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Idowu OK, Oremosu AA, Dosumu OO, Mohammed AA. Ribose-cysteine and levodopa abrogate Parkinsonism via the regulation of neurochemical and redox activities in alpha-synuclein transgenic Drosophila melanogaster models. Fly (Austin) 2024; 18:2306687. [PMID: 38286464 PMCID: PMC10826630 DOI: 10.1080/19336934.2024.2306687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD), the most prevalent type of parkinsonism, is a progressive neurodegenerative condition marked by several non-motor and motor symptoms. PD is thought to have a complex aetiology that includes a combination of age, genetic predisposition, and environmental factors. Increased expression of α-synuclein (α-Syn) protein is central to the evolvement of neuropathology in this devastating disorder, but the potential of ribose-cysteine and levodopa in abating pathophysiologic changes in PD model is unknown. Crosses were set up between flies conditionally expressing a pathological variant of human α-Syn (UAS-α-Syn) and those expressing GAL4 in neurons (elav-GAL4) to generate offspring referred to as PD flies. Flies were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 40) from the total population of flies, with each group having five replicates. Groups of PD flies were treated with either 500 mg/kg ribose-cysteine diet, 250 mg/kg levodopa diet, or a combination of the two compounds for 21 days, whereas the control group (w1118) and the PD group were exposed to a diet without ribose-cysteine or levodopa. In addition to various biochemical and neurochemical assays, longevity, larval motility, and gravitaxis assays were carried out. Locomotive capability, lifespan, fecundity, antioxidant state, and neurotransmitter systems were all significantly (p < 0.05) compromised by overexpression of α-Syn. However, flies treated both ribose cysteine and levodopa showed an overall marked improvement in motor functions, lifespan, fecundity, antioxidant status, and neurotransmitter system functions. In conclusion, ribose-cysteine and levodopa, both singly and in combination, potentiated a therapeutic effect on alpha-synuclein transgenic Drosophila melanogaster models of Parkinsonism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olumayowa K. Idowu
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
- Department of Anatomy, College of Health Sciences, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria
| | - Ademola A. Oremosu
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Olufunke O. Dosumu
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Abdullahi A. Mohammed
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Rwanda
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Wang R, Wang B, Chen A. Application of machine learning in the study of development, behavior, nerve, and genotoxicity of zebrafish. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 358:124473. [PMID: 38945191 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Machine learning (ML) as a novel model-based approach has been used in studying aquatic toxicology in the environmental field. Zebrafish, as an ideal model organism in aquatic toxicology research, has been widely used to study the toxic effects of various pollutants. However, toxicity testing on organisms may cause significant harm, consume considerable time and resources, and raise ethical concerns. Therefore, ML is used in related research to reduce animal experiments and assist researchers in conducting toxicological research. Although ML techniques have matured in various fields, research on ML-based aquatic toxicology is still in its infancy due to the lack of comprehensive large-scale toxicity databases for environmental pollutants and model organisms. Therefore, to better understand the recent research progress of ML in studying the development, behavior, nerve, and genotoxicity of zebrafish, this review mainly focuses on using ML modeling to assess and predict the toxic effects of zebrafish exposure to different toxic chemicals. Meanwhile, the opportunities and challenges faced by ML in the field of toxicology were analyzed. Finally, suggestions and perspectives were proposed for the toxicity studies of ML on zebrafish in future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, (Guizhou University), Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, China
| | - Bing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, (Guizhou University), Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, China; College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, China.
| | - Anying Chen
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, China
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3
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Tsintzas E, Niccoli T. Using Drosophila amyloid toxicity models to study Alzheimer's disease. Ann Hum Genet 2024; 88:349-363. [PMID: 38517001 DOI: 10.1111/ahg.12554] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia and is characterised by a progressive loss of neurons, which manifests as gradual memory decline, followed by cognitive loss. Despite the significant progress in identifying novel biomarkers and understanding the prodromal pathology and symptomatology, AD remains a significant unmet clinical need. Lecanemab and aducanumab, the only Food and Drug Administration approved drugs to exhibit some disease-modifying clinical efficacy, target Aβ amyloid, underscoring the importance of this protein in disease aetiology. Nevertheless, in the absence of a definitive cure, the utilisation of preclinical models remains imperative for the identification of novel therapeutic targets and the evaluation of potential therapeutic agents. Drosophila melanogaster is a model system that can be used as a research tool to investigate neurodegeneration and therapeutic interventions. The short lifespan, low price and ease of husbandry/rearing make Drosophila an advantageous model organism from a practical perspective. However, it is the highly conserved genome and similarity of Drosophila and human neurobiology which make flies a powerful tool to investigate neurodegenerative mechanisms. In addition, the ease of transgenic modifications allows for early proof of principle studies for future therapeutic approaches in neurodegenerative research. This mini review will specifically focus on utilising Drosophila as an in vivo model of amyloid toxicity in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elli Tsintzas
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing, University College London, London, UK
| | - Teresa Niccoli
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing, University College London, London, UK
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4
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Murthy S, Nongthomba U. Role of the BCL11A/B Homologue Chronophage (Cph) in Locomotor Behaviour of Drosophila melanogaster. Neuroscience 2024; 551:1-16. [PMID: 38763224 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Functioning of the nervous system requires proper formation and specification of neurons as well as accurate connectivity and signalling between them. Locomotor behaviour depends upon these events that occur during neural development, and any aberration in them could result in motor disorders. Transcription factors are believed to be master regulators that control these processes, but very few linked to behaviour have been identified so far. The Drosophila homologue of BCL11A (CTIP1) and BCL11B (CTIP2), Chronophage (Cph), was recently shown to be involved in temporal patterning of neural stem cells but its role in post-mitotic neurons is not known. We show that knockdown of Cph in neurons during development results in animals with locomotor defects at both larval and adult stages. The defects are more severe in adults, with inability to stand, uncoordinated behaviour and complete loss of ability to walk, climb, or fly. These defects are similar to the motor difficulties observed in some patients with mutations in BCL11A and BCL11B. Electrophysiological recordings showed reduced evoked activity and irregular neuronal firing. All Cph-expressing neurons in the ventral nerve cord are glutamatergic. Our results imply that Cph modulates primary locomotor activity through configuration of glutamatergic neurons. Thus, this study ascribes a hitherto unknown role to Cph in locomotor behaviour of Drosophila melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smrithi Murthy
- Department of Developmental Biology and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560 012, India.
| | - Upendra Nongthomba
- Department of Developmental Biology and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560 012, India.
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Afsheen S, Rehman AS, Jamal A, Khan N, Parvez S. Understanding role of pesticides in development of Parkinson's disease: Insights from Drosophila and rodent models. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 98:102340. [PMID: 38759892 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative illness linked to ageing, marked by the gradual decline of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. The exact aetiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) remains uncertain, with genetic predisposition and environmental variables playing significant roles in the disease's frequency. Epidemiological data indicates a possible connection between pesticide exposure and brain degeneration. Specific pesticides have been associated with important characteristics of Parkinson's disease, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and α-synuclein aggregation, which are crucial for the advancement of the disease. Recently, many animal models have been developed for Parkinson's disease study. Although these models do not perfectly replicate the disease's pathology, they provide valuable insights that improve our understanding of the condition and the limitations of current treatment methods. Drosophila, in particular, has been useful in studying Parkinson's disease induced by toxins or genetic factors. The review thoroughly analyses many animal models utilised in Parkinson's research, with an emphasis on issues including pesticides, genetic and epigenetic changes, proteasome failure, oxidative damage, α-synuclein inoculation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. The text highlights the important impact of pesticides on the onset of Parkinson's disease (PD) and stresses the need for more research on genetic and mechanistic alterations linked to the condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saba Afsheen
- Department of Toxicology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India
| | - Ahmed Shaney Rehman
- Department of Toxicology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India
| | - Azfar Jamal
- Department of Biology, College of Science Al-Zulfi, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia; Health and Basic Science Research Centre, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nazia Khan
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
| | - Suhel Parvez
- Department of Toxicology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India.
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Rieder GS, Duarte T, Delgado CP, Rodighiero A, Nogara PA, Orian L, Aschner M, Dalla Corte CL, Da Rocha JBT. Interplay between diphenyl diselenide and copper: Impact on D. melanogaster survival, behavior, and biochemical parameters. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2024; 281:109899. [PMID: 38518983 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2024.109899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Copper (Cu2+) is a biologically essential element that participates in numerous physiological processes. However, elevated concentrations of copper have been associated with cellular oxidative stress and neurodegenerative diseases. Organo‑selenium compounds such as diphenyl diselenide (DPDS) have in vitro and in vivo antioxidant properties. Hence, we hypothesized that DPDS may modulate the toxicity of Cu2+ in Drosophila melanogaster. The acute effects (4 days of exposure) caused by a high concentration of Cu2+ (3 mM) were studied using endpoints of toxicity such as survival and behavior in D. melanogaster. The potential protective effect of low concentration of DPDS (20 μM) against Cu2+ was also investigated. Adult flies aged 1-5 days post-eclosion (both sexes) were divided into four groups: Control, DPDS (20 μM), CuSO4 (3 mM), and the combined exposure of DPDS (20 μM) and CuSO4 (3 mM). Survival, biochemical, and behavioral parameters were determined. Co-exposure of DPDS and CuSO4 increased acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS as determined by DFCH oxidation). Contrary to our expectation, the co-exposure reduced survival, body weight, locomotion, catalase activity, and cell viability in relation to control group. Taken together, DPDS potentiated the Cu2+ toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- G S Rieder
- Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil. https://twitter.com/RiederSchmitt
| | - T Duarte
- Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil. https://twitter.com/tttamie
| | - C P Delgado
- Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil. https://twitter.com/cassiapdelgado
| | - A Rodighiero
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - P A Nogara
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Sul-rio-grandense (IFSul), Av. Leonel de Moura Brizola, 2501, 96418-400 Bagé, RS, Brazil. https://twitter.com/nogara_pablo
| | - L Orian
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy. https://twitter.com/_LauraOrian
| | - M Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - C L Dalla Corte
- Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - J B T Da Rocha
- Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Basic Health Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90035-003, Brazil.
