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Amini J, Sanchooli N, Milajerdi MH, Baeeri M, Haddadi M, Sanadgol N. The interplay between tauopathy and aging through interruption of UPR/Nrf2/autophagy crosstalk in the Alzheimer's disease transgenic experimental models. Int J Neurosci 2024; 134:1049-1067. [PMID: 37132251 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2023.2210409] [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: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of tauopathy that usually occursduring aging and unfolded protein response (UPR), oxidative stress and autophagy play a crucialrole in tauopathy-induced neurotoxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects oftauopathy on normal brain aging in a Drosophila model of AD. METHOD We investigated the interplay between aging (10, 20, 30, and 40 days) and human tauR406W (htau)-induced cell stress in transgenic fruit flies. RESULTS Tauopathy caused significant defects in eye morphology, a decrease in motor function and olfactory memory performance (after 20 days), and an increase in ethanol sensitivity (after 30 days). Our results showed a significant increase in UPR (GRP78 and ATF4), redox signalling (p-Nrf2, total GSH, total SH, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant activity), and regulatory associated protein of mTOR complex 1 (p-Raptor) activity in the control group after 40 days, while the tauopathy model flies showed an advanced increase in the above markers at 20 days of age. Interestingly, only the control flies showed reduced autophagy by a significant decrease in the autophagosome formation protein (dATG1)/p-Raptor ratio at 40 days of age. Our results were also confirmed by bioinformatic analysis of microarray data from tauPS19 transgenic mice (3, 6, 9, and 12 months), in which tauopathy increased expression of heme oxygenase 1, and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit and promote aging in transgenic animals. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we suggest that the neuropathological effects of tau aggregates may be accelerated brain aging, where redox signaling and autophagy efficacy play an important role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javad Amini
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
| | - Naser Sanchooli
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
| | | | - Maryam Baeeri
- Toxicology and Diseases Group, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, The Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Haddadi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
| | - Nima Sanadgol
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
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2
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Pipkin HJJ, Lindsay HL, Smiley AT, Jurmu JD, Arsham AM. An accessible digital imaging workflow for multiplexed quantitative analysis of adult eye phenotypes in Drosophila melanogaster. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.26.577286. [PMID: 39253516 PMCID: PMC11383053 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.26.577286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
The compound eye of Drosophila melanogaster has long been a model for studying genetics, development, neurodegeneration, and heterochromatin. Imaging and morphometry of adult Drosophila and other insects is hampered by the low throughput, narrow focal plane, and small image sensors typical of stereomicroscope cameras. When data collection is distributed among many individuals or extended time periods, these limitations are compounded by inter-operator variability in lighting, sample positioning, focus, and post-acquisition processing. To address these limitations we developed a method for multiplexed quantitative analysis of adult Drosophila melanogaster phenotypes. Efficient data collection and analysis of up to 60 adult flies in a single image with standardized conditions eliminates inter-operator variability and enables precise quantitative comparison of morphology. Semi-automated data analysis using ImageJ and R reduces image manipulations, facilitates reproducibility, and supports emerging automated segmentation methods, as well as a wide range of graphical and statistical tools. These methods also serve as a low-cost hands-on introduction to imaging, data visualization, and statistical analysis for students and trainees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi J J Pipkin
- Bemidji State University and North Hennepin Community College, 7411 85 Ave N, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
| | - Hunter L Lindsay
- Bemidji State University and North Hennepin Community College, 7411 85 Ave N, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
| | - Adam T Smiley
- Bemidji State University and North Hennepin Community College, 7411 85 Ave N, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
| | - Jack D Jurmu
- Bemidji State University and North Hennepin Community College, 7411 85 Ave N, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
| | - Andrew M Arsham
- Bemidji State University and North Hennepin Community College, 7411 85 Ave N, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
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3
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Onkar A, Sheshadri D, Rai A, Gupta AK, Gupta N, Ganesh S. Increase in brain glycogen levels ameliorates Huntington's disease phenotype and rescues neurodegeneration in Drosophila. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm050238. [PMID: 37681238 PMCID: PMC10602008 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050238] [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: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Under normal physiological conditions, the mammalian brain contains very little glycogen, most of which is stored in astrocytes. However, the aging brain and the subareas of the brain in patients with neurodegenerative disorders tend to accumulate glycogen, the cause and significance of which remain largely unexplored. Using cellular models, we have recently demonstrated a neuroprotective role for neuronal glycogen and glycogen synthase in the context of Huntington's disease. To gain insight into the role of brain glycogen in regulating proteotoxicity, we utilized a Drosophila model of Huntington's disease, in which glycogen synthase is either knocked down or expressed ectopically. Enhancing glycogen synthesis in the brains of flies with Huntington's disease decreased mutant Huntingtin aggregation and reduced oxidative stress by activating auto-lysosomal functions. Further, overexpression of glycogen synthase in the brain rescues photoreceptor degeneration, improves locomotor deficits and increases fitness traits in this Huntington's disease model. We, thus, provide in vivo evidence for the neuroprotective functions of glycogen synthase and glycogen in neurodegenerative conditions, and their role in the neuronal autophagy process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Onkar
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Deepashree Sheshadri
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur 208016, India
