1
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Bergmans S, Noel NCL, Masin L, Harding EG, Krzywańska AM, De Schutter JD, Ayana R, Hu C, Arckens L, Ruzycki PA, MacDonald RB, Clark BS, Moons L. Age-related dysregulation of the retinal transcriptome in African turquoise killifish. Aging Cell 2024; 23:e14192. [PMID: 38742929 PMCID: PMC11320354 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14192] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Age-related vision loss caused by retinal neurodegenerative pathologies is becoming more prevalent in our ageing society. To understand the physiological and molecular impact of ageing on retinal homeostasis, we used the short-lived African turquoise killifish, a model known to naturally develop central nervous system (CNS) ageing hallmarks and vision loss. Bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNAseq) of three age groups (6-, 12-, and 18-week-old) identified transcriptional ageing fingerprints in the killifish retina, unveiling pathways also identified in the aged brain, including oxidative stress, gliosis, and inflammageing. These findings were comparable to observations in the ageing mouse retina. Additionally, transcriptional changes in genes related to retinal diseases, such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, were observed. The cellular heterogeneity in the killifish retina was characterized, confirming the presence of all typical vertebrate retinal cell types. Data integration from age-matched samples between the bulk and scRNAseq experiments revealed a loss of cellular specificity in gene expression upon ageing, suggesting potential disruption in transcriptional homeostasis. Differential expression analysis within the identified cell types highlighted the role of glial/immune cells as important stress regulators during ageing. Our work emphasizes the value of the fast-ageing killifish in elucidating molecular signatures in age-associated retinal disease and vision decline. This study contributes to the understanding of how age-related changes in molecular pathways may impact CNS health, providing insights that may inform future therapeutic strategies for age-related pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Bergmans
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration Research GroupKU Leuven, Leuven Brain InstituteLeuvenBelgium
| | | | - Luca Masin
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration Research GroupKU Leuven, Leuven Brain InstituteLeuvenBelgium
| | - Ellen G. Harding
- John F Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesWashington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | | | - Julie D. De Schutter
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration Research GroupKU Leuven, Leuven Brain InstituteLeuvenBelgium
| | - Rajagopal Ayana
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and NeuroproteomicsKU Leuven, Leuven Brain InstituteLeuvenBelgium
| | - Chi‐Kuo Hu
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyStony Brook UniversityStony BrookUSA
| | - Lut Arckens
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and NeuroproteomicsKU Leuven, Leuven Brain InstituteLeuvenBelgium
| | - Philip A. Ruzycki
- John F Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesWashington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | | | - Brian S. Clark
- John F Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesWashington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
- Department of Developmental BiologyWashington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
- Center of Regenerative MedicineCenter of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Lieve Moons
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration Research GroupKU Leuven, Leuven Brain InstituteLeuvenBelgium
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2
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Ayana R, Zandecki C, Van Houcke J, Mariën V, Seuntjens E, Arckens L. Single-cell sequencing unveils the impact of aging on the progenitor cell diversity in the telencephalon of the female killifish N. furzeri. Aging Cell 2024:e14251. [PMID: 38949249 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) combines a short lifespan with spontaneous age-associated loss of neuro-regenerative capacity, an intriguing trait atypical for a teleost. The impact of aging on the cellular composition of the adult stem cell niches, leading to this dramatic decline in the postnatal neuro- and gliogenesis, remains elusive. Single-cell RNA sequencing of the telencephalon of young adult female killifish of the short-lived GRZ-AD strain unveiled progenitors of glial and non-glial nature, different excitatory and inhibitory neuron subtypes, as well as non-neural cell types. Sub-clustering of the progenitors identified four radial glia (RG) cell types, two non-glial progenitor (NGP) and four intermediate (intercell) cell states. Two astroglia-like, one ependymal, and one neuroepithelial-like (NE) RG subtype were found at different locations in the forebrain in line with their role, while proliferative, active NGPs were spread throughout. Lineage inference pointed to NE-RG and NGPs as start and intercessor populations for glio- and neurogenesis. Upon aging, single-cell RNA sequencing revealed major perturbations in the proportions of the astroglia and intercell states, and in the molecular signatures of specific subtypes, including altered MAPK, mTOR, Notch, and Wnt pathways. This cell catalog of the young regeneration-competent killifish telencephalon, combined with the evidence for aging-related transcriptomic changes, presents a useful resource to understand the molecular basis of age-dependent neuroplasticity. This data is also available through an online database (killifishbrain_scseq).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajagopal Ayana
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology section, Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Zandecki
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology section, Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jolien Van Houcke
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Valerie Mariën
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eve Seuntjens
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology section, Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Institute for Single-Cell Omics, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Institute for Single-Cell Omics, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
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3
