1
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Ide S, Ikeda K. Caenorhabditis elegans for opioid addiction research. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 88:102914. [PMID: 39236640 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
The problem of drug addiction has become a profound societal problem worldwide. A better understanding of the neurobiological basis of addiction and the discovery of more effective treatments are needed. Recent studies have shown that many mechanisms that underlie addiction exist in more primitive organisms, including the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). C. elegans is also hypothesized to possess a functional opioid-like system, including the endogenous opioid-like peptide NLP-24 and opioid-like receptor NPR-17. Opioids, such as morphine, are thought to cause addiction-like behavior by activating dopamine nerves in C. elegans via the opioid-like system. Accumulating evidence suggests that C. elegans is an excellent animal model for identifying molecular mechanisms of addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soichiro Ide
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-Ku, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Kazutaka Ikeda
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-Ku, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Neuropsychopharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi-cho, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
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2
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Salim C, Batsaikhan E, Kan AK, Chen H, Jee C. Nicotine Motivated Behavior in C. elegans. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1634. [PMID: 38338915 PMCID: PMC10855306 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031634] [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: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
To maximize the advantages offered by Caenorhabditis elegans as a high-throughput (HTP) model for nicotine dependence studies, utilizing its well-defined neuroconnectome as a robust platform, and to unravel the genetic basis of nicotine-motivated behaviors, we established the nicotine conditioned cue preference (CCP) paradigm. Nicotine CCP enables the assessment of nicotine preference and seeking, revealing a parallel to fundamental aspects of nicotine-dependent behaviors observed in mammals. We demonstrated that nicotine-elicited cue preference in worms is mediated by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and requires dopamine for CCP development. Subsequently, we pinpointed nAChR subunits associated with nicotine preference and validated human GWAS candidates linked to nicotine dependence involved in nAChRs. Functional validation involves assessing the loss-of-function strain of the CACNA2D3 ortholog and the knock-out (KO) strain of the CACNA2D2 ortholog, closely related to CACNA2D3 and sharing human smoking phenotypes. Our orthogonal approach substantiates the functional conservation of the α2δ subunit of the calcium channel in nicotine-motivated behavior. Nicotine CCP in C. elegans serves as a potent affirmation of the cross-species functional relevance of GWAS candidate genes involved in nicotine seeking associated with tobacco abuse, providing a streamlined yet comprehensive system for investigating intricate behavioral paradigms within a simplified and reliable framework.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Changhoon Jee
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA; (C.S.)
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3
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Albrecht PA, Fernandez-Hubeid LE, Deza-Ponzio R, Romero VL, Gonzales-Moreno C, Carranza AD, Moran Y, Asis R, Virgolini MB. Reduced acute functional tolerance and enhanced preference for ethanol in Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to lead during development: Potential role of alcohol dehydrogenase. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2022; 94:107131. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2022.107131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Ide S, Kunitomo H, Iino Y, Ikeda K. Caenorhabditis Elegans Exhibits Morphine Addiction-like Behavior via the Opioid-like Receptor NPR-17. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:802701. [PMID: 35046825 PMCID: PMC8762297 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.802701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Addiction has become a profound societal problem worldwide, and few effective treatments are available. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is an excellent invertebrate model to study neurobiological disease states. C. elegans reportedly developed a preference for cues that had previously been paired with addictive drugs, similar to place conditioning findings in rodents. Moreover, several recent studies discovered and reported the existence of an opioid-like system in C. elegans. Still unclear, however, is whether C. elegans exhibits addictive-like behaviors for opioids, such as morphine. In the present study, we found that C. elegans exhibited dose-dependent preference for morphine using the conditioned chemosensory-cue preference (CCP) test. This preference was blocked by co-treatment with the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone. C. elegans also exhibited aversion to naloxone-precipitated withdrawal from chronic morphine exposure. The expression of morphine-induced CCP and morphine withdrawal were abolished in worms that lacked the opioid-like receptor NPR-17. Dopamine-deficient mutant (cat-2 (e1112)) worms also did not exhibit morphine-induced CCP. These results indicate that the addictive function of the opioid system exists in C. elegans, which may serve as a useful model of opioid addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soichiro Ide