- Centre of Excellence in Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Mental Health, Gangwal School of Medical Sciences and Technology, IIT, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Anupama Rai
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Arjit Kant Gupta
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Nitin Gupta
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur 208016, India
- Centre of Excellence in Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Mental Health, Gangwal School of Medical Sciences and Technology, IIT, Kanpur 208016, India
- The Mehta Family Centre for Engineering in Medicine, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Subramaniam Ganesh
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur 208016, India
- Centre of Excellence in Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Mental Health, Gangwal School of Medical Sciences and Technology, IIT, Kanpur 208016, India
- The Mehta Family Centre for Engineering in Medicine, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India
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4
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Yang M, Zinkgraf M, Fitzgerald-Cook C, Harrison BR, Putzier A, Promislow DEL, Wang AM. Using Drosophila to identify naturally occurring genetic modifiers of amyloid beta 42- and tau-induced toxicity. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad132. [PMID: 37311212 PMCID: PMC10468303 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by 2 pathological proteins, amyloid beta 42 and tau. The majority of Alzheimer's disease cases in the population are sporadic and late-onset Alzheimer's disease, which exhibits high levels of heritability. While several genetic risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer's disease have been identified and replicated in independent studies, including the ApoE ε4 allele, the great majority of the heritability of late-onset Alzheimer's disease remains unexplained, likely due to the aggregate effects of a very large number of genes with small effect size, as well as to biases in sample collection and statistical approaches. Here, we present an unbiased forward genetic screen in Drosophila looking for naturally occurring modifiers of amyloid beta 42- and tau-induced ommatidial degeneration. Our results identify 14 significant SNPs, which map to 12 potential genes in 8 unique genomic regions. Our hits that are significant after genome-wide correction identify genes involved in neuronal development, signal transduction, and organismal development. Looking more broadly at suggestive hits (P < 10-5), we see significant enrichment in genes associated with neurogenesis, development, and growth as well as significant enrichment in genes whose orthologs have been identified as significantly or suggestively associated with Alzheimer's disease in human GWAS studies. These latter genes include ones whose orthologs are in close proximity to regions in the human genome that are associated with Alzheimer's disease, but where a causal gene has not been identified. Together, our results illustrate the potential for complementary and convergent evidence provided through multitrait GWAS in Drosophila to supplement and inform human studies, helping to identify the remaining heritability and novel modifiers of complex diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Matthew Zinkgraf
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
| | - Cecilia Fitzgerald-Cook
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Benjamin R Harrison
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Alexandra Putzier
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
| | - Daniel E L Promislow
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Adrienne M Wang
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
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5
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Bogaert E, Garde A, Gautier T, Rooney K, Duffourd Y, LeBlanc P, van Reempts E, Tran Mau-Them F, Wentzensen IM, Au KS, Richardson K, Northrup H, Gatinois V, Geneviève D, Louie RJ, Lyons MJ, Laulund LW, Brasch-Andersen C, Maxel Juul T, El It F, Marle N, Callier P, Relator R, Haghshenas S, McConkey H, Kerkhof J, Cesario C, Novelli A, Brunetti-Pierri N, Pinelli M, Pennamen P, Naudion S, Legendre M, Courdier C, Trimouille A, Fenzy MD, Pais L, Yeung A, Nugent K, Roeder ER, Mitani T, Posey JE, Calame D, Yonath H, Rosenfeld JA, Musante L, Faletra F, Montanari F, Sartor G, Vancini A, Seri M, Besmond C, Poirier K, Hubert L, Hemelsoet D, Munnich A, Lupski JR, Philippe C, Thauvin-Robinet C, Faivre L, Sadikovic B, Govin J, Dermaut B, Vitobello A. SRSF1 haploinsufficiency is responsible for a syndromic developmental disorder associated with intellectual disability. Am J Hum Genet 2023; 110:790-808. [PMID: 37071997 PMCID: PMC10183470 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
SRSF1 (also known as ASF/SF2) is a non-small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (non-snRNP) that belongs to the arginine/serine (R/S) domain family. It recognizes and binds to mRNA, regulating both constitutive and alternative splicing. The complete loss of this proto-oncogene in mice is embryonically lethal. Through international data sharing, we identified 17 individuals (10 females and 7 males) with a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) with heterozygous germline SRSF1 variants, mostly de novo, including three frameshift variants, three nonsense variants, seven missense variants, and two microdeletions within region 17q22 encompassing SRSF1. Only in one family, the de novo origin could not be established. All individuals featured a recurrent phenotype including developmental delay and intellectual disability (DD/ID), hypotonia, neurobehavioral problems, with variable skeletal (66.7%) and cardiac (46%) anomalies. To investigate the functional consequences of SRSF1 variants, we performed in silico structural modeling, developed an in vivo splicing assay in Drosophila, and carried out episignature analysis in blood-derived DNA from affected individuals. We found that all loss-of-function and 5 out of 7 missense variants were pathogenic, leading to a loss of SRSF1 splicing activity in Drosophila, correlating with a detectable and specific DNA methylation episignature. In addition, our orthogonal in silico, in vivo, and epigenetics analyses enabled the separation of clearly pathogenic missense variants from those with uncertain significance. Overall, these results indicated that haploinsufficiency of SRSF1 is responsible for a syndromic NDD with ID due to a partial loss of SRSF1-mediated splicing activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Bogaert
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Aurore Garde
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France; Centre de Référence Maladies Rares "Anomalies du Développement et Syndromes Malformatifs", Centre de Génétique, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Thierry Gautier
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Kathleen Rooney
