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Coleman CR, Pallos J, Arreola-Bustos A, Wang L, Raftery D, Promislow DEL, Martin I. Natural variation in age-related dopamine neuron degeneration is glutathione dependent and linked to life span. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2403450121. [PMID: 39388265 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2403450121] [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: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging is the biggest risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD), suggesting that age-related changes in the brain promote dopamine neuron vulnerability. It is unclear, however, whether aging alone is sufficient to cause significant dopamine neuron loss, and if so, how this intersects with PD-related neurodegeneration. Here, through examining a large collection of naturally varying Drosophila strains, we find a strong relationship between life span and age-related dopamine neuron loss. Strains with naturally short-lived animals exhibit a loss of dopamine neurons without generalized neurodegeneration, while animals from long-lived strains retain dopamine neurons across age. Metabolomic profiling reveals lower glutathione levels in short-lived strains which is associated with elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), sensitivity to oxidative stress, and vulnerability to silencing the familial PD gene parkin. Strikingly, boosting neuronal glutathione levels via glutamate-cysteine ligase (Gcl) overexpression is sufficient to normalize ROS levels, extend life span, and block dopamine neurons loss in short-lived backgrounds, demonstrating that glutathione deficiencies are central to neurodegenerative phenotypes associated with short longevity. These findings may be relevant to human PD pathogenesis, where glutathione depletion is reported to occur in the idiopathic PD patient brain through unknown mechanisms. Building on this, we find reduced expression of the Gcl catalytic subunit in both Drosophila strains vulnerable to age-related dopamine neuron loss and in the human brain from familial PD patients harboring the common LRRK2 G2019S mutation. Our study across Drosophila and human PD systems suggests that glutathione synthesis and levels play a conserved role in regulating age-related dopamine neuron health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin R Coleman
- Jungers Center for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Judit Pallos
- Jungers Center for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Alicia Arreola-Bustos
- Jungers Center for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Daniel Raftery
- Northwest Metabolomics Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109
| | - Daniel E L Promislow
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98057
- Department of Biology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Ian Martin
- Jungers Center for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239
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2
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Basso V, Döbrössy MD, Thompson LH, Kirik D, Fuller HR, Gates MA. State of the Art in Sub-Phenotyping Midbrain Dopamine Neurons. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:690. [PMID: 39336117 PMCID: PMC11428604 DOI: 10.3390/biology13090690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2024] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
Dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) comprise around 75% of all dopaminergic neurons in the human brain. While both groups of dopaminergic neurons are in close proximity in the midbrain and partially overlap, development, function, and impairments in these two classes of neurons are highly diverse. The molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying these differences are not yet fully understood, but research over the past decade has highlighted the need to differentiate between these two classes of dopaminergic neurons during their development and in the mature brain. This differentiation is crucial not only for understanding fundamental circuitry formation in the brain but also for developing therapies targeted to specific dopaminergic neuron classes without affecting others. In this review, we summarize the state of the art in our understanding of the differences between the dopaminergic neurons of the VTA and the SNpc, such as anatomy, structure, morphology, output and input, electrophysiology, development, and disorders, and discuss the current technologies and methods available for studying these two classes of dopaminergic neurons, highlighting their advantages, limitations, and the necessary improvements required to achieve more-precise therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Basso
- School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
| | - Máté D Döbrössy
- Laboratory of Stereotaxy and Interventional Neurosciences, Department of Stereotactic and Functional, Neurosurgery, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Lachlan H Thompson
- Charles Perkins Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Deniz Kirik
- Brain Repair and Imaging in Neural Systems (B.R.A.I.N.S) Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D11, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - Heidi R Fuller
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
- Wolfson Centre for Inherited Neuromuscular Disease, TORCH Building, RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry SY10 7AG, UK
| | - Monte A Gates
- School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
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3
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Matsuoka T, Yoshida H, Kasai T, Tozawa T, Iehara T, Chiyonobu T. α-Synuclein pathology in Drosophila melanogaster is exacerbated by haploinsufficiency of Rop: connecting STXBP1 encephalopathy with α-synucleinopathies. