Glial Hsp70 protects K+ homeostasis in the Drosophila brain during repetitive anoxic depolarization

Comparison of neuronal GAL4 drivers along with the AGES (auxin-inducible gene expression system) and TARGET (temporal and regional gene expression targeting) systems for fine tuning of neuronal gene expression in Drosophila

Spatial and temporal control of gene expression in Drosophila is essential in elucidating gene function. Spatial control is facilitated by the UAS/GAL4 system, and this can be coupled with additional adaptations for precise temporal control and fine tuning of gene expression levels. Here we directly compare the level of pan-neuronal transgene expression governed by nSyb-GAL4 and elav-GAL4, as well as mushroom body-specific expression alongside OK107-GAL4. We also compare the temporal modulation of gene expression in neurons with the auxin-inducible gene expression system (AGES) and temporal and regional gene expression targeting (TARGET) systems.

A cold and quiet brain: mechanisms of insect CNS arrest at low temperatures

Exposure to cold causes insects to enter a chill coma at species-specific temperatures and such temperature sensitivity contributes to geographic distribution and phenology. Coma results from abrupt spreading depolarization (SD) of neural tissue in the integrative centers of the CNS. SD abolishes neuronal signaling and the operation of neural circuits, like an off switch for the CNS. Turning off the CNS by allowing ion gradients to collapse will conserve energy and may offset negative consequences of temporary immobility. SD is modified by prior experience via rapid cold hardening (RCH) or cold acclimation which alter properties of K_v channels, Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase and Na⁺/K⁺/2Cl^- cotransporter. The stress hormone octopamine mediates RCH. Future progress depends on developing a more complete understanding of ion homeostasis in and of the insect CNS.

Knockdown of a Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Ion Channel Impairs Locomotor Activity and Recovery From Hypoxia in Adult Drosophila melanogaster

Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) modulates the speed of recovery from anoxia in adult Drosophila and mediates hypoxia-related behaviors in larvae. Cyclic nucleotide-gated channels (CNG) and cGMP-activated protein kinase (PKG) are two cGMP downstream targets. PKG is involved in behavioral tolerance to hypoxia and anoxia in adults, however little is known about a role for CNG channels. We used a CNGL (CNG-like) mutant with reduced CNGL transcripts to investigate the contribution of CNGL to the hypoxia response. CNGL mutants had reduced locomotor activity under normoxia. A shorter distance travelled in a standard locomotor assay was due to a slower walking speed and more frequent stops. In control flies, hypoxia immediately reduced path length per minute. Flies took 30–40 min in normoxia for >90% recovery of path length per minute from 15 min hypoxia. CNGL mutants had impaired recovery from hypoxia; 40 min for ∼10% recovery of walking speed. The effects of CNGL mutation on locomotor activity and recovery from hypoxia were recapitulated by pan-neuronal CNGL knockdown. Genetic manipulation to increase cGMP in the CNGL mutants increased locomotor activity under normoxia and eliminated the impairment of recovery from hypoxia. We conclude that CNGL channels and cGMP signaling are involved in the control of locomotor activity and the hypoxic response of adult Drosophila.

Characterization of a novel stimulus-induced glial calcium wave in Drosophila larval peripheral segmental nerves and its role in PKG-modulated thermoprotection

Insects, as poikilotherms, have adaptations to deal with wide ranges in temperature fluctuation. Allelic variations in the foraging gene that encodes a cGMP dependent protein kinase, were discovered to have effects on behavior in Drosophila by Dr. Marla Sokolowski in 1980. This single gene has many pleiotropic effects and influences feeding behavior, metabolic storage, learning and memory and has been shown to affect stress tolerance. PKG regulation affects motoneuronal thermotolerance in Drosophila larvae as well as adults. While the focus of thermotolerance studies has been on the modulation of neuronal function, other cell types have been overlooked. Because glia are vital to neuronal function and survival, we wanted to determine if glia play a role in thermotolerance as well. In our investigation, we discovered a novel calcium wave at the larval NMJ and set out to characterize the wave's dynamics and the potential mechanism underlying the wave prior to determining what effect, if any, PKG modulation has on the thermotolerance of glia cells. Using pharmacology, we determined that calcium buffering mechanisms of the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum play a role in the propagation of our novel glial calcium wave. By coupling pharmacology with genetic manipulation using RNA interference (RNAi), we found that PKG modulation in glia alters thermoprotection of function as well as glial calcium wave dynamics.