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Kunitomo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuichi Iino
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Ikeda
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
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5
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Signal Decoding for Glutamate Modulating Egg Laying Oppositely in Caenorhabditis elegans under Varied Environmental Conditions. iScience 2020; 23:101588. [PMID: 33089099 PMCID: PMC7567941 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals' ability to sense environmental cues and to integrate this information to control fecundity is vital for continuing the species lineage. In this study, we observed that the sensory neurons Amphid neuron (ASHs and ADLs) differentially regulate egg-laying behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans under varied environmental conditions via distinct neuronal circuits. Under standard culture conditions, ASHs tonically release a small amount of glutamate and inhibit Hermaphrodite specific motor neuron (HSN) activities and egg laying via a highly sensitive Glutamate receptor (GLR)-5 receptor. In contrast, under Cu2+ stimulation, ASHs and ADLs may release a large amount of glutamate and inhibit Amphid interneuron (AIA) interneurons via low-sensitivity Glutamate-gated chloride channel (GLC)-3 receptor, thus removing the inhibitory roles of AIAs on HSN activity and egg laying. However, directly measuring the amount of glutamate released by sensory neurons under different conditions and assaying the binding kinetics of receptors with the neurotransmitter are still required to support this study directly. Short-term exposure of CuSO4 evokes hyperactive egg laying ASHs inhibit HSNs and egg laying via GLR-5 receptor under no Cu2+ treatment AIA interneurons suppress HSNs and thus egg laying through ACR-14 signaling Under noxious Cu2+ treatment, ASHs and ADLs suppress AIAs and augment egg laying
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Katner SN, Bredhold KE, Steagall KB, Bell RL, Neal-Beliveau BS, Cheong MC, Engleman EA. Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system to identify therapeutics for alcohol use disorders. Behav Brain Res 2019; 365:7-16. [PMID: 30802531 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) cause serious problems in society and few effective treatments are available. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is an excellent invertebrate model to study the neurobiological basis of human behavior with a conserved, fully tractable genome, and a short generation time for fast generation of data at a fraction of the cost of other organisms. C. elegans demonstrate movement toward, and concentration-dependent self-exposure to various psychoactive drugs. The discovery of opioid receptors in C. elegans provided the impetus to test the hypothesis that C. elegans may be used as a medications screen to identify new AUD treatments. We tested the effects of naltrexone, an opioid antagonist and effective treatment for AUDs, on EtOH preference in C. elegans. Six-well agar test plates were prepared with EtOH placed in a target zone on one side and water in the opposite target zone of each well. Worms were treated with naltrexone before EtOH preference testing and then placed in the center of each well. Wild-type worms exhibited a concentration-dependent preference for 50, 70 and 95% EtOH. Naltrexone blocked acute EtOH preference, but had no effect on attraction to food or benzaldehyde in wild-type worms. Npr-17 opioid receptor knockout mutants did not display a preference for EtOH. In contrast, npr-17 opioid receptor rescue mutants exhibited significant EtOH preference behavior, which was attenuated by naltrexone. Chronic EtOH exposure induced treatment resistance and compulsive-like behavior. These data indicate that C. elegans can serve as a model system to identify compounds to treat AUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon N Katner
- Department of Psychiatry & Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
| | | | - Kevin B Steagall
- Department of Psychiatry & Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Richard L Bell
- Department of Psychiatry & Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | | | - Mi C Cheong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Eric A Engleman
- Department of Psychiatry & Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
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7
