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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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Almutairi N, Khan N, Harrison-Smith A, Arlt VM, Stürzenbaum SR. Stage-specific exposure of Caenorhabditis elegans to cadmium identifies unique transcriptomic response cascades and an uncharacterized cadmium responsive transcript. Metallomics 2024; 16:mfae016. [PMID: 38549424 PMCID: PMC11066929 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfae016] [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: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Age/stage sensitivity is considered a significant factor in toxicity assessments. Previous studies investigated cadmium (Cd) toxicosis in Caenorhabditis elegans, and a plethora of metal-responsive genes/proteins have been identified and characterized in fine detail; however, most of these studies neglected age sensitivity and stage-specific response to toxicants at the molecular level. This present study compared the transcriptome response between C. elegans L3 vs L4 larvae exposed to 20 µM Cd to explore the transcriptional hallmarks of stage sensitivity. The results showed that the transcriptome of the L3 stage, despite being exposed to Cd for a shorter period, was more affected than the L4 stage, as demonstrated by differences in transcriptional changes and magnitude of induction. Additionally, T08G5.1, a hitherto uncharacterized gene located upstream of metallothionein (mtl-2), was transcriptionally hyperresponsive to Cd exposure. Deletion of one or both metallothioneins (mtl-1 and/or mtl-2) increased T08G5.1 expression, suggesting that its expression is linked to the loss of metallothionein. The generation of an extrachromosomal transgene (PT08G5.1:: GFP) revealed that T08G5.1 is constitutively expressed in the head neurons and induced in gut cells upon Cd exposure, not unlike mtl-1 and mtl-2. The low abundance of cysteine residues in T08G5.1 suggests, however, that it may not be involved directly in Cd sequestration to limit its toxicity like metallothionein, but might be associated with a parallel pathway, possibly an oxidative stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norah Almutairi
- Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Naema Khan
- Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alexandra Harrison-Smith
- Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Volker M Arlt
- Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Stephen R Stürzenbaum
- Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
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da Silva LPD, da Cruz Guedes E, Fernandes ICO, Pedroza LAL, da Silva Pereira GJ, Gubert P. Exploring Caenorhabditis elegans as Parkinson's Disease Model: Neurotoxins and Genetic Implications. Neurotox Res 2024; 42:11. [PMID: 38319410 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-024-00686-3] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world, the first being Alzheimer's disease. Patients with PD have a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the basal ganglia, which controls voluntary movements, causing a motor impairment as a result of dopaminergic signaling impairment. Studies have shown that mutations in several genes, such as SNCA, PARK2, PINK1, DJ-1, ATP13A2, and LRRK2, and the exposure to neurotoxic agents can potentially increase the chances of PD development. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) plays an important role in studying the risk factors, such as genetic factors, aging, exposure to chemicals, disease progression, and drug treatments for PD. C. elegans has a conserved neurotransmission system during evolution; it produces dopamine, through the eight dopaminergic neurons; it can be used to study the effect of neurotoxins and also has strains that express human α-synuclein. Furthermore, the human PD-related genes, LRK-1, PINK-1, PDR-1, DJR-1.1, and CATP-6, are present and functional in this model. Therefore, this review focuses on highlighting and discussing the use of C. elegans an in vivo model in PD-related studies. Here, we identified that nematodes exposed to the neurotoxins, such as 6-OHDA, MPTP, paraquat, and rotenone, had a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons, dopamine deficits, and decreased survival rate. Several studies have reported that expression of human LRRK2 (G2019S) caused neurodegeneration and pink-1, pdr-1, and djr-1.1 deletion caused several effects PD-related in C. elegans, including mitochondrial dysfunctions. Of note, the deletion of catp-6 in nematodes caused behavioral dysfunction, mitochondrial damage, and reduced survival. In addition, nematodes expressing α-synuclein had neurodegeneration and dopamine-dependent deficits. Therefore, C. elegans can be considered an accurate animal model of PD that can be used to elucidate to assess the underlying mechanisms implicated in PD to find novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Pereira Dantas da Silva
- Keizo Asami Institute, iLIKA, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Moraes Rego Avenue, 1235, Recife, Pernambuco, 50670-901, Brazil
| | - Erika da Cruz Guedes
- Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Isabel Cristina Oliveira Fernandes
- Keizo Asami Institute, iLIKA, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Moraes Rego Avenue, 1235, Recife, Pernambuco, 50670-901, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Biological Science, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Lucas Aleixo Leal Pedroza
- Keizo Asami Institute, iLIKA, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Moraes Rego Avenue, 1235, Recife, Pernambuco, 50670-901, Brazil
| | | | - Priscila Gubert
- Keizo Asami Institute, iLIKA, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Moraes Rego Avenue, 1235, Recife, Pernambuco, 50670-901, Brazil.
