabolomic phenotypes, and assessing their predictive validity for ALS modelling. BPA or BMAA exposure induced concentration-dependent activity impairments. Also, exposure to BPA but not BMAA induced motor axonopathy and circadian alterations in zebrafish larvae. Our further study of the BPA model revealed loss of habituation to repetitive startles, increased oxidative damage, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and metabolome abnormalities. The BPA-induced model shows predictive validity, since the approved ALS drug edaravone counteracted BPA-induced motor phenotypes, ER stress, and metabolic disruptions. Overall, BPA exposure is a promising model of ALS-related redox and ER imbalances, contributing to fulfil an unmet need for validated sporadic ALS models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuno A S Oliveira
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Mitochondria and Neurobiology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Brígida R Pinho
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Mitochondria and Neurobiology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Pinto
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Toxicology, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Guedes de Pinho
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Toxicology, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jorge M A Oliveira
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Mitochondria and Neurobiology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.
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3
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Gonzalez D, Cuenca X, Allende ML. Knockdown of tgfb1a partially improves ALS phenotype in a transient zebrafish model. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1384085. [PMID: 38644973 PMCID: PMC11032012 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1384085] [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: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) corresponds to a neurodegenerative disorder marked by the progressive degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons located in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord. ALS can be broadly categorized into two main types: sporadic ALS (sALS), which constitutes approximately 90% of all cases, and familial ALS (fALS), which represents the remaining 10% of cases. Transforming growth factor type-β (TGF-β) is a cytokine involved in various cellular processes and pathological contexts, including inflammation and fibrosis. Elevated levels of TGF-β have been observed in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of both ALS patients and mouse models. In this perspective, we explore the impact of the TGF-β signaling pathway using a transient zebrafish model for ALS. Our findings reveal that the knockdown of tgfb1a lead to a partial prevention of motor axon abnormalities and locomotor deficits in a transient ALS zebrafish model at 48 h post-fertilization (hpf). In this context, we delve into the proposed distinct roles of TGF-β in the progression of ALS. Indeed, some evidence suggests a dual role for TGF-β in ALS progression. Initially, it seems to exert a neuroprotective effect in the early stages, but paradoxically, it may contribute to disease progression in later stages. Consequently, we suggest that the TGF-β signaling pathway emerges as an attractive therapeutic target for treating ALS. Nevertheless, further research is crucial to comprehensively understand the nuanced role of TGF-β in the pathological context.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Gonzalez
- Departamento de Ciencias Químicas y Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
- Escuela de Terapia Ocupacional, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Xiomara Cuenca
- Escuela de Terapia Ocupacional, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
| | - Miguel L. Allende
- Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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4
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Park J, An G, Park H, Hong T, Lim W, Song G. Developmental defects induced by thiabendazole are mediated via apoptosis, oxidative stress and alteration in PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways in zebrafish. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 176:107973. [PMID: 37196567 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Thiabendazole, a benzimidazole fungicide, is widely used to prevent yield loss in agricultural land by inhibiting plant diseases derived from fungi. As thiabendazole has a stable benzimidazole ring structure, it remains in the environment for an extended period, and its toxic effects on non-target organisms have been reported, indicating the possibility that it could threaten public health. However, little research has been conducted to elucidate the comprehensive mechanisms of its developmental toxicity. Therefore, we used zebrafish, a representative toxicological model that can predict toxicity in aquatic organisms and mammals, to demonstrate the developmental toxicity of thiabendazole. Various morphological malformations were observed, including decreased body length, eye size, and increased heart and yolk sac edema. Apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and inflammatory response were also triggered by thiabendazole exposure in zebrafish larvae. Furthermore, PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways important for appropriate organogenesis were significantly changed by thiabendazole. These results led to toxicity in various organs and a reduction in the expression of related genes, including cardiovascular toxicity, neurotoxicity, and hepatic and pancreatic toxicity, which were detected in flk1:eGFP, olig2:dsRED, and L-fabp:dsRed;elastase:GFP transgenic zebrafish models, respectively. Overall, this study partly determined the developmental toxicity of thiabendazole in zebrafish and provided evidence of the environmental hazards of this fungicide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junho Park
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology and Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Garam An
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology and Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Hahyun Park
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology and Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Taeyeon Hong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Whasun Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea.