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Koelle MR. Neurotransmitter signaling through heterotrimeric G proteins: insights from studies in C. elegans. WORMBOOK : THE ONLINE REVIEW OF C. ELEGANS BIOLOGY 2018; 2018:1-52. [PMID: 26937633 PMCID: PMC5010795 DOI: 10.1895/wormbook.1.75.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Neurotransmitters signal via G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) to modulate activity of neurons and muscles. C. elegans has ∼150 G protein coupled neuropeptide receptor homologs and 28 additional GPCRs for small-molecule neurotransmitters. Genetic studies in C. elegans demonstrate that neurotransmitters diffuse far from their release sites to activate GPCRs on distant cells. Individual receptor types are expressed on limited numbers of cells and thus can provide very specific regulation of an individual neural circuit and behavior. G protein coupled neurotransmitter receptors signal principally via the three types of heterotrimeric G proteins defined by the G alpha subunits Gαo, Gαq, and Gαs. Each of these G alpha proteins is found in all neurons plus some muscles. Gαo and Gαq signaling inhibit and activate neurotransmitter release, respectively. Gαs signaling, like Gαq signaling, promotes neurotransmitter release. Many details of the signaling mechanisms downstream of Gαq and Gαs have been delineated and are consistent with those of their mammalian orthologs. The details of the signaling mechanism downstream of Gαo remain a mystery. Forward genetic screens in C. elegans have identified new molecular components of neural G protein signaling mechanisms, including Regulators of G protein Signaling (RGS proteins) that inhibit signaling, a new Gαq effector (the Trio RhoGEF domain), and the RIC-8 protein that is required for neuronal Gα signaling. A model is presented in which G proteins sum up the variety of neuromodulator signals that impinge on a neuron to calculate its appropriate output level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Koelle
- Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven CT 06520 USA
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8
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Engleman EA, Steagall KB, Bredhold KE, Breach M, Kline HL, Bell RL, Katner SN, Neal-Beliveau BS. Caenorhabditis elegans Show Preference for Stimulants and Potential as a Model Organism for Medications Screening. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1200. [PMID: 30214414 PMCID: PMC6125605 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a popular invertebrate model organism to study neurobiological disease states. This is due in part to the intricate mapping of all neurons and synapses of the entire animal, the wide availability of mutant strains, and the genetic and molecular tools that can be used to manipulate the genome and gene expression. We have shown that, C. elegans develops a conditioned preference for cues that had previously been paired with either cocaine or methamphetamine exposure that is dependent on dopamine neurotransmission, similar to findings using place conditioning with rats and mice. In the current study, we show C. elegans also display a preference for, and self-exposure to, cocaine and nicotine. This substance of abuse (SOA) preference response can be selectively blocked by pretreatment with naltrexone and is consistent with the recent discovery of an opioid receptor system in C. elegans. In addition, pre-exposure to the smoking cessation treatment varenicline also inhibits self-exposure to nicotine. Exposure to concentrations of treatments that inhibit SOA preference/self-exposure did not induce any significant inhibition of locomotor activity or affect food or benzaldehyde chemotaxis. These data provide predictive validity for the development of high-throughput C. elegans behavioral medication screens. These screens could enable fast and accurate generation of data to identify compounds that may be effective in treating human addiction. The successful development and validation of such models would introduce powerful and novel tools in the search for new pharmacological treatments for substance use disorders, and provide a platform to study the mechanisms that underlie addictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A Engleman
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Kevin B Steagall
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Kristin E Bredhold
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Michaela Breach
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Hannah L Kline
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Richard L Bell
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Simon N Katner
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Bethany S Neal-Beliveau
- Department of Psychology, School of Science, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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9
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Rauthan M, Gong J, Liu J, Li Z, Wescott SA, Liu J, Xu XZS. MicroRNA Regulation of nAChR Expression and Nicotine-Dependent Behavior in C. elegans. Cell Rep 2018; 21:1434-1441. [PMID: 29117550 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.10.043] [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: 07/14/2016] [Revised: 05/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic exposure to nicotine upregulates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), and such upregulation is critical for the development of nicotine dependence in humans and animal models. However, how nicotine upregulates nAChRs is not well understood. Here, we identify a key role for microRNA in regulating nicotine-dependent behavior by modulating nAChR expression in C. elegans. We show that the nAChR gene acr-19 and alg-1, a key Argonaute-family member in the microRNA machinery, are specifically required for nicotine withdrawal response following chronic nicotine treatment. Chronic exposure to nicotine downregulates alg-1, leading to upregulation of acr-19. This effect is mediated by the microRNA miR-238 that recognizes the 3' UTR of acr-19 transcript. Our results unveil a previously unrecognized role for microRNA in nicotine signaling, providing insights into how chronic nicotine administration leads to upregulation of nAChR and ultimately nicotine dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Rauthan
