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Ruparelia AA, Montandon M, Merriner J, Huang C, Wong SFL, Sonntag C, Hardee JP, Lynch GS, Miles LB, Siegel A, Hall TE, Schittenhelm RB, Currie PD. Atrogin-1 promotes muscle homeostasis by regulating levels of endoplasmic reticulum chaperone BiP. JCI Insight 2024; 9:e167578. [PMID: 38530354 PMCID: PMC11141880 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.167578] [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: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle wasting results from numerous pathological conditions affecting both the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. A unifying feature of these pathologies is the upregulation of members of the E3 ubiquitin ligase family, resulting in increased proteolytic degradation of target proteins. Despite the critical role of E3 ubiquitin ligases in regulating muscle mass, the specific proteins they target for degradation and the mechanisms by which they regulate skeletal muscle homeostasis remain ill-defined. Here, using zebrafish loss-of-function models combined with in vivo cell biology and proteomic approaches, we reveal a role of atrogin-1 in regulating the levels of the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone BiP. Loss of atrogin-1 resulted in an accumulation of BiP, leading to impaired mitochondrial dynamics and a subsequent loss in muscle fiber integrity. We further implicated a disruption in atrogin-1-mediated BiP regulation in the pathogenesis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We revealed that BiP was not only upregulated in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, but its inhibition using pharmacological strategies, or by upregulating atrogin-1, significantly ameliorated pathology in a zebrafish model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Collectively, our data implicate atrogin-1 and BiP in the pathogenesis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and highlight atrogin-1's essential role in maintaining muscle homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avnika A. Ruparelia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, and
- Centre for Muscle Research, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Margo Montandon
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jo Merriner
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cheng Huang
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Facility, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Siew Fen Lisa Wong
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Carmen Sonntag
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Justin P. Hardee
- Centre for Muscle Research, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gordon S. Lynch
- Centre for Muscle Research, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lee B. Miles
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ashley Siegel
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thomas E. Hall
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ralf B. Schittenhelm
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Facility, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter D. Currie
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- EMBL Australia, Victorian Node, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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2
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Karuppasamy M, English KG, Henry CA, Manzini MC, Parant JM, Wright MA, Ruparelia AA, Currie PD, Gupta VA, Dowling JJ, Maves L, Alexander MS. Standardization of zebrafish drug testing parameters for muscle diseases. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050339. [PMID: 38235578 PMCID: PMC10820820 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050339] [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: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscular diseases predominantly affect skeletal and cardiac muscle, resulting in muscle weakness, impaired respiratory function and decreased lifespan. These harmful outcomes lead to poor health-related quality of life and carry a high healthcare economic burden. The absence of promising treatments and new therapies for muscular disorders requires new methods for candidate drug identification and advancement in animal models. Consequently, the rapid screening of drug compounds in an animal model that mimics features of human muscle disease is warranted. Zebrafish are a versatile model in preclinical studies that support developmental biology and drug discovery programs for novel chemical entities and repurposing of established drugs. Due to several advantages, there is an increasing number of applications of the zebrafish model for high-throughput drug screening for human disorders and developmental studies. Consequently, standardization of key drug screening parameters, such as animal husbandry protocols, drug compound administration and outcome measures, is paramount for the continued advancement of the model and field. Here, we seek to summarize and explore critical drug treatment and drug screening parameters in the zebrafish-based modeling of human muscle diseases. Through improved standardization and harmonization of drug screening parameters and protocols, we aim to promote more effective drug discovery programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muthukumar Karuppasamy
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Children's of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Katherine G. English
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Children's of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Clarissa A. Henry
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - M. Chiara Manzini
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey and Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - John M. Parant
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Melissa A. Wright
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Child Neurology, University of Colorado at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Avnika A. Ruparelia
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
- Centre for Muscle Research, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Peter D. Currie
- Centre for Muscle Research, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
- EMBL Australia, Victorian Node, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Vandana A. Gupta
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - James J. Dowling
- Division of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
- Program for Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Lisa Maves
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Matthew S. Alexander
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Children's of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- UAB Center for Exercise Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- UAB Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics (CNET), Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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3
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Huttner IG, Santiago CF, Jacoby A, Cheng D, Trivedi G, Cull S, Cvetkovska J, Chand R, Berger J, Currie PD, Smith KA, Fatkin D. Loss of Sec-1 Family Domain-Containing 1 ( scfd1) Causes Severe Cardiac Defects and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Zebrafish. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2023; 10:408. [PMID: 37887855 PMCID: PMC10607167 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd10100408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a common heart muscle disorder that frequently leads to heart failure, arrhythmias, and death. While DCM is often heritable, disease-causing mutations are identified in only ~30% of cases. In a forward genetic mutagenesis screen, we identified a novel zebrafish mutant, heart and head (hahvcc43), characterized by early-onset cardiomyopathy and craniofacial defects. Linkage analysis and next-generation sequencing identified a nonsense variant in the highly conserved scfd1 gene, also known as sly1, that encodes sec1 family domain-containing 1. Sec1/Munc18 proteins, such as Scfd1, are involved in membrane fusion regulating endoplasmic reticulum (ER)/Golgi transport. CRISPR/Cas9-engineered scfd1vcc44 null mutants showed severe cardiac and craniofacial defects and embryonic lethality that recapitulated the phenotype of hahvcc43 mutants. Electron micrographs of scfd1-depleted cardiomyocytes showed reduced myofibril width and sarcomere density, as well as reticular network disorganization and fragmentation of Golgi stacks. Furthermore, quantitative PCR analysis showed upregulation of ER stress response and apoptosis markers. Both heterozygous hahvcc43 mutants and scfd1vcc44 mutants survived to adulthood, showing chamber dilation and reduced ventricular contraction. Collectively, our data implicate scfd1 loss-of-function as the genetic defect at the hahvcc43 locus and provide new insights into the role of scfd1 in cardiac development and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inken G. Huttner
- Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia; (I.G.H.); (C.F.S.); (A.J.); (D.C.); (G.T.); (S.C.); (J.C.); (R.C.)
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Celine F. Santiago
- Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia; (I.G.H.); (C.F.S.); (A.J.); (D.C.); (G.T.); (S.C.); (J.C.); (R.C.)
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Arie Jacoby
- Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia; (I.G.H.); (C.F.S.); (A.J.); (D.C.); (G.T.); (S.C.); (J.C.); (R.C.)
| | - Delfine Cheng
- Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia; (I.G.H.); (C.F.S.); (A.J.); (D.C.); (G.T.); (S.C.); (J.C.); (R.C.)
