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Rosner A, Ballarin L, Barnay-Verdier S, Borisenko I, Drago L, Drobne D, Concetta Eliso M, Harbuzov Z, Grimaldi A, Guy-Haim T, Karahan A, Lynch I, Giulia Lionetto M, Martinez P, Mehennaoui K, Oruc Ozcan E, Pinsino A, Paz G, Rinkevich B, Spagnuolo A, Sugni M, Cambier S. A broad-taxa approach as an important concept in ecotoxicological studies and pollution monitoring. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:131-176. [PMID: 37698089 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic invertebrates play a pivotal role in (eco)toxicological assessments because they offer ethical, cost-effective and repeatable testing options. Additionally, their significance in the food chain and their ability to represent diverse aquatic ecosystems make them valuable subjects for (eco)toxicological studies. To ensure consistency and comparability across studies, international (eco)toxicology guidelines have been used to establish standardised methods and protocols for data collection, analysis and interpretation. However, the current standardised protocols primarily focus on a limited number of aquatic invertebrate species, mainly from Arthropoda, Mollusca and Annelida. These protocols are suitable for basic toxicity screening, effectively assessing the immediate and severe effects of toxic substances on organisms. For more comprehensive and ecologically relevant assessments, particularly those addressing long-term effects and ecosystem-wide impacts, we recommended the use of a broader diversity of species, since the present choice of taxa exacerbates the limited scope of basic ecotoxicological studies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of (eco)toxicological studies, focusing on major aquatic invertebrate taxa and how they are used to assess the impact of chemicals in diverse aquatic environments. The present work supports the use of a broad-taxa approach in basic environmental assessments, as it better represents the natural populations inhabiting various ecosystems. Advances in omics and other biochemical and computational techniques make the broad-taxa approach more feasible, enabling mechanistic studies on non-model organisms. By combining these approaches with in vitro techniques together with the broad-taxa approach, researchers can gain insights into less-explored impacts of pollution, such as changes in population diversity, the development of tolerance and transgenerational inheritance of pollution responses, the impact on organism phenotypic plasticity, biological invasion outcomes, social behaviour changes, metabolome changes, regeneration phenomena, disease susceptibility and tissue pathologies. This review also emphasises the need for harmonised data-reporting standards and minimum annotation checklists to ensure that research results are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR), maximising the use and reusability of data. The ultimate goal is to encourage integrated and holistic problem-focused collaboration between diverse scientific disciplines, international standardisation organisations and decision-making bodies, with a focus on transdisciplinary knowledge co-production for the One-Health approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalia Rosner
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Loriano Ballarin
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, Padova, I-35121, Italy
| | - Stéphanie Barnay-Verdier
- Sorbonne Université; CNRS, INSERM, Université Côte d'Azur, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging Nice, 28 avenue Valombrose, Nice, F-06107, France
| | - Ilya Borisenko
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Embryology, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya embankment 7/9, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Laura Drago
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, Padova, I-35121, Italy
| | - Damjana Drobne
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, Ljubljana, 1111, Slovenia
| | - Maria Concetta Eliso
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, 80121, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Zoya Harbuzov
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
- Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, Department of Marine Biology, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Koushy Ave., Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Annalisa Grimaldi
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant, Varese, 3-21100, Italy
| | - Tamar Guy-Haim
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Arzu Karahan
- Middle East Technical University, Institute of Marine Sciences, Erdemli-Mersin, PO 28, 33731, Turkey
| | - Iseult Lynch
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Maria Giulia Lionetto
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, via prov. le Lecce -Monteroni, Lecce, I-73100, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina, 61, Palermo, I-90133, Italy
| | - Pedro Martinez
- Department de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, Barcelona, 08028, Spain
- Institut Català de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Passeig de Lluís Companys, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
| | - Kahina Mehennaoui
- Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), 41, rue du Brill, Belvaux, L-4422, Luxembourg
| | - Elif Oruc Ozcan
- Faculty of Arts and Science, Department of Biology, Cukurova University, Balcali, Saricam, Adana, 01330, Turkey
| | - Annalisa Pinsino
- National Research Council, Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy
| | - Guy Paz
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Baruch Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Antonietta Spagnuolo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, 80121, Italy
| | - Michela Sugni
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Sébastien Cambier
- Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), 41, rue du Brill, Belvaux, L-4422, Luxembourg
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Measuring DNA modifications with the comet assay: a compendium of protocols. Nat Protoc 2023; 18:929-989. [PMID: 36707722 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-022-00754-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 86.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The comet assay is a versatile method to detect nuclear DNA damage in individual eukaryotic cells, from yeast to human. The types of damage detected encompass DNA strand breaks and alkali-labile sites (e.g., apurinic/apyrimidinic sites), alkylated and oxidized nucleobases, DNA-DNA crosslinks, UV-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and some chemically induced DNA adducts. Depending on the specimen type, there are important modifications to the comet assay protocol to avoid the formation of additional DNA damage during the processing of samples and to ensure sufficient sensitivity to detect differences in damage levels between sample groups. Various applications of the comet assay have been validated by research groups in academia, industry and regulatory agencies, and its strengths are highlighted by the adoption of the comet assay as an in vivo test for genotoxicity in animal organs by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The present document includes a series of consensus protocols that describe the application of the comet assay to a wide variety of cell types, species and types of DNA damage, thereby demonstrating its versatility.