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Western University, London, ON N5A 3K7, Canada; Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, London Health Science Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada
| | - Yannis Duffourd
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France; Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic génomique des maladies rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Pontus LeBlanc
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Emma van Reempts
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Frederic Tran Mau-Them
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France; Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic génomique des maladies rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France
| | | | - Kit Sing Au
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX, USA; Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kate Richardson
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX, USA; Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hope Northrup
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX, USA; Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Vincent Gatinois
- Unité de Génétique Chromosomique, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - David Geneviève
- Montpellier University, Inserm U1183, Montpellier, France; Reference center for rare disease developmental anomaly malformative syndrome, Department of Medical Genetics, Montpellier Hospital, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | | | - Charlotte Brasch-Andersen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark; Human Genetics, Department of Clinical Research, Health Faculty, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Trine Maxel Juul
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Fatima El It
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Nathalie Marle
- Laboratoire de Génétique Chromosomique et Moléculaire, Pôle de Biologie, CHU de Dijon, Dijon, France
| | - Patrick Callier
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France; Laboratoire de Génétique Chromosomique et Moléculaire, Pôle de Biologie, CHU de Dijon, Dijon, France
| | - Raissa Relator
- Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, London Health Science Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada
| | - Sadegheh Haghshenas
- Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, London Health Science Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada
| | - Haley McConkey
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Western University, London, ON N5A 3K7, Canada; Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, London Health Science Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada
| | - Jennifer Kerkhof
- Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, London Health Science Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada
| | - Claudia Cesario
- Translational Cytogenomics Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Novelli
- Translational Cytogenomics Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Brunetti-Pierri
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy; Department of Translational Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Michele Pinelli
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy; Department of Translational Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Sophie Naudion
- Medical Genetics Department, CHU Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | | | | | - Aurelien Trimouille
- INSERM U1211, Laboratoire MRGM, Bordeaux University, Bordeaux, France; Pathology Department, CHU Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Martine Doco Fenzy
- Service de génétique, CHU de Reims, Reims, France; Service de génétique médicale, CHU de Nantes, Nantes, France; L'institut du thorax, INSERM, CNRS, UNIV Nantes, CHU de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Lynn Pais
- Broad Center for Mendelian Genomics, Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alison Yeung
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Kimberly Nugent
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, San Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Roeder
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, San Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Tadahiro Mitani
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jennifer E Posey
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Daniel Calame
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Section of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hagith Yonath
- Internal Medicine A, Danek Gertner Institute of Human Genetics, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Jill A Rosenfeld
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Baylor Genetics Laboratories, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Luciana Musante
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Flavio Faletra
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Francesca Montanari
- UO Genetica Medica, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanna Sartor
- UO Genetica Medica, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Marco Seri
- UO Genetica Medica, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Claude Besmond
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR1163, Paris 75015, France
| | - Karine Poirier
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR1163, Paris 75015, France
| | - Laurence Hubert
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR1163, Paris 75015, France
| | - Dimitri Hemelsoet
- Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Arnold Munnich
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR1163, Paris 75015, France
| | - James R Lupski
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, San Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christophe Philippe
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France; Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic génomique des maladies rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Christel Thauvin-Robinet
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France; Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic génomique des maladies rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France; Centre de Référence Maladies Rares « Déficiences intellectuelles de causes rares », Centre de Génétique, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Laurence Faivre
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France; Centre de Référence Maladies Rares "Anomalies du Développement et Syndromes Malformatifs", Centre de Génétique, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Bekim Sadikovic
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Western University, London, ON N5A 3K7, Canada; Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, London Health Science Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada
| | - Jérôme Govin
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Bart Dermaut
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Antonio Vitobello
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France; Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic génomique des maladies rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France.
