1
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Pose-Méndez S, Rehbock M, Wolf-Asseburg A, Köster RW. In Vivo Monitoring of Fabp7 Expression in Transgenic Zebrafish. Cells 2024; 13:1138. [PMID: 38994990 PMCID: PMC11240397 DOI: 10.3390/cells13131138] [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: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
In zebrafish, like in mammals, radial glial cells (RGCs) can act as neural progenitors during development and regeneration in adults. However, the heterogeneity of glia subpopulations entails the need for different specific markers of zebrafish glia. Currently, fluorescent protein expression mediated by a regulatory element from the glial fibrillary acidic protein (gfap) gene is used as a prominent glia reporter. We now expand this tool by demonstrating that a regulatory element from the mouse Fatty acid binding protein 7 (Fabp7) gene drives reliable expression in fabp7-expressing zebrafish glial cells. By using three different Fabp7 regulatory element-mediated fluorescent protein reporter strains, we reveal in double transgenic zebrafish that progenitor cells expressing fluorescent proteins driven by the Fabp7 regulatory element give rise to radial glia, oligodendrocyte progenitors, and some neuronal precursors. Furthermore, Bergmann glia represent the almost only glial population of the zebrafish cerebellum (besides a few oligodendrocytes), and the radial glia also remain in the mature cerebellum. Fabp7 regulatory element-mediated reporter protein expression in Bergmann glia progenitors suggests their origin from the ventral cerebellar proliferation zone, the ventricular zone, but not from the dorsally positioned upper rhombic lip. These new Fabp7 reporters will be valuable for functional studies during development and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sol Pose-Méndez
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institut, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michel Rehbock
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institut, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Alexandra Wolf-Asseburg
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institut, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Reinhard W Köster
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institut, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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2
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Riddle NC, Biga PR, Bronikowski AM, Walters JR, Wilkinson GS. Comparative analysis of animal lifespan. GeroScience 2024; 46:171-181. [PMID: 37889438 PMCID: PMC10828364 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00984-2] [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: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Comparative studies of aging are a promising approach to identifying general properties of and processes leading to aging. While to date, many comparative studies of aging in animals have focused on relatively narrow species groups, methodological innovations now allow for studies that include evolutionary distant species. However, comparative studies of aging across a wide range of species that have distinct life histories introduce additional challenges in experimental design. Here, we discuss these challenges, highlight the most pressing problems that need to be solved, and provide suggestions based on current approaches to successfully carry out comparative aging studies across the animal kingdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C Riddle
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| | - Peggy R Biga
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Anne M Bronikowski
- Department of Integrative Biology, Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI, USA
| | - James R Walters
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
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3
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Lehmann R. Basic science is not just a foundation. Nat Cell Biol 2024; 26:8-10. [PMID: 38228833 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01308-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Lehmann
- Whitehead Institute and Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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4
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Yamanaka T, Matsui H. Modeling familial and sporadic Parkinson's disease in small fishes. Dev Growth Differ 2024; 66:4-20. [PMID: 37991125 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12904] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
The establishment of animal models for Parkinson's disease (PD) has been challenging. Nevertheless, once established, they will serve as valuable tools for elucidating the causes and pathogenesis of PD, as well as for developing new strategies for its treatment. Following the recent discovery of a series of PD causative genes in familial cases, teleost fishes, including zebrafish and medaka, have often been used to establish genetic PD models because of their ease of breeding and gene manipulation, as well as the high conservation of gene orthologs. Some of the fish lines can recapitulate PD phenotypes, which are often more pronounced than those in rodent genetic models. In addition, a new experimental teleost fish, turquoise killifish, can be used as a sporadic PD model, because it spontaneously manifests age-dependent PD phenotypes. Several PD fish models have already made significant contributions to the discovery of novel PD pathological features, such as cytosolic leakage of mitochondrial DNA and pathogenic phosphorylation in α-synuclein. Therefore, utilizing various PD fish models with distinct degenerative phenotypes will be an effective strategy for identifying emerging facets of PD pathogenesis and therapeutic modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoyuki Yamanaka
- Department of Neuroscience of Disease, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hideaki Matsui
- Department of Neuroscience of Disease, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
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5