- Postgraduate Program in Biological Science, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
- Postgraduate Program in Pure and Applied Chemistry, Universidade Federal do Oeste da Bahia, Bahia, Brazil.
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Clark AS, Huayta J, Morton KS, Meyer JN, San-Miguel A. Morphological hallmarks of dopaminergic neurodegeneration are associated with altered neuron function in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neurotoxicology 2024; 100:100-106. [PMID: 38070655 PMCID: PMC10872346 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.12.005] [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: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is an excellent model system to study neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, as it enables analysis of both neuron morphology and function in live animals. Multiple structural changes in neurons, such as cephalic dendrite morphological abnormalities, have been considered hallmarks of neurodegeneration in this model, but their relevance to changes in neuron function are not entirely clear. We sought to test whether hallmark morphological changes associated with chemically induced dopaminergic neuron degeneration, such as dendrite blebbing, breakage, and loss, are indicative of neuronal malfunction and result in changes in behavior. We adapted an established dopaminergic neuronal function assay by measuring paralysis in the presence of exogenous dopamine, which revealed clear differences between cat-2 dopamine deficient mutants, wildtype worms, and dat-1 dopamine abundant mutants. Next, we integrated an automated image processing algorithm and a microfluidic device to segregate worm populations by their cephalic dendrite morphologies. We show that nematodes with dopaminergic dendrite degeneration markers, such as blebbing or breakage, paralyze at higher rates in a dopamine solution, providing evidence that dopaminergic neurodegeneration morphologies are correlated with functional neuronal outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S Clark
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Javier Huayta
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Joel N Meyer
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Adriana San-Miguel
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
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5
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Clark AS, Huayta J, Morton KS, Meyer JN, San-Miguel A. Morphological hallmarks of dopaminergic neurodegeneration are associated with altered neuron function in Caenorhabditis elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.22.554364. [PMID: 37662210 PMCID: PMC10473754 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.22.554364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is an excellent model system to study neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, as it enables analysis of both neuron morphology and function in live animals. Multiple structural changes in neurons, such as cephalic dendrite morphological abnormalities, have been considered hallmarks of neurodegeneration in this model, but their relevance to changes in neuron function are not entirely clear. We sought to test whether hallmark morphological changes associated with chemically induced dopaminergic neuron degeneration, such as dendrite blebbing, breakage, and loss, are indicative of neuronal malfunction and result in changes in behavior. We adapted an established dopaminergic neuronal function assay by measuring paralysis in the presence of exogenous dopamine, which revealed clear differences between cat-2 dopamine deficient mutants, wildtype worms, and dat-1 dopamine abundant mutants. Next, we integrated an automated image processing algorithm and a microfluidic device to segregate worm populations by their cephalic dendrite morphologies. We show that nematodes with dopaminergic dendrite degeneration markers, such as blebbing or breakage, paralyze at higher rates in a dopamine solution, providing evidence that dopaminergic neurodegeneration morphologies are correlated with functional neuronal outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S Clark
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Javier Huayta
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Katherine S Morton
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Joel N Meyer
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Adriana San-Miguel
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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Zhang J, Liu S, Yuan H, Yong R, Duan S, Li Y, Spencer J, Lim EG, Yu L, Song P. Deep Learning for Microfluidic-Assisted Caenorhabditis elegans Multi-Parameter Identification Using YOLOv7. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1339. [PMID: 37512650 PMCID: PMC10386376 DOI: 10.3390/mi14071339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
The Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is an ideal model organism for studying human diseases and genetics due to its transparency and suitability for optical imaging. However, manually sorting a large population of C. elegans for experiments is tedious and inefficient. The microfluidic-assisted C. elegans sorting chip is considered a promising platform to address this issue due to its automation and ease of operation. Nevertheless, automated C. elegans sorting with multiple parameters requires efficient identification technology due to the different research demands for worm phenotypes. To improve the efficiency and accuracy of multi-parameter sorting, we developed a deep learning model using You Only Look Once (YOLO)v7 to detect and recognize C. elegans automatically. We used a dataset of 3931 annotated worms in microfluidic chips from various studies. Our model showed higher precision in automated C. elegans identification than YOLOv5 and Faster R-CNN, achieving a mean average precision (mAP) at a 0.5 intersection over a union (mAP@0.5) threshold of 99.56%. Additionally, our model demonstrated good generalization ability, achieving an mAP@0.5 of 94.21% on an external validation set. Our model can efficiently and accurately identify and calculate multiple phenotypes of worms, including size, movement speed, and fluorescence. The multi-parameter identification model can improve sorting efficiency and potentially promote the development of automated and integrated microfluidic platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhang