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6
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Currea JP, Sondhi Y, Kawahara AY, Theobald J. Measuring compound eye optics with microscope and microCT images. Commun Biol 2023; 6:246. [PMID: 36882636 PMCID: PMC9992655 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04575-x] [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: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
With a great variety of shapes and sizes, compound eye morphologies give insight into visual ecology, development, and evolution, and inspire novel engineering. In contrast to our own camera-type eyes, compound eyes reveal their resolution, sensitivity, and field of view externally, provided they have spherical curvature and orthogonal ommatidia. Non-spherical compound eyes with skewed ommatidia require measuring internal structures, such as with MicroCT (µCT). Thus far, there is no efficient tool to characterize compound eye optics, from either 2D or 3D data, automatically. Here we present two open-source programs: (1) the ommatidia detecting algorithm (ODA), which measures ommatidia count and diameter in 2D images, and (2) a µCT pipeline (ODA-3D), which calculates anatomical acuity, sensitivity, and field of view across the eye by applying the ODA to 3D data. We validate these algorithms on images, images of replicas, and µCT eye scans from ants, fruit flies, moths, and a bee.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Paul Currea
- Integrative Biology and Physiology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Yash Sondhi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Akito Y Kawahara
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Jamie Theobald
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
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7
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Nitta Y, Sugie A. Studies of neurodegenerative diseases using Drosophila and the development of novel approaches for their analysis. Fly (Austin) 2022; 16:275-298. [PMID: 35765969 PMCID: PMC9336468 DOI: 10.1080/19336934.2022.2087484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of Drosophila in neurodegenerative disease research has contributed to the identification of modifier genes for the pathology. The basis for neurodegenerative disease occurrence in Drosophila is the conservation of genes across species and the ability to perform rapid genetic analysis using a compact brain. Genetic findings previously discovered in Drosophila can reveal molecular pathologies involved in human neurological diseases in later years. Disease models using Drosophila began to be generated during the development of genetic engineering. In recent years, results of reverse translational research using Drosophila have been reported. In this review, we discuss research on neurodegenerative diseases; moreover, we introduce various methods for quantifying neurodegeneration in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Nitta
- Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Atsushi Sugie
- Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
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8
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α-Synuclein E46K Mutation and Involvement of Oxidative Stress in a Drosophila Model of Parkinson's Disease. PARKINSONS DISEASE 2021; 2021:6621507. [PMID: 34285796 PMCID: PMC8275411 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6621507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-associated neurodegenerative condition in which some genetic variants are known to increase disease susceptibility on interaction with environmental factors inducing oxidative stress. Different mutations in the SNCA gene are reported as the major genetic contributors to PD. E46K mutation pathogenicity has not been investigated as intensive as other SNCA gene mutations including A30P and A53T. In this study, based on the GAL4-UAS binary genetic tool, transgenic Drosophila melanogaster flies expressing wild-type and E46K-mutated copies of the human SNCA gene were constructed. Western blotting, immunohistochemical analysis, and light and confocal microscopy of flies' brains were undertaken along with the survival rate measurement, locomotor function assay, and ethanol and paraquat (PQ) tolerance to study α-synuclein neurotoxicity. Biochemical bioassays were carried out to investigate the activity of antioxidant enzymes and alterations in levels of oxidative markers following damages induced by human α-synuclein to the neurons of the transgenic flies. Overexpression of human α-synuclein in the central nervous system of these transgenic flies led to disorganized ommatidia structures and loss of dopaminergic neurons. E46K α-synuclein caused remarkable climbing defects, reduced survivorship, higher ethanol sensitivity, and increased PQ-mediated mortality. A noticeable decline in activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes besides considerable increase in the levels of lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species was observed in head capsule homogenates of α-synuclein-expressing flies, which indicates obvious involvement of oxidative stress as a causal factor in SNCAE46K neurotoxicity. In all the investigations, E46K copy of the SNCA gene was found to impose more severe defects when compared to wild-type SNCA. It can be concluded that the constructed Drosophila models developed PD-like symptoms that facilitate comparative studies of molecular and cellular pathways implicated in the pathogenicity of different α-synuclein mutations.