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Bergmans S, Noel NCL, Masin L, Harding EG, Krzywańska AM, De Schutter JD, Ayana R, Hu CK, Arckens L, Ruzycki PA, MacDonald RB, Clark BS, Moons L. Age-related dysregulation of the retinal transcriptome in African turquoise killifish. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.21.581372. [PMID: 38559206 PMCID: PMC10979842 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.21.581372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Age-related vision loss caused by retinal neurodegenerative pathologies is becoming more prevalent in our ageing society. To understand the physiological and molecular impact of ageing on retinal homeostasis, we used the short-lived African turquoise killifish, a model known to naturally develop central nervous system (CNS) ageing hallmarks and vision loss. Bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of three age groups (6-, 12-, and 18-week-old) identified transcriptional ageing fingerprints in the killifish retina, unveiling pathways also identified in the aged brain, including oxidative stress, gliosis, and inflammageing. These findings were comparable to observations in ageing mouse retina. Additionally, transcriptional changes in genes related to retinal diseases, such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, were observed. The cellular heterogeneity in the killifish retina was characterised, confirming the presence of all typical vertebrate retinal cell types. Data integration from age-matched samples between the bulk and scRNA-seq experiments revealed a loss of cellular specificity in gene expression upon ageing, suggesting potential disruption in transcriptional homeostasis. Differential expression analysis within the identified cell types highlighted the role of glial/immune cells as important stress regulators during ageing. Our work emphasises the value of the fast-ageing killifish in elucidating molecular signatures in age-associated retinal disease and vision decline. This study contributes to the understanding of how age-related changes in molecular pathways may impact CNS health, providing insights that may inform future therapeutic strategies for age-related pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Bergmans
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology division, Neural circuit development & regeneration research group, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nicole C L Noel
- University College London, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK, EC1V 9EL
| | - Luca Masin
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology division, Neural circuit development & regeneration research group, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ellen G Harding
- Washington University School of Medicine, John F Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110 United States of America
| | | | - Julie D De Schutter
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology division, Neural circuit development & regeneration research group, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rajagopal Ayana
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology section, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Chi-Kuo Hu
- Stony Brook University, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 11790 Stony Brook, United States of America
| | - Lut Arckens
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology section, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philip A Ruzycki
- Washington University School of Medicine, John F Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110 United States of America
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Genetics, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110 United States of America
| | - Ryan B MacDonald
- University College London, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK, EC1V 9EL
| | - Brian S Clark
- Washington University School of Medicine, John F Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110 United States of America
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Developmental Biology, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110 United States of America
- Washington University School of Medicine, Center of Regenerative Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110 United States of America
| | - Lieve Moons
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology division, Neural circuit development & regeneration research group, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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4
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Boos F, Chen J, Brunet A. The African Turquoise Killifish: A Scalable Vertebrate Model for Aging and Other Complex Phenotypes. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2024; 2024:107737. [PMID: 37100468 PMCID: PMC10890783 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.over107737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
The African turquoise killifish Nothobranchius furzeri is currently the shortest-lived vertebrate that can be bred in captivity. Because of its short life span of only 4-6 months, rapid generation time, high fecundity, and low cost of maintenance, the African turquoise killifish has emerged as an attractive model organism that combines the scalability of invertebrate models with the unique features of vertebrate organisms. A growing community of researchers is using the African turquoise killifish for studies in diverse fields, including aging, organ regeneration, development, "suspended animation," evolution, neuroscience, and disease. A wide range of techniques is now available for killifish research, from genetic manipulations and genomic tools to specialized assays for studying life span, organ biology, response to injury, etc. This protocol collection provides detailed descriptions of the methods that are generally applicable to all killifish laboratories and those that are limited to specific disciplines. Here, we give an overview of the features that render the African turquoise killifish a unique fast-track vertebrate model organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Boos
- Department of Genetics, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Jingxun Chen
- Department of Genetics, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Anne Brunet
- Department of Genetics, Stanford, California 94305, USA
- Glenn Laboratories for the Biology of Aging at Stanford, Stanford, California 94305, USA
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5
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Schöfer S, Laffer S, Kirchberger S, Kothmayer M, Löhnert R, Ebner EE, Weipoltshammer K, Distel M, Pusch O, Schöfer C. Senescence-associated ß-galactosidase staining over the lifespan differs in a short- and a long-lived fish species. Eur J Histochem 2024; 68:3977. [PMID: 38568207 PMCID: PMC11017726 DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2024.3977] [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: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
