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Wang Y, Wu W, Gong J. Live or death in cells: from micronutrition metabolism to cell fate. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1185989. [PMID: 37250891 PMCID: PMC10213646 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1185989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Micronutrients and cell death have a strong relationship and both are essential for human to maintain good body health. Dysregulation of any micronutrients causes metabolic or chronic diseases, including obesity, cardiometabolic condition, neurodegeneration, and cancer. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an ideal genetic organism for researching the mechanisms of micronutrients in metabolism, healthspan, and lifespan. For example, C. elegans is a haem auxotroph, and the research of this special haem trafficking pathway contributes important reference to mammal study. Also, C. elegans characteristics including anatomy simply, clear cell lineage, well-defined genetics, and easily differentiated cell forms make it a powerful tool for studying the mechanisms of cell death including apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis. Here, we describe the understanding of micronutrient metabolism currently and also sort out the fundamental mechanisms of different kinds of cell death. A thorough understanding of these physiological processes not only builds a foundation for developing better treatments for various micronutrient disorders but also provides key insights into human health and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of MOE, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianke Gong
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of MOE, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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2
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Head-tail-head neural wiring underlies gut fat storage in Caenorhabditis elegans temperature acclimation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2203121119. [PMID: 35914124 PMCID: PMC9371718 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2203121119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals maintain the ability to survive and reproduce by acclimating to environmental temperatures. We showed here that Caenorhabditis elegans exhibited temperature acclimation plasticity, which was regulated by a head-tail-head neural circuitry coupled with gut fat storage. After experiencing cold, C. elegans individuals memorized the experience and were prepared against subsequent cold stimuli. The cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element-binding protein (CREB) regulated temperature acclimation in the ASJ thermosensory neurons and RMG head interneurons, where it modulated ASJ thermosensitivity in response to past cultivation temperature. The PVQ tail interneurons mediated the communication between ASJ and RMG via glutamatergic signaling. Temperature acclimation occurred via gut fat storage regulation by the triglyceride lipase ATGL-1, which was activated by a neuropeptide, FLP-7, downstream of CREB. Thus, a head-tail-head neural circuit coordinated with gut fat influenced experience-dependent temperature acclimation.
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Kounakis K, Tavernarakis N. Assessment of Neuronal Cell Death in Caenorhabditis elegans. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2515:309-317. [PMID: 35776360 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2409-8_19] [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] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful experimental platform for cell biology studies. The molecular mechanisms that mediate cell death and neurodegeneration have been characterized extensively in the nematode. In addition, the availability of a wide arsenal of genetic and molecular tools and methodologies renders C. elegans an organism of choice for modeling human neurodegenerative diseases. Indeed, neuronal necrosis can readily be observed and examined in vivo, in the worm. In this chapter, we describe the two main approaches that are routinely used for monitoring and quantifying neuronal cell death in C. elegans. The first is based on direct visualization of dying cells via Nomarski differential interference contrast (DiC) microscopy, and the second on the assessment of neuronal survival by fluorescence microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Kounakis
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas , Crete, Greece
| | - Nektarios Tavernarakis
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas , Crete, Greece.