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jianke Gong
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; College of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of MOE, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Jinzhi Liu
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; College of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of MOE, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Zhaoyu Li
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Seth A Wescott
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jianfeng Liu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of MOE, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - X Z Shawn Xu
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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10
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Sobkowiak R, Kaczmarek P, Kowalski M, Kabaciński R, Lesicki A. Behavior of Caenorhabditis elegans in a nicotine gradient modulated by food. Drug Chem Toxicol 2017; 42:451-462. [DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2017.1405971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Sobkowiak
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Piotr Kaczmarek
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Institute of Control and Information Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Poznań, Poland
| | - Mateusz Kowalski
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Institute of Control and Information Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Poznań, Poland
| | - Rafał Kabaciński
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Institute of Control and Information Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Poznań, Poland
| | - Andrzej Lesicki
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
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Sobkowiak R, Zielezinski A, Karlowski WM, Lesicki A. Nicotine affects protein complex rearrangement in Caenorhabditis elegans cells. Drug Chem Toxicol 2017; 40:470-483. [PMID: 28049353 DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2016.1264411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Nicotine may affect cell function by rearranging protein complexes. We aimed to determine nicotine-induced alterations of protein complexes in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) cells, thereby revealing links between nicotine exposure and protein complex modulation. We compared the proteomic alterations induced by low and high nicotine concentrations (0.01 mM and 1 mM) with the control (no nicotine) in vivo by using mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques, specifically the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) discontinuous gel electrophoresis coupled with liquid chromatography (LC)-MS/MS and spectral counting. As a result, we identified dozens of C. elegans proteins that are present exclusively or in higher abundance in either nicotine-treated or untreated worms. Based on these results, we report a possible network that captures the key protein components of nicotine-induced protein complexes and speculate how the different protein modules relate to their distinct physiological roles. Using functional annotation of detected proteins, we hypothesize that the identified complexes can modulate the energy metabolism and level of oxidative stress. These proteins can also be involved in modulation of gene expression and may be crucial in Alzheimer's disease. The findings reported in our study reveal putative intracellular interactions of many proteins with the cytoskeleton and may contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) signaling and trafficking in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Sobkowiak
- a Department of Cell Biology , Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznań , Poland and
| | - Andrzej Zielezinski
- b Department of Computational Biology , Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznań , Poland
| | - Wojciech M Karlowski
- b Department of Computational Biology , Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznań , Poland
| | - Andrzej Lesicki
- a Department of Cell Biology , Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznań , Poland and
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12
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Insulin signaling genes modulate nicotine-induced behavioral responses in Caenorhabditis elegans. Behav Pharmacol 2016; 27:44-9. [PMID: 26317299 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Insulin signaling has been suggested to modulate nicotine dependence, but the underlying genetic evidence has been lacking. Here, we used the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, to investigate whether genetic alterations in the insulin signaling pathway affect behavioral responses to nicotine. For this, we challenged drug-naive C. elegans with an acute dose of nicotine (100 μmol/l) while recording changes in their locomotion speed. Although nicotine treatment stimulated locomotion speed in wild-type C. elegans, the same treatment reduced locomotion speed in mutants defective in insulin signaling. This phenotype could be suppressed by mutations in daf-16, a gene encoding a FOXO transcription factor that acts downstream of insulin signaling. Our data suggest that insulin signaling genes, daf-2, age-1, pdk-1, akt-1, and akt-2, modulate behavioral responses to nicotine in C. elegans, indicating a genetic link between nicotine behavior and insulin signaling.