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7
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Chan ICW, Chen N, Hernandez J, Meltzer H, Park A, Stahl A. Future avenues in Drosophila mushroom body research. Learn Mem 2024; 31:a053863. [PMID: 38862172 PMCID: PMC11199946 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053863.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
How does the brain translate sensory information into complex behaviors? With relatively small neuronal numbers, readable behavioral outputs, and an unparalleled genetic toolkit, the Drosophila mushroom body (MB) offers an excellent model to address this question in the context of associative learning and memory. Recent technological breakthroughs, such as the freshly completed full-brain connectome, multiomics approaches, CRISPR-mediated gene editing, and machine learning techniques, led to major advancements in our understanding of the MB circuit at the molecular, structural, physiological, and functional levels. Despite significant progress in individual MB areas, the field still faces the fundamental challenge of resolving how these different levels combine and interact to ultimately control the behavior of an individual fly. In this review, we discuss various aspects of MB research, with a focus on the current knowledge gaps, and an outlook on the future methodological developments required to reach an overall view of the neurobiological basis of learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivy Chi Wai Chan
- Dynamics of Neuronal Circuits Group, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- Department of Developmental Biology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Nannan Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - John Hernandez
- Neuroscience Department, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02906, USA
| | - Hagar Meltzer
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Annie Park
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Aaron Stahl
- Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
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Shan Z, Li S, Gao Y, Jian C, Ti X, Zuo H, Wang Y, Zhao G, Wang Y, Zhang Q. mtDNA extramitochondrial replication mediates mitochondrial defect effects. iScience 2024; 27:108970. [PMID: 38322987 PMCID: PMC10844862 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
A high ratio of severe mitochondrial defects causes multiple human mitochondrial diseases. However, until now, the in vivo rescue signal of such mitochondrial defect effects has not been clear. Here, we built fly mitochondrial defect models by knocking down the essential mitochondrial genes dMterf4 and dMrps23. Following genome-wide RNAi screens, we found that knockdown of Med8/Tfb4/mtSSB/PolG2/mtDNA-helicase rescued dMterf4/dMrps23 RNAi-mediated mitochondrial defect effects. Extremely surprisingly, they drove mtDNA replication outside mitochondria through the Med8/Tfb4-mtSSB/PolG2/mtDNA-helicase axis to amplify cytosolic mtDNA, leading to activation of the cGAS-Sting-like IMD pathway to partially mediate dMterf4/dMrps23 RNAi-triggered effects. Moreover, we found that the Med8/Tfb4-mtSSB/PolG2/mtDNA-helicase axis also mediated other fly mitochondrial gene defect-triggered dysfunctions and Drosophila aging. Overall, our study demarcates the Med8/Tfb4-mtSSB/PolG2/mtDNA-helicase axis as a candidate mechanism to mediate mitochondrial defect effects through driving mtDNA extramitochondrial replication; dysfunction of this axis might be used for potential treatments for many mitochondrial and age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoliang Shan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Model Animal Research Center, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Shengnan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Model Animal Research Center, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Yuxue Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Model Animal Research Center, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Chunhua Jian
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Model Animal Research Center, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Xiuxiu Ti
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Model Animal Research Center, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Hui Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Model Animal Research Center, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Ying Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Model Animal Research Center, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Guochun Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Model Animal Research Center, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Model Animal Research Center, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
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Ismael S, Colvin RA, Lee D. Activation of cyclic AMP signaling pathway in dopaminergic neurons rescues locomotion defects in a Drosophila larval model of Parkinson's disease. Brain Res 2024; 1822:148641. [PMID: 37866407 PMCID: PMC10842101 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease showing uncontrollable motor symptoms that are primarily caused by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain. Currently no treatment exists to prevent PD progression. Therefore, discovery of new neuroprotective strategies still has great potential to benefit PD patients. A handful of studies show that activation of cAMP pathways is neuroprotective against PD progression. However, the neuroprotective role of this signaling cascade specifically in DA neurons has not been explored. In this study, fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster was used because of its sophisticated and powerful genetic approaches, especially with related to cAMP signaling pathway. We have investigated molecular mechanisms of neuroprotection in a fly larval model of PD by administering an environmental PD toxin rotenone. Increased cAMP signaling in the dunce mutant fly carrying defects in phosphodiesterase (PDE) gene, is neuroprotective against rotenone-induced locomotion deficits. Furthermore, the neuroprotective role of cAMP signaling specifically in DA neurons has been studied as it has not been explored. By using transgenic flies expressing designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs), we have shown that an increase of cAMP levels in DA neurons rescues rotenone-induced locomotion deficits. We also showed that this neuroprotection is mediated by activation of Gαs and PKA-C1 subunits. The results provide novel findings that expand our knowledge of neuroprotective mechanisms in DA neurons affecting PD progression, which could contribute to the development of new therapeutic treatments against PD. An important future study will explore downstream targets of cAMP-PKA signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sazan Ismael
- Neuroscience Program, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA; Dept. of Biology, Faculty of Science and Health, Koya University, Koya KOY45, Kurdistan Region-F.R., Iraq
| | - Robert A Colvin
- Neuroscience Program, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
| | - Daewoo Lee
- Neuroscience Program, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA.
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10
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Stickley L, Koch R, Nagoshi E. The utility and caveat of split-GAL4s in the study of neurodegeneration. Fly (Austin) 2023; 17:2192847. [PMID: 36959085 PMCID: PMC10038051 DOI: 10.1080/19336934.2023.2192847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, afflicting over 1% of the population of age 60 y and above. The loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) is the primary cause of its characteristic motor symptoms. Studies using Drosophila melanogaster and other model systems have provided much insight into the pathogenesis of PD. However, little is known why certain cell types are selectively susceptible to degeneration in PD. Here, we describe an approach to identify vulnerable subpopulations of neurons in the genetic background linked to PD in Drosophila, using the split-GAL4 drivers that enable genetic manipulation of a small number of defined cell populations. We identify split-GAL4 lines that target neurons selectively vulnerable in a model of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2)-linked familial PD, demonstrating the utility of this approach. We also show an unexpected caveat of the split-GAL4 system in ageing-related research: an age-dependent increase in the number of GAL4-labelled cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Stickley
- Department of Genetics and Evolution and Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Rafael Koch
- Department of Genetics and Evolution and Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Emi Nagoshi
- Department of Genetics and Evolution and Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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Zhang XW, Zhu XX, Tang DS, Lu JH. Targeting autophagy in Alzheimer's disease: Animal models and mechanisms. Zool Res 2023; 44:1132-1145. [PMID: 37963840 PMCID: PMC10802106 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2023.294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related progressive neurodegenerative disorder that leads to cognitive impairment and memory loss. Emerging evidence suggests that autophagy plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AD through the regulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau metabolism, and that autophagy dysfunction exacerbates amyloidosis and tau pathology. Therefore, targeting autophagy may be an effective approach for the treatment of AD. Animal models are considered useful tools for investigating the pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of diseases. This review aims to summarize the pathological alterations in autophagy in representative AD animal models and to present recent studies on newly discovered autophagy-stimulating interventions in animal AD models. Finally, the opportunities, difficulties, and future directions of autophagy targeting in AD therapy are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Wen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao 99078, China
| | - Xiang-Xing Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Molecular Design and Precise Breeding, Gene Editing Technology Center of Guangdong Province, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528225, China
| | - Dong-Sheng Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Molecular Design and Precise Breeding, Gene Editing Technology Center of Guangdong Province, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528225, China. E-mail:
| | - Jia-Hong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao 99078, China. E-mail:
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12
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Torre M, Bukhari H, Nithianandam V, Zanella CA, Mata DA, Feany MB. A Drosophila model relevant to chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19290. [PMID: 37935827 PMCID: PMC10630312 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46616-9] [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: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common adverse effect of treatment and is characterized by deficits involving multiple cognitive domains including memory. Despite the significant morbidity of CRCI and the expected increase in cancer survivors over the coming decades, the pathophysiology of CRCI remains incompletely understood, highlighting the need for new model systems to study CRCI. Given the powerful array of genetic approaches and facile high throughput screening ability in Drosophila, our goal was to validate a Drosophila model relevant to CRCI. We administered the chemotherapeutic agents cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin to adult Drosophila. Neurologic deficits were observed with all tested chemotherapies, with doxorubicin and in particular cisplatin also resulting in memory deficits. We then performed histologic and immunohistochemical analysis of cisplatin-treated Drosophila tissue, demonstrating neuropathologic evidence of increased neurodegeneration, DNA damage, and oxidative stress. Thus, our Drosophila model relevant to CRCI recapitulates clinical, radiologic, and histologic alterations reported in chemotherapy patients. Our new Drosophila model can be used for mechanistic dissection of pathways contributing to CRCI (and chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity more generally) and pharmacologic screens to identify disease-modifying therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Torre
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Hassan Bukhari
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Vanitha Nithianandam
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Camila A Zanella
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Mel B Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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13
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Thackray AM, McNulty EE, Nalls AV, Cardova A, Tran L, Telling G, Benestad SL, Gilch S, Mathiason CK, Bujdoso R. Genetic modulation of CWD prion propagation in cervid PrP Drosophila. Biochem J 2023; 480:1485-1501. [PMID: 37747806 PMCID: PMC10586768 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230247] [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: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease is a fatal prion condition of cervids such as deer, elk, moose and reindeer. Secretion and excretion of prion infectivity from North American cervids with this condition causes environmental contamination and subsequent efficient lateral transmission in free-ranging and farmed cervids. Variants of cervid PrP exist that affect host susceptibility to chronic wasting disease. Cervid breeding programmes aimed at increasing the frequency of PrP variants associated with resistance to chronic wasting disease may reduce the burden of this condition in animals and lower the risk of zoonotic disease. This strategy requires a relatively rapid and economically viable model system to characterise and support selection of prion disease-modifying cervid PrP variants. Here, we generated cervid PrP transgenic Drosophila to fulfil this purpose. We have generated Drosophila transgenic for S138 wild type cervid PrP, or the N138 variant associated with resistance to chronic wasting disease. We show that cervid PrP Drosophila accumulate bona fide prion infectivity after exposure to cervid prions. Furthermore, S138 and N138 PrP fly lines are susceptible to cervid prion isolates from either North America or Europe when assessed phenotypically by accelerated loss of locomotor ability or survival, or biochemically by accumulation of prion seeding activity. However, after exposure to European reindeer prions, N138 PrP Drosophila accumulated prion seeding activity with slower kinetics than the S138 fly line. These novel data show that prion susceptibility characteristics of cervid PrP variants are maintained when expressed in Drosophila, which highlights this novel invertebrate host in modelling chronic wasting disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana M. Thackray
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, U.K
| | - Erin E. McNulty
- Prion Research Center (PRC) and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A
| | - Amy V. Nalls
- Prion Research Center (PRC) and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A
| | - Alzbeta Cardova
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, U.K
| | - Linh Tran
- Department of Biohazard and Pathology, WOAH Reference Laboratory for CWD (SLB), National Veterinary Institute, Postboks 64, 1431 Ås, Norway
| | - Glenn Telling
- Prion Research Center (PRC) and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A
| | - Sylvie L. Benestad
- Department of Biohazard and Pathology, WOAH Reference Laboratory for CWD (SLB), National Veterinary Institute, Postboks 64, 1431 Ås, Norway
| | - Sabine Gilch
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Candace K. Mathiason
- Prion Research Center (PRC) and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A
| | - Raymond Bujdoso
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, U.K
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14
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Al Thani NA, Hasan M, Yalcin HC. Use of Animal Models for Investigating Cardioprotective Roles of SGLT2 Inhibitors. J Cardiovasc Transl Res 2023; 16:975-986. [PMID: 37052784 PMCID: PMC10615955 DOI: 10.1007/s12265-023-10379-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors represent one type of new-generation type 2 diabetes (T2DM) drug treatment. The mechanism of action of an SGLT2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) in treating T2DM depends on lowering blood glucose levels effectively via increasing the glomerular excretion of glucose. A good number of randomized clinical trials revealed that SGLT2is significantly prevented heart failure (HF) and cardiovascular death in T2DM patients. Despite ongoing clinical trials in HF patients without T2DM, there have been a limited number of translational studies on the cardioprotective properties of SGLT2is. As the cellular mechanism behind the cardiac benefits of SGLT2is is still to be elucidated, animal models are used to better understand the pathways behind the cardioprotective mechanism of SGLT2i. In this review, we summarize the animal models constructed to study the cardioprotective mechanisms of SGLT2is to help deliver a more comprehensive understanding of the in vivo work that has been done in this field and to help select the most optimal animal model to use when studying the different cardioprotective effects of SGLT2is.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najlaa A Al Thani
- Research and Development Department, Barzan Holdings, P. O. Box 7178, Doha, Qatar
| | - Maram Hasan
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Huseyin C Yalcin
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar.