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Mitchell SJ, MacArthur MR, Kane AE. Optimizing preclinical models of ageing for translation to clinical trials. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2023. [PMID: 37675638 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.15902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Preclinical models have been the backbone of translational research for more than a century. Rats and mice are critical models in the preliminary stages of drug testing, both for determining efficacy and ruling out potential human-relevant toxicities. Historically, most preclinical pharmacological studies have used young, relatively healthy, inbred male models in highly controlled environments. In the field of geriatric pharmacology, there is a growing focus on the importance of using more appropriate preclinical models both in the testing of therapeutics commonly used in older populations, and in the evaluation of potential geroprotective drug candidates. Here we provide a commentary on optimizing preclinical models of ageing for translation to clinical trials. We will discuss approaches to modelling clinically relevant contexts such as age, sex, genetic diversity, exposures and environment, as well as measures of clinically relevant outcomes such as frailty and healthspan. We will identify the strengths and limitations of these approaches and areas for improvement. We will also briefly cover new preclinical models that move beyond rodents. We hope this commentary will be a springboard for larger discussions on optimizing preclinical ageing models for testing therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Mitchell
- Ludwig Princeton Branch, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Alice E Kane
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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6
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Abstract
A massive number of microorganisms, belonging to different species, continuously divide inside the guts of animals and humans. The large size of these communities and their rapid division times imply that we should be able to watch microbial evolution in the gut in real time, in a similar manner to what has been done in vitro. Here, we review recent findings on how natural selection shapes intrahost evolution (also known as within-host evolution), with a focus on the intestines of mice and humans. The microbiota of a healthy host is not as static as initially thought from the information measured at only one genomic marker. Rather, the genomes of each gut-colonizing species can be highly dynamic, and such dynamism seems to be related to the microbiota species diversity. Genetic and bioinformatic tools, and analysis of time series data, allow quantification of the selection strength on emerging mutations and horizontal transfer events in gut ecosystems. The drivers and functional consequences of gut evolution can now begin to be grasped. The rules of this intrahost microbiota evolution, and how they depend on the biology of each species, need to be understood for more effective development of microbiota therapies to help maintain or restore host health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Isabel Gordo
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal.
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7
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Evsiukova VS, Arefieva AB, Sorokin IE, Kulikov AV. Age-Related Alterations in the Level and Metabolism of Serotonin in the Brain of Males and Females of Annual Turquoise Killifish ( Nothobranchius furzeri). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043185. [PMID: 36834593 PMCID: PMC9959878 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The annual turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) is a laboratory model organism for neuroscience of aging. In the present study, we investigated for the first time the levels of serotonin and its main metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, as well as the activities of the key enzymes of its synthesis, tryptophan hydroxylases, and degradation, monoamine oxidase, in the brains of 2-, 4- and 7-month-old male and female N. furzeri. The marked effect of age on the body mass and the level of serotonin, as well as the activities of tryptophan hydroxylases and monoamine oxidase in the brain of killifish were revealed. The level of serotonin decreased in the brain of 7-month-old males and females compared with 2-month-old ones. A significant decrease in the tryptophan hydroxylase activity and an increase in the monoamine oxidase activity in the brain of 7-month-old females compared to 2-month-old females was shown. These findings agree with the age-related alterations in expression of the genes encoding tryptophan hydroxylases and monoamine oxidase. N. furzeri is a suitable model with which to study the fundamental problems of age-related changes of the serotonin system in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina S. Evsiukova
- Department of Psychoneuropharmacology, Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Alla B. Arefieva
- Department of Genetic Collections of Neural Disorders, Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Ivan E. Sorokin
- Department of Monogenic Forms of Human Common Disorders, Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Alexander V. Kulikov
- Department of Genetic Collections of Neural Disorders, Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-3833636187
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8
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Bulavkina EV, Kudryavtsev AA, Goncharova MA, Lantsova MS, Shuvalova AI, Kovalev MA, Kudryavtseva AV. Multifaceted Nothobranchius. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2022; 87:1563-1578. [PMID: 36717447 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922120136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Annual killifish of the genus Nothobranchius are seeing a rapid increase in scientific interest over the years. A variety of aspects surrounding the egg-laying Cyprinodontiformes is being extensively studied, including their aging. Inhabiting drying water bodies of Africa rarely allows survival through more than one rainy season for the Nothobranchius populations. Therefore, there is no lifespan-related bias in natural selection, which has ultimately led to the decreased efficiency of DNA repair system. Aging of the Nothobranchius species is studied both under normal conditions and under the influence of potential geroprotectors, as well as genetic modifications. Most biogerontological studies are conducted using the species Nothobranchius furzeri (GRZ isolate), which has a lifespan of 3 to 7 months. However, the list of model species of Nothobranchius is considerably wider, and the range of advanced research areas with their participation extends far beyond gerontology. This review summarizes the most interesting and promising topics developing in the studies of the fish of Nothobranchius genus. Both classical studies related to lifespan control and rather new ones are discussed, including mechanisms of diapause, challenges of systematics and phylogeny, evolution of sex determination mechanisms, changes in chromosome count, occurrence of multiple repeated DNA sequences in the genome, cognitive and behavioral features and social stratification, as well as methodological difficulties in working with Nothobranchius.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizaveta V Bulavkina