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
| | - Shuhe Liu
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Hang Yuan
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ruiqi Yong
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Sixuan Duan
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
| | - Yifan Li
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
| | - Joseph Spencer
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
| | - Eng Gee Lim
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
| | - Limin Yu
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
| | - Pengfei Song
- School of Advanced Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L693BX, UK
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Yuan H, Yuan W, Duan S, Jiao K, Zhang Q, Lim EG, Chen M, Zhao C, Pan P, Liu X, Song P. Microfluidic-Assisted Caenorhabditis elegans Sorting: Current Status and Future Prospects. CYBORG AND BIONIC SYSTEMS 2023; 4:0011. [PMID: 37287459 PMCID: PMC10243201 DOI: 10.34133/cbsystems.0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has been a popular model organism for several decades since its first discovery of the huge research potential for modeling human diseases and genetics. Sorting is an important means of providing stage- or age-synchronized worm populations for many worm-based bioassays. However, conventional manual techniques for C. elegans sorting are tedious and inefficient, and commercial complex object parametric analyzer and sorter is too expensive and bulky for most laboratories. Recently, the development of lab-on-a-chip (microfluidics) technology has greatly facilitated C. elegans studies where large numbers of synchronized worm populations are required and advances of new designs, mechanisms, and automation algorithms. Most previous reviews have focused on the development of microfluidic devices but lacked the summaries and discussion of the biological research demands of C. elegans, and are hard to read for worm researchers. We aim to comprehensively review the up-to-date microfluidic-assisted C. elegans sorting developments from several angles to suit different background researchers, i.e., biologists and engineers. First, we highlighted the microfluidic C. elegans sorting devices' advantages and limitations compared to the conventional commercialized worm sorting tools. Second, to benefit the engineers, we reviewed the current devices from the perspectives of active or passive sorting, sorting strategies, target populations, and sorting criteria. Third, to benefit the biologists, we reviewed the contributions of sorting to biological research. We expect, by providing this comprehensive review, that each researcher from this multidisciplinary community can effectively find the needed information and, in turn, facilitate future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Yuan
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Wenwen Yuan
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Sixuan Duan
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Keran Jiao
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Chemistry,
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Quan Zhang
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Eng Gee Lim
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Min Chen
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Chun Zhao
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Peng Pan
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Xinyu Liu
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Pengfei Song
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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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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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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Behrouzi M, Youssef K, Rezai P, Tabatabaei N. Low-cost optofluidic add-on enables rapid selective plane illumination microscopy of C. elegans with a conventional wide-field microscope. JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL OPTICS 2021; 26:JBO-210275RR. [PMID: 34894114 PMCID: PMC8664272 DOI: 10.1117/1.jbo.26.12.126501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM) is an emerging fluorescent imaging technique suitable for noninvasive volumetric imaging of C. elegans. These promising microscopy systems, however, are scarce in academic and research institutions due to their high cost and technical complexities. Simple and low-cost solutions that enable conversion of commonplace wide-field microscopes to rapid SPIM platforms promote widespread adoption of SPIM by biologist for studying neuronal expressions of C. elegans. AIM We sought to develop a simple and low-cost optofluidic add-on device that enables rapid and immobilization-free volumetric SPIM imaging of C. elegans with conventional fluorescent microscopes. APPROACH A polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based device with integrated optical and fluidic