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Gunjan Trivedi
- Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia; (I.G.H.); (C.F.S.); (A.J.); (D.C.); (G.T.); (S.C.); (J.C.); (R.C.)
| | - Stephen Cull
- Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia; (I.G.H.); (C.F.S.); (A.J.); (D.C.); (G.T.); (S.C.); (J.C.); (R.C.)
| | - Jasmina Cvetkovska
- Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia; (I.G.H.); (C.F.S.); (A.J.); (D.C.); (G.T.); (S.C.); (J.C.); (R.C.)
| | - Renee Chand
- Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia; (I.G.H.); (C.F.S.); (A.J.); (D.C.); (G.T.); (S.C.); (J.C.); (R.C.)
| | - Joachim Berger
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (J.B.); (P.D.C.)
- European Molecular Biology Labs (EMBL) Australia, Victorian Node, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Peter D. Currie
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (J.B.); (P.D.C.)
- European Molecular Biology Labs (EMBL) Australia, Victorian Node, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Kelly A. Smith
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia;
| | - Diane Fatkin
- Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia; (I.G.H.); (C.F.S.); (A.J.); (D.C.); (G.T.); (S.C.); (J.C.); (R.C.)
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
- Cardiology Department, St Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia
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4
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Terrill JR, Huchet C, Le Guiner C, Lafoux A, Caudal D, Tulangekar A, Bryson-Richardson RJ, Sztal TE, Grounds MD, Arthur PG. Muscle Pathology in Dystrophic Rats and Zebrafish Is Unresponsive to Taurine Treatment, Compared to the mdx Mouse Model for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13020232. [PMID: 36837851 PMCID: PMC9963000 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13020232] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammation and oxidative stress are strongly implicated in the pathology of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and the sulphur-containing amino acid taurine ameliorates both and decreases dystropathology in the mdx mouse model for DMD. We therefore further tested taurine as a therapy using dystrophic DMDmdx rats and dmd zebrafish models for DMD that have a more severe dystropathology. However, taurine treatment had little effect on the indices of dystropathology in both these models. While we and others have previously observed a deficiency in taurine in mdx mice, in the current study we show that the rat and zebrafish models had increased taurine content compared with wild-type, and taurine treatment did not increase muscle taurine levels. We therefore hypothesised that endogenous levels of taurine are a key determinate in potential taurine treatment efficacy. Because of this, we felt it important to measure taurine levels in DMD patient plasma samples and showed that in non-ambulant patients (but not in younger patients) there was a deficiency of taurine. These data suggest that taurine homeostasis varies greatly between species and may be influenced by age and disease progression. The potential for taurine to be an effective therapy may depend on such variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica R. Terrill
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - Corinne Huchet
- TaRGeT Lab, Translational Research for Gene Therapy, INSERM, UMR 1089, Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, 440200 Nantes, France
| | - Caroline Le Guiner
- TaRGeT Lab, Translational Research for Gene Therapy, INSERM, UMR 1089, Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, 440200 Nantes, France
| | - Aude Lafoux
- Therassay Platform, CAPACITES, Nantes Université, 44007 Nantes, France
| | - Dorian Caudal
- Therassay Platform, CAPACITES, Nantes Université, 44007 Nantes, France
| | - Ankita Tulangekar
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | | | - Tamar E. Sztal
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Miranda D. Grounds
- School of Human Sciences, the University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia
| | - Peter G. Arthur
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia
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5
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Barboni MTS, Joachimsthaler A, Roux MJ, Nagy ZZ, Ventura DF, Rendon A, Kremers J, Vaillend C. Retinal dystrophins and the retinopathy of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Prog Retin Eye Res 2022:101137. [DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2022.101137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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6
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Lescouzères L, Bordignon B, Bomont P. Development of a high-throughput tailored imaging method in zebrafish to understand and treat neuromuscular diseases. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:956582. [PMID: 36204134 PMCID: PMC9530744 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.956582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a vertebrate species offering multitude of advantages for the study of conserved biological systems in human and has considerably enriched our knowledge in developmental biology and physiology. Being equally important in medical research, the zebrafish has become a critical tool in the fields of diagnosis, gene discovery, disease modeling, and pharmacology-based therapy. Studies on the zebrafish neuromuscular system allowed for deciphering key molecular pathways in this tissue, and established it as a model of choice to study numerous motor neurons, neuromuscular junctions, and muscle diseases. Starting with the similarities of the zebrafish neuromuscular system with the human system, we review disease models associated with the neuromuscular system to focus on current methodologies employed to study them and outline their caveats. In particular, we put in perspective the necessity to develop standardized and high-resolution methodologies that are necessary to deepen our understanding of not only fundamental signaling pathways in a healthy tissue but also the changes leading to disease phenotype outbreaks, and offer templates for high-content screening strategies. While the development of high-throughput methodologies is underway for motility assays, there is no automated approach to quantify the key molecular cues of the neuromuscular junction. Here, we provide a novel high-throughput imaging methodology in the zebrafish that is standardized, highly resolutive, quantitative, and fit for drug screening. By providing a proof of concept for its robustness in identifying novel molecular players and therapeutic drugs in giant axonal neuropathy (GAN) disease, we foresee that this new tool could be useful for both fundamental and biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Lescouzères
- ERC Team, Institut NeuroMyoGéne-PGNM, Inserm U1315, CNRS UMR 5261, Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Benoît Bordignon
- Montpellier Ressources Imagerie, BioCampus, CNRS, INSERM, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Pascale Bomont
- ERC Team, Institut NeuroMyoGéne-PGNM, Inserm U1315, CNRS UMR 5261, Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, Lyon, France
- *Correspondence: Pascale Bomont,
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7
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Mob4-dependent STRIPAK involves the chaperonin TRiC to coordinate myofibril and microtubule network growth. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010287. [PMID: 35737712 PMCID: PMC9258817 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Myofibrils of the skeletal muscle are comprised of sarcomeres that generate force by contraction when myosin-rich thick filaments slide past actin-based thin filaments. Surprisingly little is known about the molecular processes that guide sarcomere assembly in vivo, despite deficits within this process being a major cause of human disease. To overcome this knowledge gap, we undertook a forward genetic screen coupled with reverse genetics to identify genes required for vertebrate sarcomere assembly. In this screen, we identified a zebrafish mutant with a nonsense mutation in mob4. In Drosophila, mob4 has been reported to play a role in spindle focusing as well as neurite branching and in planarians mob4 was implemented in body size regulation. In contrast, zebrafish mob4geh mutants are characterised by an impaired actin biogenesis resulting in sarcomere defects. Whereas loss of mob4 leads to a reduction in the amount of myofibril, transgenic expression of mob4 triggers an increase. Further genetic analysis revealed the interaction of Mob4 with the actin-folding chaperonin TRiC, suggesting that Mob4 impacts on TRiC to control actin biogenesis and thus myofibril growth. Additionally, mob4geh features a defective microtubule network, which is in-line with tubulin being the second main folding substrate of TRiC. We also detected similar characteristics for strn3-deficient mutants, which confirmed Mob4 as a core component of STRIPAK and surprisingly implicates a role of the STRIPAK complex in sarcomerogenesis.