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.,Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Alexander A Kudryavtsev
- Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Margarita A Goncharova
- Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Margarita S Lantsova
- Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Anastasija I Shuvalova
- Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Maxim A Kovalev
- Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Anna V Kudryavtseva
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia. .,Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
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9
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McKay A, Costa EK, Chen J, Hu CK, Chen X, Bedbrook CN, Khondker RC, Thielvoldt M, Priya Singh P, Wyss-Coray T, Brunet A. An automated feeding system for the African killifish reveals the impact of diet on lifespan and allows scalable assessment of associative learning. eLife 2022; 11:e69008. [PMID: 36354233 PMCID: PMC9788828 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The African turquoise killifish is an exciting new vertebrate model for aging studies. A significant challenge for any model organism is the control over its diet in space and time. To address this challenge, we created an automated and networked fish feeding system. Our automated feeder is designed to be open-source, easily transferable, and built from widely available components. Compared to manual feeding, our automated system is highly precise and flexible. As a proof of concept for the feeding flexibility of these automated feeders, we define a favorable regimen for growth and fertility for the African killifish and a dietary restriction regimen where both feeding time and quantity are reduced. We show that this dietary restriction regimen extends lifespan in males (but not in females) and impacts the transcriptomes of killifish livers in a sex-specific manner. Moreover, combining our automated feeding system with a video camera, we establish a quantitative associative learning assay to provide an integrative measure of cognitive performance for the killifish. The ability to precisely control food delivery in the killifish opens new areas to assess lifespan and cognitive behavior dynamics and to screen for dietary interventions and drugs in a scalable manner previously impossible with traditional vertebrate model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew McKay
- Department of Genetics, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Biology Graduate Program, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Emma K Costa
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Neurosciences Interdepartmental Program, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Jingxun Chen
- Department of Genetics, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Chi-Kuo Hu
- Department of Genetics, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Xiaoshan Chen
- Department of Genetics, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Claire N Bedbrook
- Department of Genetics, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | | | | | | | - Tony Wyss-Coray
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Glenn Laboratories for the Biology of Aging, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Anne Brunet
- Department of Genetics, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Glenn Laboratories for the Biology of Aging, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
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10
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Dohi E, Matsui H. The Utility of Small Fishes for the Genetic Study of Human Age-Related Disorders. Front Genet 2022; 13:928597. [PMID: 35910227 PMCID: PMC9335361 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.928597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models have been used to model human diseases, and among them, small fishes have been highlighted for their usefulness in various ways, such as the low cost of maintenance, ease of genetic modification, small size for easy handling, and strength in imaging studies due to their relative transparency. Recently, the use of turquoise killifish, Nothobranchius furzeri, which is known to exhibit various aging phenotypes in a short period, has attracted attention in research on aging and age-related diseases. However, when using animal models, it is important to keep their genetic background and interspecies differences in mind for translating them into human diseases. In this article, we obtained the gene symbols of protein-coding genes of turquoise killifish, medaka, zebrafish, and humans from NCBI datasets and extracted common shared genes among four species to explore the potential of interspecies translational research and to apply small fish models for human age-related disorders. Common shared protein-coding genes were analyzed with the Reactome Pathway Database to determine the coverage of these genes in each pathway in humans. We applied common shared genes to the Orphanet database to establish a list of human diseases that contain common shared genes among the four species. As examples, the senescence-related pathways and some pathways of human age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, progeria, hepatocellular carcinoma, and renal cell carcinoma, were extracted from the curated pathway and disease list to discuss the further utility of fish models for human age-related disorders.