Inhibition of ATP-sensitive potassium channels exacerbates anoxic coma in Locusta migratoria

We demonstrate the involvement of ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels during recovery from spreading depolarization (SD) induced via anoxic coma in locusts. KATP inhibition using glybenclamide impaired ion homeostasis across the blood-brain barrier, resulting in a longer time to recovery of transperineurial potential following SD. Comparison with ouabain indicates that the effects of glybenclamide are not mediated by the Na+/K+-ATPase but are a result of KATP channel inhibition.

Effects of brief chilling and desiccation on ion homeostasis in the central nervous system of the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria

In insects, chilling, anoxia, and dehydration are cues to trigger rapid physiological responses enhancing stress tolerance within minutes. Recent evidence suggests that responses elicited by different cues are mechanistically distinct from each other, though these differences have received little attention. Further, the effects are not well studied in neural tissue. In this study, we examined how brief exposure to desiccation and chilling affect ion homeostatic mechanisms in metathoracic ganglion of the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria. Both desiccation and chilling enhanced resistance to anoxia, though only chilling hastened recovery from anoxic coma. Similarly, only chilling enhanced resistance to pharmacological perturbation of neuronal ion homeostasis. Our results indicate that chilling and desiccation trigger mechanistically distinct responses and, while both may be important for neuronal ion homeostasis, chilling has a larger effect on this tissue. SUMMARY STATEMENT: This is one of few studies to demonstrate the importance of the central nervous system in rapid acclimatory responses in insects.

Neural dysfunction correlates with heat coma and CTmax in Drosophila but does not set the boundaries for heat stress survival

When heated, insects lose coordinated movement followed by the onset of heat coma (critical thermal maximum, CTmax). These traits are popular measures to quantify interspecific and intraspecific differences in insect heat tolerance, and CTmax correlates well with current species distributions of insects, including Drosophila Here, we examined the function of the central nervous system (CNS) in five species of Drosophila with different heat tolerances, while they were exposed to either constant high temperature or a gradually increasing temperature (ramp). Tolerant species were able to preserve CNS function at higher temperatures and for longer durations than sensitive species, and similar differences were found for the behavioural indices (loss of coordination and onset of heat coma). Furthermore, the timing and temperature (constant and ramp exposure, respectively) for loss of coordination or complete coma coincided with the occurrence of spreading depolarisation (SD) events in the CNS. These SD events disrupt neurological function and silence the CNS, suggesting that CNS failure is the primary cause of impaired coordination and heat coma. Heat mortality occurs soon after heat coma in insects; to examine whether CNS failure could also be the proximal cause of heat death, we used selective heating of the head (CNS) and abdomen (visceral tissues). When comparing the temperature causing 50% mortality (LT50) of each body part versus that of the whole animal, we found that the head was not particularly heat sensitive compared with the abdomen. Accordingly, it is unlikely that nervous failure is the principal/proximate cause of heat mortality in Drosophila.

Neural shutdown under stress: an evolutionary perspective on spreading depolarization

Neural function depends on maintaining cellular membrane potentials as the basis for electrical signaling. Yet, in mammals and insects, neuronal and glial membrane potentials can reversibly depolarize to zero, shutting down neural function by the process of spreading depolarization (SD) that collapses the ion gradients across membranes. SD is not evident in all metazoan taxa with centralized nervous systems. We consider the occurrence and similarities of SD in different animals and suggest that it is an emergent property of nervous systems that have evolved to control complex behaviors requiring energetically expensive, rapid information processing in a tightly regulated extracellular environment. Whether SD is beneficial or not in mammals remains an open question. However, in insects, it is associated with the response to harsh environments and may provide an energetic advantage that improves the chances of survival. The remarkable similarity of SD in diverse taxa supports a model systems approach to understanding the mechanistic underpinning of human neuropathology associated with migraine, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.

Insect responses to heat: physiological mechanisms, evolution and ecological implications in a warming world

Surviving changing climate conditions is particularly difficult for organisms such as insects that depend on environmental temperature to regulate their physiological functions. Insects are extremely threatened by global warming, since many do not have enough physiological tolerance even to survive continuous exposure to the current maximum temperatures experienced in their habitats. Here, we review literature on the physiological mechanisms that regulate responses to heat and provide heat tolerance in insects: (i) neuronal mechanisms to detect and respond to heat; (ii) metabolic responses to heat; (iii) thermoregulation; (iv) stress responses to tolerate heat; and (v) hormones that coordinate developmental and behavioural responses at warm temperatures. Our review shows that, apart from the stress response mediated by heat shock proteins, the physiological mechanisms of heat tolerance in insects remain poorly studied. Based on life-history theory, we discuss the costs of heat tolerance and the potential evolutionary mechanisms driving insect adaptations to high temperatures. Some insects may deal with ongoing global warming by the joint action of phenotypic plasticity and genetic adaptation. Plastic responses are limited and may not be by themselves enough to withstand ongoing warming trends. Although the evidence is still scarce and deserves further research in different insect taxa, genetic adaptation to high temperatures may result from rapid evolution. Finally, we emphasize the importance of incorporating physiological information for modelling species distributions and ecological interactions under global warming scenarios. This review identifies several open questions to improve our understanding of how insects respond physiologically to heat and the evolutionary and ecological consequences of those responses. Further lines of research are suggested at the species, order and class levels, with experimental and analytical approaches such as artificial selection, quantitative genetics and comparative analyses.