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar.
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15
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Majcin Dorcikova M, Duret LC, Pottié E, Nagoshi E. Circadian clock disruption promotes the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in male Drosophila. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5908. [PMID: 37737209 PMCID: PMC10516932 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41540-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions are frequent comorbidities of Parkinson's disease (PD), a disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra. However, the causal role of circadian clocks in the degenerative process remains uncertain. We demonstrated here that circadian clocks regulate the rhythmicity and magnitude of the vulnerability of DA neurons to oxidative stress in male Drosophila. Circadian pacemaker neurons are presynaptic to a subset of DA neurons and rhythmically modulate their susceptibility to degeneration. The arrhythmic period (per) gene null mutation exacerbates the age-dependent loss of DA neurons and, in combination with brief oxidative stress, causes premature animal death. These findings suggest that circadian clock disruption promotes dopaminergic neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaëla Majcin Dorcikova
- Department of Genetics and Evolution and Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lou C Duret
- Department of Genetics and Evolution and Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Emma Pottié
- Department of Genetics and Evolution and Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Emi Nagoshi
- Department of Genetics and Evolution and Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
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16
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Chandra S, Chatterjee R, Olmsted ZT, Mukherjee A, Paluh JL. Axonal transport during injury on a theoretical axon. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1215945. [PMID: 37636588 PMCID: PMC10450981 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1215945] [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: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopment, plasticity, and cognition are integral with functional directional transport in neuronal axons that occurs along a unique network of discontinuous polar microtubule (MT) bundles. Axonopathies are caused by brain trauma and genetic diseases that perturb or disrupt the axon MT infrastructure and, with it, the dynamic interplay of motor proteins and cargo essential for axonal maintenance and neuronal signaling. The inability to visualize and quantify normal and altered nanoscale spatio-temporal dynamic transport events prevents a full mechanistic understanding of injury, disease progression, and recovery. To address this gap, we generated DyNAMO, a Dynamic Nanoscale Axonal MT Organization model, which is a biologically realistic theoretical axon framework. We use DyNAMO to experimentally simulate multi-kinesin traffic response to focused or distributed tractable injury parameters, which are MT network perturbations affecting MT lengths and multi-MT staggering. We track kinesins with different motility and processivity, as well as their influx rates, in-transit dissociation and reassociation from inter-MT reservoirs, progression, and quantify and spatially represent motor output ratios. DyNAMO demonstrates, in detail, the complex interplay of mixed motor types, crowding, kinesin off/on dissociation and reassociation, and injury consequences of forced intermingling. Stalled forward progression with different injury states is seen as persistent dynamicity of kinesins transiting between MTs and inter-MT reservoirs. DyNAMO analysis provides novel insights and quantification of axonal injury scenarios, including local injury-affected ATP levels, as well as relates these to influences on signaling outputs, including patterns of gating, waves, and pattern switching. The DyNAMO model significantly expands the network of heuristic and mathematical analysis of neuronal functions relevant to axonopathies, diagnostics, and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumyadeep Chandra
- Electrical and Computer Science Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Rounak Chatterjee
- Department of Electronics, Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Zachary T. Olmsted
- Nanobioscience, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, State University of New York Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Amitava Mukherjee
- Nanobioscience, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, State University of New York Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY, United States
- School of Computing, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (University), Kollam, Kerala, India
| | - Janet L. Paluh
- Nanobioscience, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, State University of New York Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY, United States
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17
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Torre M, Bukhari H, Nithianandam V, Zanella CA, Mata DA, Feany MB. A Drosophila model of chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.01.543297. [PMID: 37333281 PMCID: PMC10274738 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.01.543297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common adverse effect of treatment and is characterized by deficits involving multiple cognitive domains including memory. Despite the significant morbidity of CRCI and the expected increase in cancer survivors over the coming decades, the pathophysiology of CRCI remains incompletely understood, highlighting the need for new model systems to study CRCI. Given the powerful array of genetic approaches and facile high throughput screening ability in Drosophila, our goal was to validate a Drosophila model of CRCI. We administered the chemotherapeutic agents cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin to adult Drosophila. Neurocognitive deficits were observed with all tested chemotherapies, especially cisplatin. We then performed histologic and immunohistochemical analysis of cisplatin-treated Drosophila tissue, demonstrating neuropathologic evidence of increased neurodegeneration, DNA damage, and oxidative stress. Thus, our Drosophila model of CRCI recapitulates clinical, radiologic, and histologic alterations reported in chemotherapy patients. Our new Drosophila model can be used for mechanistic dissection of pathways contributing to CRCI and pharmacologic screens to identify novel therapies to ameliorate CRCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Torre
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Hassan Bukhari
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Vanitha Nithianandam
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Camila A Zanella
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | | | - Mel B Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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18
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Ramzan F, Abrar F, Mishra GG, Liao LMQ, Martin DDO. Lost in traffic: consequences of altered palmitoylation in neurodegeneration. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1166125. [PMID: 37324388 PMCID: PMC10268010 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1166125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the first molecular events in neurodegenerative diseases, regardless of etiology, is protein mislocalization. Protein mislocalization in neurons is often linked to proteostasis deficiencies leading to the build-up of misfolded proteins and/or organelles that contributes to cellular toxicity and cell death. By understanding how proteins mislocalize in neurons, we can develop novel therapeutics that target the earliest stages of neurodegeneration. A critical mechanism regulating protein localization and proteostasis in neurons is the protein-lipid modification S-acylation, the reversible addition of fatty acids to cysteine residues. S-acylation is more commonly referred to as S-palmitoylation or simply palmitoylation, which is the addition of the 16-carbon fatty acid palmitate to proteins. Like phosphorylation, palmitoylation is highly dynamic and tightly regulated by writers (i.e., palmitoyl acyltransferases) and erasers (i.e., depalmitoylating enzymes). The hydrophobic fatty acid anchors proteins to membranes; thus, the reversibility allows proteins to be re-directed to and from membranes based on local signaling factors. This is particularly important in the nervous system, where axons (output projections) can be meters long. Any disturbance in protein trafficking can have dire consequences. Indeed, many proteins involved in neurodegenerative diseases are palmitoylated, and many more have been identified in palmitoyl-proteomic studies. It follows that palmitoyl acyl transferase enzymes have also been implicated in numerous diseases. In addition, palmitoylation can work in concert with cellular mechanisms, like autophagy, to affect cell health and protein modifications, such as acetylation, nitrosylation, and ubiquitination, to affect protein function and turnover. Limited studies have further revealed a sexually dimorphic pattern of protein palmitoylation. Therefore, palmitoylation can have wide-reaching consequences in neurodegenerative diseases.