During the aging process, cells can enter cellular senescence, a state in which cells leave the cell cycle but remain viable. This mechanism is thought to protect tissues from propagation of damaged cells and the number of senescent cells has been shown to increase with age. The speed of aging determines the lifespan of a species and it varies significantly in different species. To assess the progress of cellular senescence during lifetime, we performed a comparative longitudinal study using histochemical detection of the senescence-associated beta-galactosidase as senescence marker to map the staining patterns in organs of the long-lived zebrafish and the short-lived turquoise killifish using light- and electron microscopy. We compared age stages corresponding to human stages of newborn, childhood, adolescence, adult and old age. We found tissue-specific but conserved signal patterns with respect to organ distribution. However, we found dramatic differences in the onset of tissue staining. The stained zebrafish organs show little to no signal at newborn age followed by a gradual increase in signal intensity, whereas the organs of the short-lived killifish show an early onset of staining already at newborn stage, which remains conspicuous at all age stages. The most prominent signal was found in liver, intestine, kidney and heart, with the latter showing the most prominent interspecies divergence in onset of staining and in staining intensity. In addition, we found staining predominantly in epithelial cells, some of which are post-mitotic, such as the intestinal epithelial lining. We hypothesize that the association of the strong and early-onset signal pattern in the short-lived killifish is consistent with a protective mechanism in a fast growing species. Furthermore, we believe that staining in post-mitotic cells may play a role in maintaining tissue integrity, suggesting different roles for cellular senescence during life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Schöfer
- Department for Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna.
| | - Sylvia Laffer
- Department for Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna.
| | | | - Michael Kothmayer
- Department for Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna.
| | - Renate Löhnert
- Department for Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna.
| | - Elmar E Ebner
- Department for Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna.
| | - Klara Weipoltshammer
- Department for Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna.
| | - Martin Distel
- St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), Vienna.
| | - Oliver Pusch
- Department for Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna.
| | - Christian Schöfer
- Department for Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna.
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6
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Mariën V, Arckens L, Van Houcke J. A Robust and Reproducible Method to Study Neurorepair after Stab Injury in the African Turquoise Killifish Telencephalon. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2024; 2024:107809. [PMID: 36921997 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot107809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
The aging population (people >60 yr old) is steadily increasing worldwide, resulting in an increased prevalence of age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Despite intensive research efforts in the past decades, there are still no therapies available to stop, cure, or prevent these diseases. Induction of successful neuroregeneration (i.e., the production of new neurons that can functionally integrate into the existing neural circuitry) could represent a therapy to replace neurons lost by injury or disease in the aged central nervous system. The African turquoise killifish, with its particularly short life span, has emerged as a useful model to study how aging influences neuroregeneration. Here, we describe a robust and reproducible stab-injury protocol to study regeneration in the telencephalon of the African turquoise killifish. After the injury, newborn cells are traced by conducting a BrdU pulse-chase experiment. To identify newborn neurons, a double immunohistochemical staining for BrdU and HuCD is carried out. Techniques such as bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling, intracardial perfusion, cryosectioning, and immunofluorescence staining are described as separate sections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Mariën
- Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jolien Van Houcke
- Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
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7
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Mariën V, Piskin I, Zandecki C, Van houcke J, Arckens L. Age-related alterations in the behavioral response to a novel environment in the African turquoise killifish ( Nothobranchius furzeri). Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 17:1326674. [PMID: 38259633 PMCID: PMC10800983 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1326674] [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: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) has emerged as a popular model organism for neuroscience research in the last decade. One of the reasons for its popularity is its short lifespan for a vertebrate organism. However, little research has been carried out using killifish in behavioral tests, especially looking at changes in their behavior upon aging. Therefore, we used the open field and the novel tank diving test to unravel killifish locomotion, exploration-related behavior, and behavioral changes over their adult lifespan. The characterization of this behavioral baseline is important for future experiments involving pharmacology to improve the aging phenotype. In this study, two cohorts of fish were used, one cohort was tested in the open field test and one cohort was tested in the novel tank diving test. Each cohort was tested from the age of 6 weeks to the age of 24 weeks and measurements were performed every three weeks. In the open field test, we found an increase in the time spent in the center zone from 18 weeks onward, which could indicate altered exploration behavior. However, upon aging, the fish also showed an increased immobility frequency and duration. In addition, after the age of 15 weeks, their locomotion decreased. In the novel tank diving test, we did not observe this aging effect on locomotion or exploration. Killifish spent around 80% of their time in the bottom half of the tank, and we could not observe habituation effects, indicating slow habituation to novel environments. Moreover, we observed that killifish showed homebase behavior in both tests. These homebases are mostly located near the edges of the open field test and at the bottom of the novel tank diving test. Altogether, in the open field test, the largest impact of aging on locomotion and exploration was observed beyond the age of 15 weeks. In the novel tank diving test, no effect of age was found. Therefore, to test the effects of pharmacology on innate behavior, the novel tank diving test is ideally suited because there is no confounding effect of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Mariën