Experimental evolution of response to anoxia in Drosophila melanogaster: recovery of locomotion following CO2 or N2 exposure

Many insects enter coma upon exposure to anoxia, a feature routinely exploited by experimentalists to handle them. But the genetic and physiological bases of anoxic coma induction and recovery are only partially understood, as are the long-term consequences for the animal's performance. We examined three populations of Drosophila melanogaster (designated B) that have been inadvertently under selection for rapid recovery from CO₂ exposure for nearly 40 years (around 1000 generations) resulting from routine maintenance practices. We contrasted CO₂ and N₂ (presumed a less reactive gas) knockdown and recovery times of these B flies with six populations of common ancestry (A and C populations) that were not exposed to CO₂ over the same period. We found that B populations showed faster and more consistent locomotor recovery than A or C populations after CO₂ knockdown, a result also observed with N₂ knockdown. A and C populations showed much higher variance in recovery time after CO₂ exposure than after N₂ exposure, suggesting gas-specific effects on pathways associated with locomotor recovery. Although these selection treatments result in considerable variation in life history attributes and body size, with the characteristic intermediacy of B populations, their superiority in resistance to gas exposure and locomotor recovery suggests that this is a direct consequence of prior repeated exposure to anoxia, broadly, and CO₂, specifically. Hence we describe a powerful new evolutionary model for the genetic and physiological investigation of anoxic coma in insects.

Assessment of microalgae as a new feeding additive for fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster

Animal food wastes are a concern due to the large amounts of commercial food required for model animals during the biological and biomedical research. Searching for sustainable food alternatives with negligible physiological effects on animals is critical to solve or reduce this challenge. Microalgae have been demonstrated to be suitable for both human consumption and animal feed. In this study, the possibility of using Chlorella vulgaris and Senedesmus obliquus as a feed replacement to Drosophila melanogaster, one of the fly models commonly used in biomedical studies, was investigated. Characteristics including the fly locomotor activity, motor pattern, feeding behavior, lifespan and body weight were assessed. Results showed that compared to control, the flies fed on 80% microalga (80-flies) in the total weight (w/w) had the double increased apparent step size, while both 60-flies and 80-flies exhibited longer travel distances (60%: 27.77 ± 1.99 cm; 80%: 31.50 ± 3.70 cm) most likely due to the starvation and varied serotonin levels in flies fed on high percentages microalgae. Subsequently, 40-flies exhibited less optimal growth performance with decreased body weights (0.51 ± 0.006 mg vs 0.60 ± 0.005 mg for control) and shorter mean lifespan (36 days vs 55.8 days for control. However, 20-flies showed no statistical differences in all parameters tested with respect to control flies, indicating that 20% microalgae treatment did not greatly change the primary food component such as carbohydrate which might play a critical role in fly performance. Therefore, the inclusion of 20% microalgae could be an alternative to fly standard food without compromising fly physiological performance.

Tóth O, Török Z, Varga DP, Menyhárt Á, Frank R, Hantosi D, Hunya Á, Bari F, Horváth I, Vigh L, Farkas E. The impact of dihydropyridine derivatives on the cerebral blood flow response to somatosensory stimulation and spreading depolarization

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A new class of dihydropyridine derivatives, which act as co-inducers of heat shock protein but are devoid of calcium channel antagonist and vasodilator effects, has recently been developed with the purpose of selectively targeting neurodegeneration. Here, we evaluated the action of one of these novel compounds LA1011 on neurovascular coupling in the ischaemic rat cerebral cortex. As a reference, we applied nimodipine, a vasodilator dihydropyridine and well-known calcium channel antagonist.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Rats were treated with LA1011 or nimodipine, either by chronic, systemic (LA1011), or acute, local administration (LA1011 and nimodipine). In the latter treatment group, global forebrain ischaemia was induced in half of the animals by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion under isoflurane anaesthesia. Functional hyperaemia in the somatosensory cortex was created by mechanical stimulation of the contralateral whisker pad under α-chloralose anaesthesia. Spreading depolarization (SD) events were elicited subsequently by 1 M KCl. Local field potential and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the parietal somatosensory cortex were monitored by electrophysiology and laser Doppler flowmetry.