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Zarini-Gakiye E, Vaezi G, Parivar K, Sanadgol N. Age and Dose-Dependent Effects of Alpha-Lipoic Acid on Human Microtubule- Associated Protein Tau-Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Unfolded Protein Response: Implications for Alzheimer's Disease. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2021; 20:451-464. [PMID: 33573583 DOI: 10.2174/1871527320666210126114442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In human tauopathies, pathological aggregation of misfolded/unfolded proteins, particularly microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT, tau) is considered to be an essential mechanism that triggers the induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. OBJECTIVE Here, we assessed the molecular effects of natural antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) in human tauR406W (hTau)-induced ER unfolded protein response (ERUPR) in fruit flies. METHODS In order to reduce hTau neurotoxicity during brain development, we used a transgenic model of tauopathy where the maximum toxicity was observed in adult flies. Then, the effects of ALA (0.001, 0.005, and 0.025% w/w of diet) in htau-induced ERUPR and behavioral dysfunctions in the ages 20 and 30 days were evaluated in Drosophila melanogaster. RESULTS Data from expression (mRNA and protein) patterns of htau, analysis of eyes external morphology as well as larvae olfactory memory were confirmed by our tauopathy model. Moreover, the expression of ERUPR-related proteins involving Activating Transcription Factor 6 (ATF6), inositol regulating enzyme 1 (IRE1), and protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK) wase upregulated and locomotor function decreased in both ages of the model flies. Remarkably, the lower dose of ALA modified ERUPR and supported the reduction of behavioral deficits in youngest adults through the enhancement of GRP87/Bip, reduction of ATF6, downregulation of PERK-ATF4 pathway, and activation of the IRE1-XBP1 pathway. On the other hand, only a higher dose of ALA affected the ERUPR via moderation of PERK-ATF4 signaling in the oldest adults. As ALA also exerts higher protective effects on the locomotor function of younger adults when htauR406Wis expressed in all neurons (htau-elav) and mushroom body neurons (htau-ok), we proposed that ALA has age-dependent effects in this model. CONCLUSION Taken together, based on our results, we conclude that aging potentially influences the ALA effective dose and mechanism of action on tau-induced ERUPR. Further molecular studies will warrant possible therapeutic applications of ALA in age-related tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elahe Zarini-Gakiye
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gholamhassan Vaezi
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kazem Parivar
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nima Sanadgol
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
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Haghi M, Masoudi R, Najibi SM. Distinctive alteration in the expression of autophagy genes in Drosophila models of amyloidopathy and tauopathy. Ups J Med Sci 2020; 125:265-273. [PMID: 32657227 PMCID: PMC7594860 DOI: 10.1080/03009734.2020.1785063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one the most common types of dementia. Plaques of amyloid beta and neurofibrillary tangles of tau are two major hallmarks of AD. Metabolism of these two proteins, in part, depends on autophagy pathways. Autophagy dysfunction and protein aggregation in AD may be involved in a vicious circle. The aim of this study was to investigate whether tau or amyloid beta 42 (Aβ42) could affect expression of autophagy genes, and whether they exert their effects in the same way or not. METHODS Expression levels of some autophagy genes, Hook, Atg6, Atg8, and Cathepsin D, were measured using quantitative PCR in transgenic Drosophila melanogaster expressing either Aβ42 or Tau R406W. RESULTS We found that Hook mRNA levels were downregulated in Aβ42-expressing flies both 5 and 25 days old, while they were increased in 25-day-old flies expressing Tau R406W. Both Atg6 and Atg8 were upregulated at day 5 and then downregulated in 25-day-old flies expressing either Aβ42 or Tau R406W. Cathepsin D expression levels were significantly increased in 5-day-old flies expressing Tau R406W, while there was no significant change in the expression levels of this gene in 5-day-old flies expressing Aβ42. Expression levels of Cathepsin D were significantly decreased in 25-day-old transgenic flies expressing Tau R406W or Aβ42. CONCLUSION We conclude that both Aβ42 and Tau R406W may affect autophagy through dysregulation of autophagy genes. Interestingly, it seems that these pathological proteins exert their toxic effects on autophagy through different pathways and independently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehrnaz Haghi
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Raheleh Masoudi