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Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model to Study the Molecular and Genetic Mechanisms of Drug Addiction. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2015; 137:229-52. [PMID: 26810004 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Drug addiction takes a massive toll on society. Novel animal models are needed to test new treatments and understand the basic mechanisms underlying addiction. Rodent models have identified the neurocircuitry involved in addictive behavior and indicate that rodents possess some of the same neurobiologic mechanisms that mediate addiction in humans. Recent studies indicate that addiction is mechanistically and phylogenetically ancient and many mechanisms that underlie human addiction are also present in invertebrates. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has conserved neurobiologic systems with powerful molecular and genetic tools and a rapid rate of development that enables cost-effective translational discovery. Emerging evidence suggests that C. elegans is an excellent model to identify molecular mechanisms that mediate drug-induced behavior and potential targets for medications development for various addictive compounds. C. elegans emit many behaviors that can be easily quantitated including some that involve interactions with the environment. Ethanol (EtOH) is the best-studied drug-of-abuse in C. elegans and at least 50 different genes/targets have been identified as mediating EtOH's effects and polymorphisms in some orthologs in humans are associated with alcohol use disorders. C. elegans has also been shown to display dopamine and cholinergic system-dependent attraction to nicotine and demonstrate preference for cues previously associated with nicotine. Cocaine and methamphetamine have been found to produce dopamine-dependent reward-like behaviors in C. elegans. These behavioral tests in combination with genetic/molecular manipulations have led to the identification of dozens of target genes/systems in C. elegans that mediate drug effects. The one target/gene identified as essential for drug-induced behavioral responses across all drugs of abuse was the cat-2 gene coding for tyrosine hydroxylase, which is consistent with the role of dopamine neurotransmission in human addiction. Overall, C. elegans can be used to model aspects of drug addiction and identify systems and molecular mechanisms that mediate drug effects. The findings are surprisingly consistent with analogous findings in higher-level organisms. Further, model refinement is warranted to improve model validity and increase utility for medications development.
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Kanteti R, Dhanasingh I, El-Hashani E, Riehm JJ, Stricker T, Nagy S, Zaborin A, Zaborina O, Biron D, Alverdy JC, Im HK, Siddiqui S, Padilla PA, Salgia R. C. elegans and mutants with chronic nicotine exposure as a novel model of cancer phenotype. Cancer Biol Ther 2015; 17:91-103. [PMID: 26574927 PMCID: PMC6093410 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2015.1108495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously investigated MET and its oncogenic mutants relevant to lung cancer
in C. elegans. The inactive orthlogues of the receptor tyrosine
kinase Eph and MET, namely vab-1 and RB2088 respectively, the
temperature sensitive constitutively active form of KRAS, SD551
(let-60; GA89) and the inactive c-CBL equivalent mutants in
sli-1 (PS2728, PS1258, and MT13032) when subjected to
chronic exposure of nicotine resulted in a significant loss in egg-laying
capacity and fertility. While the vab-1 mutant revealed
increased circular motion in response to nicotine, the other mutant strains
failed to show any effect. Overall locomotion speed increased with increasing
nicotine concentration in all tested mutant strains except in the
vab-1 mutants. Moreover, chronic nicotine exposure, in
general, upregulated kinases and phosphatases. Taken together, these studies
provide evidence in support of C. elegans as initial in
vivo model to study nicotine and its effects on oncogenic mutations
identified in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajani Kanteti
- a Department of Medicine , Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - Immanuel Dhanasingh
- a Department of Medicine , Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA
| | | | - Jacob J Riehm
- a Department of Medicine , Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - Thomas Stricker
- c Department of Pathology , Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine , Nashville , TN , USA
| | - Stanislav Nagy
- d Department of Physics , James Franck Institute, and the College, University of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - Alexander Zaborin
- e Department of Surgery , Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - Olga Zaborina
- e Department of Surgery , Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - David Biron
- d Department of Physics , James Franck Institute, and the College, University of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - John C Alverdy
- e Department of Surgery , Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - Hae Kyung Im
- f Department of Medicine , Section of Genetic Medicine, University of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - Shahid Siddiqui
- g Department of Medicine , University of Chicago, Chicago, IL and Department of Basic and Oral Biology, UQUDENT, U. Q. University , Makkah , KSA
| | - Pamela A Padilla