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8
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Chen X, Zheng J, Teng M, Zhang J, Qian L, Duan M, Cheng Y, Zhao W, Wang Z, Wang C. Tralopyril affects locomotor activity of zebrafish (Danio rerio) by impairing tail muscle tissue, the nervous system, and energy metabolism. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 286:131866. [PMID: 34391112 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Tralopyril (TP), an antifouling biocide, is widely used to prevent heavy biofouling, and can have potential risks to aquatic organisms. In this study, the effect of TP on locomotor activity and related mechanisms were evaluated in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae. TP significantly reduced locomotor activity after 168 -h exposure. Adverse modifications in tail muscle tissue, the nervous system, and energy metabolism were also observed in larvae. TP caused thinning of the muscle bundle in the tail of larvae. In conjunction with the metabolomics results, changes in dopamine (DA) and acetylcholine (ACh), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and the expression of genes involved in neurodevelopment, indicate that TP may disrupt the nervous system in zebrafish larvae. The change in metabolites (e.g., glucose 6-phosphate, cis-Aconitic acid, acetoacetyl-CoA, coenzyme-A and 3-Oxohexanoyl-CoA) involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism indicates that TP may disrupt energy metabolism. TP exposure may inhibit the locomotor activity of zebrafish larvae by impairing tail muscle tissue, the nervous system, and energy metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangguang Chen
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Junyue Zheng
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Miaomiao Teng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Le Qian
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Manman Duan
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yi Cheng
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Wentian Zhao
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- The Institute of Plant Production, Jilin Academy of Agriculture Science, Changchun, 130033, China
| | - Chengju Wang
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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9
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Douek AM, Klein EI, Kaslin J, Currie PD, Ruparelia AA. Cellular and Molecular Characterization of the Effects of the Zebrafish Embryo Genotyper Protocol. Zebrafish 2021; 18:92-95. [PMID: 33481695 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2020.1958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Zebrafish Embryo Genotyper (ZEG) device provides a promising tool for genotyping live embryos. Although the gross morphology and survival of embryos after the use of ZEG are unaffected, the cellular and molecular effects of the ZEG protocol remain unknown. To address this, we have examined the integrity of specific tissues, and evaluated the expression of stress-responsive genes to determine the impact of the ZEG protocol. Our analyses reveal that although ZEG results in a low-level acute stress response, no long-lasting effects are evident, supporting its utilization for a variety of downstream assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alon M Douek
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Emma I Klein
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Jan Kaslin
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Peter D Currie
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Avnika A Ruparelia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
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10
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Farr GH, Morris M, Gomez A, Pham T, Kilroy E, Parker EU, Said S, Henry C, Maves L. A novel chemical-combination screen in zebrafish identifies epigenetic small molecule candidates for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Skelet Muscle 2020; 10:29. [PMID: 33059738 PMCID: PMC7559456 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-020-00251-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe neuromuscular disorder and is one of the most common muscular dystrophies. There are currently few effective therapies to treat the disease, although many small-molecule approaches are being pursued. Certain histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) have been shown to ameliorate DMD phenotypes in mouse and zebrafish animal models. The HDACi givinostat has shown promise for DMD in clinical trials. However, beyond a small group of HDACi, other classes of epigenetic small molecules have not been broadly and systematically studied for their benefits for DMD. Methods We used an established animal model for DMD, the zebrafish dmd mutant strain sapje. A commercially available library of epigenetic small molecules was used to treat embryonic-larval stages of dmd mutant zebrafish. We used a quantitative muscle birefringence assay in order to assess and compare the effects of small-molecule treatments on dmd mutant zebrafish skeletal muscle structure. Results We performed a novel chemical-combination screen of a library of epigenetic compounds using the zebrafish dmd model. We identified candidate pools of epigenetic compounds that improve skeletal muscle structure in dmd mutant zebrafish. We then identified a specific combination of two HDACi compounds, oxamflatin and salermide, that ameliorated dmd mutant zebrafish skeletal muscle degeneration. We validated the effects of oxamflatin and salermide on dmd mutant zebrafish in an independent laboratory. Furthermore, we showed that the combination of oxamflatin and salermide caused increased levels of histone H4 acetylation in zebrafish larvae. Conclusions Our results provide novel, effective methods for performing a combination of small-molecule screen in zebrafish. Our results also add to the growing evidence that epigenetic small molecules may be promising candidates for treating DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gist H Farr
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Melanie Morris
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.,Medical Student Research Training Program, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Arianna Gomez
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.,Molecular Medicine and Mechanisms of Disease Program, Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Thao Pham
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.,Molecular Medicine and Mechanisms of Disease Program, Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Elisabeth Kilroy
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
| | - Elizabeth U Parker
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.,Medical Student Research Training Program, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Shery Said
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Clarissa Henry
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
| | - Lisa Maves
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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11
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Berger J, Li M, Berger S, Meilak M, Rientjes J, Currie PD. Effect of Ataluren on dystrophin mutations. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:6680-6689. [PMID: 32343037 PMCID: PMC7299694 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a severe muscle wasting disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene (dmd). Ataluren has been approved by the European Medicines Agency for treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Ataluren has been reported to promote ribosomal read‐through of premature stop codons, leading to restoration of full‐length dystrophin protein. However, the mechanism of Ataluren action has not been fully described. To evaluate the efficacy of Ataluren on all three premature stop codons featuring different termination strengths (UAA > UAG > UGA), novel dystrophin‐deficient zebrafish were generated. Pathological assessment of the muscle by birefringence quantification, a tool to directly measure muscle integrity, did not reveal a significant effect of Ataluren on any of the analysed dystrophin‐deficient mutants at 3 days after fertilization. Functional analysis of the musculature at 6 days after fertilization by direct measurement of the generated force revealed a significant improvement by Ataluren only for the UAA‐carrying mutant dmdta222a. Interestingly however, all other analysed dystrophin‐deficient mutants were not affected by Ataluren, including the dmdpc3 and dmdpc2 mutants that harbour weaker premature stop codons UAG and UGA, respectively. These in vivo results contradict reported in vitro data on Ataluren efficacy, suggesting that Ataluren might not promote read‐through of premature stop codons. In addition, Ataluren had no effect on dystrophin transcript levels, but mild adverse effects on wild‐type larvae were identified. Further assessment of N‐terminally truncated dystrophin opened the possibility of Ataluren promoting alternative translation codons within dystrophin, thereby potentially shifting the patient cohort applicable for Ataluren.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Berger