elements was developed as a low-cost and miniaturized SPIM add-on for the conventional wide-field microscope. The developed optofluidic chip contained an integrated PDMS cylindrical lens for on-chip generation of the light-sheet across a microchannel. Cross-sectional SPIM images of C. elegans were continuously acquired by the native objective of microscope as worms flowed in an L-shape microchannel and through the light sheet. RESULTS On-chip SPIM imaging of C. elegans strains demonstrated possibility of visualizing the entire neuronal system in few seconds at single-neuron resolution, with high contrast and without worm immobilization. Volumetric visualization of neuronal system from the acquired cross-sectional two-dimensional images is also demonstrated, enabling the standard microscope to acquire three-dimensional fluorescent images of C. elegans. The full-width at half-maximum width of the point spread function was measured as 1.1 and 2.4 μm in the lateral and axial directions, respectively. CONCLUSION The developed low-cost optofluidic device is capable of continuous SPIM imaging of C. elegans model organism with a conventional fluorescent microscope, at high speed, and with single neuron resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehran Behrouzi
- York University, Lassonde School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Toronto, Canada
| | - Khaled Youssef
- York University, Lassonde School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Toronto, Canada
| | - Pouya Rezai
- York University, Lassonde School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Toronto, Canada
| | - Nima Tabatabaei
- York University, Lassonde School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Toronto, Canada
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Erekat NS. Apoptosis and its therapeutic implications in neurodegenerative diseases. Clin Anat 2021; 35:65-78. [PMID: 34558138 DOI: 10.1002/ca.23792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by progressive loss of particular populations of neurons. Apoptosis has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, Huntington disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In this review, we focus on the existing notions relevant to comprehending the apoptotic death process, including the morphological features, mediators and regulators of cellular apoptosis. We also highlight the evidence of neuronal apoptotic death in Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, Huntington disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Additionally, we present evidence of potential therapeutic agents that could modify the apoptotic pathway in the aforementioned neurodegenerative diseases and delay disease progression. Finally, we review the clinical trials that were conducted to evaluate the use of anti-apoptotic drugs in the treatment of the aforementioned neurodegenerative diseases, in order to highlight the essential need for early detection and intervention of neurodegenerative diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nour S Erekat
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
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12
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Parkinson's disease and the gut: Models of an emerging relationship. Acta Biomater 2021; 132:325-344. [PMID: 33857691 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.03.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive loss of fine motor function that impacts 1-2 out of 1,000 people. PD occurs predominately late in life and lacks a definitive biomarker for early detection. Recent cross-disciplinary progress has implicated the gut as a potential origin of PD pathogenesis. The gut-origin hypothesis has motivated research on gut PD pathology and transmission to the brain, especially during the prodromal stage (10-20 years before motor symptom onset). Early findings have revealed several possible triggers for Lewy pathology - the pathological hallmark of PD - in the gut, suggesting that microbiome and epithelial interactions may play a greater than appreciated role. But the mechanisms driving Lewy pathology and gut-brain transmission in PD remain unknown. Development of artificial α-Synuclein aggregates (α-Syn preformed fibrils) and animal disease models have recapitulated features of PD progression, enabling for the first time, controlled investigation of the gut-origin hypothesis. However, the role of specific cells in PD transmission, such as neurons, remains limited and requires in vitro models for controlled evaluation and perturbation. Human cell populations, three-dimensional organoids, and microfluidics as discovery platforms inch us closer to improving existing treatment for patients by providing platforms for discovery and screening. This review includes a discussion of PD pathology, conventional treatments, in vivo and in vitro models, and future directions. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Parkinson's Disease remains a common neurodegenerative disease with palliative versus causal treatments. Recently, the gut-origin hypothesis, where Parkinson's disease is thought to originate and spread from the gut to the brain, has gained traction as a field of investigation. However, despite the wealth of studies and innovative approaches to accelerate the field, there remains a need for in vitro tools to enable fundamental biological understanding of disease progression, and compound screening and efficacy. In this review, we present a historical perspective of Parkinson's Disease pathogenesis, detection, and conventional therapy, animal and human models investigating the gut-origin hypothesis, in vitro models to enable controlled discovery, and future outlooks for this blossoming field.