| | - Gwonhwa Song
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology and Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
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5
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Liu Y. Zebrafish as a Model Organism for Studying Pathologic Mechanisms of Neurodegenerative Diseases and other Neural Disorders. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023:10.1007/s10571-023-01340-w. [PMID: 37004595 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-023-01340-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Zebrafish are widely considered an excellent vertebrate model for studying the pathogenesis of human diseases because of their transparency of embryonic development, easy breeding, high similarity with human genes, and easy gene manipulation. Previous studies have shown that zebrafish as a model organism provides an ideal operating platform for clarifying the pathological and molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and related human diseases. This review mainly summarizes the achievements and prospects of zebrafish used as model organisms in the research of neurodegenerative diseases and other human diseases related to the nervous system in recent years. In the future study of human disease mechanisms, the application of the zebrafish model will continue to provide a valuable operating platform and technical support for investigating and finding better prevention and treatment of these diseases, which has broad application prospects and practical significance. Zebrafish models used in neurodegenerative diseases and other diseases related to the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanying Liu
- Department of Basic Medicine, School of Nursing and Health, Qingdao Huanghai University, Qingdao, 266427, China.
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Faustini G, Longhena F, Muscò A, Bono F, Parrella E, La Via L, Barbon A, Pizzi M, Onofri F, Benfenati F, Missale C, Memo M, Zizioli D, Bellucci A. Synapsin III Regulates Dopaminergic Neuron Development in Vertebrates. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233902. [PMID: 36497160 PMCID: PMC9739466 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by alterations in the mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathways. Polymorphisms in the Synapsin III (Syn III) gene can associate with ADHD onset and even affect the therapeutic response to the gold standard ADHD medication, methylphenidate (MPH), a monoamine transporter inhibitor whose efficacy appears related with the stimulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Interestingly, we previously showed that MPH can bind Syn III, which can regulate neuronal development. These observations suggest that Syn III polymorphism may impinge on ADHD onset and response to therapy by affecting BDNF-dependent dopaminergic neuron development. Here, by studying zebrafish embryos exposed to Syn III gene knock-down (KD), Syn III knock-out (ko) mice and human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-derived neurons subjected to Syn III RNA interference, we found that Syn III governs the earliest stages of dopaminergic neurons development and that this function is conserved in vertebrates. We also observed that in mammals Syn III exerts this function acting upstream of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)- and cAMP-dependent protein kinase 5 (Cdk5)-stimulated dendrite development. Collectively, these findings own significant implications for deciphering the biological basis of ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaia Faustini
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Francesca Longhena
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessia Muscò
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Federica Bono
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Edoardo Parrella
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Luca La Via
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandro Barbon
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Marina Pizzi
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Franco Onofri
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Via Leon Battista Alberti 2, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Fabio Benfenati
- IRCSS Policlinico San Martino Hospital, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
- Italian Institute of Technology, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Cristina Missale
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Maurizio Memo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Daniela Zizioli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.Z.); (A.B.); Tel.: +39-(0)30-3717546 (D.Z.); +39-(0)30-3717380 (A.B.)
| | - Arianna Bellucci
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
- Laboratory for Preventive and Personalized Medicine, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.Z.); (A.B.); Tel.: +39-(0)30-3717546 (D.Z.); +39-(0)30-3717380 (A.B.)