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
- CONTACT Raheleh Masoudi Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Seyed Morteza Najibi
- Center for Molecular Protein Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Statistics, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
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Diez-Hermano S, Ganfornina MD, Vegas-Lozano E, Sanchez D. Machine Learning Representation of Loss of Eye Regularity in a Drosophila Neurodegenerative Model. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:516. [PMID: 32581679 PMCID: PMC7287026 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The fruit fly compound eye is a premier experimental system for modeling human neurodegenerative diseases. The disruption of the retinal geometry has been historically assessed using time-consuming and poorly reliable techniques such as histology or pseudopupil manual counting. Recent semiautomated quantification approaches rely either on manual region-of-interest delimitation or engineered features to estimate the extent of degeneration. This work presents a fully automated classification pipeline of bright-field images based on orientated gradient descriptors and machine learning techniques. An initial region-of-interest extraction is performed, applying morphological kernels and Euclidean distance-to-centroid thresholding. Image classification algorithms are trained on these regions (support vector machine, decision trees, random forest, and convolutional neural network), and their performance is evaluated on independent, unseen datasets. The combinations of oriented gradient + gaussian kernel Support Vector Machine [0.97 accuracy and 0.98 area under the curve (AUC)] and fine-tuned pre-trained convolutional neural network (0.98 accuracy and 0.99 AUC) yielded the best results overall. The proposed method provides a robust quantification framework that can be generalized to address the loss of regularity in biological patterns similar to the Drosophila eye surface and speeds up the processing of large sample batches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Diez-Hermano
- Instituto de Biologia y Genetica Molecular-Departamento de Bioquimica y Biologia Molecular y Fisiologia, Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC, Valladolid, Spain.,Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecologia y Evolucion, Unidad de Biomatematicas, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria D Ganfornina
- Instituto de Biologia y Genetica Molecular-Departamento de Bioquimica y Biologia Molecular y Fisiologia, Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Esteban Vegas-Lozano
- Departamento de Genetica, Microbiologia y Estadistica, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diego Sanchez
- Instituto de Biologia y Genetica Molecular-Departamento de Bioquimica y Biologia Molecular y Fisiologia, Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC, Valladolid, Spain
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The distinctive role of tau and amyloid beta in mitochondrial dysfunction through alteration in Mfn2 and Drp1 mRNA Levels: A comparative study in Drosophila melanogaster. Gene 2020; 754:144854. [PMID: 32525045 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common forms of neurodegenerative diseases. Aggregation of Aβ42 and hyperphosphorylated tau are two major hallmarks of AD. Whether different forms of tau (soluble or hyperphosphorylated) or Aβ are the main culprit in the events observed in AD is still under investigation. Here, we examined the effect of wild-type, prone to hyperphosphorylation and hyperphosphorylated tau, and also Aβ42 peptide on the brain antioxidant defense system and two mitochondrial genes, Marf (homologous to human MFN2) and Drp1 involved in mitochondrial dynamics in transgenic Drosophila melanogaster. AD is an age associated disease. Therefore, the activity of antioxidant agents, CAT, SOD, and GSH levels and the mRNA levels of Marf and Drp1 were assessed in different time points of the flies lifespan. Reduction in cognitive function and antioxidant activity was observed in all transgenic flies at any time point. The most and the least effect on the eye phenotype was exerted by hyperphosphorylated tau and Aβ42, respectively. In addition, the most remarkable alteration in Marf and Drp1 mRNA levels was observed in transgenic flies expressing hyperphosphorylated tau when pan neuronal expression of transgenes was applied. However, when the disease causing gene expression was confined to the mushroom body, Marf and Drp1 mRNA levels alteration was more prominent in tauWT and tauE14 transgenic flies, respectively. In conclusion, in spite of antioxidant deficiency caused by different types of tau and Aβ42, it seems that tau exerts more toxic effect on the eye phenotype and mitochondrial genes regulation (Marf and Drp1). Moreover, different mechanisms seem to be involved in mitochondrial genes dysregulation when Aβ or various forms of tau are expressed.