- h Department of Biological Sciences , University of North- Texas , Denton , TX , USA
| | - Ravi Salgia
- a Department of Medicine , Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA
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15
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Drug-dependent behaviors and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expressions in Caenorhabditis elegans following chronic nicotine exposure. Neurotoxicology 2014; 47:27-36. [PMID: 25530353 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2014.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2014] [Revised: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Nicotine, the major psychoactive compound in tobacco, targets nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and results in drug dependence. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans' (C. elegans) genome encodes conserved and extensive nicotinic receptor subunits, representing a useful system to investigate nicotine-induced nAChR expressions in the context of drug dependence. However, the in vivo expression pattern of nAChR genes under chronic nicotine exposure has not been fully investigated. To define the role of nAChR genes involved in nicotine-induced locomotion changes and the development of tolerance to these effects, we characterized the locomotion behavior combining the use of two systems: the Worm Tracker hardware and the WormLab software. Our results indicate that the combined system is an advantageous alternative to define drug-dependent locomotion behavior in C. elegans. Chronic (24-h dosing) nicotine exposure at 6.17 and 61.7μM induced nicotine-dependent behaviors, including drug stimulation, tolerance/adaption, and withdrawal responses. Specifically, the movement speed of naïve worms on nicotine-containing environments was significantly higher than on nicotine-free environments, suggesting locomotion stimulation by nicotine. In contrast, the 24-h 6.17μM nicotine-treated worms exhibited significantly higher speeds on nicotine-free plates than on nicotine-containing plates. Furthermore significantly increased locomotion behavior during nicotine cessation was observed in worms treated with a higher nicotine concentration of 61.7μM. The relatively low locomotion speed of nicotine-treated worms on nicotine-containing environments also indicates adaption/tolerance of worms to nicotine following chronic nicotine exposure. In addition, this study provides useful information regarding the comprehensive in vivo expression profile of the 28 "core" nAChRs following different dosages of chronic nicotine treatments. Eleven genes (lev-1, acr-6, acr-7, acr-11, lev-8, acr-14, acr-16, acr-20, acr-21, ric-3, and unc-29) were significantly up-regulated following 61.7μM nicotine treatment, in which worms showed significantly increased locomotion behavior. This study provides insights into the linkage between nicotine-induced locomotion behavior and the regulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
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Kobet RA, Pan X, Zhang B, Pak SC, Asch AS, Lee MH. Caenorhabditis elegans: A Model System for Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery and Therapeutic Target Identification. Biomol Ther (Seoul) 2014; 22:371-83. [PMID: 25414766 PMCID: PMC4201220 DOI: 10.4062/biomolther.2014.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Revised: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) offers a unique opportunity for biological and basic medical researches due to its genetic tractability and well-defined developmental lineage. It also provides an exceptional model for genetic, molecular, and cellular analysis of human disease-related genes. Recently, C. elegans has been used as an ideal model for the identification and functional analysis of drugs (or small-molecules) in vivo. In this review, we describe conserved oncogenic signaling pathways (Wnt, Notch, and Ras) and their potential roles in the development of cancer stem cells. During C. elegans germline development, these signaling pathways regulate multiple cellular processes such as germline stem cell niche specification, germline stem cell maintenance, and germ cell fate specification. Therefore, the aberrant regulations of these signaling pathways can cause either loss of germline stem cells or overproliferation of a specific cell type, resulting in sterility. This sterility phenotype allows us to identify drugs that can modulate the oncogenic signaling pathways directly or indirectly through a high-throughput screening. Current in vivo or in vitro screening methods are largely focused on the specific core signaling components. However, this phenotype-based screening will identify drugs that possibly target upstream or downstream of core signaling pathways as well as exclude toxic effects. Although phenotype-based drug screening is ideal, the identification of drug targets is a major challenge. We here introduce a new technique, called Drug Affinity Responsive Target Stability (DARTS). This innovative method is able to identify the target of the identified drug. Importantly, signaling pathways and their regulators in C. elegans are highly conserved in most vertebrates, including humans. Therefore, C. elegans will provide a great opportunity to identify therapeutic drugs and their targets, as well as to understand mechanisms underlying the formation of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Kobet
- Department of Medicine, Department of Oncology, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834
| | - Xiaoping Pan