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19
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McMullen E, Hertenstein H, Strassburger K, Deharde L, Brankatschk M, Schirmeier S. Glycolytically impaired Drosophila glial cells fuel neural metabolism via β-oxidation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2996. [PMID: 37225684 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38813-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuronal function is highly energy demanding and thus requires efficient and constant metabolite delivery by glia. Drosophila glia are highly glycolytic and provide lactate to fuel neuronal metabolism. Flies are able to survive for several weeks in the absence of glial glycolysis. Here, we study how Drosophila glial cells maintain sufficient nutrient supply to neurons under conditions of impaired glycolysis. We show that glycolytically impaired glia rely on mitochondrial fatty acid breakdown and ketone body production to nourish neurons, suggesting that ketone bodies serve as an alternate neuronal fuel to prevent neurodegeneration. We show that in times of long-term starvation, glial degradation of absorbed fatty acids is essential to ensure survival of the fly. Further, we show that Drosophila glial cells act as a metabolic sensor and can induce mobilization of peripheral lipid stores to preserve brain metabolic homeostasis. Our study gives evidence of the importance of glial fatty acid degradation for brain function, and survival, under adverse conditions in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen McMullen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Helen Hertenstein
- Zoology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katrin Strassburger
- Zoology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Leon Deharde
- Zoology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Marko Brankatschk
- Biotechnologisches Zentrum, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Stefanie Schirmeier
- Zoology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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20
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Kalotay E, Klugmann M, Housley GD, Fröhlich D. Recessive aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase disorders: lessons learned from in vivo disease models. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1182874. [PMID: 37274208 PMCID: PMC10234152 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1182874] [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: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein synthesis is a fundamental process that underpins almost every aspect of cellular functioning. Intriguingly, despite their common function, recessive mutations in aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs), the family of enzymes that pair tRNA molecules with amino acids prior to translation on the ribosome, cause a diverse range of multi-system disorders that affect specific groups of tissues. Neurological development is impaired in most ARS-associated disorders. In addition to central nervous system defects, diseases caused by recessive mutations in cytosolic ARSs commonly affect the liver and lungs. Patients with biallelic mutations in mitochondrial ARSs often present with encephalopathies, with variable involvement of peripheral systems. Many of these disorders cause severe disability, and as understanding of their pathogenesis is currently limited, there are no effective treatments available. To address this, accurate in vivo models for most of the recessive ARS diseases are urgently needed. Here, we discuss approaches that have been taken to model recessive ARS diseases in vivo, highlighting some of the challenges that have arisen in this process, as well as key results obtained from these models. Further development and refinement of animal models is essential to facilitate a better understanding of the pathophysiology underlying recessive ARS diseases, and ultimately to enable development and testing of effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Kalotay
- Translational Neuroscience Facility and Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Matthias Klugmann
- Translational Neuroscience Facility and Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Research Beyond Borders, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Gary D. Housley
- Translational Neuroscience Facility and Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Dominik Fröhlich
- Translational Neuroscience Facility and Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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21
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Xu ZX, Gao Y. What do we know and don't know about the brain barrier in health and disease? Neurobiol Dis 2023; 181:106133. [PMID: 37088335 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Xiang Xu
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yanqin Gao
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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22
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Makdissi S, Parsons BD, Di Cara F. Towards early detection of neurodegenerative diseases: A gut feeling. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1087091. [PMID: 36824371 PMCID: PMC9941184 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1087091] [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: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The gastrointestinal tract communicates with the nervous system through a bidirectional network of signaling pathways called the gut-brain axis, which consists of multiple connections, including the enteric nervous system, the vagus nerve, the immune system, endocrine signals, the microbiota, and its metabolites. Alteration of communications in the gut-brain axis is emerging as an overlooked cause of neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation is a common feature of the pathogenic mechanisms involved in various neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) that are incurable and debilitating conditions resulting in progressive degeneration and death of neurons, such as in Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases. NDs are a leading cause of global death and disability, and the incidences are expected to increase in the following decades if prevention strategies and successful treatment remain elusive. To date, the etiology of NDs is unclear due to the complexity of the mechanisms of diseases involving genetic and environmental factors, including diet and microbiota. Emerging evidence suggests that changes in diet, alteration of the microbiota, and deregulation of metabolism in the intestinal epithelium influence the inflammatory status of the neurons linked to disease insurgence and progression. This review will describe the leading players of the so-called diet-microbiota-gut-brain (DMGB) axis in the context of NDs. We will report recent findings from studies in model organisms such as rodents and fruit flies that support the role of diets, commensals, and intestinal epithelial functions as an overlooked primary regulator of brain health. We will finish discussing the pivotal role of metabolisms of cellular organelles such as mitochondria and peroxisomes in maintaining the DMGB axis and how alteration of the latter can be used as early disease makers and novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Makdissi
- Dalhousie University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Halifax, NS, Canada
- IWK Health Centre, Department of Pediatrics, Halifax, Canada
| | - Brendon D. Parsons
- Dalhousie University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Francesca Di Cara
- Dalhousie University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Halifax, NS, Canada
- IWK Health Centre, Department of Pediatrics, Halifax, Canada
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23
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De Lazzari F, Agostini F, Plotegher N, Sandre M, Greggio E, Megighian A, Bubacco L, Sandrelli F, Whitworth AJ, Bisaglia M. DJ-1 promotes energy balance by regulating both mitochondrial and autophagic homeostasis. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 176:105941. [PMID: 36473592 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105941] [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: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The protein DJ-1 is mutated in rare familial forms of recessive Parkinson's disease and in parkinsonism accompanied by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis symptoms and dementia. DJ-1 is considered a multitasking protein able to confer protection under various conditions of stress. However, the precise cellular function still remains elusive. In the present work, we evaluated fruit flies lacking the expression of the DJ-1 homolog dj-1β as compared to control aged-matched individuals. Behavioral evaluations included lifespan, locomotion in an open field arena, sensitivity to oxidative insults, and resistance to starvation. Molecular analyses were carried out by analyzing the mitochondrial morphology and functionality, and the autophagic response. We demonstrated that dj-1β null mutant flies are hypoactive and display higher sensitivity to oxidative insults and food deprivation. Analysis of mitochondrial homeostasis revealed that loss of dj-1β leads to larger and more circular mitochondria, characterized by impaired complex-I-linked respiration while preserving ATP production capacity. Additionally, dj-1β null mutant flies present an impaired autophagic response, which is suppressed by treatment with the antioxidant molecule N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine. Overall, our data point to a mechanism whereby DJ-1 plays a critical role in the maintenance of energy homeostasis, by sustaining mitochondrial homeostasis and affecting the autophagic flux through the maintenance of the cellular redox state. In light of the involvement of DJ-1 in neurodegenerative diseases and considering that neurons are highly energy-demanding cells, particularly sensitive to redox stress, our study sheds light on a key role of DJ-1 in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica De Lazzari
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua 35121, Italy; Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK.
| | | | | | - Michele Sandre
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, Padua 35121, Italy.
| | - Elisa Greggio
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua 35121, Italy; Study Center for Neurodegeneration (CESNE), Padua 35121, Italy.
| | - Aram Megighian
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua 35121, Italy.
| | - Luigi Bubacco
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua 35121, Italy; Study Center for Neurodegeneration (CESNE), Padua 35121, Italy.
| | | | - Alexander J Whitworth
- Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK.
| | - Marco Bisaglia
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua 35121, Italy; Study Center for Neurodegeneration (CESNE), Padua 35121, Italy.
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24
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Gandini A, Gonçalves AE, Strocchi S, Albertini C, Janočková J, Tramarin A, Grifoni D, Poeta E, Soukup O, Muñoz-Torrero D, Monti B, Sabaté R, Bartolini M, Legname G, Bolognesi ML. Discovery of Dual Aβ/Tau Inhibitors and Evaluation of Their Therapeutic Effect on a Drosophila Model of Alzheimer's Disease. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:3314-3329. [PMID: 36445009 PMCID: PMC9732823 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00357] [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] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common type of dementia, currently represents an extremely challenging and unmet medical need worldwide. Amyloid-β (Aβ) and Tau proteins are prototypical AD hallmarks, as well as validated drug targets. Accumulating evidence now suggests that they synergistically contribute to disease pathogenesis. This could not only help explain negative results from anti-Aβ clinical trials but also indicate that therapies solely directed at one of them may have to be reconsidered. Based on this, herein, we describe the development of a focused library of 2,4-thiazolidinedione (TZD)-based bivalent derivatives as dual Aβ and Tau aggregation inhibitors. The aggregating activity of the 24 synthesized derivatives was tested in intact Escherichia coli cells overexpressing Aβ42 and Tau proteins. We then evaluated their neuronal toxicity and ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), together with the in vitro interaction with the two isolated proteins. Finally, the most promising (most active, nontoxic, and BBB-permeable) compounds 22 and 23 were tested in vivo, in a Drosophila melanogaster model of AD. The carbazole derivative 22 (20 μM) showed extremely encouraging results, being able to improve both the lifespan and the climbing abilities of Aβ42 expressing flies and generating a better outcome than doxycycline (50 μM). Moreover, 22 proved to be able to decrease Aβ42 aggregates in the brains of the flies. We conclude that bivalent small molecules based on 22 deserve further attention as hits for dual Aβ/Tau aggregation inhibition in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annachiara Gandini
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater
Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126Bologna, Italy,Department
of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, I-34136Trieste, Italy
| | - Ana Elisa Gonçalves
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater
Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126Bologna, Italy,Pharmaceutical
Sciences Postgraduate Program, Center of Health Sciences, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Rua Uruguai 458, 88302-202Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Silvia Strocchi
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater
Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudia Albertini
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater
Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126Bologna, Italy
| | - Jana Janočková
- Biomedical
Research Center, University Hospital Hradec
Kralove, 500 00Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Tramarin
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater
Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126Bologna, Italy
| | - Daniela Grifoni
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater
Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126Bologna, Italy,Department
of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, Coppito II, 67100L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Eleonora Poeta
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater
Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126Bologna, Italy
| | - Ondrej Soukup
- Biomedical
Research Center, University Hospital Hradec
Kralove, 500 00Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Diego Muñoz-Torrero
- Laboratory
of Medicinal Chemistry (CSIC Associated Unit), Faculty of Pharmacy
and Food Sciences, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona (UB), Av. Joan XXIII 27-31, E-08028Barcelona, Spain
| | - Barbara Monti
- Pharmaceutical
Sciences Postgraduate Program, Center of Health Sciences, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Rua Uruguai 458, 88302-202Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Raimon Sabaté
- Department
of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Physical Chemistry,
Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University
of Barcelona, Av Joan
XXIII 27-31, E-08028Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuela Bartolini
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater
Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126Bologna, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Department
of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, I-34136Trieste, Italy
| | - Maria Laura Bolognesi
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater
Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126Bologna, Italy,. Tel: +39 0512099718
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Implications of Microorganisms in Alzheimer's Disease. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2022; 44:4584-4615. [PMID: 36286029 PMCID: PMC9600878 DOI: 10.3390/cimb44100314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a deadly brain degenerative disorder that leads to brain shrinkage and dementia. AD is manifested with hyperphosphorylated tau protein levels and amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide buildup in the hippocampus and cortex regions of the brain. The nervous tissue of AD patients also contains fungal proteins and DNA which are linked to bacterial infections, suggesting that polymicrobial infections also occur in the brains of those with AD. Both immunohistochemistry and next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques were employed to assess fungal and bacterial infections in the brain tissue of AD patients and non-AD controls, with the most prevalent fungus genera detected in AD patients being Alternaria, Botrytis, Candida, and Malassezia. Interestingly, Fusarium was the most common genus detected in the control group. Both AD patients and controls were also detectable for Proteobacteria, followed by Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroides for bacterial infection. At the family level, Burkholderiaceae and Staphylococcaceae exhibited higher levels in the brains of those with AD than the brains of the control group. Accordingly, there is thought to be a viscous cycle of uncontrolled neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in the brain, caused by agents such as the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), Chlamydophilapneumonia, and Spirochetes, and the presence of apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4), which is associated with an increased proinflammatory response in the immune system. Systemic proinflammatory cytokines are produced by microorganisms such as Cytomegalovirus, Helicobacter pylori, and those related to periodontal infections. These can then cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and lead to the onset of dementia. Here, we reviewed the relationship between the etiology of AD and microorganisms (such as bacterial pathogens, Herpesviridae viruses, and periodontal pathogens) according to the evidence available to understand the pathogenesis of AD. These findings might guide a targeted anti-inflammatory therapeutic approach to AD.