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilayda Piskin
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Zandecki
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jolien Van houcke
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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8
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Bergmans S, Raes L, Moons L, De Groef L. A review on neurodegeneration in the fast-ageing killifish, the first animal model to study the natural occurrence of neuronal cell loss. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 91:102065. [PMID: 37666433 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Thanks to medical and technological improvements, our world population has become ever-greying. In consequence, the incidence and prevalence of age-related central nervous system neuropathies, such as Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), are increasing tremendously. Despite many research efforts, the precise aetiology of these age-related neurodegenerative disorders remains elusive, highlighting the urgent need for more effective treatments. Current preclinical research mainly uses animal models that do not fully recapitulate the complex cellular context in which these diseases occur, thereby lacking good construct validity. Indeed, most investigations are performed using relatively young animals, thereby ignoring the ageing environment in which neurodegenerative diseases manifest. This points out a major hiatus in current research: a vertebrate model organism that combines the complex disease context (onset, spreading and further manifestation into functional impairment) with an ageing environment. In recent years, the African turquoise killifish has emerged as a promising novel animal model to study age-related neurodegenerative disorders that combines these essential features. In this review, we bundle all reported findings up till now and provide a detailed overview of the neurodegenerative events within the central nervous system of this teleost fish, with a focus on PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Bergmans
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration research group, Naamsestraat 61, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Raes
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Cellular Communication & Neurodegeneration research group, Naamsestraat 61, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieve Moons
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration research group, Naamsestraat 61, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lies De Groef
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Cellular Communication & Neurodegeneration research group, Naamsestraat 61, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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9
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Bergmans S, Vanhunsel S, Van Houcke J, Mariën V, Arckens L, Moons L. Morphological Analysis of Aging Hallmarks in the Central Nervous System of the Fast-Aging African Turquoise Killifish. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2023; 2023:107827. [PMID: 36941063 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot107827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
As the number of elderly individuals is increasing in modern society, the need for a relevant gerontology model is higher than ever before. Aging can be defined by specific cellular hallmarks, described by López-Otín and colleagues, who provided a map which can be used to scavenge the aging tissue environment. As revealing the presence of individual hallmarks does not necessarily indicate aging, here we provide different (immuno)histochemical approaches that can be used to investigate several aging hallmarks-namely, genomic damage, mitochondrial dysfunction/oxidative stress, cellular senescence, stem cell exhaustion, and altered intercellular communication-in the killifish retina, optic tectum, and/or telencephalon at a morphological level. In combination with molecular and biochemical analysis of these aging hallmarks, this protocol offers the opportunity to fully characterize the aged killifish central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Bergmans
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sophie Vanhunsel
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jolien Van Houcke
- Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Valerie Mariën
- Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lut Arckens
- Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieve Moons
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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10
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de Bakker DEM, Valenzano DR. Turquoise killifish: A natural model of age-dependent brain degeneration. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 90:102019. [PMID: 37482345 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) are naturally short-lived vertebrates that display a wide range of spontaneous age-related changes, including onset of cancer, reduced mobility, and cognitive decline. Here, we focus on describing the phenotypic spectrum of the aging killifish brain. As turquoise killifish age, their dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons undergo a significant decline in number. Furthermore, brain aging in turquoise killifish is associated with several glial-specific changes, such as an increase in the astrocyte-covered surface area and an increase in the numbers of microglial cells, i.e. the brain-specific macrophage population. Killifish brains undergo age-dependent reduced proteasome activity and increased protein aggregation, including the aggregation of the Parkinson's disease marker α-synuclein. Parallel to brain degeneration, turquoise killifish develop spontaneous age-related gut dysbiosis, which has been proposed to affect human neurodegenerative disease. Finally, aged turquoise killifish display declined learning capacity. We argue that, taken together, the molecular, cellular and functional changes that spontaneously take place during aging in killifish brains are consistent with a robust degenerative process that shares remarkable similarities with human neurodegenerative diseases. Hence, we propose that turquoise killifish represent a powerful model of spontaneous brain degeneration which can be effectively used to explore the causal mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis E M de Bakker
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Beutenbergstrasse 11, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Dario R Valenzano
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Beutenbergstrasse 11, D-07745, Jena, Germany.