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858
| | - Baohong Zhang
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858
| | - Stephen C Pak
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224
| | - Adam S Asch
- Department of Medicine, Department of Oncology, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834 ; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 ; Current address: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Myon-Hee Lee
- Department of Medicine, Department of Oncology, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834 ; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
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Shi X, Wang L, Zhou Z, Liu R, Li Y, Song L. Acetylcholine modulates the immune response in Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 38:204-210. [PMID: 24680755 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2014.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2013] [Revised: 02/19/2014] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Acetylcholine (ACh) is an indispensable neurotransmitter and neuromodulator in the cholinergic nervous system and it is implicated in the dynamic modulation of immune response in vertebrates. Although ACh has also been identified in most invertebrates, the knowledge about its immunomodulation is still limited. In the present study, the immunoreactivities of ACh and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were observed in all the tested tissues of scallop Chlamys farreri, including adductor muscle, mantle, gill, hepatopancreas, kidney and gonad. The ACh concentration in the supernate of scallop hemolymph increased from 11.59 ± 0.27 to 14.36 ± 0.17 μM L(-1) at 6 h after LPS (0.5 mg ml(-1)) stimulation, and increased to 15.51 ± 1.20 μM L(-1) at 3 h after the stimulation of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (50 ng ml(-1)). After LPS stimulation, the mRNA expression levels of superoxide dismutase (CfSOD), catalase (CfCAT) and lysozyme (CfLYZ) in hemocytes increased significantly at 3 h (P < 0.05), 6 h (P < 0.05) and 12 h (P < 0.05), respectively. Compared with the LPS treatment, the induction of CfSOD, CfCAT and CfLYZ expression in hemocytes was repressed effectively (P < 0.05) by the co-stimulation of LPS and ACh (5 × 10(-7) M) at 3 h (P < 0.05), 6 h (P < 0.05) and 12 h (P < 0.05), respectively. Furthermore, the expression level of CfCAT in hemocytes increased significantly after 12 h by the co-stimulation with LPS and ACh (P < 0.05). These results indicated collectively that the scallop cholinergic nervous system could be activated by immune stimulations, and it might play an essential role in immunomodulation of scallops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Shi
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; College of Physical Education, Linyi University, Linyi 276000, China
| | - Lingling Wang
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Zhi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Rui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Yunchen Li
- College of Physical Education, Linyi University, Linyi 276000, China
| | - Linsheng Song
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China.
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Track-a-worm, an open-source system for quantitative assessment of C. elegans locomotory and bending behavior. PLoS One 2013; 8:e69653. [PMID: 23922769 PMCID: PMC3724933 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2013] [Accepted: 06/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A major challenge of neuroscience is to understand the circuit and gene bases of behavior. C. elegans is commonly used as a model system to investigate how various gene products function at specific tissue, cellular, and synaptic foci to produce complicated locomotory and bending behavior. The investigation generally requires quantitative behavioral analyses using an automated single-worm tracker, which constantly records and analyzes the position and body shape of a freely moving worm at a high magnification. Many single-worm trackers have been developed to meet lab-specific needs, but none has been widely implemented for various reasons, such as hardware difficult to assemble, and software lacking sufficient functionality, having closed source code, or using a programming language that is not broadly accessible. The lack of a versatile system convenient for wide implementation makes data comparisons difficult and compels other labs to develop new worm trackers. Here we describe Track-A-Worm, a system rich in functionality, open in source code, and easy to use. The system includes plug-and-play hardware (a stereomicroscope, a digital camera and a motorized stage), custom software written to run with Matlab in Windows 7, and a detailed user manual. Grayscale images are automatically converted to binary images followed by head identification and placement of 13 markers along a deduced spline. The software can extract and quantify a variety of parameters, including distance traveled, average speed, distance/time/speed of forward and backward locomotion, frequency and amplitude of dominant bends, overall bending activities measured as root mean square, and sum of all bends. It also plots worm travel path, bend trace, and bend frequency spectrum. All functionality is performed through graphical user interfaces and data is exported to clearly-annotated and documented Excel files. These features make Track-A-Worm a good candidate for implementation in other labs.
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