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Chia K, Klingseisen A, Sieger D, Priller J. Zebrafish as a model organism for neurodegenerative disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:940484. [PMID: 36311026 PMCID: PMC9606821 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.940484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish is increasingly recognized as a model organism for translational research into human neuropathology. The zebrafish brain exhibits fundamental resemblance with human neuroanatomical and neurochemical pathways, and hallmarks of human brain pathology such as protein aggregation, neuronal degeneration and activation of glial cells, for example, can be modeled and recapitulated in the fish central nervous system. Genetic manipulation, imaging, and drug screening are areas where zebrafish excel with the ease of introducing mutations and transgenes, the expression of fluorescent markers that can be detected in vivo in the transparent larval stages overtime, and simple treatment of large numbers of fish larvae at once followed by automated screening and imaging. In this review, we summarize how zebrafish have successfully been employed to model human neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington’s disease. We discuss advantages and disadvantages of choosing zebrafish as a model for these neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelda Chia
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Klingseisen
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Dirk Sieger
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Dirk Sieger,
| | - Josef Priller
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Neuropsychiatry and Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, DZNE, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Josef Priller,
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8
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Lescouzères L, Bordignon B, Bomont P. Development of a high-throughput tailored imaging method in zebrafish to understand and treat neuromuscular diseases. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:956582. [PMID: 36204134 PMCID: PMC9530744 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.956582] [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: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a vertebrate species offering multitude of advantages for the study of conserved biological systems in human and has considerably enriched our knowledge in developmental biology and physiology. Being equally important in medical research, the zebrafish has become a critical tool in the fields of diagnosis, gene discovery, disease modeling, and pharmacology-based therapy. Studies on the zebrafish neuromuscular system allowed for deciphering key molecular pathways in this tissue, and established it as a model of choice to study numerous motor neurons, neuromuscular junctions, and muscle diseases. Starting with the similarities of the zebrafish neuromuscular system with the human system, we review disease models associated with the neuromuscular system to focus on current methodologies employed to study them and outline their caveats. In particular, we put in perspective the necessity to develop standardized and high-resolution methodologies that are necessary to deepen our understanding of not only fundamental signaling pathways in a healthy tissue but also the changes leading to disease phenotype outbreaks, and offer templates for high-content screening strategies. While the development of high-throughput methodologies is underway for motility assays, there is no automated approach to quantify the key molecular cues of the neuromuscular junction. Here, we provide a novel high-throughput imaging methodology in the zebrafish that is standardized, highly resolutive, quantitative, and fit for drug screening. By providing a proof of concept for its robustness in identifying novel molecular players and therapeutic drugs in giant axonal neuropathy (GAN) disease, we foresee that this new tool could be useful for both fundamental and biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Lescouzères
- ERC Team, Institut NeuroMyoGéne-PGNM, Inserm U1315, CNRS UMR 5261, Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Benoît Bordignon
- Montpellier Ressources Imagerie, BioCampus, CNRS, INSERM, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Pascale Bomont
- ERC Team, Institut NeuroMyoGéne-PGNM, Inserm U1315, CNRS UMR 5261, Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, Lyon, France
- *Correspondence: Pascale Bomont,
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9
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Serrano RJ, Lee C, Douek AM, Kaslin J, Bryson-Richardson RJ, Sztal TE. Novel pre-clinical model for CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder. Dis Model Mech 2021; 15:273746. [PMID: 34913468 PMCID: PMC8922025 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase-like-5 (CDKL5) deficiency disorder (CDD) is a severe X-linked neurodegenerative disease characterised by early-onset epileptic seizures, low muscle tone, progressive intellectual disability and severe motor function. CDD affects ∼1 in 60,000 live births, with many patients experiencing a reduced quality of life due to the severity of their neurological symptoms and functional impairment. There are no effective therapies for CDD, with current treatments focusing on improving symptoms rather than addressing the underlying causes of the disorder. Zebrafish offer many unique advantages for high-throughput preclinical evaluation of potential therapies for neurological diseases, including CDD. In particular, the large number of offspring produced, together with the possibilities for in vivo imaging and genetic manipulation, allows for the detailed assessment of disease pathogenesis and therapeutic discovery. We have characterised a loss-of-function zebrafish model for CDD, containing a nonsense mutation in cdkl5. cdkl5 mutant zebrafish display defects in neuronal patterning, seizures, microcephaly, and reduced muscle function caused by impaired muscle innervation. This study provides a powerful vertebrate model for investigating CDD disease pathophysiology and allowing high-throughput screening for effective therapies. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: Characterisation of a novel loss-of-function zebrafish model for CDKL5 deficiency disorder, containing a nonsense mutation, demonstrates its utility for investigating disease aetiology and allowing high-throughput screening for potentially effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita J Serrano