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11
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Van Houcke J, Mariën V, Zandecki C, Ayana R, Pepermans E, Boonen K, Seuntjens E, Baggerman G, Arckens L. A short dasatinib and quercetin treatment is sufficient to reinstate potent adult neuroregenesis in the aged killifish. NPJ Regen Med 2023; 8:31. [PMID: 37328477 DOI: 10.1038/s41536-023-00304-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The young African turquoise killifish has a high regenerative capacity, but loses it with advancing age, adopting several aspects of the limited form of mammalian regeneration. We deployed a proteomic strategy to identify pathways that underpin the loss of regenerative power caused by aging. Cellular senescence stood out as a potential brake on successful neurorepair. We applied the senolytic cocktail Dasatinib and Quercetin (D + Q) to test clearance of chronic senescent cells from the aged killifish central nervous system (CNS) as well as rebooting the neurogenic output. Our results show that the entire aged killifish telencephalon holds a very high senescent cell burden, including the parenchyma and the neurogenic niches, which could be diminished by a short-term, late-onset D + Q treatment. Reactive proliferation of non-glial progenitors increased substantially and lead to restorative neurogenesis after traumatic brain injury. Our results provide a cellular mechanism for age-related regeneration resilience and a proof-of-concept of a potential therapy to revive the neurogenic potential in an already aged or diseased CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolien Van Houcke
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Valerie Mariën
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Zandecki
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rajagopal Ayana
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elise Pepermans
- Centre for Proteomics, University of Antwerp, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Kurt Boonen
- Centre for Proteomics, University of Antwerp, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Health Unit, VITO, 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Eve Seuntjens
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Geert Baggerman
- Centre for Proteomics, University of Antwerp, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Health Unit, VITO, 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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12
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Giannoula Y, Kroemer G, Pietrocola F. Cellular senescence and the host immune system in aging and age-related disorders. Biomed J 2023; 46:100581. [PMID: 36746349 PMCID: PMC10210012 DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular senescence is a complex process involving a close-to-irreversible arrest of the cell cycle, the acquisition of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), as well as profound changes in the expression of cell surface proteins that determine the recognition of senescent cells by innate and cognate immune effectors including macrophages, NK, NKT and T cells. It is important to note that senescence can occur in a transient fashion to improve the homeostatic response of tissues to stress. Moreover, both the excessive generation and the insufficient elimination of senescent cells may contribute to pathological aging. Attempts are being made to identify the mechanisms through which senescent cell avoid their destruction by immune effectors. Such mechanisms involve the cell surface expression of immunosuppressive molecules including PD-L1 and PD-L2 to ligate PD-1 on T cells, as well as tolerogenic MHC class-I variants. In addition, senescent cells can secrete factors that attract immunosuppressive and pro-inflammatory cells into the microenvironment. Each of these immune evasion mechanism offers a target for therapeutic intervention, e.g., by blocking the interaction between PD-1 and PD-L1 or PD-L2, upregulating immunogenic MHC class-I molecules and eliminating immunosuppressive cell types. In addition, senescent cells differ in their antigenic makeup and immunopeptidome from their normal counterparts, hence offering the opportunity to stimulate immune response against senescence-associated antigens. Ideally, immunological anti-senescence strategies should succeed in selectively eliminating pathogenic senescent cells but spare homeostatic senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Giannoula
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Guido Kroemer
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe Labellisé Par La Ligue Contre le Cancer, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France; Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Institut Du Cancer Paris CARPEM, Department of Biology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France.
| | - Federico Pietrocola
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden.