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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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Rashtchian S, Youssef K, Rezai P, Tabatabaei N. High-speed label-free confocal microscopy of Caenorhabditis elegans with near infrared spectrally encoded confocal microscopy. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 12:3607-3618. [PMID: 34221682 PMCID: PMC8221957 DOI: 10.1364/boe.427685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is an optically transparent nematode that shares many gene orthologs and homologs with humans. C. elegans are widely used in large populations for genetic studies relevant to human biology and disease. Success of such studies frequently relies on the ability to image C. elegans structure at high-resolution and high-speed. In this manuscript, we report on the feasibility and suitability of a high-speed variant of reflectance confocal microscopy, known as spectrally encoded confocal microscopy (SECM), for label-free imaging of C. elegans. The developed system utilizes near-infrared illumination in conjunction with refractive and diffractive optics to instantaneously image a confocal image line at a speed of up to 147 kHz with lateral and axial resolutions of 2µm and 10µm, respectively. Our imaging results from wild-type C. elegans and four mutant strains (MT2124, MT1082, CB61, and CB648) demonstrate the ability of SECM in revealing the overall geometry, key internal organs, and mutation-induced structural variations, opening the door for downstream integration of SECM in microfluidic platforms for high throughput structural imaging of C. elegans.
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15
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Youssef K, Archonta D, Kubiseski TJ, Tandon A, Rezai P. Electric egg-laying: a new approach for regulating C. elegans egg-laying behaviour in a microchannel using electric field. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:821-834. [PMID: 33527103 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00964d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, the novel effect of electric field (EF) on adult C. elegans egg-laying in a microchannel is discovered and correlated with neural and muscular activities. The quantitative effects of worm aging and EF strength, direction, and exposure duration on egg-laying are studied phenotypically using egg-count, body length, head movement, and transient neuronal activity readouts. Electric egg-laying rate increases significantly when worms face the anode and the response is EF-dependent, i.e. stronger (6 V cm-1) and longer EF (40 s) exposure result in a shorter egg laying response duration. Worm aging significantly deteriorates the electric egg-laying behaviour with an 88% decrease in the egg-count from day-1 to day-4 post young-adult stage. Fluorescent imaging of intracellular calcium dynamics in the main parts of the egg-laying neural circuit demonstrates the involvement and sensitivity of the serotonergic hermaphrodite specific neurons (HSNs), vulva muscles, and ventral cord neurons to the EF. HSN mutation also results in a reduced rate of electric egg-laying allowing the use of this technique for cellular screening and mapping of the neural basis of electrosensation in C. elegans. This novel assay can be parallelized and performed in a high-throughput manner for drug and gene screening applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaled Youssef
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Daphne Archonta
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | | | - Anurag Tandon
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pouya Rezai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Koch SC, Nelson A, Hartenstein V. Structural aspects of the aging invertebrate brain. Cell Tissue Res 2021; 383:931-947. [PMID: 33409654 PMCID: PMC7965346 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-020-03314-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Aging is characterized by a decline in neuronal function in all animal species investigated so far. Functional changes are accompanied by and may be in part caused by, structurally visible degenerative changes in neurons. In the mammalian brain, normal aging shows abnormalities in dendrites and axons, as well as ultrastructural changes in synapses, rather than global neuron loss. The analysis of the structural features of aging neurons, as well as their causal link to molecular mechanisms on the one hand, and the functional decline on the other hand is crucial in order to understand the aging process in the brain. Invertebrate model organisms like Drosophila and C. elegans offer the opportunity to apply a forward genetic approach to the analysis of aging. In the present review, we aim to summarize findings concerning abnormalities in morphology and ultrastructure in invertebrate brains during normal aging and compare them to what is known for the mammalian brain. It becomes clear that despite of their considerably shorter life span, invertebrates display several age-related changes very similar to the mammalian condition, including the retraction of dendritic and axonal branches at specific locations, changes in synaptic density and increased accumulation of presynaptic protein complexes. We anticipate that continued research efforts in invertebrate systems will significantly contribute to reveal (and possibly manipulate) the molecular/cellular pathways leading to neuronal aging in the mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra C Koch
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Annie Nelson
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Volker Hartenstein
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, USA.