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Katz M, Corson F, Keil W, Singhal A, Bae A, Lu Y, Liang Y, Shaham S. Glutamate spillover in C. elegans triggers repetitive behavior through presynaptic activation of MGL-2/mGluR5. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1882. [PMID: 31015396 PMCID: PMC6478929 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09581-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamate is a major excitatory neurotransmitter, and impaired glutamate clearance following synaptic release promotes spillover, inducing extra-synaptic signaling. The effects of glutamate spillover on animal behavior and its neural correlates are poorly understood. We developed a glutamate spillover model in Caenorhabditis elegans by inactivating the conserved glial glutamate transporter GLT-1. GLT-1 loss drives aberrant repetitive locomotory reversal behavior through uncontrolled oscillatory release of glutamate onto AVA, a major interneuron governing reversals. Repetitive glutamate release and reversal behavior require the glutamate receptor MGL-2/mGluR5, expressed in RIM and other interneurons presynaptic to AVA. mgl-2 loss blocks oscillations and repetitive behavior; while RIM activation is sufficient to induce repetitive reversals in glt-1 mutants. Repetitive AVA firing and reversals require EGL-30/Gαq, an mGluR5 effector. Our studies reveal that cyclic autocrine presynaptic activation drives repetitive reversals following glutamate spillover. That mammalian GLT1 and mGluR5 are implicated in pathological motor repetition suggests a common mechanism controlling repetitive behaviors. Katz and colleagues examine glutamate spillover effects on C. elegans behaviour. They show that impaired synaptic glutamate clearance in glial glutamate transporter mutants, causes presynaptic mgl-2/mGluR5 activation, generating postsynaptic neural activity oscillations driving repetitive behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menachem Katz
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Francis Corson
- Laboratoire de Physique Statistique, Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Université Paris Diderot, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Wolfgang Keil
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.,Center for Studies in Physics and Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Anupriya Singhal
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Andrea Bae
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Yun Lu
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Yupu Liang
- Research Bioinformatics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Shai Shaham
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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5
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Feldmann KG, Chowdhury A, Becker JL, McAlpin N, Ahmed T, Haider S, Richard Xia JX, Diaz K, Mehta MG, Mano I. Non-canonical activation of CREB mediates neuroprotection in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of excitotoxic necrosis. J Neurochem 2018; 148:531-549. [PMID: 30447010 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Excitotoxicity, caused by exaggerated neuronal stimulation by Glutamate (Glu), is a major cause of neurodegeneration in brain ischemia. While we know that neurodegeneration is triggered by overstimulation of Glu-receptors (GluRs), the subsequent mechanisms that lead to cellular demise remain controversial. Surprisingly, signaling downstream of GluRs can also activate neuroprotective pathways. The strongest evidence involves activation of the transcription factor cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), widely recognized for its importance in synaptic plasticity. Canonical views describe CREB as a phosphorylation-triggered transcription factor, where transcriptional activation involves CREB phosphorylation and association with CREB-binding protein. However, given CREB's ubiquitous cross-tissue expression, the multitude of cascades leading to CREB phosphorylation, and its ability to regulate thousands of genes, it remains unclear how CREB exerts closely tailored, differential neuroprotective responses in excitotoxicity. A non-canonical, alternative cascade for activation of CREB-mediated transcription involves the CREB co-factor cAMP-regulated transcriptional co-activator (CRTC), and may be independent of CREB phosphorylation. To identify cascades that activate CREB in excitotoxicity we used a Caenorhabditis elegans model of neurodegeneration by excitotoxic necrosis. We demonstrated that CREB's neuroprotective effect was conserved, and seemed most effective in neurons with moderate Glu exposure. We found that factors mediating canonical CREB activation were not involved. Instead, phosphorylation-independent CREB activation in nematode excitotoxic necrosis hinged on CRTC. CREB-mediated transcription that depends on CRTC, but not on CREB phosphorylation, might lead to expression of a specific subset of neuroprotective genes. Elucidating conserved mechanisms of excitotoxicity-specific CREB activation can help us focus on core neuroprotective programs in excitotoxicity. Cover Image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.14494.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Genevieve Feldmann