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13
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Bedbrook CN, Nath RD, Nagvekar R, Deisseroth K, Brunet A. Rapid and precise genome engineering in a naturally short-lived vertebrate. eLife 2023; 12:80639. [PMID: 37191291 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The African turquoise killifish is a powerful vertebrate system to study complex phenotypes at scale, including aging and age-related disease. Here, we develop a rapid and precise CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in approach in the killifish. We show its efficient application to precisely insert fluorescent reporters of different sizes at various genomic loci in order to drive cell-type- and tissue-specific expression. This knock-in method should allow the establishment of humanized disease models and the development of cell-type-specific molecular probes for studying complex vertebrate biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire N Bedbrook
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Ravi D Nath
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Rahul Nagvekar
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Anne Brunet
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
- Glenn Laboratories for the Biology of Aging at Stanford, Stanford, United States
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
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14
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Bergmans S, Serneels PJ, Masin L, Moons L. Tissue stretching is a confounding factor for the evaluation of neurodegeneration in the fast-ageing killifish. Biogerontology 2023; 24:403-419. [PMID: 36913007 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10026-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
The fast-ageing killifish has gained increasing attention as a promising gerontology model to study age-related processes and neurodegeneration. Interestingly, it is the first vertebrate model organism that shows physiological neuron loss at old age in its central nervous system (CNS), including its brain and retina. However, the fact that the killifish brain and retina are ever-growing tissues complicates studying neurodegenerative events in aged fish. Indeed, recent studies showed that the method of tissue sampling, either using sections or whole-organs, has a large effect on the observed cell densities in the fast-expanding CNS. Here, we elaborated on how these two sampling methods affect neuronal counts in the senescent retina and how this tissue grows upon ageing. Analysis of the different retinal layers in cryosections revealed age-dependent reduction in cellular density but evaluation of whole-mount retinas did not detect any neuron loss, as a result of an extremely fast retinal expansion with age. Using BrdU pulse-chase experiments, we showed that the young adult killifish retina mainly grows by cell addition. However, with increasing age, the neurogenic potency of the retina declines while the tissue keeps on growing. Further histological analyses revealed tissue stretching, including cell size increase, as the main driver of retinal growth at old age. Indeed, both cell size and inter-neuronal distance augment with ageing, thereby decreasing neuronal density. All in all, our findings urge the 'ageing science' community to consider cell quantification bias and employ tissue-wide counting methods to reliably quantify neuronal numbers in this unique gerontology model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Bergmans
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter-Jan Serneels
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Luca Masin
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieve Moons
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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15
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TDP-43 condensates and lipid droplets regulate the reactivity of microglia and regeneration after traumatic brain injury. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:1608-1625. [PMID: 36424432 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01199-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Decreasing the activation of pathology-activated microglia is crucial to prevent chronic inflammation and tissue scarring. In this study, we used a stab wound injury model in zebrafish and identified an injury-induced microglial state characterized by the accumulation of lipid droplets and TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43)+ condensates. Granulin-mediated clearance of both lipid droplets and TDP-43+ condensates was necessary and sufficient to promote the return of microglia back to the basal state and achieve scarless regeneration. Moreover, in postmortem cortical brain tissues from patients with traumatic brain injury, the extent of microglial activation correlated with the accumulation of lipid droplets and TDP-43+ condensates. Together, our results reveal a mechanism required for restoring microglia to a nonactivated state after injury, which has potential for new therapeutic applications in humans.
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16
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Vanhunsel S, Bergmans S, Moons L. Killifish switch towards mammalian-like regeneration upon aging. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:2924-2925. [PMID: 35358949 PMCID: PMC9037274 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Vanhunsel
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven Bergmans
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieve Moons
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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17
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Chowdhury K, Lin S, Lai SL. Comparative Study in Zebrafish and Medaka Unravels the Mechanisms of Tissue Regeneration. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.783818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue regeneration has been in the spotlight of research for its fascinating nature and potential applications in human diseases. The trait of regenerative capacity occurs diversely across species and tissue contexts, while it seems to decline over evolution. Organisms with variable regenerative capacity are usually distinct in phylogeny, anatomy, and physiology. This phenomenon hinders the feasibility of studying tissue regeneration by directly comparing regenerative with non-regenerative animals, such as zebrafish (Danio rerio) and mice (Mus musculus). Medaka (Oryzias latipes) is a fish model with a complete reference genome and shares a common ancestor with zebrafish approximately 110–200 million years ago (compared to 650 million years with mice). Medaka shares similar features with zebrafish, including size, diet, organ system, gross anatomy, and living environment. However, while zebrafish regenerate almost every organ upon experimental injury, medaka shows uneven regenerative capacity. Their common and distinct biological features make them a unique platform for reciprocal analyses to understand the mechanisms of tissue regeneration. Here we summarize current knowledge about tissue regeneration in these fish models in terms of injured tissues, repairing mechanisms, available materials, and established technologies. We further highlight the concept of inter-species and inter-organ comparisons, which may reveal mechanistic insights and hint at therapeutic strategies for human diseases.