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Clara Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alon M Douek
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jan Kaslin
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Tamar E Sztal
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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10
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Don EK, Maschirow A, Radford RAW, Scherer NM, Vidal-Itriago A, Hogan A, Maurel C, Formella I, Stoddart JJ, Hall TE, Lee A, Shi B, Cole NJ, Laird AS, Badrock AP, Chung RS, Morsch M. In vivo Validation of Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) to Investigate Aggregate Formation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:2061-2074. [PMID: 33415684 PMCID: PMC8018926 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02238-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a form of motor neuron disease (MND) that is characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons within the spinal cord, brainstem, and motor cortex. Although ALS clinically manifests as a heterogeneous disease, with varying disease onset and survival, a unifying feature is the presence of ubiquitinated cytoplasmic protein inclusion aggregates containing TDP-43. However, the precise mechanisms linking protein inclusions and aggregation to neuronal loss are currently poorly understood. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) takes advantage of the association of fluorophore fragments (non-fluorescent on their own) that are attached to an aggregation-prone protein of interest. Interaction of the proteins of interest allows for the fluorescent reporter protein to fold into its native state and emit a fluorescent signal. Here, we combined the power of BiFC with the advantages of the zebrafish system to validate, optimize, and visualize the formation of ALS-linked aggregates in real time in a vertebrate model. We further provide in vivo validation of the selectivity of this technique and demonstrate reduced spontaneous self-assembly of the non-fluorescent fragments in vivo by introducing a fluorophore mutation. Additionally, we report preliminary findings on the dynamic aggregation of the ALS-linked hallmark proteins Fus and TDP-43 in their corresponding nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments using BiFC. Overall, our data demonstrates the suitability of this BiFC approach to study and characterize ALS-linked aggregate formation in vivo. Importantly, the same principle can be applied in the context of other neurodegenerative diseases and has therefore critical implications to advance our understanding of pathologies that underlie aberrant protein aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K Don
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Alina Maschirow
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Rowan A W Radford
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Natalie M Scherer
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Andrés Vidal-Itriago
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Alison Hogan
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Cindy Maurel
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Isabel Formella
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Jack J Stoddart
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Thomas E Hall
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, QLD, St Lucia, 4072, Australia
| | - Albert Lee
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Bingyang Shi
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Nicholas J Cole
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Angela S Laird
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Andrew P Badrock
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
| | - Roger S Chung
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Marco Morsch
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
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11
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Oprişoreanu AM, Smith HL, Krix S, Chaytow H, Carragher NO, Gillingwater TH, Becker CG, Becker T. Automated in vivo drug screen in zebrafish identifies synapse-stabilising drugs with relevance to spinal muscular atrophy. Dis Model Mech 2021; 14:259422. [PMID: 33973627 PMCID: PMC8106959 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.047761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapses are particularly vulnerable in many neurodegenerative diseases and often the first to degenerate, for example in the motor neuron disease spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Compounds that can counteract synaptic destabilisation are rare. Here, we describe an automated screening paradigm in zebrafish for small-molecule compounds that stabilize the neuromuscular synapse in vivo. We make use of a mutant for the axonal C-type lectin chondrolectin (chodl), one of the main genes dysregulated in SMA. In chodl-/- mutants, neuromuscular synapses that are formed at the first synaptic site by growing axons are not fully mature, causing axons to stall, thereby impeding further axon growth beyond that synaptic site. This makes axon length a convenient read-out for synapse stability. We screened 982 small-molecule compounds in chodl chodl-/- mutants and found four that strongly rescued motor axon length. Aberrant presynaptic neuromuscular synapse morphology was also corrected. The most-effective compound, the adenosine uptake inhibitor drug dipyridamole, also rescued axon growth defects in the UBA1-dependent zebrafish model of SMA. Hence, we describe an automated screening pipeline that can detect compounds with relevance to SMA. This versatile platform can be used for drug and genetic screens, with wider relevance to synapse formation and stabilisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana-Maria Oprişoreanu