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.,Victoria Node, EMBL Australia, Clayton, Vic, Australia
| | - Mei Li
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.,Victoria Node, EMBL Australia, Clayton, Vic, Australia
| | - Silke Berger
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.,Victoria Node, EMBL Australia, Clayton, Vic, Australia
| | - Michelle Meilak
- Monash Genome Modification Platform, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia
| | - Jeanette Rientjes
- Monash Genome Modification Platform, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia
| | - Peter D Currie
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.,Victoria Node, EMBL Australia, Clayton, Vic, Australia
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12
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Abstract
Sarcopenia - the accelerated age-related loss of muscle mass and function - is an under-diagnosed condition, and is central to deteriorating mobility, disability and frailty in older age. There is a lack of treatment options for older adults at risk of sarcopenia. Although sarcopenia's pathogenesis is multifactorial, its major phenotypes - muscle mass and muscle strength - are highly heritable. Several genome-wide association studies of muscle-related traits were published recently, providing dozens of candidate genes, many with unknown function. Therefore, animal models are required not only to identify causal mechanisms, but also to clarify the underlying biology and translate this knowledge into new interventions. Over the past several decades, small teleost fishes had emerged as powerful systems for modeling the genetics of human diseases. Owing to their amenability to rapid genetic intervention and the large number of conserved genetic and physiological features, small teleosts - such as zebrafish, medaka and killifish - have become indispensable for skeletal muscle genomic studies. The goal of this Review is to summarize evidence supporting the utility of small fish models for accelerating our understanding of human skeletal muscle in health and disease. We do this by providing a basic foundation of the (zebra)fish skeletal muscle morphology and physiology, and evidence of muscle-related gene homology. We also outline challenges in interpreting zebrafish mutant phenotypes and in translating them to human disease. Finally, we conclude with recommendations on future directions to leverage the large body of tools developed in small fish for the needs of genomic exploration in sarcopenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alon Daya
- The Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 40297, Israel
| | - Rajashekar Donaka
- The Musculoskeletal Genetics Laboratory, The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed 130010, Israel
| | - David Karasik
- The Musculoskeletal Genetics Laboratory, The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed 130010, Israel
- Hebrew SeniorLife, Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Boston, MA 02131, USA
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13
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Wasala NB, Chen SJ, Duan D. Duchenne muscular dystrophy animal models for high-throughput drug discovery and precision medicine. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 15:443-456. [PMID: 32000537 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1718100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked handicapping disease due to the loss of an essential muscle protein dystrophin. Dystrophin-null animals have been extensively used to study disease mechanisms and to develop experimental therapeutics. Despite decades of research, however, treatment options for DMD remain very limited.Areas covered: High-throughput high-content screening and precision medicine offer exciting new opportunities. Here, the authors review animal models that are suitable for these studies.Expert opinion: Nonmammalian models (worm, fruit fly, and zebrafish) are particularly attractive for cost-effective large-scale drug screening. Several promising lead compounds have been discovered using these models. Precision medicine for DMD aims at developing mutation-specific therapies such as exon-skipping and genome editing. To meet these needs, models with patient-like mutations have been established in different species. Models that harbor hotspot mutations are very attractive because the drugs developed in these models can bring mutation-specific therapies to a large population of patients. Humanized hDMD mice carry the entire human dystrophin gene in the mouse genome. Reagents developed in the hDMD mouse-based models are directly translatable to human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nalinda B Wasala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Shi-Jie Chen
- Department of Physics, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Dongsheng Duan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Biomedical, Biological & Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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14
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Berger J, Berger S, Li M, Jacoby AS, Arner A, Bavi N, Stewart AG, Currie PD. In Vivo Function of the Chaperonin TRiC in α-Actin Folding during Sarcomere Assembly. Cell Rep 2019; 22:313-322. [PMID: 29320728 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.12.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Revised: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The TCP-1 ring complex (TRiC) is a multi-subunit group II chaperonin that assists nascent or misfolded proteins to attain their native conformation in an ATP-dependent manner. Functional studies in yeast have suggested that TRiC is an essential and generalized component of the protein-folding machinery of eukaryotic cells. However, TRiC's involvement in specific cellular processes within multicellular organisms is largely unknown because little validation of TRiC function exists in animals. Our in vivo analysis reveals a surprisingly specific role of TRiC in the biogenesis of skeletal muscle α-actin during sarcomere assembly in myofibers. TRiC acts at the sarcomere's Z-disk, where it is required for efficient assembly of actin thin filaments. Binding of ATP specifically by the TRiC subunit Cct5 is required for efficient actin folding in vivo. Furthermore, mutant α-actin isoforms that result in nemaline myopathy in patients obtain their pathogenic conformation via this function of TRiC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Berger
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Victoria Node, EMBL Australia, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
| | - Silke Berger
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Victoria Node, EMBL Australia, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Mei Li
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Victoria Node, EMBL Australia, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Arie S Jacoby
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Victoria Node, EMBL Australia, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Anders Arner
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Navid Bavi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alastair G Stewart
- Molecular, Structural and Computational Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Peter D Currie
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Victoria Node, EMBL Australia, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
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15