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, CDI Cluster on Neural Development and Repair, The CUNY School of Medicine, City College (CCNY), The City University of New York (CUNY), New York City, New York, USA.,The CUNY Neuroscience Collaborative PhD Program, CUNY Graduate Center, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Ayesha Chowdhury
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, CDI Cluster on Neural Development and Repair, The CUNY School of Medicine, City College (CCNY), The City University of New York (CUNY), New York City, New York, USA.,The CUNY Neuroscience Collaborative PhD Program, CUNY Graduate Center, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Jessica L Becker
- Undergraduate Program in Biology, CCNY, CUNY, New York City, New York, USA
| | - N'Gina McAlpin
- Undergraduate Program in Biology, CCNY, CUNY, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Taqwa Ahmed
- The Sophie Davis BS/MD program, CUNY School of Medicine, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Syed Haider
- Undergraduate Program in Biology, CCNY, CUNY, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Jian X Richard Xia
- The Sophie Davis BS/MD program, CUNY School of Medicine, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Karina Diaz
- The Sophie Davis BS/MD program, CUNY School of Medicine, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Monal G Mehta
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Itzhak Mano
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, CDI Cluster on Neural Development and Repair, The CUNY School of Medicine, City College (CCNY), The City University of New York (CUNY), New York City, New York, USA.,The CUNY Neuroscience Collaborative PhD Program, CUNY Graduate Center, New York City, New York, USA.,The Sophie Davis BS/MD program, CUNY School of Medicine, New York City, New York, USA
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6
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Choudhary B, Mandelkow E, Mandelkow EM, Pir GJ. Glutamatergic nervous system degeneration in a C. elegans Tau A152T tauopathy model involves pathways of excitotoxicity and Ca 2+ dysregulation. Neurobiol Dis 2018; 117:189-202. [PMID: 29894752 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.06.005] [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: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the gene encoding Tau (MAPT-microtubule-associated protein tau) cause a group of neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies. A recently identified Tau variant, p.A152T, has been reported as a risk factor for frontotemporal dementia-related disorders and Alzheimer disease. However, the mechanism for the pathologies still remain poorly understood. Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans expressing mutant 2N4R-TauA152T (TauAT) panneuronally show locomotor defects, neurodegeneration and accelerated aging. Here we report that, in TauAT animals, the glutamatergic nervous system is at a high risk of progressive neuronal loss. We present genetic data that this loss occurs predominantly through necrosis. The neuronal loss is caused by several determinants, such as altered adenylyl cyclase (type AC9) pathway, prevalence of excitotoxicity-like conditions, aging-related factors and finally dyshomeostasis of intracellular calcium (Ca2+). The study provides novel insights into the mechanisms involved in selective loss of glutamatergic neurons in a TauAT tauopathy model which could point to new therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bikash Choudhary
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Sigmund-Freud St. 27, 53127 Bonn, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, Hamburg Outstation, c/o DESY, Notkestrsse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Sigmund-Freud St. 27, 53127 Bonn, Germany; Caesar Research Center, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, Hamburg Outstation, c/o DESY, Notkestrsse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Eva-Maria Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Sigmund-Freud St. 27, 53127 Bonn, Germany; Caesar Research Center, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, Hamburg Outstation, c/o DESY, Notkestrsse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Ghulam Jeelani Pir
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Sigmund-Freud St. 27, 53127 Bonn, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, Hamburg Outstation, c/o DESY, Notkestrsse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