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Rai P, Kumar Roy J. Endosomal recycling protein Rab11 in Parkin and Pink1 signaling in Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease. Exp Cell Res 2022; 420:113357. [PMID: 36116557 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2022.113357] [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: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are progressive disorders of the nervous system primarily affecting the loss of neuronal cells present in the brain. Although most neurodegenerative cases are sporadic, some familial genes are found to be involved in the neurodegenerative diseases. The extensively studied parkin and pink1 gene products are known to be involved in the removal of damaged mitochondria via autophagy (mitophagy), a quality control process. If the function of any of these genes is somehow disrupted, accumulation of damaged mitochondria occurs in the forms of protein aggregates in the cytoplasm, leading to formation of the Lewy-bodies. Autophagy is an important catabolic process where the endosomal Rab proteins are seen to be involved. Rab11, an endosomal recycling protein, serves as an ATG9A carrier that helps in autophagosome formation and maturation. Earlier studies have reported that loss of Rab11 prevents the fusion of autophagosomes with the late endosomes hampering the autophagy pathway resulting in apoptosis of cells. In this study, we have emphasized on the importance and functional role of Rab11 in the molecular pathway of Parkin/Pink1 in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Rai
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India.
| | - Jagat Kumar Roy
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India.
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27
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Ding M, Li H, Zheng L. Drosophila exercise, an emerging model bridging the fields of exercise and aging in human. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:966531. [PMID: 36158212 PMCID: PMC9507000 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.966531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Exercise is one of the most effective treatments for the diseases of aging. In recent years, a growing number of researchers have used Drosophila melanogaster to study the broad benefits of regular exercise in aging individuals. With the widespread use of Drosophila exercise models and the upgrading of the Drosophila exercise apparatus, we should carefully examine the differential contribution of regular exercise in the aging process to facilitate more detailed quantitative measurements and assessment of the exercise phenotype. In this paper, we review some of the resources available for Drosophila exercise models. The focus is on the impact of regular exercise or exercise adaptation in the aging process in Drosophila and highlights the great potential and current challenges faced by this model in the field of anti-aging research.
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28
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Drosophila melanogaster as a Tool for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research. J Dev Biol 2022; 10:jdb10030036. [PMID: 36135369 PMCID: PMC9505035 DOI: 10.3390/jdb10030036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Reliable animal model systems are an integral part of biological research. Ever since Thomas Hunt Morgan won a Nobel Prize for genetic work done using the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) as a model organism, it has played a larger and more important role in genetic research. Drosophila models have long been used to study neurodegenerative diseases and have aided in identifying key disease progression biological pathways. Due to the availability of a vast array of genetic manipulation tools, its relatively short lifespan, and its ability to produce many progenies, D. melanogaster has provided the ability to conduct large-scale genetic screens to elucidate possible genetic and molecular interactions in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s Disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). With regards to ALS, many of the gene mutations that have been discovered to be linked to the disease have been modeled in Drosophila to provide a look into a detailed model of pathogenesis. The aim of this review is to summarize key and newer developments in ALS research that have utilized Drosophila and to provide insight into the profound use of Drosophila as a tool for modeling this disease.
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29
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Siddique YH, Naz F, Rahul, Varshney H. Comparative study of rivastigmine and galantamine on the transgenic Drosophila model of Alzheimer's disease. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PHARMACOLOGY AND DRUG DISCOVERY 2022; 3:100120. [PMID: 35992376 PMCID: PMC9389239 DOI: 10.1016/j.crphar.2022.100120] [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] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is characterized as a progressive neurodegenerative disease most commonly associated with memory deficits and cognitive decline. The formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are important pathological markers of AD. The accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles leads to the loss of neurons including the cholinergic neurons thus decreasing the levels of acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter). To reduce the AD symptoms cholinesterase inhibitors are widely used to decrease the hydrolysis of acetylcholine released from presynaptic neurons. In the present study we have studied the effect of rivastigmine and galantamine (commonly used cholinesterase inhibitors) on the transgenic Drosophila model of AD expressing human Aβ-42 in the neurons. The effect of similar doses of rivastigmine and galantamine (i.e. 0.1,1 and 10 mM) was studied on the climbing ability, lifespan, oxidative stress markers, caspase 9 and 3, acetylcholinesterase activity and on the formation of Aβ-42 aggregates. The results suggest that the rivastigmine is more potent in reducing the oxidative stress and improving climbing ability of AD flies. Both the drugs were found to be effective in increasing the lifespan of AD flies. Galantamine was found to be a more potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase compared to rivastigmine. Galantamine prevents the formation of Aβ-42 aggregates more effectively compared to rivastigmine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasir Hasan Siddique
- Drosophila Transgenic Laboratory, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Falaq Naz
- Drosophila Transgenic Laboratory, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rahul
- Drosophila Transgenic Laboratory, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Himanshi Varshney
- Drosophila Transgenic Laboratory, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Chakravorty A, Sharma A, Sheeba V, Manjithaya R. Glutamatergic Synapse Dysfunction in Drosophila Neuromuscular Junctions Can Be Rescued by Proteostasis Modulation. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:842772. [PMID: 35909443 PMCID: PMC9337869 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.842772] [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: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system, and the Drosophila glutamatergic neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) offer a tractable platform to understand excitatory synapse biology both in health and disease. Synaptopathies are neurodegenerative diseases that are associated with synaptic dysfunction and often display compromised proteostasis. One such rare, progressive neurodegenerative condition, Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 (SCA3) or Machado-Joseph Disease (MJD), is characterized by cerebellar ataxia, Parkinsonism, and degeneration of motor neuron synapses. While the polyQ repeat mutant protein ataxin-3 is implicated in MJD, it is unclear how it leads to impaired synaptic function. In this study, we indicated that a Drosophila model of MJD recapitulates characteristics of neurodegenerative disorders marked by motor neuron dysfunction. Expression of 78 polyQ repeats of mutant ataxin-3 protein in Drosophila motor neurons resulted in behavioral defects, such as impaired locomotion in both larval and adult stages. Furthermore, defects in eclosion and lifespan were observed in adult flies. Detailed characterization of larval glutamatergic neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) revealed defects in morphological features along with compromised NMJ functioning. Autophagy, one of the key proteostasis pathways, is known to be impaired in the case of several synaptopathies. Our study reveals that overexpression of the autophagy-related protein Atg8a rescued behavioral defects. Thus, we present a model for glutamatergic synapse dysfunction that recapitulates synaptic and behavioral deficits and show that it is an amenable system for carrying out genetic and chemical biology screens to identify potential therapeutic targets for synaptopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anushka Chakravorty
- Autophagy Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
| | - Ankit Sharma
- Chronobiology and Behavioural Neurogenetics Laboratory, Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
| | - Vasu Sheeba
- Chronobiology and Behavioural Neurogenetics Laboratory, Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
- *Correspondence: Vasu Sheeba
| | - Ravi Manjithaya
- Autophagy Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
- Ravi Manjithaya
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31
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Zahra W, Birla H, Singh SS, Rathore AS, Dilnashin H, Singh R, Keshri PK, Gautam P, Singh SP. Neuroprotection by Mucuna pruriens in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Neurochem Res 2022; 47:1816-1829. [PMID: 35380400 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03591-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The medicinal plant Mucuna pruriens (Fabaceae) is widely known for its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a well-established drug in Ayurveda and has been widely used for the treatment of neurological disorders and male infertility for ages. The seeds of the plant have potent medicinal value and its extract has been tested in different models of neurodegenerative diseases, especially Parkinson's disease (PD). Apart from PD, Mucuna pruriens is now being studied in models of other nervous systems disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and stroke because of its neuroprotective importance. This review briefly discusses the pathogenesis of PD, AD, ALS and stroke. It aims to summarize the medicinal importance of Mucuna pruriens in treatment of these diseases, and put forward the potential targets where Mucuna pruriens can act for therapeutic interventions. In this review, the effect of Mucuna pruriens on ameliorating the neurodegeneration evident in PD, AD, ALS and stroke is briefly discussed. The potential targets for neuroprotection by the plant are delineated, which can be studied further to validate the hypothesis regarding the use of Mucuna pruriens for the treatment of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walia Zahra
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Hareram Birla
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Saumitra Sen Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Aaina Singh Rathore
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Hagera Dilnashin
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Richa Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Priyanka Kumari Keshri
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Priyanka Gautam
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Surya Pratap Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India.