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Pascua-Maestro R, Diez-Hermano S, Lillo C, Ganfornina MD, Sanchez D. Protecting cells by protecting their vulnerable lysosomes: Identification of a new mechanism for preserving lysosomal functional integrity upon oxidative stress. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006603. [PMID: 28182653 PMCID: PMC5325589 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental insults such as oxidative stress can damage cell membranes. Lysosomes are particularly sensitive to membrane permeabilization since their function depends on intraluminal acidic pH and requires stable membrane-dependent proton gradients. Among the catalog of oxidative stress-responsive genes is the Lipocalin Apolipoprotein D (ApoD), an extracellular lipid binding protein endowed with antioxidant capacity. Within the nervous system, cell types in the defense frontline, such as astrocytes, secrete ApoD to help neurons cope with the challenge. The protecting role of ApoD is known from cellular to organism level, and many of its downstream effects, including optimization of autophagy upon neurodegeneration, have been described. However, we still cannot assign a cellular mechanism to ApoD gene that explains how this protection is accomplished. Here we perform a comprehensive analysis of ApoD intracellular traffic and demonstrate its role in lysosomal pH homeostasis upon paraquat-induced oxidative stress. By combining single-lysosome in vivo pH measurements with immunodetection, we demonstrate that ApoD is endocytosed and targeted to a subset of vulnerable lysosomes in a stress-dependent manner. ApoD is functionally stable in this acidic environment, and its presence is sufficient and necessary for lysosomes to recover from oxidation-induced alkalinization, both in astrocytes and neurons. This function is accomplished by preventing lysosomal membrane permeabilization. Two lysosomal-dependent biological processes, myelin phagocytosis by astrocytes and optimization of neurodegeneration-triggered autophagy in a Drosophila in vivo model, require ApoD-related Lipocalins. Our results uncover a previously unknown biological function of ApoD, member of the finely regulated and evolutionary conserved gene family of extracellular Lipocalins. They set a lipoprotein-mediated regulation of lysosomal membrane integrity as a new mechanism at the hub of many cellular functions, critical for the outcome of a wide variety of neurodegenerative diseases. These results open therapeutic opportunities by providing a route of entry and a repair mechanism for lysosomes in pathological situations. This work is the result of our search for the mechanism of action of Apolipoprotein D (ApoD), a neuroprotective lipid-binding protein that confers cell resistance to oxidative stress. ApoD is one of the few genes consistently over-expressed in the aging brain of all vertebrate species, and no nervous system disease has been found concurring without ApoD over-expression. All evidence supports ApoD as an endogenous mechanism of protection. We demonstrate here that this extracellular lipid binding protein is endocytosed and targeted in a finely controlled way to subsets of lysosomes in need of protection, those most sensitive to oxidative stress. ApoD reveals the existence of biologically relevant lysosomal heterogeneity that conditions the oxidation state of cells, their phagocytic or autophagic capacity, and the final output in neurodegenerative conditions. The stable presence of ApoD in lysosomes is sufficient and necessary for lysosomes to recover from oxidation-induced membrane permeabilization and loss of proton gradients. ApoD-mediated control of lysosomal membrane integrity represents a new cell-protection mechanism at the hub of many cellular functions, and is critical for the outcome of a wide variety of neurodegenerative diseases. Therapeutic opportunities open, by providing a route of entry and a repair mechanism for lysosomes in pathological situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Pascua-Maestro
- Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Fisiología, Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Sergio Diez-Hermano
- Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Fisiología, Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Concepción Lillo
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Maria D. Ganfornina
- Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Fisiología, Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC, Valladolid, Spain
- * E-mail: (MDG); (DS)
| | - Diego Sanchez
- Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Fisiología, Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC, Valladolid, Spain
- * E-mail: (MDG); (DS)
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Quantitative Assessment of Eye Phenotypes for Functional Genetic Studies Using Drosophila melanogaster. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2016; 6:1427-37. [PMID: 26994292 PMCID: PMC4856093 DOI: 10.1534/g3.116.027060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
About two-thirds of the vital genes in the Drosophila genome are involved in eye development, making the fly eye an excellent genetic system to study cellular function and development, neurodevelopment/degeneration, and complex diseases such as cancer and diabetes. We developed a novel computational method, implemented as Flynotyper software (http://flynotyper.sourceforge.net), to quantitatively assess the morphological defects in the Drosophila eye resulting from genetic alterations affecting basic cellular and developmental processes. Flynotyper utilizes a series of image processing operations to automatically detect the fly eye and the individual ommatidium, and calculates a phenotypic score as a measure of the disorderliness of ommatidial arrangement in the fly eye. As a proof of principle, we tested our method by analyzing the defects due to eye-specific knockdown of Drosophila orthologs of 12 neurodevelopmental genes to accurately document differential sensitivities of these genes to dosage alteration. We also evaluated eye images from six independent studies assessing the effect of overexpression of repeats, candidates from peptide library screens, and modifiers of neurotoxicity and developmental processes on eye morphology, and show strong concordance with the original assessment. We further demonstrate the utility of this method by analyzing 16 modifiers of sine oculis obtained from two genome-wide deficiency screens of Drosophila and accurately quantifying the effect of its enhancers and suppressors during eye development. Our method will complement existing assays for eye phenotypes, and increase the accuracy of studies that use fly eyes for functional evaluation of genes and genetic interactions.