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7
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Gibson CL, Balbona JT, Niedzwiecki A, Rodriguez P, Nguyen KCQ, Hall DH, Blakely RD. Glial loss of the metallo β-lactamase domain containing protein, SWIP-10, induces age- and glutamate-signaling dependent, dopamine neuron degeneration. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007269. [PMID: 29590100 PMCID: PMC5891035 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Revised: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Across phylogeny, glutamate (Glu) signaling plays a critical role in regulating neural excitability, thus supporting many complex behaviors. Perturbed synaptic and extrasynaptic Glu homeostasis in the human brain has been implicated in multiple neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's disease, where theories suggest that excitotoxic insults may accelerate a naturally occurring process of dopamine (DA) neuron degeneration. In C. elegans, mutation of the glial expressed gene, swip-10, results in Glu-dependent DA neuron hyperexcitation that leads to elevated DA release, triggering DA signaling-dependent motor paralysis. Here, we demonstrate that swip-10 mutations induce premature and progressive DA neuron degeneration, with light and electron microscopy studies demonstrating the presence of dystrophic dendritic processes, as well as shrunken and/or missing cell soma. As with paralysis, DA neuron degeneration in swip-10 mutants is rescued by glial-specific, but not DA neuron-specific expression of wildtype swip-10, consistent with a cell non-autonomous mechanism. Genetic studies implicate the vesicular Glu transporter VGLU-3 and the cystine/Glu exchanger homolog AAT-1 as potential sources of Glu signaling supporting DA neuron degeneration. Degeneration can be significantly suppressed by mutations in the Ca2+ permeable Glu receptors, nmr-2 and glr-1, in genes that support intracellular Ca2+ signaling and Ca2+-dependent proteolysis, as well as genes involved in apoptotic cell death. Our studies suggest that Glu stimulation of nematode DA neurons in early larval stages, without the protective actions of SWIP-10, contributes to insults that ultimately drive DA neuron degeneration. The swip-10 model may provide an efficient platform for the identification of molecular mechanisms that enhance risk for Parkinson's disease and/or the identification of agents that can limit neurodegenerative disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea L. Gibson
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States of America
| | - Joseph T. Balbona
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - Ashlin Niedzwiecki
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - Peter Rodriguez
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States of America
| | - Ken C. Q. Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States of America
| | - David H. Hall
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States of America
| | - Randy D. Blakely
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States of America
- The Brain Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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8
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Li Z, Zhou Z. How are necrotic cells recognized by their predators? WORM 2015; 5:e1120400. [PMID: 27073733 PMCID: PMC4805362 DOI: 10.1080/21624054.2015.1120400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Revised: 11/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Necrosis is a type of cell death often caused by cell injury and is linked to human diseases including neuron degeneration, stroke, and cancer. Cells undergoing necrosis are engulfed and degraded by engulfing cells, their predators. The mechanisms by which necrotic cells are recognized and removed remain elusive. Here we comment on our recent findings that reveal new molecular mechanisms of necrotic-cell recognition. Through studying the C. elegans touch neurons undergoing excitotoxic necrosis, we identified a receptor/ligand pair that enables engulfing cells to recognize necrotic neurons. The phagocytic receptor CED-1 is activated through interaction with its ligand phosphatidylserine (PS), exposed on the surface of necrotic cells. Furthermore, against the common belief that necrotic cells have ruptured plasma membrane, we found that necrotic C. elegans touch neurons actively present PS on their outer surfaces while maintaining plasma membrane integrity. We further identified 2 mechanisms governing the presentation of PS, one of which is shared with cells undergoing apoptosis, a “cell suicide” event, whereas the other is unique to necrotic neurons. The influx of Ca2+, a key necrosis-triggering factor, is implicated in activating a neuronal PS-scramblase for PS exposure. We propose that the mechanisms controlling PS-exposure and necrotic-cell recognition by engulfing cells are likely conserved from worms to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zao Li