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32
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Richard M, Doubková K, Nitta Y, Kawai H, Sugie A, Tavosanis G. A Quantitative Model of Sporadic Axonal Degeneration in the Drosophila Visual System. J Neurosci 2022; 42:4937-4952. [PMID: 35534228 PMCID: PMC9188428 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2115-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In human neurodegenerative diseases, neurons undergo axonal degeneration months to years before they die. Here, we developed a system modeling early degenerative events in Drosophila adult photoreceptor cells. Thanks to the stereotypy of their axonal projections, this system delivers quantitative data on sporadic and progressive axonal degeneration of photoreceptor cells. Using this method, we show that exposure of adult female flies to a constant light stimulation for several days overcomes the intrinsic resilience of R7 photoreceptors and leads to progressive axonal degeneration. This was not associated with apoptosis. We furthermore provide evidence that loss of synaptic integrity between R7 and a postsynaptic partner preceded axonal degeneration, thus recapitulating features of human neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, our experiments uncovered a role of postsynaptic partners of R7 to initiate degeneration, suggesting that postsynaptic cells signal back to the photoreceptor to maintain axonal structure. This model can be used to dissect cellular and circuit mechanisms involved in the early events of axonal degeneration, allowing for a better understanding of how neurons cope with stress and lose their resilience capacities.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neurons can be active and functional for several years. In the course of aging and in disease conditions leading to neurodegeneration, subsets of neurons lose their resilience and start dying. What initiates this turning point at the cellular level is not clear. Here, we developed a model allowing to systematically describe this phase. The loss of synapses and axons represents an early and functionally relevant event toward degeneration. Using the ordered distribution of Drosophila photoreceptor axon terminals, we assembled a system to study sporadic initiation of axon loss and delineated a role for non-cell-autonomous activity regulation in the initiation of axon degeneration. This work will help shed light on key steps in the etiology of nonfamilial cases of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélisande Richard
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e. V., 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Karolína Doubková
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e. V., 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Yohei Nitta
- Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | | | - Atsushi Sugie
- Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Gaia Tavosanis
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e. V., 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Life & Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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McClure CD, Hassan A, Aughey GN, Butt K, Estacio-Gómez A, Duggal A, Ying Sia C, Barber AF, Southall TD. An auxin-inducible, GAL4-compatible, gene expression system for Drosophila. eLife 2022; 11:e67598. [PMID: 35363137 PMCID: PMC8975555 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to control transgene expression, both spatially and temporally, is essential for studying model organisms. In Drosophila, spatial control is primarily provided by the GAL4/UAS system, whilst temporal control relies on a temperature-sensitive GAL80 (which inhibits GAL4) and drug-inducible systems. However, these are not ideal. Shifting temperature can impact on many physiological and behavioural traits, and the current drug-inducible systems are either leaky, toxic, incompatible with existing GAL4-driver lines, or do not generate effective levels of expression. Here, we describe the auxin-inducible gene expression system (AGES). AGES relies on the auxin-dependent degradation of a ubiquitously expressed GAL80, and therefore, is compatible with existing GAL4-driver lines. Water-soluble auxin is added to fly food at a low, non-lethal, concentration, which induces expression comparable to uninhibited GAL4 expression. The system works in both larvae and adults, providing a stringent, non-lethal, cost-effective, and convenient method for temporally controlling GAL4 activity in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin D McClure
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Amira Hassan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Gabriel N Aughey
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Khushbakht Butt
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New JerseyNew BrunswickUnited States
| | | | - Aneisha Duggal
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Chee Ying Sia
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Annika F Barber
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New JerseyNew BrunswickUnited States
| | - Tony D Southall
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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Beretta G, Shala AL. Impact of Heat Shock Proteins in Neurodegeneration: Possible Therapeutical Targets. Ann Neurosci 2022; 29:71-82. [PMID: 35875428 PMCID: PMC9305912 DOI: 10.1177/09727531211070528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Human neurodegenerative diseases occur as a result of various factors. Regardless of the variety in the etiology of development, many of these diseases are characterized by the accumulation of pathological, misfolded proteins; hence, such diseases are considered as proteinopathies. While plenty of research study has been conducted in order to identify the pathophysiology of these proteinopathies, there is still a lack of understanding in terms of potential therapeutic targets. Molecular chaperones present the main workforce for cellular protection and stress response. Therefore, considering these functions, molecular chaperones present a promising target for research within the field of conformational diseases that arise from proteinopathies. Since the association between neurodegenerative disorders and their long-term consequences is well documented, the need for the development of new therapeutic strategies becomes even more critical. In this review, we summarized the molecular function of heat shock proteins and recent progress on their role, involvement, and other mechanisms related to neurodegeneration caused by different etiological factors. Based on the relevant scientific data, we will highlight the functional classification of heat shock proteins, regulatin, and their therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giangiacomo Beretta
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Aida Loshaj Shala
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University Hasan Prishtina, Pristina, Kosovo
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35
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Bujdoso R, Smith A, Fleck O, Spiropoulos J, Andréoletti O, Thackray AM. Prion disease modelled in Drosophila. Cell Tissue Res 2022; 392:47-62. [PMID: 35092497 PMCID: PMC10113284 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03586-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPrion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative conditions of humans and various vertebrate species that are transmissible between individuals of the same or different species. A novel infectious moiety referred to as a prion is considered responsible for transmission of these conditions. Prion replication is believed to be the cause of the neurotoxicity that arises during prion disease pathogenesis. The prion hypothesis predicts that the transmissible prion agent consists of PrPSc, which is comprised of aggregated misfolded conformers of the normal host protein PrPC. It is important to understand the biology of transmissible prions and to identify genetic modifiers of prion-induced neurotoxicity. This information will underpin the development of therapeutic and control strategies for human and animal prion diseases. The most reliable method to detect prion infectivity is by in vivo transmission in a suitable experimental host, which to date have been mammalian species. Current prion bioassays are slow, cumbersome and relatively insensitive to low titres of prion infectivity, and do not lend themselves to rapid genetic analysis of prion disease. Here, we provide an overview of our novel studies that have led to the establishment of Drosophila melanogaster, a genetically well-defined invertebrate host, as a sensitive, versatile and economically viable animal model for the detection of mammalian prion infectivity and genetic modifiers of prion-induced toxicity.
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36
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Phillips MA, Arnold KR, Vue Z, Beasley HK, Garza-Lopez E, Marshall AG, Morton DJ, McReynolds MR, Barter TT, Hinton A. Combining Metabolomics and Experimental Evolution Reveals Key Mechanisms Underlying Longevity Differences in Laboratory Evolved Drosophila melanogaster Populations. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:1067. [PMID: 35162994 PMCID: PMC8835531 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental evolution with Drosophila melanogaster has been used extensively for decades to study aging and longevity. In recent years, the addition of DNA and RNA sequencing to this framework has allowed researchers to leverage the statistical power inherent to experimental evolution to study the genetic basis of longevity itself. Here, we incorporated metabolomic data into to this framework to generate even deeper insights into the physiological and genetic mechanisms underlying longevity differences in three groups of experimentally evolved D. melanogaster populations with different aging and longevity patterns. Our metabolomic analysis found that aging alters mitochondrial metabolism through increased consumption of NAD+ and increased usage of the TCA cycle. Combining our genomic and metabolomic data produced a list of biologically relevant candidate genes. Among these candidates, we found significant enrichment for genes and pathways associated with neurological development and function, and carbohydrate metabolism. While we do not explicitly find enrichment for aging canonical genes, neurological dysregulation and carbohydrate metabolism are both known to be associated with accelerated aging and reduced longevity. Taken together, our results provide plausible genetic mechanisms for what might be driving longevity differences in this experimental system. More broadly, our findings demonstrate the value of combining multiple types of omic data with experimental evolution when attempting to dissect mechanisms underlying complex and highly polygenic traits such as aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Phillips
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
| | - Kenneth R. Arnold
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (K.R.A.); (T.T.B.)
| | - Zer Vue
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (Z.V.); (H.K.B.); (A.G.M.)
| | - Heather K. Beasley
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (Z.V.); (H.K.B.); (A.G.M.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Neuroscience, and Pharmacology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Edgar Garza-Lopez
- Hinton and Garza-Lopez Family Consulting Company, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA;
| | - Andrea G. Marshall
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (Z.V.); (H.K.B.); (A.G.M.)
| | - Derrick J. Morton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA;
| | - Melanie R. McReynolds
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA;
| | - Thomas T. Barter
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (K.R.A.); (T.T.B.)
| | - Antentor Hinton
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (Z.V.); (H.K.B.); (A.G.M.)
- Hinton and Garza-Lopez Family Consulting Company, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA;
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37
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Kim GHJ, Mo H, Liu H, Wu Z, Chen S, Zheng J, Zhao X, Nucum D, Shortland J, Peng L, Elepano M, Tang B, Olson S, Paras N, Li H, Renslo AR, Arkin MR, Huang B, Lu B, Sirota M, Guo S. A zebrafish screen reveals Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors as neuroprotective via mitochondrial restoration in dopamine neurons. eLife 2021; 10:69795. [PMID: 34550070 PMCID: PMC8457844 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder without effective disease-modifying therapeutics. Here, we establish a chemogenetic dopamine (DA) neuron ablation model in larval zebrafish with mitochondrial dysfunction and robustness suitable for high-content screening. We use this system to conduct an in vivo DA neuron imaging-based chemical screen and identify the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) inhibitors as significantly neuroprotective. Knockdown of the angiotensin receptor 1 (agtr1) in DA neurons reveals a cell-autonomous mechanism of neuroprotection. DA neuron-specific RNA-seq identifies mitochondrial pathway gene expression that is significantly restored by RAAS inhibitor treatment. The neuroprotective effect of RAAS inhibitors is further observed in a zebrafish Gaucher disease model and Drosophila pink1-deficient PD model. Finally, examination of clinical data reveals a significant effect of RAAS inhibitors in delaying PD progression. Our findings reveal the therapeutic potential and mechanisms of targeting the RAAS pathway for neuroprotection and demonstrate a salient approach that bridges basic science to translational medicine. Parkinson’s disease is caused by the slow death and deterioration of brain cells, in particular of the neurons that produce a chemical messenger known as dopamine. Certain drugs can mitigate the resulting drop in dopamine levels and help to manage symptoms, but they cause dangerous side-effects. There is no treatment that can slow down or halt the progress of the condition, which affects 0.3% of the population globally. Many factors, both genetic and environmental, contribute to the emergence of Parkinson’s disease. For example, dysfunction of the mitochondria, the internal structures that power up cells, is a known mechanism associated with the death of dopamine-producing neurons. Zebrafish are tiny fish which can be used to study Parkinson’s disease, as they are easy to manipulate in the lab and share many characteristics with humans. In particular, they can be helpful to test the effects of various potential drugs on the condition. Here, Kim et al. established a new zebrafish model in which dopamine-producing brain cells die due to their mitochondria not working properly; they then used this assay to assess the impact of 1,403 different chemicals on the integrity of these cells. A group of molecules called renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAAS) inhibitors was shown to protect dopamine-producing neurons and stopped them from dying as often. These are already used to treat high blood pressure as they help to dilate blood vessels. In the brain, however, RAAS worked by restoring certain mitochondrial processes. Kim et al. then investigated whether these results are relevant in other, broader contexts. They were able to show that RAAS inhibitors have the same effect in other animals, and that Parkinson’s disease often progresses more slowly in patients that already take these drugs for high blood pressure. Taken together, these findings therefore suggest that RAAS inhibitors may be useful to treat Parkinson’s disease, as well as other brain illnesses that emerge because of mitochondria not working properly. Clinical studies and new ways to improve these drugs are needed to further investigate and capitalize on these potential benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gha-Hyun J Kim
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Programs in BiologicalSciences and Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Graduate Program of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Han Mo
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Programs in BiologicalSciences and Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Harrison Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Graduate Program of Bioengineering, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Zhihao Wu
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States
| | - Steven Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Small Molecule Discovery Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Jiashun Zheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Xiang Zhao
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Programs in BiologicalSciences and Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Daryl Nucum