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del Caño-Espinel M, Acebes JR, Sanchez D, Ganfornina MD. Lazarillo-related Lipocalins confer long-term protection against type I Spinocerebellar Ataxia degeneration contributing to optimize selective autophagy. Mol Neurodegener 2015; 10:11. [PMID: 25888134 PMCID: PMC4374295 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-015-0009-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A diverse set of neurodegenerative disorders are caused by abnormal extensions of polyglutamine (poly-Q) stretches in various, functionally unrelated proteins. A common feature of these diseases is altered proteostasis. Autophagy induction is part of the endogenous response to poly-Q protein expression. However, if autophagy is not resolved properly, clearance of toxic proteins or aggregates cannot occur effectively. Likewise, excessive autophagy induction can cause autophagic stress and neurodegeneration. The Lipocalins ApoD, Glial Lazarillo (GLaz) and Neural Lazarillo (NLaz) are neuroprotectors upon oxidative stress or aging. In this work we test whether these Lipocalins also protect against poly-Q-triggered deterioration of protein quality control systems. Results Using a Drosophila retinal degeneration model of Type-1 Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA1) combined with genetic manipulation of NLaz and GLaz expression, we demonstrate that both Lipocalins protect against SCA1 neurodegeneration. They are part of the endogenous transcriptional response to SCA1, and their effect is non-additive, suggesting participation in a similar mechanism. GLaz beneficial effects persist throughout aging, and appears when expressed by degenerating neurons or by retinal support and glial cells. GLaz gain-of-function reduces cell death and the extent of ubiquitinated proteins accumulation, and decreases the expression of Atg8a/LC3, p62 mRNA and protein levels, and GstS1 induction. Over-expression of GLaz is able to reduce p62 and ubiquitinated proteins levels when rapamycin-dependent and SCA1-dependent inductions of autophagy are combined. In the absence of neurodegeneration, GLaz loss-of-function increases Atg8a/LC3 mRNA and p62 protein levels without altering p62 mRNA levels. Knocking-down autophagy, by interfering with Atg8a or p62 expression or by expressing dominant-negative Atg1/ULK1 or Atg4a transgenes, rescues SCA1-dependent neurodegeneration in a similar extent to the protective effect of GLaz. Further GLaz-dependent improvement is concealed. Conclusions This work shows for the first time that a Lipocalin rescues neurons from pathogenic SCA1 degeneration by optimizing clearance of aggregation-prone proteins. GLaz modulates key autophagy genes and lipid-peroxide clearance responsive genes. Down-regulation of selective autophagy causes similar and non-additive rescuing effects. These data suggest that SCA1 neurodegeneration concurs with autophagic stress, and places Lazarillo-related Lipocalins as valuable players in the endogenous protection against the two major contributors to aging and neurodegeneration: ROS-dependent damage and proteostasis deterioration. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13024-015-0009-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela del Caño-Espinel
- Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Fisiología, Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC, c/ Sanz y Forés 3, 47003, Valladolid, Spain.
| | - Judith R Acebes
- Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Fisiología, Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC, c/ Sanz y Forés 3, 47003, Valladolid, Spain.
| | - Diego Sanchez
- Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Fisiología, Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC, c/ Sanz y Forés 3, 47003, Valladolid, Spain.
| | - Maria D Ganfornina
- Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Fisiología, Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC, c/ Sanz y Forés 3, 47003, Valladolid, Spain.
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