KEY RESULTS

LA1011 did not alter CBF, but intensified SD, presumably indicating the co-induction of heat shock proteins, and, perhaps an anti-inflammatory effect. Nimodipine attenuated evoked potentials and SD. In addition to the elevation of baseline CBF, nimodipine augmented hyperaemia in response to both somatosensory stimulation and SD, particularly under ischaemia.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

In contrast to the CBF improvement achieved with nimodipine, LA1011 seems not to have discernible cerebrovascular effects but may up-regulate the stress response.

Effects of anoxia on ATP, water, ion and pH balance in an insect (Locusta migratoria)

When exposed to anoxia, insects rapidly go into a hypometabolic coma from which they can recover when exposed to normoxia again. However, prolonged anoxic bouts eventually lead to death in most insects, although some species are surprisingly tolerant. Anoxia challenges ATP, ion, pH and water homeostasis, but it is not clear how fast and to what degree each of these parameters is disrupted during anoxia, nor how quickly they recover. Further, it has not been investigated which disruptions are the primary source of the tissue damage that ultimately causes death. Here, we show, in the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), that prolonged anoxic exposures are associated with increased recovery time, decreased survival, rapidly disrupted ATP and pH homeostasis and a slower disruption of ion ([K⁺] and [Na⁺]) and water balance. Locusts could not fully recover after 4 h of anoxia at 30°C, and at this point hemolymph [K⁺] was elevated 5-fold and [Na⁺] was decreased 2-fold, muscle [ATP] was decreased to ≤3% of normoxic values, hemolymph pH had dropped 0.8 units from 7.3 to 6.5, and hemolymph water content was halved. These physiological changes are associated with marked tissue damage in vivo and we show that the isolated and combined effects of hyperkalemia, acidosis and anoxia can all cause muscle tissue damage in vitro to equally large degrees. When locusts were returned to normoxia after a moderate (2 h) exposure of anoxia, ATP recovered rapidly (15 min) and this was quickly followed by recovery of ion balance (30 min), while pH recovery took 2-24 h. Recovery of [K⁺] and [Na⁺] coincided with the animals exiting the comatose state, but recovery to an upright position took ∼90 min and was not related to any of the physiological parameters examined.

Identification and initial characterization of novel neural immediate early genes possibly differentially contributing to foraging-related learning and memory processes in the honeybee

Despite possessing a limited number of neurones compared to vertebrates, honeybees show remarkable learning and memory performance, an example being 'dance communication'. In this phenomenon, foraging honeybees learn the location of a newly discovered food source and transmit the information to nestmates by symbolic abdomen vibrating behaviour, leading to navigation of nestmates to the new food source. As an initial step toward understanding the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying the sophisticated learning and memory performance of the honeybee, we focused on the neural immediate early genes (IEGs), which are specific genes quickly transcribed after neural activity without de novo protein synthesis. Although these have been reported to play an essential role in learning and memory processes in vertebrates, far fewer studies have been performed in insects in this regard. From RNA-sequencing analysis and subsequent assays, we identified three genes, Src homology 3 (SH3) domain binding kinase, family with sequence similarity 46 and GB47136, as novel neural IEGs in the honeybee. Foragers and/or orientating bees, which fly around their hives to memorize the positional information, showed induced expression of these IEGs in the mushroom body, a higher-order centre essential for learning and memory, indicating a possible role for the novel IEGs in foraging-related learning and memory processes in the honeybee.

Central nervous shutdown underlies acute cold tolerance in tropical and temperate Drosophila species

When cooled, insects first lose their ability to perform coordinated movements (CTmin) after which they enter chill coma (chill coma onset, CCO). Both these behaviours are popular measures of cold tolerance that correlate remarkably well with species distribution. To identify and understand the neuromuscular impairment that causes CTmin and CCO we used inter- and intraspecific model systems of Drosophila species that have varying cold tolerance as a consequence of adaptation or cold acclimation. Our results demonstrate that CTmin and CCO correlate strongly with a spreading depolarization (SD) within the central nervous system (CNS). We show that this SD is associated with a rapid increase in extracellular [K+] within the CNS causing neuronal depolarization that silences the CNS. The CNS shutdown is likely caused by a mismatch between passive and active ion transport within the CNS and in a different set of experiments we examine inter- and intraspecific differences in sensitivity to SD events during anoxic exposure. These experiments show that cold adapted or acclimated flies are better able to maintain ionoregulatory balance when active transport is compromised within the CNS. Combined, we demonstrate that a key mechanism underlying chill coma entry of Drosophila is CNS shutdown, and the ability to prevent this CNS shutdown is therefore an important component of acute cold tolerance, thermal adaptation and cold acclimation in insects.