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, The Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB
| | - Hannah L Smith
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, The Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB
| | - Sophia Krix
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, The Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB
| | - Helena Chaytow
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, The Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4SB Edinburgh, UK
| | - Neil O Carragher
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, EH4 2XR Edinburgh, UK
| | - Thomas H Gillingwater
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, The Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4SB Edinburgh, UK
| | - Catherina G Becker
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, The Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4SB Edinburgh, UK
| | - Thomas Becker
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, The Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB
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12
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Parakh S, Shadfar S, Perri ER, Ragagnin AMG, Piattoni CV, Fogolín MB, Yuan KC, Shahheydari H, Don EK, Thomas CJ, Hong Y, Comini MA, Laird AS, Spencer DM, Atkin JD. The Redox Activity of Protein Disulfide Isomerase Inhibits ALS Phenotypes in Cellular and Zebrafish Models. iScience 2020; 23:101097. [PMID: 32446203 PMCID: PMC7240177 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathological forms of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) are present in almost all cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and 20% of familial ALS cases are due to mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). Redox regulation is critical to maintain cellular homeostasis, although how this relates to ALS is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the redox function of protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is protective against protein misfolding, cytoplasmic mislocalization of TDP-43, ER stress, ER-Golgi transport dysfunction, and apoptosis in neuronal cells expressing mutant TDP-43 or SOD1, and motor impairment in zebrafish expressing mutant SOD1. Moreover, previously described PDI mutants present in patients with ALS (D292N, R300H) lack redox activity and were not protective against ALS phenotypes. Hence, these findings implicate the redox activity of PDI centrally in ALS, linking it to multiple cellular processes. They also imply that therapeutics based on PDI's redox activity will be beneficial in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonam Parakh
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia.
| | - Sina Shadfar
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Emma R Perri
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Audrey M G Ragagnin
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Claudia V Piattoni
- Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Mataojo 2020, CP 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Mariela B Fogolín
- Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Mataojo 2020, CP 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Kristy C Yuan
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Hamideh Shahheydari
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Emily K Don
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Collen J Thomas
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Yuning Hong
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Marcelo A Comini
- Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Mataojo 2020, CP 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay; Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Mataojo 2020, CP 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Angela S Laird
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Damian M Spencer
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Julie D Atkin
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
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13
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Demy DL, Campanari ML, Munoz-Ruiz R, Durham HD, Gentil BJ, Kabashi E. Functional Characterization of Neurofilament Light Splicing and Misbalance in Zebrafish. Cells 2020; 9:E1238. [PMID: 32429483 PMCID: PMC7291018 DOI: 10.3390/cells9051238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurofilaments (NFs), a major cytoskeletal component of motor neurons, play a key role in the differentiation, establishment and maintenance of their morphology and mechanical strength. The de novo assembly of these neuronal intermediate filaments requires the presence of the neurofilament light subunit (NEFL), whose expression is reduced in motor neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study used zebrafish as a model to characterize the NEFL homologue neflb, which encodes two different isoforms via a splicing of the primary transcript (neflbE4 and neflbE3). In vivo imaging showed that neflb is crucial for proper neuronal development, and that disrupting the balance between its two isoforms specifically affects the NF assembly and motor axon growth, with resultant motor deficits. This equilibrium is also disrupted upon the partial depletion of TDP-43 (TAR DNA-binding protein 43), an RNA-binding protein encoded by the gene TARDBP that is mislocalized into cytoplasmic inclusions in ALS. The study supports the interaction of the NEFL expression and splicing with TDP-43 in a common pathway, both biologically and pathogenetically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Lou Demy
- Institut Imagine, UMR-1163 INSERM et Université Paris Descartes, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, 24, boulevard du Montparnasse, 75015 Paris, France; (D.L.D.); (M.L.C.); (R.M.-R.)