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11
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Bradshaw WJ, Poeschla M, Placzek A, Kean S, Valenzano DR. Extensive age-dependent loss of antibody diversity in naturally short-lived turquoise killifish. eLife 2022; 11:65117. [PMID: 35129436 PMCID: PMC8880994 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging individuals exhibit a pervasive decline in adaptive immune function, with important implications for health and lifespan. Previous studies have found a pervasive loss of immune-repertoire diversity in human peripheral blood during aging; however, little is known about repertoire aging in other immune compartments, or in species other than humans. Here, we perform the first study of immune-repertoire aging in an emerging model of vertebrate aging, the African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri). Despite their extremely short lifespans, these killifish exhibit complex and individualized heavy-chain repertoires, with a generative process capable of producing millions of distinct productive sequences. Whole-body killifish repertoires decline rapidly in within-individual diversity with age, while between-individual variability increases. Large, expanded B-cell clones exhibit far greater diversity loss with age than small clones, suggesting important differences in how age affects different B-cell populations. The immune repertoires of isolated intestinal samples exhibit especially dramatic age-related diversity loss, related to an elevated prevalence of expanded clones. Lower intestinal repertoire diversity was also associated with transcriptomic signatures of reduced B-cell activity, supporting a functional role for diversity changes in killifish immunosenescence. Our results highlight important differences in systemic vs. organ-specific aging dynamics in the adaptive immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- William John Bradshaw
- Evolutionary and Experimental Biology of Ageing, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Michael Poeschla
- Evolutionary and Experimental Biology of Ageing, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Aleksandra Placzek
- Evolutionary and Experimental Biology of Ageing, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Samuel Kean
- Evolutionary and Experimental Biology of Ageing, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Dario Riccardo Valenzano
- Evolutionary and Experimental Biology of Ageing, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
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12
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Zebrafish, Medaka and Turquoise Killifish for Understanding Human Neurodegenerative/Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031399. [PMID: 35163337 PMCID: PMC8836067 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, small fishes such as zebrafish and medaka have been widely recognized as model animals. They have high homology in genetics and tissue structure with humans and unique features that mammalian model animals do not have, such as transparency of embryos and larvae, a small body size and ease of experiments, including genetic manipulation. Zebrafish and medaka have been used extensively in the field of neurology, especially to unveil the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, and recently, these fishes have also been utilized to understand neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder. The turquoise killifish has emerged as a new and unique model animal, especially for ageing research due to its unique life cycle, and this fish also seems to be useful for age-related neurological diseases. These small fishes are excellent animal models for the analysis of human neurological disorders and are expected to play increasing roles in this field. Here, we introduce various applications of these model fishes to improve our understanding of human neurological disorders.
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13
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Zeidan RS, Han SM, Leeuwenburgh C, Xiao R. Iron homeostasis and organismal aging. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 72:101510. [PMID: 34767974 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Iron is indispensable for normal body functions across species because of its critical roles in red blood cell function and many essential proteins and enzymes required for numerous physiological processes. Regulation of iron homeostasis is an intricate process involving multiple modulators at the systemic, cellular, and molecular levels. Interestingly, emerging evidence has demonstrated that many modulators of iron homeostasis contribute to organismal aging and longevity. On the other hand, the age-related dysregulation of iron homeostasis is often associated with multiple age-related pathologies including bone resorption and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Thus, a thorough understanding on the interconnections between systemic and cellular iron balance and organismal aging may help decipher the etiologies of multiple age-related diseases, which could ultimately lead to developing therapeutic strategies to delay aging and treat various age-related diseases. Here we present the current understanding on the mechanisms of iron homeostasis. We also discuss the impacts of aging on iron homeostatic processes and how dysregulated iron metabolism may affect aging and organismal longevity.