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Wilson K, Faelan C, Patterson-Kane JC, Rudmann DG, Moore SA, Frank D, Charleston J, Tinsley J, Young GD, Milici AJ. Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophies: A Review of Animal Models, Clinical End Points, and Biomarker Quantification. Toxicol Pathol 2017; 45:961-976. [PMID: 28974147 DOI: 10.1177/0192623317734823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) are neuromuscular disorders that primarily affect boys due to an X-linked mutation in the DMD gene, resulting in reduced to near absence of dystrophin or expression of truncated forms of dystrophin. Some newer therapeutic interventions aim to increase sarcolemmal dystrophin expression, and accurate dystrophin quantification is critical for demonstrating pharmacodynamic relationships in preclinical studies and clinical trials. Current challenges with measuring dystrophin include the variation in protein expression within individual muscle fibers and across whole muscle samples, the presence of preexisting dystrophin-positive revertant fibers, and trace amounts of residual dystrophin. Immunofluorescence quantification of dystrophin can overcome many of these challenges, but manual quantification of protein expression may be complicated by variations in the collection of images, reproducible scoring of fluorescent intensity, and bias introduced by manual scoring of typically only a few high-power fields. This review highlights the pathology of DMD and BMD, discusses animal models of DMD and BMD, and describes dystrophin biomarker quantitation in DMD and BMD, with several image analysis approaches, including a new automated method that evaluates protein expression of individual muscle fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Wilson
- 1 Flagship Biosciences, Inc., Westminster, Colorado, USA
| | - Crystal Faelan
- 1 Flagship Biosciences, Inc., Westminster, Colorado, USA
| | | | | | - Steven A Moore
- 2 Department of Pathology, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Diane Frank
- 3 Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jay Charleston
- 3 Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jon Tinsley
- 4 Summit Therapeutics, Abingdon, United Kingdom
| | - G David Young
- 1 Flagship Biosciences, Inc., Westminster, Colorado, USA
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16
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Abstract
Skeletal muscle performs an essential function in human physiology with defects in genes encoding a variety of cellular components resulting in various types of inherited muscle disorders. Muscular dystrophies (MDs) are a severe and heterogeneous type of human muscle disease, manifested by progressive muscle wasting and degeneration. The disease pathogenesis and therapeutic options for MDs have been investigated for decades using rodent models, and considerable knowledge has been accumulated on the cause and pathogenetic mechanisms of this group of human disorders. However, due to some differences between disease severity and progression, what is learned in mammalian models does not always transfer to humans, prompting the desire for additional and alternative models. More recently, zebrafish have emerged as a novel and robust animal model for the study of human muscle disease. Zebrafish MD models possess a number of distinct advantages for modeling human muscle disorders, including the availability and ease of generating mutations in homologous disease-causing genes, the ability to image living muscle tissue in an intact animal, and the suitability of zebrafish larvae for large-scale chemical screens. In this chapter, we review the current understanding of molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in MDs, the process of myogenesis in zebrafish, and the structural and functional characteristics of zebrafish larval muscles. We further discuss the insights gained from the key zebrafish MD models that have been so far generated, and we summarize the attempts that have been made to screen for small molecules inhibitors of the dystrophic phenotypes using these models. Overall, these studies demonstrate that zebrafish is a useful in vivo system for modeling aspects of human skeletal muscle disorders. Studies using these models have contributed both to the understanding of the pathogenesis of muscle wasting disorders and demonstrated their utility as highly relevant models to implement therapeutic screening regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Li
- Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - K J Hromowyk
- The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - S L Amacher
- The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - P D Currie
- Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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17
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Sztal TE, Ruparelia AA, Williams C, Bryson-Richardson RJ. Using Touch-evoked Response and Locomotion Assays to Assess Muscle Performance and Function in Zebrafish. J Vis Exp 2016. [PMID: 27842370 PMCID: PMC5226210 DOI: 10.3791/54431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish muscle development is highly conserved with mammalian systems making them an excellent model to study muscle function and disease. Many myopathies affecting skeletal muscle function can be quickly and easily assessed in zebrafish over the first few days of embryogenesis. By 24 hr post-fertilization (hpf), wildtype zebrafish spontaneously contract their tail muscles and by 48 hpf, zebrafish exhibit controlled swimming behaviors. Reduction in the frequency of, or other alterations in, these movements may indicate a skeletal muscle dysfunction. To analyze swimming behavior and assess muscle performance in early zebrafish development, we utilize both touch-evoked escape response and locomotion assays. Touch-evoked escape response assays can be used to assess muscle performance during short burst movements resulting from contraction of fast-twitch muscle fibers. In response to an external stimulus, which in this case is a tap on the head, wildtype zebrafish at 2 days post-fertilization (dpf) typically exhibit a powerful burst swim, accompanied by sharp turns. Our method quantifies skeletal muscle function by measuring the maximum acceleration during a burst swimming motion, the acceleration being directly proportional to the force produced by muscle contraction. In contrast, locomotion assays during early zebrafish larval development are used to assess muscle performance during sustained periods of muscle activity. Using a tracking system to monitor swimming behavior, we obtain an automated calculation of the frequency of activity and distance in 6-day old zebrafish, reflective of their skeletal muscle function. Measurements of swimming performance are valuable for phenotypic assessment of disease models and high-throughput screening of mutations or chemical treatments affecting skeletal muscle function.
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18
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Experimental approaches to studying the nature and impact of splicing variation in zebrafish. Methods Cell Biol 2016; 135:259-88. [PMID: 27443930 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2016.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
From a fixed number of genes carried in all cells, organisms create considerable diversity in cellular phenotype through differential regulation of gene expression. One prevalent source of transcriptome diversity is alternative pre-mRNA splicing, which is manifested in many different forms. Zebrafish models of splicing dysfunction due to mutated spliceosome components provide opportunity to link biochemical analyses of spliceosome structure and function with whole organism phenotypic outcomes. Drawing from experience with two zebrafish mutants: cephalophŏnus (a prpf8 mutant, isolated for defects in granulopoiesis) and caliban (a rnpc3 mutant, isolated for defects in digestive organ development), we describe the use of glycerol gradient sedimentation and native gel electrophoresis to resolve components of aberrant splicing complexes. We also describe how RNAseq can be employed to examine relatively rare alternative splicing events including intron retention. Such experimental approaches in zebrafish can promote understanding of how splicing variation and dysfunction contribute to phenotypic diversity and disease pathogenesis.