Chill coma in the locust, Locusta migratoria, is initiated by spreading depolarization in the central nervous system

The ability of chill-sensitive insects to function at low temperatures limits their geographic ranges. They have species-specific temperatures below which movements become uncoordinated prior to entering a reversible state of neuromuscular paralysis. In spite of decades of research, which in recent years has focused on muscle function, the role of neural mechanisms in determining chill coma is unknown. Spreading depolarization (SD) is a phenomenon that causes a shutdown of neural function in the integrating centres of the central nervous system. We investigated the role of SD in the process of entering chill coma in the locust, Locusta migratoria. We used thermolimit respirometry and electromyography in whole animals and extracellular and intracellular recording techniques in semi-intact preparations to characterize neural events during chilling. We show that chill-induced SD in the central nervous system is the mechanism underlying the critical thermal minimum for coordinated movement in locusts. This finding will be important for understanding how insects adapt and acclimate to changing environmental temperatures.

Spreading depolarization triggered by elevated potassium is weak or absent in the rodent lower brain

We examined in live coronal slices from rat and mouse which brain regions generate potassium-triggered spreading depolarization (SD_Kt). This technique simulates cortical spreading depression, which underlies migraine aura in the intact brain. An SD_Kt episode was evoked by increasing bath [K⁺]_o and recorded as a propagating front of elevated light transmittance representing transient neuronal swelling in gray matter of neocortex, hippocampus, striatum, and thalamus. In contrast, SD_Kt was not imaged in hypothalamic nuclei or brainstem with exception of those nuclei near the dorsal brainstem surface. In rat slices, single neurons were whole-cell current clamped during SD_Kt. "Higher" neurons depolarized to near zero millivolts indicating SD_Kt generation. In contrast, seven types of neurons in hypothalamus and brainstem only slowly depolarized without generating SD_Kt, supporting our imaging findings. Therefore, SD_Kt is not a default of CNS neurons but rather displays a region-specific susceptibility, similar to anoxic depolarization, which we have proposed is correlated with a region's vulnerability to traumatic brain injury. In the higher brain, SD_Kt may be a vestigial spreading depolarization that originally evolved to shut down and vasoconstrict gray matter regions more exposed to impact and contusion.

Multidrug transporters and organic anion transporting polypeptides protect insects against the toxic effects of cardenolides

In the struggle against dietary toxins, insects are known to employ target site insensitivity, metabolic detoxification, and transporters that shunt away toxins. Specialized insects across six taxonomic orders feeding on cardenolide-containing plants have convergently evolved target site insensitivity via specific amino acid substitutions in the Na/K-ATPase. Nonetheless, in vitro pharmacological experiments have suggested a role for multidrug transporters (Mdrs) and organic anion transporting polypeptides (Oatps), which may provide a basal level of protection in both specialized and non-adapted insects. Because the genes coding for these proteins are evolutionarily conserved and in vivo genetic evidence in support of this hypothesis is lacking, here we used wildtype and mutant Drosophila melanogaster (Drosophila) in capillary feeder (CAFE) assays to quantify toxicity of three chemically diverse, medically relevant cardenolides. We examined multiple components of fitness, including mortality, longevity, and LD50, and found that, while the three cardenolides each stimulated feeding (i.e., no deterrence to the toxin), all decreased lifespan, with the most apolar cardenolide having the lowest LD50 value. Flies showed a clear non-monotonic dose response and experienced high levels of toxicity at the cardenolide concentration found in plants. At this concentration, both Mdr and Oatp knockout mutant flies died more rapidly than wildtype flies, and the mutants also experienced more adverse neurological effects on high-cardenolide-level diets. Our study further establishes Drosophila as a model for the study of cardenolide pharmacology and solidifies support for the hypothesis that multidrug and organic anion transporters are key players in insect protection against dietary cardenolides.

cGMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Inhibition Extends the Upper Temperature Limit of Stimulus-Evoked Calcium Responses in Motoneuronal Boutons of Drosophila melanogaster Larvae