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18
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Vanhunsel S, Bergmans S, Beckers A, Etienne I, Van Bergen T, De Groef L, Moons L. The age factor in optic nerve regeneration: Intrinsic and extrinsic barriers hinder successful recovery in the short-living killifish. Aging Cell 2022; 21:e13537. [PMID: 34927348 PMCID: PMC8761009 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
As the mammalian central nervous system matures, its regenerative ability decreases, leading to incomplete or non-recovery from the neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system insults that we are increasingly facing in our aging world population. Current neuroregenerative research is largely directed toward identifying the molecular and cellular players that underlie central nervous system repair, yet it repeatedly ignores the aging context in which many of these diseases appear. Using an optic nerve crush model in a novel biogerontology model, that is, the short-living African turquoise killifish, the impact of aging on injury-induced optic nerve repair was investigated. This work reveals an age-related decline in axonal regeneration in female killifish, with different phases of the repair process being affected depending on the age. Interestingly, as in mammals, both a reduced intrinsic growth potential and a non-supportive cellular environment seem to lie at the basis of this impairment. Overall, we introduce the killifish visual system and its age-dependent regenerative ability as a model to identify new targets for neurorepair in non-regenerating individuals, thereby also considering the effects of aging on neurorepair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Vanhunsel
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research GroupAnimal Physiology and Neurobiology SectionDepartment of BiologyKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Steven Bergmans
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research GroupAnimal Physiology and Neurobiology SectionDepartment of BiologyKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - An Beckers
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research GroupAnimal Physiology and Neurobiology SectionDepartment of BiologyKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | | | | | - Lies De Groef
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research GroupAnimal Physiology and Neurobiology SectionDepartment of BiologyKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Leuven Brain InstituteLeuvenBelgium
| | - Lieve Moons
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research GroupAnimal Physiology and Neurobiology SectionDepartment of BiologyKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Leuven Brain InstituteLeuvenBelgium
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19
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Van houcke J, Mariën V, Zandecki C, Vanhunsel S, Moons L, Ayana R, Seuntjens E, Arckens L. Aging impairs the essential contributions of non-glial progenitors to neurorepair in the dorsal telencephalon of the Killifish Nothobranchius furzeri. Aging Cell 2021; 20:e13464. [PMID: 34428340 PMCID: PMC8441397 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aging central nervous system (CNS) of mammals displays progressive limited regenerative abilities. Recovery after loss of neurons is extremely restricted in the aged brain. Many research models fall short in recapitulating mammalian aging hallmarks or have an impractically long lifespan. We established a traumatic brain injury model in the African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri), a regeneration‐competent vertebrate that evolved to naturally age extremely fast. Stab‐wound injury of the aged killifish dorsal telencephalon unveils an impaired and incomplete regeneration response when compared to young individuals. In the young adult killifish, brain regeneration is mainly supported by atypical non‐glial progenitors, yet their proliferation capacity clearly declines with age. We identified a high inflammatory response and glial scarring to also underlie the hampered generation of new neurons in aged fish. These primary results will pave the way to unravel the factor age in relation to neurorepair, and to improve therapeutic strategies to restore the injured and/or diseased aged mammalian CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolien Van houcke
- Department of Biology Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Valerie Mariën
- Department of Biology Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Caroline Zandecki
- Department of Biology Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Department of Biology Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Sophie Vanhunsel
- Department of Biology Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Lieve Moons
- Department of Biology Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute Leuven Belgium
| | - Rajagopal Ayana
- Department of Biology Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Department of Biology Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Eve Seuntjens
- Department of Biology Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute Leuven Belgium
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- Department of Biology Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute Leuven Belgium
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