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19
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Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive, fatal, X-linked disease caused by a failure to accumulate the cytoskeletal protein dystrophin. This disease has been studied using a variety of animal models including fish, mice, rats, and dogs. While these models have contributed substantially to our mechanistic understanding of the disease and disease progression, limitations inherent to each model have slowed the clinical advancement of therapies, which necessitates the development of novel large-animal models. Several porcine dystrophin-deficient models have been identified, although disease severity may be so severe as to limit their potential contributions to the field. We have recently identified and completed the initial characterization of a natural porcine model of dystrophin insufficiency. Muscles from these animals display characteristic focal necrosis concomitant with decreased abundance and localization of dystrophin-glycoprotein complex components. These pigs recapitulate many of the cardinal features of muscular dystrophy, have elevated serum creatine kinase activity, and preliminarily appear to display altered locomotion. They also suffer from sudden death preceded by EKG abnormalities. Pig dystrophinopathy models could allow refinement of dosing strategies in human-sized animals in preparation for clinical trials. From an animal handling perspective, these pigs can generally be treated normally, with the understanding that acute stress can lead to sudden death. In summary, the ability to create genetically modified pig models and the serendipitous discovery of genetic disease in the swine industry has resulted in the emergence of new animal tools to facilitate the critical objective of improving the quality and length of life for boys afflicted with such a devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T Selsby
- Joshua T. Selsby, PhD, and Jason W. Ross, PhD are associate professors of Animal Science at Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011. Dan Nonneman, PhD, is a research molecular biologist at the USDA, ARS, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE 68933. Katrin Hollinger, PhD, was a graduate student in Genetics at Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
| | - Jason W Ross
- Joshua T. Selsby, PhD, and Jason W. Ross, PhD are associate professors of Animal Science at Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011. Dan Nonneman, PhD, is a research molecular biologist at the USDA, ARS, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE 68933. Katrin Hollinger, PhD, was a graduate student in Genetics at Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
| | - Dan Nonneman
- Joshua T. Selsby, PhD, and Jason W. Ross, PhD are associate professors of Animal Science at Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011. Dan Nonneman, PhD, is a research molecular biologist at the USDA, ARS, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE 68933. Katrin Hollinger, PhD, was a graduate student in Genetics at Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
| | - Katrin Hollinger
- Joshua T. Selsby, PhD, and Jason W. Ross, PhD are associate professors of Animal Science at Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011. Dan Nonneman, PhD, is a research molecular biologist at the USDA, ARS, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE 68933. Katrin Hollinger, PhD, was a graduate student in Genetics at Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
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20
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Bajanca F, Gonzalez-Perez V, Gillespie SJ, Beley C, Garcia L, Theveneau E, Sear RP, Hughes SM. In vivo dynamics of skeletal muscle Dystrophin in zebrafish embryos revealed by improved FRAP analysis. eLife 2015; 4. [PMID: 26459831 PMCID: PMC4601390 DOI: 10.7554/elife.06541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Dystrophin forms an essential link between sarcolemma and cytoskeleton, perturbation of which causes muscular dystrophy. We analysed Dystrophin binding dynamics in vivo for the first time. Within maturing fibres of host zebrafish embryos, our analysis reveals a pool of diffusible Dystrophin and complexes bound at the fibre membrane. Combining modelling, an improved FRAP methodology and direct semi-quantitative analysis of bleaching suggests the existence of two membrane-bound Dystrophin populations with widely differing bound lifetimes: a stable, tightly bound pool, and a dynamic bound pool with high turnover rate that exchanges with the cytoplasmic pool. The three populations were found consistently in human and zebrafish Dystrophins overexpressed in wild-type or dmd(ta222a/ta222a) zebrafish embryos, which lack Dystrophin, and in Gt(dmd-Citrine)(ct90a) that express endogenously-driven tagged zebrafish Dystrophin. These results lead to a new model for Dystrophin membrane association in developing muscle, and highlight our methodology as a valuable strategy for in vivo analysis of complex protein dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Bajanca
- Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,CNRS and Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Sean J Gillespie
- Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Cyriaque Beley
- Université Versailles Saint-Quentin, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France.,Laboratoire International Associé-Biologie appliquée aux handicaps neuromusculaires, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, Monaco
| | - Luis Garcia
- Université Versailles Saint-Quentin, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France.,Laboratoire International Associé-Biologie appliquée aux handicaps neuromusculaires, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, Monaco
| | | | - Richard P Sear
- Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Simon M Hughes
- Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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21
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Ruf-Zamojski F, Trivedi V, Fraser SE, Trinh LA. Spatio-Temporal Differences in Dystrophin Dynamics at mRNA and Protein Levels Revealed by a Novel FlipTrap Line. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128944. [PMID: 26083378 PMCID: PMC4471274 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dystrophin (Dmd) is a structural protein that links the extracellular matrix to actin filaments in muscle fibers and is required for the maintenance of muscles integrity. Mutations in Dmd lead to muscular dystrophies in humans and other vertebrates. Here, we report the characterization of a zebrafish gene trap line that fluorescently labels the endogenous Dmd protein (Dmd-citrine, Gt(dmd-citrine) ct90a). We show that the Dmd-citrine line recapitulates endogenous dmd transcript expression and Dmd protein localization. Using this Dmd-citrine line, we follow Dmd localization to the myosepta in real-time using time-lapse microscopy, and find that the accumulation of Dmd protein at the transverse myosepta coincides with the onset of myotome formation, a critical stage in muscle maturation. We observed that Dmd protein localizes specifically to the myosepta prior to dmd mRNA localization. Additionally, we demonstrate that the Dmd-citrine line can be used to assess muscular dystrophy following both genetic and physical disruptions of the muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederique Ruf-Zamojski
- California Institute of Technology, Biological Imaging Center, Beckman Institute, Division of Biology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States of America
| | - Vikas Trivedi
- California Institute of Technology, Department of Bioengineering, Pasadena, California 91125, United States of America
| | - Scott E. Fraser
- California Institute of Technology, Biological Imaging Center, Beckman Institute, Division of Biology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States of America
| | - Le A. Trinh
- California Institute of Technology, Biological Imaging Center, Beckman Institute, Division of Biology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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22
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Plantié E, Migocka-Patrzałek M, Daczewska M, Jagla K. Model organisms in the fight against muscular dystrophy: lessons from drosophila and Zebrafish. Molecules 2015; 20:6237-53. [PMID: 25859781 PMCID: PMC6272363 DOI: 10.3390/molecules20046237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Revised: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Muscular dystrophies (MD) are a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders that cause muscle weakness, abnormal contractions and muscle wasting, often leading to premature death. More than 30 types of MD have been described so far; those most thoroughly studied are Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and congenital MDs. Structurally, physiologically and biochemically, MDs affect different types of muscles and cause individual symptoms such that genetic and molecular pathways underlying their pathogenesis thus remain poorly understood. To improve our knowledge of how MD-caused muscle defects arise and to find efficacious therapeutic treatments, different animal models have been generated and applied. Among these, simple non-mammalian Drosophila and zebrafish models have proved most useful. This review discusses how zebrafish and Drosophila MD have helped to identify genetic determinants of MDs and design innovative therapeutic strategies with a special focus on DMD, DM1 and congenital MDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Plantié
- GReD (Genetics, Reproduction and Development laboratory), INSERM U1103, CNRS UMR6293, University of Clermont-Ferrand, 28 place Henri-Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; E-Mail:
| | - Marta Migocka-Patrzałek
- Department of Animal Developmental Biology, Institute of Experimental Biology, University of Wroclaw, 21 Sienkiewicza Street, 50-335 Wroclaw, Poland; E-Mails: (M.M.-P.); (M.D.)