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zheng Zhou
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, TX, USA
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9
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Aghajanirefah A, Nguyen LN, Ohadi M. BEND3 is involved in the human-specific repression of calreticulin: Implication for the evolution of higher brain functions in human. Gene 2015; 576:577-80. [PMID: 26481236 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2015.10.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Recent emerging evidence indicates that changes in gene expression levels are linked to human evolution. We have previously reported a human-specific nucleotide in the promoter sequence of the calreticulin (CALR) gene at position -220C, which is the site of action of valproic acid. Reversion of this nucleotide to the ancestral A-allele has been detected in patients with degrees of deficit in higher brain cognitive functions. This mutation has since been reported in the 1000 genomes database at an approximate frequency of <0.0004 in humans (rs138452745). In the study reported here, we present update on the status of rs138452745 across evolution, based on the Ensembl and NCBI databases. The DNA pulldown assay was also used to identify the proteins binding to the C- and A-alleles, using two cell lines, SK-N-BE and HeLa. Consistent with our previous findings, the C-allele is human-specific, and the A-allele is the rule across all other species (N=38). This nucleotide resides in a block of 12-nucleotides that is strictly conserved across evolution. The DNA pulldown experiments revealed that in both SK-N-BE and HeLa cells, the transcription repressor BEN domain containing 3 (BEND3) binds to the human-specific C-allele, whereas the nuclear factor I (NFI) family members, NF1A, B, C, and X, specifically bind to the ancestral A-allele. This binding pattern is consistent with a previously reported decreased promoter activity of the C-allele vs. the A-allele. We propose that there is a link between binding of BEND3 to the CALR rs138452745 C-allele and removal of NFI binding site from this nucleotide, and the evolution of human-specific higher brain functions. To our knowledge, CALR rs138452745 is the first instance of enormous nucleotide conservation across evolution, except in the human species.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Aghajanirefah
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - L N Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - M Ohadi
- Genetics Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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10
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Necrotic Cells Actively Attract Phagocytes through the Collaborative Action of Two Distinct PS-Exposure Mechanisms. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005285. [PMID: 26061275 PMCID: PMC4464654 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Necrosis, a kind of cell death closely associated with pathogenesis and genetic programs, is distinct from apoptosis in both morphology and mechanism. Like apoptotic cells, necrotic cells are swiftly removed from animal bodies to prevent harmful inflammatory and autoimmune responses. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, gain-of-function mutations in certain ion channel subunits result in the excitotoxic necrosis of six touch neurons and their subsequent engulfment and degradation inside engulfing cells. How necrotic cells are recognized by engulfing cells is unclear. Phosphatidylserine (PS) is an important apoptotic-cell surface signal that attracts engulfing cells. Here we observed PS exposure on the surface of necrotic touch neurons. In addition, the phagocytic receptor CED-1 clusters around necrotic cells and promotes their engulfment. The extracellular domain of CED-1 associates with PS in vitro. We further identified a necrotic cell-specific function of CED-7, a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family, in promoting PS exposure. In addition to CED-7, anoctamin homolog-1 (ANOH-1), the C. elegans homolog of the mammalian Ca(2+)-dependent phospholipid scramblase TMEM16F, plays an independent role in promoting PS exposure on necrotic cells. The combined activities from CED-7 and ANOH-1 ensure efficient exposure of PS on necrotic cells to attract their phagocytes. In addition, CED-8, the C. elegans homolog of mammalian Xk-related protein 8 also makes a contribution to necrotic cell-removal at the first larval stage. Our work indicates that cells killed by different mechanisms (necrosis or apoptosis) expose a common "eat me" signal to attract their phagocytic receptor(s); furthermore, unlike what was previously believed, necrotic cells actively present PS on their outer surfaces through at least two distinct molecular mechanisms rather than leaking out PS passively.