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Programs in BiologicalSciences and Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - James Shortland
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Programs in BiologicalSciences and Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Longping Peng
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Programs in BiologicalSciences and Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mannuel Elepano
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases (IND), UCSF Weill Institute forNeurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Benjamin Tang
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States.,Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases (IND), UCSF Weill Institute forNeurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Steven Olson
- Small Molecule Discovery Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases (IND), UCSF Weill Institute forNeurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Nick Paras
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases (IND), UCSF Weill Institute forNeurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Adam R Renslo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Small Molecule Discovery Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Michelle R Arkin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Small Molecule Discovery Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Bo Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Graduate Program of Bioengineering, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, United States
| | - Bingwei Lu
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States
| | - Marina Sirota
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Su Guo
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Programs in BiologicalSciences and Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Graduate Program of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
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38
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Loganathan S, Ball HE, Manzo E, Zarnescu DC. Measuring Glucose Uptake in Drosophila Models of TDP-43 Proteinopathy. J Vis Exp 2021:10.3791/62936. [PMID: 34424253 PMCID: PMC9643010 DOI: 10.3791/62936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disorder causing progressive muscle weakness and death within 2-5 years following diagnosis. Clinical manifestations include weight loss, dyslipidemia, and hypermetabolism; however, it remains unclear how these relate to motor neuron degeneration. Using a Drosophila model of TDP-43 proteinopathy that recapitulates several features of ALS including cytoplasmic inclusions, locomotor dysfunction, and reduced lifespan, we recently identified broad ranging metabolic deficits. Among these, glycolysis was found to be upregulated and genetic interaction experiments provided evidence for a compensatory neuroprotective mechanism. Indeed, despite upregulation of phosphofructokinase, the rate limiting enzyme in glycolysis, an increase in glycolysis using dietary and genetic manipulations was shown to mitigate locomotor dysfunction and increased lifespan in fly models of TDP-43 proteinopathy. To further investigate the effect on TDP-43 proteinopathy on glycolytic flux in motor neurons, a previously reported genetically encoded, FRET-based sensor, FLII12Pglu-700µδ6, was used. This sensor is comprised of a bacterial glucose-sensing domain and cyan and yellow fluorescent proteins as the FRET pair. Upon glucose binding, the sensor undergoes a conformational change allowing FRET to occur. Using FLII12Pglu-700µδ6, glucose uptake was found to be significantly increased in motor neurons expressing TDP-43G298S, an ALS causing variant. Here, we show how to measure glucose uptake, ex vivo, in larval ventral nerve cord preparations expressing the glucose sensor FLII12Pglu-700µδ6 in the context of TDP-43 proteinopathy. This approach can be used to measure glucose uptake and assess glycolytic flux in different cell types or in the context of various mutations causing ALS and related neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hannah E Ball
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Ernesto Manzo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson; Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University
| | - Daniela C Zarnescu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson; Department of Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson;
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39
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Xie J, Chen S, Bopassa JC, Banerjee S. Drosophila tubulin polymerization promoting protein mutants reveal pathological correlates relevant to human Parkinson's disease. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13614. [PMID: 34193896 PMCID: PMC8245532 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92738-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with no known cure. PD is characterized by locomotion deficits, nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuronal loss, mitochondrial dysfunctions and formation of α-Synuclein aggregates. A well-conserved and less understood family of Tubulin Polymerization Promoting Proteins (TPPP) is also implicated in PD and related disorders, where TPPP exists in pathological aggregates in neurons in patient brains. However, there are no in vivo studies on mammalian TPPP to understand the genetics and neuropathology linking TPPP aggregation or neurotoxicity to PD. Recently, we discovered the only Drosophila homolog of human TPPP named Ringmaker (Ringer). Here, we report that adult ringer mutants display progressive locomotor disabilities, reduced lifespan and neurodegeneration. Importantly, our findings reveal that Ringer is associated with mitochondria and ringer mutants have mitochondrial structural damage and dysfunctions. Adult ringer mutants also display progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons. Together, these phenotypes of ringer mutants recapitulate some of the salient features of human PD patients, thus allowing us to utilize ringer mutants as a fly model relevant to PD, and further explore its genetic and molecular underpinnings to gain insights into the role of human TPPP in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xie
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, Hunan, China
| | - Shuting Chen
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, Hunan, China
| | - Jean C Bopassa
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Swati Banerjee
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
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40
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Quigley TP, Amdam GV. Social modulation of ageing: mechanisms, ecology, evolution. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20190738. [PMID: 33678020 PMCID: PMC7938163 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Human life expectancy increases, but the disease-free part of lifespan (healthspan) and the quality of life in old people may not show the same development. The situation poses considerable challenges to healthcare systems and economies, and calls for new strategies to increase healthspan and for sustainable future approaches to elder care. This call has motivated innovative research on the role of social relationships during ageing. Correlative data from clinical surveys indicate that social contact promotes healthy ageing, and it is time to reveal the causal mechanisms through experimental research. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a prolific model animal, but insects with more developed social behaviour can be equally instrumental for this research. Here, we discuss the role of social contact in ageing, and identify lines of study where diverse insect models can help uncover the mechanisms that are involved. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ageing and sociality: why, when and how does sociality change ageing patterns?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler P. Quigley
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, PO Box 874501, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Gro V. Amdam
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, PO Box 874501, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, PO Box 5002, N-1432 Aas, Norway
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41
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Hughes GL, Lones MA, Bedder M, Currie PD, Smith SL, Pownall ME. Machine learning discriminates a movement disorder in a zebrafish model of Parkinson's disease. Dis Model Mech 2020; 13:dmm045815. [PMID: 32859696 PMCID: PMC7578351 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.045815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models of human disease provide an in vivo system that can reveal molecular mechanisms by which mutations cause pathology, and, moreover, have the potential to provide a valuable tool for drug development. Here, we have developed a zebrafish model of Parkinson's disease (PD) together with a novel method to screen for movement disorders in adult fish, pioneering a more efficient drug-testing route. Mutation of the PARK7 gene (which encodes DJ-1) is known to cause monogenic autosomal recessive PD in humans, and, using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, we generated a Dj-1 loss-of-function zebrafish with molecular hallmarks of PD. To establish whether there is a human-relevant parkinsonian phenotype in our model, we adapted proven tools used to diagnose PD in clinics and developed a novel and unbiased computational method to classify movement disorders in adult zebrafish. Using high-resolution video capture and machine learning, we extracted novel features of movement from continuous data streams and used an evolutionary algorithm to classify parkinsonian fish. This method will be widely applicable for assessing zebrafish models of human motor diseases and provide a valuable asset for the therapeutics pipeline. In addition, interrogation of RNA-seq data indicate metabolic reprogramming of brains in the absence of Dj-1, adding to growing evidence that disruption of bioenergetics is a key feature of neurodegeneration.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gideon L Hughes
- Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Michael A Lones
- School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Matthew Bedder
- Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Department of Electronic Engineering, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Peter D Currie
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Stephen L Smith
- York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Department of Electronic Engineering, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Mary Elizabeth Pownall
- Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
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42
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Sellin J, Fülle JB, Thiele C, Bauer R, Bülow MH. Free fatty acid determination as a tool for modeling metabolic diseases in Drosophila. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 126:104090. [PMID: 32730782 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Free or non-esterified fatty acids are the product of lipolysis of storage fat, i.e. triacylglyceroles. When the amount of fat exceeds the capacity of lipid-storing organs, free fatty acids affect and damage other non-lipid-storing organs. This process is termed lipotoxicity. Within a cell, free fatty acids can damage mitochondria, and lipotoxicity-induced mitochondrial damage has been associated recently with Peroxisomal Biogenesis Disorders. Drosophila melanogaster has a rising popularity as a model organism for metabolic diseases, but an optimized assay for measuring free fatty acids in Drosophila tissue samples is missing. Here we present a detailed protocol highlighting technical requirements and pitfalls to determine free fatty acids in samples of Drosophila tissue. The colorimetric assay allows the reproducible and cost-efficient measurement of free fatty acids in a 96 well plate format. We used our assay to determine changes in free fatty acid levels in different developmental stages and feeding conditions, and found that larvae and adults have different patterns of free fatty acid formation during starvation. Our assay is a valuable tool in the modeling of metabolic diseases with Drosophila melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Sellin
- University of Bonn, Life & Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), Molecular Developmental Biology, Carl-Troll-Straße 31, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Judith B Fülle
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK; Skin Research Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #06-06, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Christoph Thiele
- University of Bonn, Life & Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), Biochemistry & Cell Biology of Lipids, Carl-Troll-Straße 31, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Reinhard Bauer
- University of Bonn, Life & Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), Molecular Developmental Biology, Carl-Troll-Straße 31, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Margret H Bülow
- University of Bonn, Life & Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), Molecular Developmental Biology, Carl-Troll-Straße 31, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
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43
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Arora S, Ligoxygakis P. Beyond Host Defense: Deregulation of Drosophila Immunity and Age-Dependent Neurodegeneration. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1574. [PMID: 32774336 PMCID: PMC7387716 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-dependent neurodegenerative disorders are a set of diseases that affect millions of individuals worldwide. Apart from a small subset that are the result of well-defined inherited autosomal dominant gene mutations (e.g., those encoding the β-amyloid precursor protein and presenilins), our understanding of the genetic network that underscores their pathology, remains scarce. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) especially in Alzheimer's disease patients and research in Parkinson's disease have implicated inflammation and the innate immune response as risk factors. However, even if GWAS etiology points toward innate immunity, untangling cause, and consequence is a challenging task. Specifically, it is not clear whether predisposition to de-regulated immunity causes an inadequate response to protein aggregation (such as amyloid or α-synuclein) or is the direct cause of this aggregation. Given the evolutionary conservation of the innate immune response in Drosophila and humans, unraveling whether hyperactive immune response in glia have a protective or pathological role in the brain could be a potential strategy in combating age-related neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srishti Arora
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Development and Genetics, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Petros Ligoxygakis
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Development and Genetics, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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44
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PRPS-Associated Disorders and the Drosophila Model of Arts Syndrome. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21144824. [PMID: 32650483 PMCID: PMC7403961 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21144824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
While a plethora of genetic techniques have been developed over the past century, modifying specific sequences of the fruit fly genome has been a difficult, if not impossible task. clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 truly redefined molecular genetics and provided new tools to model human diseases in Drosophila melanogaster. This is particularly true for genes whose protein sequences are highly conserved. Phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase (PRPS) is a rate-limiting enzyme in nucleotide metabolism whose missense mutations are found in several neurological disorders, including Arts syndrome. In addition, PRPS is deregulated in cancer, particularly those that become resistant to cancer therapy. Notably, DrosophilaPRPS shares about 90% protein sequence identity with its human orthologs, making it an ideal gene to study via CRISPR/Cas9. In this review, we will summarize recent findings on PRPS mutations in human diseases including cancer and on the molecular mechanisms by which PRPS activity is regulated. We will also discuss potential applications of Drosophila CRISPR/Cas9 to model PRPS-dependent disorders and other metabolic diseases that are associated with nucleotide metabolism.