| | - Małgorzata Daczewska
- Department of Animal Developmental Biology, Institute of Experimental Biology, University of Wroclaw, 21 Sienkiewicza Street, 50-335 Wroclaw, Poland; E-Mails: (M.M.-P.); (M.D.)
| | - Krzysztof Jagla
- GReD (Genetics, Reproduction and Development laboratory), INSERM U1103, CNRS UMR6293, University of Clermont-Ferrand, 28 place Henri-Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; E-Mail:
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23
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Berger J, Tarakci H, Berger S, Li M, Hall TE, Arner A, Currie PD. Loss of Tropomodulin4 in the zebrafish mutant träge causes cytoplasmic rod formation and muscle weakness reminiscent of nemaline myopathy. Dis Model Mech 2014; 7:1407-15. [PMID: 25288681 PMCID: PMC4257009 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.017376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Nemaline myopathy is an inherited muscle disease that is mainly diagnosed by the presence of nemaline rods in muscle biopsies. Of the nine genes associated with the disease, five encode components of striated muscle sarcomeres. In a genetic zebrafish screen, the mutant träge (trg) was isolated based on its reduction in muscle birefringence, indicating muscle damage. Myofibres in trg appeared disorganised and showed inhomogeneous cytoplasmic eosin staining alongside malformed nuclei. Linkage analysis of trg combined with sequencing identified a nonsense mutation in tropomodulin4 (tmod4), a regulator of thin filament length and stability. Accordingly, although actin monomers polymerize to form thin filaments in the skeletal muscle of tmod4trg mutants, thin filaments often appeared to be dispersed throughout myofibres. Organised myofibrils with the typical striation rarely assemble, leading to severe muscle weakness, impaired locomotion and early death. Myofibrils of tmod4trg mutants often featured thin filaments of various lengths, widened Z-disks, undefined H-zones and electron-dense aggregations of various shapes and sizes. Importantly, Gomori trichrome staining and the lattice pattern of the detected cytoplasmic rods, together with the reactivity of rods with phalloidin and an antibody against actinin, is reminiscent of nemaline rods found in nemaline myopathy, suggesting that misregulation of thin filament length causes cytoplasmic rod formation in tmod4trg mutants. Although Tropomodulin4 has not been associated with myopathy, the results presented here implicateTMOD4 as a novel candidate for unresolved nemaline myopathies and suggest that the tmod4trg mutant will be a valuable tool to study human muscle disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Berger
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Hakan Tarakci
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Silke Berger
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Mei Li
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, SE 17177, Sweden
| | - Thomas E Hall
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Anders Arner
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, SE 17177, Sweden
| | - Peter D Currie
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
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24
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Newman M, Ebrahimie E, Lardelli M. Using the zebrafish model for Alzheimer's disease research. Front Genet 2014; 5:189. [PMID: 25071820 PMCID: PMC4075077 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2014.00189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 06/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodent models have been extensively used to investigate the cause and mechanisms behind Alzheimer’s disease. Despite many years of intensive research using these models we still lack a detailed understanding of the molecular events that lead to neurodegeneration. Although zebrafish lack the complexity of advanced cognitive behaviors evident in rodent models they have proven to be a very informative model for the study of human diseases. In this review we give an overview of how the zebrafish has been used to study Alzheimer’s disease. Zebrafish possess genes orthologous to those mutated in familial Alzheimer’s disease and research using zebrafish has revealed unique characteristics of these genes that have been difficult to observe in rodent models. The zebrafish is becoming an increasingly popular model for the investigation of Alzheimer’s disease and will complement studies using other models to help complete our understanding of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Newman
- School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide SA, Australia
| | - Esmaeil Ebrahimie
- School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide SA, Australia
| | - Michael Lardelli
- School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide SA, Australia
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25
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Maves L. Recent advances using zebrafish animal models for muscle disease drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2014; 9:1033-45. [PMID: 24931439 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2014.927435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Animal models have enabled great progress in the discovery and understanding of pharmacological approaches for treating muscle diseases like Duchenne muscular dystrophy. AREAS COVERED With this article, the author provides the reader with a description of the zebrafish animal model, which has been employed to identify and study pharmacological approaches to muscle disease. In particular, the author focuses on how both large-scale chemical screens and targeted drug treatment studies have established zebrafish as an important model for muscle disease drug discovery. EXPERT OPINION There are a number of opportunities arising for the use of zebrafish models for further developing pharmacological approaches to muscle diseases, including studying drug combination therapies and utilizing genome editing to engineer zebrafish muscle disease models. It is the author's particular belief that the availability of a wide range of zebrafish transgenic strains for labeling immune cell types, combined with live imaging and drug treatment of muscle disease models, should allow for new elegant studies demonstrating how pharmacological approaches might influence inflammation and the immune response in muscle disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Maves
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Cardiology , Seattle, WA , USA
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26
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Johnson NM, Farr GH, Maves L. The HDAC Inhibitor TSA Ameliorates a Zebrafish Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. PLOS CURRENTS 2013; 5. [PMID: 24459606 PMCID: PMC3870918 DOI: 10.1371/currents.md.8273cf41db10e2d15dd3ab827cb4b027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Zebrafish are an excellent model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In particular, zebrafish provide a system for rapid, easy, and low-cost screening of small molecules that can ameliorate muscle damage in dystrophic larvae. Here we identify an optimal anti-sense morpholino cocktail that robustly knocks down zebrafish Dystrophin (<i>dmd</i>-MO). We use two approaches, muscle birefringence and muscle actin expression, to quantify muscle damage and show that the <i>dmd</i>-MO dystrophic phenotype closely resembles the zebrafish <i>dmd</i> mutant phenotype. We then show that the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor TSA, which has been shown to ameliorate the <i>mdx</i> mouse Duchenne model, can rescue muscle fiber damage in both <i>dmd</i>-MO and <i>dmd</i> mutant larvae. Our study identifies optimal morpholino and phenotypic scoring approaches for dystrophic zebrafish, further enhancing the zebrafish <i>dmd</i> model for rapid and cost-effective small molecule screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan M Johnson
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Gist H Farr
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Lisa Maves
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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27