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Jaenen V, Bijnens K, Heleven M, Artois T, Smeets K. Live Imaging in Planarians: Immobilization and Real-Time Visualization of Reactive Oxygen Species. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2680:209-229. [PMID: 37428380 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3275-8_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Imaging of living animals allows the study of metabolic processes in relation to cellular structures or larger functional entities. To enable in vivo imaging during long-term time-lapses in planarians, we combined and optimized existing protocols, resulting in an easily reproducible and inexpensive procedure. Immobilization with low-melting-point agarose eliminates the use of anesthetics, avoids interfering with the animal during imaging-functionally or physically-and allows recovering the organisms after the imaging procedure. As an example, we used the immobilization workflow to image the highly dynamic and fast-changing reactive oxygen species (ROS) in living animals. These reactive signaling molecules can only be studied in vivo and mapping their location and dynamics during different physiological conditions is crucial to understand their role in developmental processes and regeneration. In the current protocol, we describe both the immobilization and ROS detection procedure. We used the intensity of the signals together with pharmacological inhibitors to validate the signal specificity and to distinguish it from the autofluorescent nature of the planarian.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Jaenen
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Karolien Bijnens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Martijn Heleven
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Tom Artois
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Karen Smeets
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
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Rosner A, Armengaud J, Ballarin L, Barnay-Verdier S, Cima F, Coelho AV, Domart-Coulon I, Drobne D, Genevière AM, Jemec Kokalj A, Kotlarska E, Lyons DM, Mass T, Paz G, Pazdro K, Perić L, Ramšak A, Rakers S, Rinkevich B, Spagnuolo A, Sugni M, Cambier S. Stem cells of aquatic invertebrates as an advanced tool for assessing ecotoxicological impacts. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 771:144565. [PMID: 33736145 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Environmental stressors are assessed through methods that quantify their impacts on a wide range of metrics including species density, growth rates, reproduction, behaviour and physiology, as on host-pathogen interactions and immunocompetence. Environmental stress may induce additional sublethal effects, like mutations and epigenetic signatures affecting offspring via germline mediated transgenerational inheritance, shaping phenotypic plasticity, increasing disease susceptibility, tissue pathologies, changes in social behaviour and biological invasions. The growing diversity of pollutants released into aquatic environments requires the development of a reliable, standardised and 3R (replacement, reduction and refinement of animals in research) compliant in vitro toolbox. The tools have to be in line with REACH regulation 1907/2006/EC, aiming to improve strategies for potential ecotoxicological risks assessment and monitoring of chemicals threatening human health and aquatic environments. Aquatic invertebrates' adult stem cells (ASCs) are numerous and can be pluripotent, as illustrated by high regeneration ability documented in many of these taxa. This is of further importance as in many aquatic invertebrate taxa, ASCs are able to differentiate into germ cells. Here we propose that ASCs from key aquatic invertebrates may be harnessed for applicable and standardised new tests in ecotoxicology. As part of this approach, a battery of modern techniques and endpoints are proposed to be tested for their ability to correctly identify environmental stresses posed by emerging contaminants in aquatic environments. Consequently, we briefly describe the current status of the available toxicity testing and biota-based monitoring strategies in aquatic environmental ecotoxicology and highlight some of the associated open issues such as replicability, consistency and reliability in the outcomes, for understanding and assessing the impacts of various chemicals on organisms and on the entire aquatic environment. Following this, we describe the benefits of aquatic invertebrate ASC-based tools for better addressing ecotoxicological questions, along with the current obstacles and possible overhaul approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalia Rosner
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Box 8030, Tel Shikmona, Haifa 3108001, Israel.