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:1328-1338. [PMID: 38692286 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddae073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Syntaxin-binding protein 1 (STXBP1) is a presynaptic protein that plays important roles in synaptic vesicle docking and fusion. STXBP1 haploinsufficiency causes STXBP1 encephalopathy (STXBP1-E), which encompasses neurological disturbances including epilepsy, neurodevelopmental disorders, and movement disorders. Most patients with STXBP1-E present with regression and movement disorders in adulthood, highlighting the importance of a deeper understanding of the neurodegenerative aspects of STXBP1-E. An in vitro study proposed an interesting new role of STXBP1 as a molecular chaperone for α-Synuclein (αSyn), a key molecule in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. However, no studies have shown αSyn pathology in model organisms or patients with STXBP1-E. In this study, we used Drosophila models to examine the effects of STXBP1 haploinsufficiency on αSyn-induced neurotoxicity in vivo. We demonstrated that haploinsufficiency of Ras opposite (Rop), the Drosophila ortholog of STXBP1, exacerbates compound eye degeneration, locomotor dysfunction, and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in αSyn-expressing flies. This phenotypic aggravation was associated with a significant increase in detergent-insoluble αSyn levels in the head. Furthermore, we tested whether trehalose, which has neuroprotective effects in various models of neurodegenerative disorders, mitigates αSyn-induced neurotoxicity exacerbated by Rop haploinsufficiency. In flies expressing αSyn and carrying a heterozygous Rop null variant, trehalose supplementation effectively alleviates neuronal phenotypes, accompanied by a decrease in detergent-insoluble αSyn in the head. In conclusion, this study revealed that Rop haploinsufficiency exacerbates αSyn-induced neurotoxicity by altering the αSyn aggregation propensity. This study not only contributes to understanding the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in STXBP1-E patients, but also provides new insights into the pathogenesis of α-synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Matsuoka
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajiicho, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Hideki Yoshida
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
| | - Takashi Kasai
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajiicho, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Takenori Tozawa
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajiicho, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Tomoko Iehara
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajiicho, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Chiyonobu
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajiicho, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajiicho, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
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4
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Afsheen S, Rehman AS, Jamal A, Khan N, Parvez S. Understanding role of pesticides in development of Parkinson's disease: Insights from Drosophila and rodent models. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 98:102340. [PMID: 38759892 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative illness linked to ageing, marked by the gradual decline of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. The exact aetiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) remains uncertain, with genetic predisposition and environmental variables playing significant roles in the disease's frequency. Epidemiological data indicates a possible connection between pesticide exposure and brain degeneration. Specific pesticides have been associated with important characteristics of Parkinson's disease, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and α-synuclein aggregation, which are crucial for the advancement of the disease. Recently, many animal models have been developed for Parkinson's disease study. Although these models do not perfectly replicate the disease's pathology, they provide valuable insights that improve our understanding of the condition and the limitations of current treatment methods. Drosophila, in particular, has been useful in studying Parkinson's disease induced by toxins or genetic factors. The review thoroughly analyses many animal models utilised in Parkinson's research, with an emphasis on issues including pesticides, genetic and epigenetic changes, proteasome failure, oxidative damage, α-synuclein inoculation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. The text highlights the important impact of pesticides on the onset of Parkinson's disease (PD) and stresses the need for more research on genetic and mechanistic alterations linked to the condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saba Afsheen
- Department of Toxicology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India
| | - Ahmed Shaney Rehman
- Department of Toxicology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India
| | - Azfar Jamal
- Department of Biology, College of Science Al-Zulfi, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia; Health and Basic Science Research Centre, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nazia Khan
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
| | - Suhel Parvez
- Department of Toxicology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India.
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5
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Canic T, Lopez J, Ortiz-Vega N, Zhai RG, Syed S. High-resolution, high-throughput analysis of Drosophila geotactic behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.07.597941. [PMID: 38895419 PMCID: PMC11185704 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.07.597941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Drosophila innate response to gravity, geotaxis, has been previously used to assess the impact of aging and disease on motor performance. Despite its rich history, fly geotaxis continues to be largely measured manually and assessed through simplistic metrics. The manual nature of this assay introduces substantial experimental variability while simplistic metrics provide limited analytic insights into the behavior. To address these shortcomings, we have constructed a fully automated, programable apparatus, and developed a multi-object tracking software capable of following sub-second movements of individual flies, thus allowing reproducible, detailed, and quantitative analysis of geotactic behavior. The apparatus triggers and monitors geotaxis of 10 fly cohorts simultaneously, with each cohort consisting of up to 7 flies. The tracking program isolates cohorts and records individual fly coordinate outputs allowing for simultaneous multi-group, multi-fly tracks per experiment, greatly improving throughput and resolution. The algorithm tracks individual flies during the entire run with ~97% accuracy, yielding detailed climbing curve, speed, and movement direction with 1/30 second resolution. Our tracking also allows the construction of multi-variable metrics and the detection of transitory movement phenotypes, such as slips and falls, which have thus far been neglected in geotaxis studies due to limited spatio-temporal resolution. Through a combination of automation and robust tracking, the platform is therefore poised to advance Drosophila geotaxis assay into a comprehensive assessment of locomotor behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tijana Canic
- Department of Physics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Juan Lopez
- Department of Physics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Natalie Ortiz-Vega
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - R. Grace Zhai
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sheyum Syed