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11
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Del Rosario JS, Feldmann KG, Ahmed T, Amjad U, Ko B, An J, Mahmud T, Salama M, Mei S, Asemota D, Mano I. Death Associated Protein Kinase (DAPK) -mediated neurodegenerative mechanisms in nematode excitotoxicity. BMC Neurosci 2015; 16:25. [PMID: 25899010 PMCID: PMC4414438 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-015-0158-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Excitotoxicity (the toxic overstimulation of neurons by the excitatory transmitter Glutamate) is a central process in widespread neurodegenerative conditions such as brain ischemia and chronic neurological diseases. Many mechanisms have been suggested to mediate excitotoxicity, but their significance across diverse excitotoxic scenarios remains unclear. Death Associated Protein Kinase (DAPK), a critical molecular switch that controls a range of key signaling and cell death pathways, has been suggested to have an important role in excitotoxicity. However, the molecular mechanism by which DAPK exerts its effect is controversial. A few distinct mechanisms have been suggested by single (sometimes contradicting) studies, and a larger array of potential mechanisms is implicated by the extensive interactome of DAPK. Results Here we analyze a well-characterized model of excitotoxicity in the nematode C. elegans to show that DAPK is an important mediator of excitotoxic neurodegeneration across a large evolutionary distance. We further show that some proposed mechanisms of DAPK’s action (modulation of synaptic strength, involvement of the DANGER-related protein MAB-21, and autophagy) do not have a major role in nematode excitotoxicity. In contrast, Pin1/PINN-1 (a DAPK interaction-partner and a peptidyl-prolyl isomerase involved in chronic neurodegenerative conditions) suppresses neurodegeneration in our excitotoxicity model. Conclusions Our studies highlight the prominence of DAPK and Pin1/PINN-1 as conserved mediators of cell death processes in diverse scenarios of neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Del Rosario
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education (SBE), City College of New York (CCNY), The City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY, USA. .,MS program in Biology, CCNY, CUNY, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Katherine Genevieve Feldmann
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education (SBE), City College of New York (CCNY), The City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY, USA. .,PhD program in Neuroscience, the CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Towfiq Ahmed
- Undergraduate program in Biology, CCNY, CUNY, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Uzair Amjad
- Undergraduate program in Biochemistry, CCNY, CUNY, New York, NY, USA.
| | - BakKeung Ko
- MS program in Biology, CCNY, CUNY, New York, NY, USA. .,Undergraduate program in Biology, CCNY, CUNY, New York, NY, USA.
| | - JunHyung An
- Undergraduate program in Biology, CCNY, CUNY, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Tauhid Mahmud
- Undergraduate program in Biology, CCNY, CUNY, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Maha Salama
- Bs/MD program, Sophie Davis SBE, CCNY, CUNY, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Shirley Mei
- Bs/MD program, Sophie Davis SBE, CCNY, CUNY, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Daniel Asemota
- Bs/MD program, Sophie Davis SBE, CCNY, CUNY, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Itzhak Mano
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education (SBE), City College of New York (CCNY), The City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY, USA. .,PhD program in Neuroscience, the CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY, USA.
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The insulin/IGF signaling regulators cytohesin/GRP-1 and PIP5K/PPK-1 modulate susceptibility to excitotoxicity in C. elegans. PLoS One 2014; 9:e113060. [PMID: 25422944 PMCID: PMC4244091 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
During ischemic stroke, malfunction of excitatory amino acid transporters and reduced synaptic clearance causes accumulation of Glutamate (Glu) and excessive stimulation of postsynaptic neurons, which can lead to their degeneration by excitotoxicity. The balance between cell death-promoting (neurotoxic) and survival-promoting (neuroprotective) signaling cascades determines the fate of neurons exposed to the excitotoxic insult. The evolutionary conserved Insulin/IGF Signaling (IIS) cascade can participate in this balance, as it controls cell stress resistance in nematodes and mammals. Blocking the IIS cascade allows the transcription factor FoxO3/DAF-16 to accumulate in the nucleus and activate a transcriptional program that protects cells from a range of insults. We study the effect of IIS cascade on neurodegeneration in a C. elegans model of excitotoxicity, where a mutation in a central Glu transporter (glt-3) in a sensitizing background causes Glu-Receptor -dependent neuronal necrosis. We expand our studies on the role of the IIS cascade in determining susceptibility to excitotoxic necrosis by either blocking IIS at the level of PI3K/AGE-1 or stimulating it by removing the inhibitory effect of ZFP-1 on the expression of PDK-1. We further show that the components of the Cytohesin/GRP-1, Arf, and PIP5K/PPK-1 complex, known to regulate PIP2 production and the IIS cascade, modulate nematode excitotoxicity: mutations that are expected to reduce the complex's ability to produce PIP2 and inhibit the IIS cascade protect from excitotoxicity, while overstimulation of PIP2 production enhances neurodegeneration. Our observations therefore affirm the importance of the IIS cascade in determining the susceptibility to necrotic neurodegeneration in nematode excitotoxicity, and demonstrate the ability of Cytohesin/GRP-1, Arf, and PIP5K/PPK-1 complex to modulate neuroprotection.