| | - Jean Armengaud
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, INRAE, Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), SPI, F-30200 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France.
| | - Loriano Ballarin
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy.
| | - Stéphanie Barnay-Verdier
- Sorbonne Université; CNRS, INSERM, Université Côte d'Azur, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging Nice, F-06107 Nice, France.
| | - Francesca Cima
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy.
| | - Ana Varela Coelho
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal.
| | - Isabelle Domart-Coulon
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Microorganism Communication and Adaptation Molecules MCAM, Paris F-75005, France.
| | - Damjana Drobne
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, Večna pot 111,D, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Anne-Marie Genevière
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Integrative Biology of Marine Organisms, BIOM, F-6650 Banyuls-sur-mer, France.
| | - Anita Jemec Kokalj
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, Večna pot 111,D, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Ewa Kotlarska
- Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland.
| | - Daniel Mark Lyons
- Center for Marine Research, Ruđer Bošković Institute, G. Paliaga 5, HR-52210 Rovinj, Croatia.
| | - Tali Mass
- Marine Biology Department, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave, University of Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
| | - Guy Paz
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Box 8030, Tel Shikmona, Haifa 3108001, Israel.
| | - Ksenia Pazdro
- Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland
| | - Lorena Perić
- Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Laboratory for Aquaculture and Pathology of Aquaculture Organisms, Bijenička cesta 54, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Andreja Ramšak
- National Institute of Biology, Marine Biology Station, Fornače 41, 6330 Piran, Slovenia.
| | | | - Baruch Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Box 8030, Tel Shikmona, Haifa 3108001, Israel.
| | - Antonietta Spagnuolo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy.
| | - Michela Sugni
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Sébastien Cambier
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 5, avenue des Hauts-Fourneaux, L-4362 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
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Bijnens K, Jaenen V, Wouters A, Leynen N, Pirotte N, Artois T, Smeets K. A Spatiotemporal Characterisation of Redox Molecules in Planarians, with a Focus on the Role of Glutathione during Regeneration. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11050714. [PMID: 34064618 PMCID: PMC8150688 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A strict coordination between pro- and antioxidative molecules is needed for normal animal physiology, although their exact function and dynamics during regeneration and development remains largely unknown. Via in vivo imaging, we were able to locate and discriminate between reactive oxygen species (ROS) in real-time during different physiological stages of the highly regenerative planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. All ROS signals were strong enough to overcome the detected autofluorescence. Combined with an in situ characterisation and quantification of the transcription of several antioxidant genes, our data showed that the planarian gut and epidermis have a well-equipped redox system. Pharmacological inhibition or RNA interference of either side of the redox balance resulted in alterations in the regeneration process, characterised by decreased blastema sizes and delayed neurodevelopment, thereby affecting tails more than heads. Focusing on glutathione, a central component in the redox balance, we found that it is highly present in planarians and that a significant reduction in glutathione content led to regenerative failure with tissue lesions, characterised by underlying stem cell alterations. This exploratory study indicates that ROS and antioxidants are tightly intertwined and should be studied as a whole to fully comprehend the function of the redox balance in animal physiology.