While the mammalian brain functions within a very narrow range of oxygen concentrations and temperatures, the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has employed strategies to deal with a much wider range of acute environmental stressors. The foraging (for) gene encodes the cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), has been shown to regulate thermotolerance in many stress-adapted species, including Drosophila, and could be a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of hyperthermia in mammals. Whereas previous thermotolerance studies have looked at the effects of PKG variation on Drosophila behavior or excitatory postsynaptic potentials at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), little is known about PKG effects on presynaptic mechanisms. In this study, we characterize presynaptic calcium ([Ca²⁺]_i) dynamics at the Drosophila larval NMJ to determine the effects of high temperature stress on synaptic transmission. We investigated the neuroprotective role of PKG modulation both genetically using RNA interference (RNAi), and pharmacologically, to determine if and how PKG affects presynaptic [Ca²⁺]_i dynamics during hyperthermia. We found that PKG activity modulates presynaptic neuronal Ca²⁺ responses during acute hyperthermia, where PKG activation makes neurons more sensitive to temperature-induced failure of Ca²⁺ flux and PKG inhibition confers thermotolerance and maintains normal Ca²⁺ dynamics under the same conditions. Targeted motoneuronal knockdown of PKG using RNAi demonstrated that decreased PKG expression was sufficient to confer thermoprotection. These results demonstrate that the PKG pathway regulates presynaptic motoneuronal Ca²⁺ signaling to influence thermotolerance of presynaptic function during acute hyperthermia.

Pulsed Light Stimulation Increases Boundary Preference and Periodicity of Episodic Motor Activity in Drosophila melanogaster

There is considerable interest in the therapeutic benefits of long-term sensory stimulation for improving cognitive abilities and motor performance of stroke patients. The rationale is that such stimulation would activate mechanisms of neural plasticity to promote enhanced coordination and associated circuit functions. Experimental approaches to characterize such mechanisms are needed. Drosophila melanogaster is one of the most attractive model organisms to investigate neural mechanisms responsible for stimulation-induced behaviors with its powerful accessibility to genetic analysis. In this study, the effect of chronic sensory stimulation (pulsed light stimulation) on motor activity in w1118 flies was investigated. Flies were exposed to a chronic pulsed light stimulation protocol prior to testing their performance in a standard locomotion assay. Flies responded to pulsed light stimulation with increased boundary preference and travel distance in a circular arena. In addition, pulsed light stimulation increased the power of extracellular electrical activity, leading to the enhancement of periodic electrical activity which was associated with a centrally-generated motor pattern (struggling behavior). In contrast, such periodic events were largely missing in w1118 flies without pulsed light treatment. These data suggest that the sensory stimulation induced a response in motor activity associated with the modifications of electrical activity in the central nervous system (CNS). Finally, without pulsed light treatment, the wild-type genetic background was associated with the occurrence of the periodic activity in wild-type Canton S (CS) flies, and w+ modulated the consistency of periodicity. We conclude that pulsed light stimulation modifies behavioral and electrophysiological activities in w1118 flies. These data provide a foundation for future research on the genetic mechanisms of neural plasticity underlying such behavioral modification.

Mechanisms of spreading depolarization in vertebrate and insect central nervous systems

Spreading depolarization (SD) is generated in the central nervous systems of both vertebrates and invertebrates. SD manifests as a propagating wave of electrical depression caused by a massive redistribution of ions. Mammalian SD underlies a continuum of human pathologies from migraine to stroke damage, whereas insect SD is associated with environmental stress-induced neural shutdown. The general cellular mechanisms underlying SD seem to be evolutionarily conserved throughout the animal kingdom. In particular, SD in the central nervous system of Locusta migratoria and Drosophila melanogaster has all the hallmarks of mammalian SD. Locust SD is easily induced and monitored within the metathoracic ganglion (MTG) and can be modulated both pharmacologically and by preconditioning treatments. The finding that the fly brain supports repetitive waves of SD is relatively recent but noteworthy, since it provides a genetically tractable model system. Due to the human suffering caused by SD manifestations, elucidating control mechanisms that could ultimately attenuate brain susceptibility is essential. Here we review mechanisms of SD focusing on the similarities between mammalian and insect systems. Additionally we discuss advantages of using invertebrate model systems and propose insect SD as a valuable model for providing new insights to mammalian SD.