- Sorbonne Universités Paris VI, UMR INSERM U 1127, CNRS 1127 UPMC, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière—ICM, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Maria Letizia Campanari
- Institut Imagine, UMR-1163 INSERM et Université Paris Descartes, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, 24, boulevard du Montparnasse, 75015 Paris, France; (D.L.D.); (M.L.C.); (R.M.-R.)
- Sorbonne Universités Paris VI, UMR INSERM U 1127, CNRS 1127 UPMC, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière—ICM, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Raphael Munoz-Ruiz
- Institut Imagine, UMR-1163 INSERM et Université Paris Descartes, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, 24, boulevard du Montparnasse, 75015 Paris, France; (D.L.D.); (M.L.C.); (R.M.-R.)
- Sorbonne Universités Paris VI, UMR INSERM U 1127, CNRS 1127 UPMC, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière—ICM, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Heather D. Durham
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (H.D.D.); (B.J.G.)
| | - Benoit J. Gentil
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (H.D.D.); (B.J.G.)
- Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Edor Kabashi
- Institut Imagine, UMR-1163 INSERM et Université Paris Descartes, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, 24, boulevard du Montparnasse, 75015 Paris, France; (D.L.D.); (M.L.C.); (R.M.-R.)
- Sorbonne Universités Paris VI, UMR INSERM U 1127, CNRS 1127 UPMC, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière—ICM, 75015 Paris, France
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14
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Genetic compensation in a stable slc25a46 mutant zebrafish: A case for using F0 CRISPR mutagenesis to study phenotypes caused by inherited disease. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230566. [PMID: 32208444 PMCID: PMC7092968 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A phenomenon of genetic compensation is commonly observed when an organism with a disease-bearing mutation shows incomplete penetrance of the disease phenotype. Such incomplete phenotypic penetrance, or genetic compensation, is more commonly found in stable knockout models, rather than transient knockdown models. As such, these incidents present a challenge for the disease modeling field, although a deeper understanding of genetic compensation may also hold the key for novel therapeutic interventions. In our study we created a knockout model of slc25a46 gene, which is a recently discovered important player in mitochondrial dynamics, and deleterious mutations in which are known to cause peripheral neuropathy, optic atrophy and cerebellar ataxia. We report a case of genetic compensation in a stable slc25a46 homozygous zebrafish mutant (hereafter referred as “mutant”), in contrast to a penetrant disease phenotype in the first generation (F0) slc25a46 mosaic mutant (hereafter referred as “crispant”), generated with CRISPR/Cas-9 technology. We show that the crispant phenotype is specific and rescuable. By performing mRNA sequencing, we define significant changes in slc25a46 mutant’s gene expression profile, which are largely absent in crispants. We find that among the most significantly altered mRNAs, anxa6 gene stands out as a functionally relevant player in mitochondrial dynamics. We also find that our genetic compensation case does not arise from mechanisms driven by mutant mRNA decay. Our study contributes to the growing evidence of the genetic compensation phenomenon and presents novel insights about Slc25a46 function. Furthermore, our study provides the evidence for the efficiency of F0 CRISPR screens for disease candidate genes, which may be used to advance the field of functional genetics.
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