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Gambino G, Ippolito C, Modeo L, Salvetti A, Rossi L. 5-Fluorouracil-treated planarians, a versatile model system for studying stem cell heterogeneity and tissue aging. Biol Cell 2020; 112:335-348. [PMID: 32640042 DOI: 10.1111/boc.202000040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND INFORMATION Planarians are a sound, well-established model system for molecular studies in the field of stem cells, cell differentiation, developmental biology and translational research. Treated stem cell-less planarians produced by X-ray treatment are commonly used to study stem cell transcriptional profile and their role in planarian biological processes. X-ray induces oxidative and DNA damage to differentiated cells, requires expensive radiation machines that are not available in most of the research centres and demand rigorous risk management and dedicated staff. RESULTS We tested the use of the well-known antimetabolite genotoxic drug 5-fluorouracil which mainly affects proliferating cells in way to demonstrate its use in replacing X-ray treatment. We succeeded in demonstrating ability of high doses of 5-fluorouracil to deplete Dugesia japonica stem cells and in identifying a 5-fluorouracil transiently resistant population of lineage committed stem cells. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE Our results encourage the use of 5-fluorouracil-treated planarians as a model system for studying mechanisms of resistance to genotoxicants, planarian stem cell heterogeneity and molecular cascades of tissue aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetana Gambino
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
| | - Chiara Ippolito
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
| | - Letizia Modeo
- CISUP, Centro per l'Integrazione della Strumentazione dell'Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
| | - Alessandra Salvetti
- CISUP, Centro per l'Integrazione della Strumentazione dell'Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
| | - Leonardo Rossi
- CISUP, Centro per l'Integrazione della Strumentazione dell'Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
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Wouters A, Ploem JP, Langie SAS, Artois T, Aboobaker A, Smeets K. Regenerative responses following DNA damage - β-catenin mediates head regrowth in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. J Cell Sci 2020; 133:jcs237545. [PMID: 32107291 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.237545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pluripotent stem cells hold great potential for regenerative medicine. Increased replication and division, such is the case during regeneration, concomitantly increases the risk of adverse outcomes through the acquisition of mutations. Seeking for driving mechanisms of such outcomes, we challenged a pluripotent stem cell system during the tightly controlled regeneration process in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea Exposure to the genotoxic compound methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) revealed that despite a similar DNA-damaging effect along the anteroposterior axis of intact animals, responses differed between anterior and posterior fragments after amputation. Stem cell proliferation and differentiation proceeded successfully in the amputated heads, leading to regeneration of missing tissues. Stem cells in the amputated tails showed decreased proliferation and differentiation capacity. As a result, tails could not regenerate. Interference with the body-axis-associated component β-catenin-1 increased regenerative success in tail fragments by stimulating proliferation at an early time point. Our results suggest that differences in the Wnt signalling gradient along the body axis modulate stem cell responses to MMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelies Wouters
- Zoology, Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Jan-Pieter Ploem
- Zoology, Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Sabine A S Langie
- Vito Health, 2400 Mol, Belgium
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Tom Artois
- Zoology, Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Aziz Aboobaker
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Karen Smeets
- Zoology, Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
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DNA damage and tissue repair: What we can learn from planaria. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 87:145-159. [PMID: 29727725 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2018.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 04/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Faithful renewal of aging and damaged tissues is central to organismal lifespan. Stem cells (SCs) generate the cellular progeny that replenish adult tissues across the body but this task becomes increasingly compromised over time. The age related decline in SC-mediated tissue maintenance is a multifactorial event that commonly affects genome integrity. The presence of DNA damage in SCs that are under continuous demand to divide poses a great risk for age-related disorders such as cancer. However, performing analysis of SCs with genomic instability and the DNA damage response during tissue renewal present significant challenges. Here we introduce an alternative experimental system based on the planaria flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea to address at the organismal level studies intersecting SC-mediated tissue renewal in the presence of genomic instability. Planaria have abundant SCs (neoblasts) that maintain high rates of cellular turnover and a variety of molecular tools have been developed to induce DNA damage and dissect how neoblasts respond to this stressor. S. mediterranea displays high evolutionary conservation of DNA repair mechanisms and signaling pathways regulating adult SCs. We describe genetically induced-DNA damage models and highlight body-wide signals affecting cellular decisions such as survival, proliferation, and death in the presence of genomic instability. We also discuss transcriptomic changes in the DNA damage response during injury repair and propose DNA repair as key component of tissue regeneration. Additional studies using planaria will provide insights about mechanisms regulating survival and growth of cells with DNA damage during tissue renewal and regeneration.
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