Spreading depolarization in the brain of Drosophila is induced by inhibition of the Na+/K+-ATPase and mitigated by a decrease in activity of protein kinase G

Spreading depolarization (SD) is characterized by a massive redistribution of ions accompanied by an arrest in electrical activity that slowly propagates through neural tissue. It has been implicated in numerous human pathologies, including migraine, stroke, and traumatic brain injury, and thus the elucidation of control mechanisms underlying the phenomenon could have many health benefits. Here, we demonstrate the occurrence of SD in the brain of Drosophila melanogaster, providing a model system, whereby cellular mechanisms can be dissected using molecular genetic approaches. Propagating waves of SD were reliably induced by disrupting the extracellular potassium concentration ([K(+)]o), either directly or by inhibition of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase with ouabain. The disturbance was monitored by recording the characteristic surges in [K(+)]o using K(+)-sensitive microelectrodes or by monitoring brain activity by measuring direct current potential. With the use of wild-type flies, we show that young adults are more resistant to SD compared with older adults, evidenced by shorter bouts of SD activity and attenuated [K(+)]o disturbances. Furthermore, we show that the susceptibility to SD differs between wild-type flies and w1118 mutants, demonstrating that our ouabain model is influenced by genetic strain. Lastly, flies with low levels of protein kinase G (PKG) had increased latencies to onset of both ouabain-induced SD and anoxic depolarization compared with flies with higher levels. Our findings implicate the PKG pathway as a modulator of SD in the fly brain, and given the conserved nature of the signaling pathway, it could likely play a similar role during SD in the mammalian central nervous system.

Timing of Locomotor Recovery from Anoxia Modulated by the white Gene in Drosophila

Locomotor recovery from anoxia follows the restoration of disordered ion distributions and neuronal excitability. The time taken for locomotor recovery after 30 sec anoxia (around 10 min) is longer than the time for the propagation of action potentials to be restored (<1 min) in Drosophila wild type. We report here that the white (w) gene modulates the timing of locomotor recovery. Wild-type flies displayed fast and consistent recovery of locomotion from anoxia, whereas mutants of w showed significantly delayed and more variable recovery. Genetic analysis including serial backcrossing revealed a strong association between the w locus and the timing of locomotor recovery, and haplo-insufficient function of w(+) in promoting fast recovery. The locomotor recovery phenotype was independent of classic eye pigmentation, although both are associated with the w gene. Introducing up to four copies of mini-white (mw(+)) into w1118 was insufficient to promote fast and consistent locomotor recovery. However, flies carrying w(+) duplicated to the Y chromosome showed wild-type-like fast locomotor recovery. Furthermore, Knockdown of w by RNA interference (RNAi) in neurons but not glia delayed locomotor recovery, and specifically, knockdown of w in subsets of serotonin neurons was sufficient to delay the locomotor recovery. These data reveal an additional role for w in modulating the timing of locomotor recovery from anoxia.

Heat shock response and homeostatic plasticity

Heat shock response and homeostatic plasticity are mechanisms that afford functional stability to cells in the face of stress. Each mechanism has been investigated independently, but the link between the two has not been extensively explored. We explore this link. The heat shock response enables cells to adapt to stresses such as high temperature, metabolic stress and reduced oxygen levels. This mechanism results from the production of heat shock proteins (HSPs) which maintain normal cellular functions by counteracting the misfolding of cellular proteins. Homeostatic plasticity enables neurons and their target cells to maintain their activity levels around their respective set points in the face of stress or disturbances. This mechanism results from the recruitment of adaptations at synaptic inputs, or at voltage-gated ion channels. In this perspective, we argue that heat shock triggers homeostatic plasticity through the production of HSPs. We also suggest that homeostatic plasticity is a form of neuroprotection.

Na+-K+-ATPase trafficking induced by heat shock pretreatment correlates with increased resistance to anoxia in locusts

The sensitivity of insect nervous systems to anoxia can be modulated genetically and pharmacologically, but the cellular mechanisms responsible are poorly understood. We examined the effect of a heat shock pretreatment (HS) on the sensitivity of the locust (Locusta migratoria) nervous system to anoxia induced by water immersion. Prior HS made locusts more resistant to anoxia by increasing the time taken to enter a coma and by reducing the time taken to recover the ability to stand. Anoxic comas were accompanied by surges of extracellular potassium ions in the neuropile of the metathoracic ganglion, and HS reduced the time taken for clearance of excess extracellular potassium ions. This could not be attributed to a decrease in the activity of protein kinase G, which was increased by HS. In homogenates of the metathoracic ganglion, HS had only a mild effect on the activity of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase. However, we demonstrated that HS caused a threefold increase in the immunofluorescent localization of the α-subunit of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase in metathoracic neuronal plasma membranes relative to background labeling of the nucleus. We conclude that HS induced trafficking of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase into neuronal plasma membranes and suggest that this was at least partially responsible for the increased resistance to anoxia and the increased rate of recovery of neural function after a disturbance of K(+) homeostasis.