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14
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Holtze S, Gorshkova E, Braude S, Cellerino A, Dammann P, Hildebrandt TB, Hoeflich A, Hoffmann S, Koch P, Terzibasi Tozzini E, Skulachev M, Skulachev VP, Sahm A. Alternative Animal Models of Aging Research. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:660959. [PMID: 34079817 PMCID: PMC8166319 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.660959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Most research on mechanisms of aging is being conducted in a very limited number of classical model species, i.e., laboratory mouse (Mus musculus), rat (Rattus norvegicus domestica), the common fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and roundworm (Caenorhabditis elegans). The obvious advantages of using these models are access to resources such as strains with known genetic properties, high-quality genomic and transcriptomic sequencing data, versatile experimental manipulation capabilities including well-established genome editing tools, as well as extensive experience in husbandry. However, this approach may introduce interpretation biases due to the specific characteristics of the investigated species, which may lead to inappropriate, or even false, generalization. For example, it is still unclear to what extent knowledge of aging mechanisms gained in short-lived model organisms is transferable to long-lived species such as humans. In addition, other specific adaptations favoring a long and healthy life from the immense evolutionary toolbox may be entirely missed. In this review, we summarize the specific characteristics of emerging animal models that have attracted the attention of gerontologists, we provide an overview of the available data and resources related to these models, and we summarize important insights gained from them in recent years. The models presented include short-lived ones such as killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri), long-lived ones such as primates (Callithrix jacchus, Cebus imitator, Macaca mulatta), bathyergid mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber, Fukomys spp.), bats (Myotis spp.), birds, olms (Proteus anguinus), turtles, greenland sharks, bivalves (Arctica islandica), and potentially non-aging ones such as Hydra and Planaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Holtze
- Department of Reproduction Management, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ekaterina Gorshkova
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Stan Braude
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Alessandro Cellerino
- Biology Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
- Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Philip Dammann
- Department of General Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- Central Animal Laboratory, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Thomas B. Hildebrandt
- Department of Reproduction Management, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Hoeflich
- Division Signal Transduction, Institute for Genome Biology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Steve Hoffmann
- Computational Biology Group, Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Philipp Koch
- Core Facility Life Science Computing, Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Eva Terzibasi Tozzini
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Maxim Skulachev
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir P. Skulachev
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Arne Sahm
- Computational Biology Group, Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
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Ader I, Pénicaud L, Andrieu S, Beard JR, Davezac N, Dray C, Fazilleau N, Gourdy P, Guyonnet S, Liblau R, Parini A, Payoux P, Rampon C, Raymond-Letron I, Rolland Y, de Souto Barreto P, Valet P, Vergnolle N, Sierra F, Vellas B, Casteilla L. Healthy Aging Biomarkers: The INSPIRE's Contribution. J Frailty Aging 2021; 10:313-319. [PMID: 34549244 PMCID: PMC8081649 DOI: 10.14283/jfa.2021.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The find solutions for optimizing healthy aging and increase health span is one of the main challenges for our society. A novel healthcare model based on integration and a shift on research and care towards the maintenance of optimal functional levels are now seen as priorities by the WHO. To address this issue, an integrative global strategy mixing longitudinal and experimental cohorts with an innovative transverse understanding of physiological functioning is missing. While the current approach to the biology of aging is mainly focused on parenchymal cells, we propose that age-related loss of function is largely determined by three elements which constitute the general ground supporting the different specific parenchyma: i.e. the stroma, the immune system and metabolism. Such strategy that is implemented in INSPIRE projects can strongly help to find a composite biomarker capable of predicting changes in capacity across the life course with thresholds signalling frailty and care dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Ader
- Louis Casteilla, RESTORE, UMR 1301-Inserm 5070 Etablissement Français du Sang-Occitanie (EFS), Inserm 1031, University of Toulouse III, National Veterinary School of Toulouse (ENVT), CNRS, Toulouse, France;
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16
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Gil-Hernández A, Silva-Palacios A. Relevance of endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria interactions in age-associated diseases. Ageing Res Rev 2020; 64:101193. [PMID: 33069818 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Although the elixir of youth remains in the darkness, medical and scientific advances have succeeded in increasing human longevity; however, the predisposition to disease and its high economic cost are raising. Different strategies (e.g., antioxidants) and signaling pathways (e.g., Nrf2) have been identified to help regulate disease progression, nevertheless, there are still missing links that we need to understand. Contact sites called mitochondria-associated membranes (MAM) allow bi-directional communication between organelles as part of the essential functions in the cell to maintain its homeostasis. Different groups have deeply studied the role of MAM in aging; however, it's necessary to analyze their involvement in the progression of age-related diseases. In this review, we highlight the role of contact sites in these conditions, as well as the morphological and functional changes of mitochondria and ER in aging. We emphasize the intimate relationship between both organelles as a reflection of the biological processes that take place in the cell to try to regulate the deterioration characteristic of the aging process; proposing MAM as a potential target to help limit the disease progression with age.
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Abstract
Neuroscience has a long, rich history in embracing unusual animals for research. Over the past several decades, there has been a technology-driven bottleneck in the species used for neuroscience research. However, an oncoming wave of technologies applicable to many animals hold promise for enabling researchers to address challenging scientific questions that cannot be solved using traditional laboratory animals. Here, we discuss how leveraging the convergent evolution of physiological or behavioral phenotypes can empower research mapping genotype to phenotype interactions. We present two case studies using electric fish and poison frogs and discuss how comparative work can teach us about evolutionary constraint and flexibility at various levels of biological organization. We also offer advice on the potential and pitfalls of establishing novel model systems in neuroscience research. Finally, we end with a discussion on the use of charismatic animals in neuroscience research and their utility in public outreach. Overall, we argue that convergent evolution frameworks can help identify generalizable principles of neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason R Gallant
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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