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Abstract
In the last decade, microfluidic methods have proven to be powerful tools for Caenorhabditis elegans research, offering advanced manipulation of worms and precise control of experimental conditions. The advantages of microfluidic chips include their capability of immobilization, automated sorting, and longitudinal measurement, and more. In this review, we focus on control components that are widely used in the design of microfluidic devices, and discuss their functions and working principles that enable advanced manipulation on a chip. Understanding these components will ease the onboarding of researchers inexperienced with microfluidics and help them bring the power of microfluidics to new applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erel Levine
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kyung Suk Lee
- Department of Physics Education, Kongju National University, Gongju, South Korea
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18
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C. elegans Models to Study the Propagation of Prions and Prion-Like Proteins. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10081188. [PMID: 32824215 PMCID: PMC7464663 DOI: 10.3390/biom10081188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A hallmark common to many age-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is that patients develop proteinaceous deposits in their central nervous system (CNS). The progressive spreading of these inclusions from initially affected sites to interconnected brain areas is reminiscent of the behavior of bona fide prions in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), hence the term prion-like proteins has been coined. Despite intensive research, the exact mechanisms that facilitate the spreading of protein aggregation between cells, and the associated loss of neurons, remain poorly understood. As population demographics in many countries continue to shift to higher life expectancy, the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases is also rising. This represents a major challenge for healthcare systems and patients’ families, since patients require extensive support over several years and there is still no therapy to cure or stop these diseases. The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans offers unique opportunities to accelerate research and drug development due to its genetic amenability, its transparency, and the high degree of conservation of molecular pathways. Here, we will review how recent studies that utilize this soil dwelling nematode have proceeded to investigate the propagation and intercellular transmission of prions and prion-like proteins and discuss their relevance by comparing their findings to observations in other model systems and patients.
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Parallel-Channel Electrotaxis and Neuron Screening of Caenorhabditis elegans. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11080756. [PMID: 32759767 PMCID: PMC7465510 DOI: 10.3390/mi11080756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we report a novel microfluidic method to conduct a Caenorhabditis elegans electrotaxis movement assay and neuronal imaging on up to 16 worms in parallel. C. elegans is a model organism for neurodegenerative disease and movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), and for screening chemicals that alleviate protein aggregation, neuronal death, and movement impairment in PD. Electrotaxis of C. elegans in microfluidic channels has led to the development of neurobehavioral screening platforms, but enhancing the throughput of the electrotactic behavioral assay has remained a challenge. Our device consisted of a hierarchy of tree-like channels for worm loading into 16 parallel electrotaxis screening channels with equivalent electric fields. Tapered channels at the ends of electrotaxis channels were used for worm immobilization and fluorescent imaging of neurons. Parallel electrotaxis of worms was first validated against established single-worm electrotaxis phenotypes. Then, mutant screening was demonstrated using the NL5901 strain, carrying human α-synuclein in the muscle cells, by showing the associated electrotaxis defects in the average speed, body bend frequency (BBF), and electrotaxis time index (ETI). Moreover, chemical screening of a PD worm model was shown by exposing the BZ555 strain, expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP) in the dopaminergic neurons (DNs), to 6-hydroxydopamine neurotoxin. The neurotoxin-treated worms exhibited a reduction in electrotaxis swimming speed, BBF, ETI, and DNs fluorescence intensity. We envision our technique to be used widely in C. elegans-based movement disorder assays to accelerate behavioral and cellular phenotypic investigations.
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Zabihihesari A, Hilliker AJ, Rezai P. Fly-on-a-Chip: Microfluidics for Drosophila melanogaster Studies. Integr Biol (Camb) 2020; 11:425-443. [DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyz037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The fruit fly or Drosophila melanogaster has been used as a promising model organism in genetics, developmental and behavioral studies as well as in the fields of neuroscience, pharmacology, and toxicology. Not only all the developmental stages of Drosophila, including embryonic, larval, and adulthood stages, have been used in experimental in vivo biology, but also the organs, tissues, and cells extracted from this model have found applications in in vitro assays. However, the manual manipulation, cellular investigation and behavioral phenotyping techniques utilized in conventional Drosophila-based in vivo and in vitro assays are mostly time-consuming, labor-intensive, and low in throughput. Moreover, stimulation of the organism with external biological, chemical, or physical signals requires precision in signal delivery, while quantification of neural and behavioral phenotypes necessitates optical and physical accessibility to Drosophila. Recently, microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip devices have emerged as powerful tools to overcome these challenges. This review paper demonstrates the role of microfluidic technology in Drosophila studies with a focus on both in vivo and in vitro investigations. The reviewed microfluidic devices are categorized based on their applications to various stages of Drosophila development. We have emphasized technologies that were utilized for tissue- and behavior-based investigations. Furthermore, the challenges and future directions in Drosophila-on-a-chip research, and its integration with other advanced technologies, will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pouya Rezai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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