Disruption of the blood-brain barrier exacerbates spreading depression in the locust CNS

In response to cellular stress in the nervous system of the locust (Locusta migratoria) neural function is interrupted in association with ionic disturbances propagating throughout nervous tissue (Spreading depression; SD). The insect blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a critical role in the regulation of ion levels within the CNS. We investigated how a disruption in barrier function by transient exposure to 3M urea affects locusts' vulnerability to disturbances in ion levels. Repetitive SD was induced by bath application of ouabain and the extracellular potassium concentration ([K(+)]o) within the metathoracic ganglion (MTG) was monitored. Urea treatment increased the susceptibility to ouabain and caused a progressive impairment in the ability to maintain baseline [K(+)]o levels during episodes of repetitive SD. Additionally, using a within animal protocol we demonstrate that waves of SD, induced by high K(+), propagate throughout the MTG faster following disruption of the BBB. Lastly, we show that targeting the BBB of intact animals reduces their ability to sustain neural function during anoxic conditions. Our findings indicate that locust's ability to withstand stress is diminished following a reduction in barrier function likely due to an impairment of the ability of neural tissue to maintain ionic gradients.

Alleviating brain stress: what alternative animal models have revealed about therapeutic targets for hypoxia and anoxia

While the mammalian brain is highly dependent on oxygen, and can withstand only a few minutes without air, there are both vertebrate and invertebrate examples of anoxia tolerance. One example is the freshwater turtle, which can withstand days without oxygen, thus providing a vertebrate model with which to examine the physiology of anoxia tolerance without the pathology seen in mammalian ischemia/reperfusion studies. Insect models such as Drosophila melanogaster have additional advantages, such as short lifespans, low cost and well-described genetics. These models of anoxia tolerance share two common themes that enable survival without oxygen: entrance into a state of deep hypometabolism, and the suppression of cellular injury during anoxia and upon restoration of oxygen. The study of such models of anoxia tolerance, adapted through millions of years of evolution, may thus suggest protective pathways that could serve as therapeutic targets for diseases characterized by oxygen deprivation and ischemic/reperfusion injuries.

Cold hardening modulates K+ homeostasis in the brain of Drosophila melanogaster during chill coma

Environmental temperature is one of the most important abiotic factors affecting insect behaviour; virtually all physiological processes, including those which regulate nervous system function, are affected. At both low and high temperature extremes insects enter a coma during which individuals do not display behaviour and are unresponsive to stimulation. We investigated neurophysiological correlates of chill and hyperthermic coma in Drosophila melanogaster. Coma resulting from anoxia causes a profound loss of K(+) homeostasis characterized by a surge in extracellular K(+) concentration ([K(+)](o)) in the brain. We recorded [K(+)](o) in the brain during exposure to both low and high temperatures and observed a similar surge in [K(+)](o) which recovered to baseline concentrations following return to room temperature. We also found that rapid cold hardening (RCH) using a cold pretreatment (4°C for 2h; 2h recovery at room temperature) increased the peak brain [K(+)](o) reached during a subsequent chill coma and increased the rates of accumulation and clearance of [K(+)](o). We conclude that RCH preserves K(+) homeostasis in the fly brain during exposure to cold by reducing the temperature sensitivity of the rates of homeostatic processes.

Protective effect of hypothermia on brain potassium homeostasis during repetitive anoxia in Drosophila melanogaster

Oxygen deprivation in nervous tissue depolarizes cell membranes, increasing extracellular potassium concentration ([K+]o). Thus, [K+]o can be used to assess neural failure. The effect of temperature (17°C, 23°C or 29°C) on the maintenance of brain [K+]o homeostasis in male Drosophila melanogaster (w1118) individuals was assessed during repeated anoxic comas induced by N2 gas. Brain [K+]o was continuously monitored using K+-sensitive microelectrodes while body temperature was changed using a thermo electric cooler (TEC). Repetitive anoxia resulted in a loss of the ability to maintain [K+]o baseline at 6.6±0.3 mM. The total [K+]o baseline variation (Δ[K+]o) was stabilized at 17°C (-1.1±1.3 mM), mildly rose at 23°C (17.3±1.4 mM), and considerably increased at 29°C (332.7±83.0 mM). We conclude that 1) reperfusion patterns consisting of long anoxia, short normoxia and high cycle frequency increased disruption of brain [K+]o baseline maintenance, and 2) hypothermia had a protective effect on brain K+ homeostasis during repetitive anoxia. Male flies are suggested as a useful model for examining deleterious consequences of O2 reperfusion with possible application on therapeutical treatment of stroke or heart attack.