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45
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McFall A, Hietamies TM, Bernard A, Aimable M, Allan SM, Bath PM, Brezzo G, Carare RO, Carswell HV, Clarkson AN, Currie G, Farr TD, Fowler JH, Good M, Hainsworth AH, Hall C, Horsburgh K, Kalaria R, Kehoe P, Lawrence C, Macleod M, McColl BW, McNeilly A, Miller AA, Miners S, Mok V, O’Sullivan M, Platt B, Sena ES, Sharp M, Strangward P, Szymkowiak S, Touyz RM, Trueman RC, White C, McCabe C, Work LM, Quinn TJ. UK consensus on pre-clinical vascular cognitive impairment functional outcomes assessment: Questionnaire and workshop proceedings. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2020; 40:1402-1414. [PMID: 32151228 PMCID: PMC7307003 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x20910552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Assessment of outcome in preclinical studies of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is heterogenous. Through an ARUK Scottish Network supported questionnaire and workshop (mostly UK-based researchers), we aimed to determine underlying variability and what could be implemented to overcome identified challenges. Twelve UK VCI research centres were identified and invited to complete a questionnaire and attend a one-day workshop. Questionnaire responses demonstrated agreement that outcome assessments in VCI preclinical research vary by group and even those common across groups, may be performed differently. From the workshop, six themes were discussed: issues with preclinical models, reasons for choosing functional assessments, issues in interpretation of functional assessments, describing and reporting functional outcome assessments, sharing resources and expertise, and standardization of outcomes. Eight consensus points emerged demonstrating broadly that the chosen assessment should reflect the deficit being measured, and therefore that one assessment does not suit all models; guidance/standardisation on recording VCI outcome reporting is needed and that uniformity would be aided by a platform to share expertise, material, protocols and procedures thus reducing heterogeneity and so increasing potential for collaboration, comparison and replication. As a result of the workshop, UK wide consensus statements were agreed and future priorities for preclinical research identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisling McFall
- Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, College of
Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow,
UK
| | - Tuuli M Hietamies
- Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, College of
Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow,
UK
| | - Ashton Bernard
- Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, College of
Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow,
UK
| | - Margaux Aimable
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh,
Edinburgh, UK
| | - Stuart M Allan
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Division
of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences,
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester,
Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Philip M Bath
- Stroke Trials Unit, Division of Clinical Neuroscience,
University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Gaia Brezzo
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh,
Edinburgh, UK
| | - Roxana O Carare
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton,
UK
| | - Hilary V Carswell
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and
Biomedical Science, Glasgow, UK
| | - Andrew N Clarkson
- The Department of Anatomy, Brain Health Research Centre and
Brain Research New Zealand, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Gillian Currie
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh,
Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tracy D Farr
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham ,
UK
| | - Jill H Fowler
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh,
Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mark Good
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Atticus H Hainsworth
- Molecular & Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St
George’s University of London, London, UK
| | - Catherine Hall
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Karen Horsburgh
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh,
Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rajesh Kalaria
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon
Tyne, UK
| | - Patrick Kehoe
- Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Bristol,
Bristol, UK
| | - Catherine Lawrence
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Division
of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences,
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester,
Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Malcolm Macleod
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh,
Edinburgh, UK
| | - Barry W McColl
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh,
Edinburgh, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh Medical School,
University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alison McNeilly
- School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital,
Dundee, Scotland
| | - Alyson A Miller
- Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, College of
Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow,
UK
| | - Scott Miners
- Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Bristol,
Bristol, UK
| | - Vincent Mok
- Gerald Choa Neuroscience Centre, Therese Pei Fong Chow Research
Centre for Prevention of Dementia, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine
and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Michael O’Sullivan
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Queensland,
Australia
| | - Bettina Platt
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen,
Aberdeen, Scotland
| | - Emily S Sena
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh,
Edinburgh, UK
| | - Matthew Sharp
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton,
UK
| | - Patrick Strangward
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Division
of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences,
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester,
Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Stefan Szymkowiak
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh,
Edinburgh, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh Medical School,
University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rhian M Touyz
- Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, College of
Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow,
UK
| | | | - Claire White
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Division
of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences,
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester,
Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Chris McCabe
- Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology, College of Medical,
Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Lorraine M Work
- Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, College of
Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow,
UK
| | - Terence J Quinn
- Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, College of
Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow,
UK
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46
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Liu M, Yu S, Wang J, Qiao J, Liu Y, Wang S, Zhao Y. Ginseng protein protects against mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegeneration by inducing mitochondrial unfolded protein response in Drosophila melanogaster PINK1 model of Parkinson's disease. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2020; 247:112213. [PMID: 31562951 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Historical literature and pharmacological studies demonstrate that ginseng, one of the most popular herbal medicines in China, holds potential benefits for Parkinson's disease (PD). AIM OF THE STUDY Studies in Drosophila melanogaster (Dm) have highlighted mitochondrial dysfunction upon loss of PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) as a central mechanism of PD pathogenesis. Using PINK1B9 mutant Dm, we aimed to explore the therapeutic action of ginseng total protein (GTP) on PD and provide in-depth scientific interpretation about the traditional efficacy of ginseng. MATERIALS AND METHODS We first used gel chromatography to purify GTP and confirmed its molecular weight by SDS-PAGE. Effects of GTP on PINK1B9 mutants, which were supplied with standard diet from larvae to adult stages, were assayed in flies aged 3-6 (I), 10-15 (II), and 20-25 (III) days. Parkinson-like phenotypes were analyzed by evaluating lifespan, dopaminergic neurons, dopamine levels, and locomotor ability. Mitochondrial function was assessed by evaluating ATP production, respirometry, and mitochondrial DNA. In addition, reactive oxygen species were measured using dihydroethidium and 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate staining. PD-related oxidative stress was simulated by paraquat and rotenone, and mitochondrial membrane potential was measured using JC-10 reagent. Protein and mRNA expression was detected by Western blot and real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS This study demonstrates for the first time that GTP treatment delays the onset of a Parkinson-like phenotype in PINK1B9 Dm, including prolongation of lifespan and rescue of climbing ability, as well as rescue of the progressive loss of a cluster of dopaminergic neurons in the protocerebral posterior lateral 1 region, which was accompanied by a significant increase of dopamine content in the brain. In addition, GTP notably reduced the penetrance of abnormal wing position, indicating a strong inhibitory effect on indirect flight muscle degeneration. We further showed that GTP could promote maintenance of mitochondrial function and protect mitochondria from PD-associated oxidative stress by activating the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt). CONCLUSIONS GTP protected against mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegeneration by inducing UPRmt in the Dm PINK1B9 model of PD. Our results suggest that GTP is a promising candidate for PD, and reveal a new mechanism by which ginseng is neuroprotective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meichen Liu
- Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China.
| | - Shiting Yu
- Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China.
| | - Jiawen Wang
- Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China.
| | - Juhui Qiao
- Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China.
| | - Ying Liu
- Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China.
| | - Siming Wang
- Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China.
| | - Yu Zhao
- Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China.
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47
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Ram KR, Chowdhuri DK. Drosophila: a model for biotechnologist. Anim Biotechnol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-811710-1.00001-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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48
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Thackray AM, Andréoletti O, Bujdoso R. Mammalian prion propagation in PrP transgenic Drosophila. Brain 2019; 141:2700-2710. [PMID: 29985975 PMCID: PMC6113635 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awy183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian prions propagate by template-directed misfolding and aggregation of normal cellular prion related protein PrPC as it converts into disease-associated conformers collectively referred to as PrPSc. Mammalian species may be permissive for prion disease because these hosts have co-evolved specific co-factors that assist PrPC conformational change and prion propagation. We have tested this hypothesis by examining whether faithful prion propagation occurs in the normally PrPC-null invertebrate host Drosophila melanogaster. Ovine PrP transgenic Drosophila exposed at the larval stage to ovine scrapie showed a progressive accumulation of transmissible prions in adult flies. Strikingly, the biological properties of distinct ovine prion strains were maintained during their propagation in Drosophila. Our observations show that the co-factors necessary for strain-specific prion propagation are not unique to mammalian species. Our studies establish Drosophila as a novel host for the study of transmissible mammalian prions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana M Thackray
- University of Cambridge, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OES, UK
| | - Olivier Andréoletti
- UMR INRA ENVT 1225 -Hôtes-Agents Pathogènes, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 Chemin des Capelles, Toulouse, France
| | - Raymond Bujdoso
- University of Cambridge, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OES, UK
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49
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Evangelakou Z, Manola M, Gumeni S, Trougakos IP. Nutrigenomics as a tool to study the impact of diet on aging and age-related diseases: the Drosophila approach. GENES & NUTRITION 2019; 14:12. [PMID: 31073342 PMCID: PMC6498619 DOI: 10.1186/s12263-019-0638-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Aging is a complex phenomenon caused by the time-dependent loss of cellular homeodynamics and consequently of physiological organismal functions. This process is affected by both genetic and environmental (e.g., diet) factors, as well as by their constant interaction. Consistently, deregulation of nutrient sensing and signaling pathways is considered a hallmark of aging. Nutrigenomics is an emerging scientific discipline that studies changes induced by diet on the genome and thus it considers the intersection of three topics, namely health, diet, and genomics. Model organisms, such as the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, have been successfully used for in vivo modeling of higher metazoans aging and for nutrigenomic studies. Drosophila is a well-studied organism with sophisticated genetics and a fully annotated sequenced genome, in which ~ 75% of human disease-related genes have functional orthologs. Also, flies have organs/tissues that perform the equivalent functions of most mammalian organs, while discrete clusters of cells maintain insect carbohydrate homeostasis in a way similar to pancreatic cells. Herein, we discuss the mechanistic connections between nutrition and aging in Drosophila, and how this model organism can be used to study the effect of different diets (including natural products and/or their derivatives) on higher metazoans longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoi Evangelakou
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Manola
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece
| | - Sentiljana Gumeni
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis P. Trougakos
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece
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50
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Garrido-Maraver J, Celardo I, Costa AC, Lehmann S, Loh SHY, Martins LM. Enhancing folic acid metabolism suppresses defects associated with loss of Drosophila mitofusin. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:288. [PMID: 30911005 PMCID: PMC6433915 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1496-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the mitochondrial GTPase mitofusin 2 (MFN2) cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2 (CMT2A), a form of peripheral neuropathy that compromises axonal function. Mitofusins promote mitochondrial fusion and regulate mitochondrial dynamics. They are also reported to be involved in forming contacts between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum. The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is a powerful tool to model human neurodegenerative diseases, including CMT2A. Here, we have downregulated the expression of the Drosophila mitofusin (dMfn RNAi) in adult flies and showed that this activates mitochondrial retrograde signalling and is associated with an upregulation of genes involved in folic acid (FA) metabolism. Additionally, we demonstrated that pharmacological and genetic interventions designed to increase the FA metabolism pathway suppresses the phenotype of the dMfn RNAi flies. We conclude that strategies to increase FA metabolism may ameliorate diseases, such as peripheral neuropathies, that are associated with loss of mitochondrial function. A video abstract for this article is available at https://youtu.be/fs1G-QRo6xI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Garrido-Maraver
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Ivana Celardo
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Ana C Costa
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Susann Lehmann
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Samantha H Y Loh
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK.
| | - L Miguel Martins
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK.
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