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Gibbs EM, Horstick EJ, Dowling JJ. Swimming into prominence: the zebrafish as a valuable tool for studying human myopathies and muscular dystrophies. FEBS J 2013; 280:4187-97. [PMID: 23809187 DOI: 10.1111/febs.12412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2013] [Revised: 06/07/2013] [Accepted: 06/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A new and exciting phase of muscle disease research has recently been entered. The application of next generation sequencing technology has spurred an unprecedented era of gene discovery for both myopathies and muscular dystrophies. Gene-based therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy have entered clinical trial, and several pathway-based therapies are doing so as well for a handful of muscle diseases. While many factors have aided the extraordinary developments in gene discovery and therapy development, the zebrafish model system has emerged as a vital tool in these advancements. In this review, we will highlight how the zebrafish has greatly aided in the identification of new muscle disease genes and in the recognition of novel therapeutic strategies. We will start with a general introduction to the zebrafish as a model, discuss the ways in which muscle disease can be modeled and analyzed in the fish, and conclude with observations from recent studies that highlight the power of the fish as a research tool for muscle disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Gibbs
- Departments of Neuroscience, Neurology and Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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28
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Sloboda DD, Claflin DR, Dowling JJ, Brooks SV. Force measurement during contraction to assess muscle function in zebrafish larvae. J Vis Exp 2013. [PMID: 23912162 PMCID: PMC3846141 DOI: 10.3791/50539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish larvae provide models of muscle development, muscle disease and muscle-related chemical toxicity, but related studies often lack functional measures of muscle health. In this video article, we demonstrate a method to measure force generation during contraction of zebrafish larval trunk muscle. Force measurements are accomplished by placing an anesthetized larva into a chamber filled with a salt solution. The anterior end of the larva is tied to a force transducer and the posterior end of the larva is tied to a length controller. An isometric twitch contraction is elicited by electric field stimulation and the force response is recorded for analysis. Force generation during contraction provides a measure of overall muscle health and specifically provides a measure of muscle function. Although we describe this technique for use with wild-type larvae, this method can be used with genetically modified larvae or with larvae treated with drugs or toxicants, to characterize muscle disease models and evaluate treatments, or to study muscle development, injury, or chemical toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darcée D Sloboda
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Michigan, USA
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29
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Giacomotto J, Brouilly N, Walter L, Mariol MC, Berger J, Ségalat L, Becker TS, Currie PD, Gieseler K. Chemical genetics unveils a key role of mitochondrial dynamics, cytochrome c release and IP3R activity in muscular dystrophy. Hum Mol Genet 2013; 22:4562-78. [PMID: 23804750 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddt302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a neuromuscular disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. The subcellular mechanisms of DMD remain poorly understood and there is currently no curative treatment available. Using a Caenorhabditis elegans model for DMD as a pharmacologic and genetic tool, we found that cyclosporine A (CsA) reduces muscle degeneration at low dose and acts, at least in part, through a mitochondrial cyclophilin D, CYN-1. We thus hypothesized that CsA acts on mitochondrial permeability modulation through cyclophilin D inhibition. Mitochondrial patterns and dynamics were analyzed, which revealed dramatic mitochondrial fragmentation not only in dystrophic nematodes, but also in a zebrafish model for DMD. This abnormal mitochondrial fragmentation occurs before any obvious sign of degeneration can be detected. Moreover, we demonstrate that blocking/delaying mitochondrial fragmentation by knocking down the fission-promoting gene drp-1 reduces muscle degeneration and improves locomotion abilities of dystrophic nematodes. Further experiments revealed that cytochrome c is involved in muscle degeneration in C. elegans and seems to act, at least in part, through an interaction with the inositol trisphosphate receptor calcium channel, ITR-1. Altogether, our findings reveal that mitochondria play a key role in the early process of muscle degeneration and may be a target of choice for the design of novel therapeutics for DMD. In addition, our results provide the first indication in the nematode that (i) mitochondrial permeability transition can occur and (ii) cytochrome c can act in cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Giacomotto
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
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30
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Berger J, Currie PD. Zebrafish models flex their muscles to shed light on muscular dystrophies. Dis Model Mech 2013; 5:726-32. [PMID: 23115202 PMCID: PMC3484855 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.010082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Muscular dystrophies are a group of genetic disorders that specifically affect skeletal muscle and are characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakening. To develop therapies and treatments for these diseases, a better understanding of the molecular basis of muscular dystrophies is required. Thus, identification of causative genes mutated in specific disorders and the study of relevant animal models are imperative. Zebrafish genetic models of human muscle disorders often closely resemble disease pathogenesis, and the optical clarity of zebrafish embryos and larvae enables visualization of dynamic molecular processes in vivo. As an adjunct tool, morpholino studies provide insight into the molecular function of genes and allow rapid assessment of candidate genes for human muscular dystrophies. This unique set of attributes makes the zebrafish model system particularly valuable for the study of muscle diseases. This review discusses how recent research using zebrafish has shed light on the pathological basis of muscular dystrophies, with particular focus on the muscle cell membrane and the linkage between the myofibre cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Berger
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, EMBL Australia, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
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31
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Berger J, Sztal T, Currie PD. Quantification of birefringence readily measures the level of muscle damage in zebrafish. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2012; 423:785-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2012.06.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2012] [Accepted: 06/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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32
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Winder SJ, Lipscomb L, Angela Parkin C, Juusola M. The proteasomal inhibitor MG132 prevents muscular dystrophy in zebrafish. PLOS CURRENTS 2011; 3:RRN1286. [PMID: 22130468 PMCID: PMC3219425 DOI: 10.1371/currents.rrn1286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/17/2011] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Using sapje zebrafish which lack dystrophin, we have assessed both the quantitation of muscle damage in dystrophic fish, and the efficacy of the proteasomal inhibitor MG132 in reducing the dystrophic symptoms. Fourier analysis of birefringence patterns in normal and dystrophic fish was found to be a simple and reliable quantitative measure of muscle damage. MG132, as in mdx mouse, was found to be effective in reducing muscle damage with an EC50 of 0.4µM. This study adds further to the utility of zebrafish as a model of choice for testing muscular dystrophy therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve J Winder
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield and Centre for Developmental and Biomedical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield
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