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Abstract
Similar to other organisms, necrotic cell death in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is manifested as the catastrophic collapse of cellular homeostasis, in response to overwhelming stress that is inflicted either in the form of extreme environmental stimuli or by intrinsic insults such as the expression of proteins carrying deleterious mutations. Remarkably, necrotic cell death in C. elegans and pathological cell death in humans share multiple fundamental features and mechanistic aspects. Therefore, mechanisms mediating necrosis are also conserved across the evolutionary spectrum and render the worm a versatile tool, with the capacity to facilitate studies of human pathologies. Here, we overview necrotic paradigms that have been characterized in the nematode and outline the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate this mode of cell demise. In addition, we discuss experimental approaches that utilize C. elegans to elucidate the molecular underpinnings of devastating human disorders that entail necrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vassiliki Nikoletopoulou
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Nektarios Tavernarakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece.
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14
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Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has served as a fruitful setting for cell death research for over three decades. A conserved pathway of four genes, egl-1/BH3-only, ced-9/Bcl-2, ced-4/Apaf-1, and ced-3/caspase, coordinates most developmental cell deaths in C. elegans. However, other cell death forms, programmed and pathological, have also been described in this animal. Some of these share morphological and/or molecular similarities with the canonical apoptotic pathway, while others do not. Indeed, recent studies suggest the existence of an entirely novel mode of programmed developmental cell destruction that may also be conserved beyond nematodes. Here, we review evidence for these noncanonical pathways. We propose that different cell death modalities can function as backup mechanisms for apoptosis, or as tailor-made programs that allow specific dying cells to be efficiently cleared from the animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime J Kinet
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | - Shai Shaham
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA.
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15
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Abstract
The simple nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans has been instrumental in deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying apoptosis. Beyond apoptosis, several paradigms of non-apoptotic cell death, either genetically or extrinsically triggered, have also been described in C. elegans. Remarkably, non-apoptotic cell death in worms and pathological cell death in humans share numerous key features and mechanistic aspects. Such commonalities suggest that similarly to apoptosis, non-apoptotic cell death mechanisms are also conserved, and render the worm a useful organism, in which to model and dissect human pathologies. Indeed, the genetic malleability and the sophisticated molecular tools available for C. elegans have contributed decisively to advance our understanding of non-apoptotic cell death. Here, we review the literature on the various types of non-apoptotic cell death in C. elegans and discuss the implications, relevant to pathological conditions in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manolis Vlachos
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
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FOXO3a is broadly neuroprotective in vitro and in vivo against insults implicated in motor neuron diseases. J Neurosci 2009; 29:8236-47. [PMID: 19553463 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1805-09.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is a risk factor for the development of adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases. Although some of the molecular pathways regulating longevity and stress resistance in lower organisms are defined (i.e., those activating the transcriptional regulators DAF-16 and HSF-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans), their relevance to mammals and disease susceptibility are unknown. We studied the signaling controlled by the mammalian homolog of DAF-16, FOXO3a, in model systems of motor neuron disease. Neuron death elicited in vitro by excitotoxic insult or the expression of mutant SOD1, mutant p150(glued), or polyQ-expanded androgen receptor was abrogated by expression of nuclear-targeted FOXO3a. We identify a compound [Psammaplysene A (PA)] that increases nuclear localization of FOXO3a in vitro and in vivo and show that PA also protects against these insults in vitro. Administration of PA to invertebrate model systems of neurodegeneration similarly blocked neuron death in a DAF-16/FOXO3a-dependent manner. These results indicate that activation of the DAF-16/FOXO3a pathway, genetically or pharmacologically, confers protection against the known causes of motor neuron diseases.
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