- Department of Physics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
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6
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Chaurasia R, Ayajuddin M, Ratnaparkhi GS, Lingadahalli SS, Yenisetti SC. A Simple Immunofluorescence Method to Characterize Neurodegeneration and Tyrosine Hydroxylase Reduction in Whole Brain of a Drosophila Model of Parkinson's Disease. Bio Protoc 2024; 14:e4937. [PMID: 38405079 PMCID: PMC10883891 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Dopaminergic (DAergic) neurodegeneration in the substantia nigra pars compacta of the human brain is the pathological feature associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). Drosophila also exhibits mobility defects and diminished levels of brain dopamine on exposure to neurotoxicants mimicking PD. Our laboratory demonstrated in a Drosophila model of sporadic PD that there is no decrease in DAergic neuronal number; instead, there is a significant reduction in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) fluorescence intensity (FI). Here, we present a sensitive assay based on the quantification of FI of the secondary antibody (ab). As the FI is directly proportional to the amount of TH synthesis, its reduction under PD conditions denotes the decrease in the TH synthesis, suggesting DAergic neuronal dysfunction. Therefore, FI quantification is a refined and sensitive method to understand the early stages of DAergic neurodegeneration. FI quantification is performed using the ZEN 2012 SP2 single-user software; a license must be acquired to utilize the imaging system to interactively control image acquisition, image processing, and analysis. This method will be of good use to biologists, as it can also be used with little modification to characterize the extent of degeneration and changes in the level of degeneration in response to drugs in different cell types. Unlike the expensive and cumbersome confocal microscopy, the present method will be an affordable option for fund-constrained neurobiology laboratories. Key features • Allows characterizing the incipient DAergic and other catecholaminergic neurodegeneration, even in the absence of loss of neuronal cell body. • Great alternative for the fund-constrained neurobiology laboratories in developing countries to utilize this method in different cell types and their response to drugs/nutraceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Chaurasia
- Drosophila Neurobiology Laboratory,
Department of Zoology, Nagaland University (Central), Lumami 798627 Nagaland,
India
| | - Mohamad Ayajuddin
- Drosophila Neurobiology Laboratory,
Department of Zoology, Nagaland University (Central), Lumami 798627 Nagaland,
India
| | | | - Shashidhara S. Lingadahalli
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research-National
Centre for Biological Sciences (TIFR-NCBS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Sarat C. Yenisetti
- Drosophila Neurobiology Laboratory,
Department of Zoology, Nagaland University (Central), Lumami 798627 Nagaland,
India
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7
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Coleman CR, Pallos J, Arreola-Bustos A, Wang L, Raftery D, Promislow DEL, Martin I. Natural Variation in Age-Related Dopamine Neuron Degeneration is Glutathione-Dependent and Linked to Life Span. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.12.580013. [PMID: 38405950 PMCID: PMC10888861 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.12.580013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Aging is the biggest risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD), suggesting that age-related changes in the brain promote dopamine neuron vulnerability. It is unclear, however, whether aging alone is sufficient to cause significant dopamine neuron loss and if so, how this intersects with PD-related neurodegeneration. Here, through examining a large collection of naturally varying Drosophila strains, we find a strong relationship between life span and age-related dopamine neuron loss. Naturally short-lived strains exhibit a loss of dopamine neurons but not generalized neurodegeneration, while long-lived strains retain dopamine neurons across age. Metabolomic profiling reveals lower glutathione levels in short-lived strains which is associated with elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), sensitivity to oxidative stress and vulnerability to silencing the familial PD gene parkin . Strikingly, boosting neuronal glutathione levels via glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL) overexpression is sufficient to normalize ROS levels, extend life span and block dopamine neurons loss in short-lived backgrounds, demonstrating that glutathione deficiencies are central to neurodegenerative phenotypes associated with short longevity. These findings may be relevant to human PD pathogenesis, where glutathione depletion is frequently reported in idiopathic PD patient brain. Building on this evidence, we detect reduced levels of GCL catalytic and modulatory subunits in brain from PD patients harboring the LRRK2 G2019S mutation, implicating possible glutathione deficits in familial LRRK2-linked PD. Our study across Drosophila and human PD systems suggests that glutathione plays an important role in the influence of aging on PD neurodegeneration.
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8
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Buck SA, Rubin SA, Kunkhyen T, Treiber CD, Xue X, Fenno LE, Mabry SJ, Sundar VR, Yang Z, Shah D, Ketchesin KD, Becker-Krail DD, Vasylieva I, Smith MC, Weisel FJ, Wang W, Erickson-Oberg MQ, O’Leary EI, Aravind E, Ramakrishnan C, Kim YS, Wu Y, Quick M, Coleman JA, MacDonald WA, Elbakri R, De Miranda BR, Palladino MJ, McCabe BD, Fish KN, Seney ML, Rayport S, Mingote S, Deisseroth K, Hnasko TS, Awatramani R, Watson AM, Waddell S, Cheetham CEJ, Logan RW, Freyberg Z. Sexually dimorphic mechanisms of VGLUT-mediated protection from dopaminergic neurodegeneration. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.02.560584. [PMID: 37873436 PMCID: PMC10592912 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.02.560584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) targets some dopamine (DA) neurons more than others. Sex differences offer insights, with females more protected from DA neurodegeneration. The mammalian vesicular glutamate transporter VGLUT2 and Drosophila ortholog dVGLUT have been implicated as modulators of DA neuron resilience. However, the mechanisms by which VGLUT2/dVGLUT protects DA neurons remain unknown. We discovered DA neuron dVGLUT knockdown increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in a sexually dimorphic manner in response to depolarization or paraquat-induced stress, males being especially affected. DA neuron dVGLUT also reduced ATP biosynthetic burden during depolarization. RNA sequencing of VGLUT+ DA neurons in mice and flies identified candidate genes that we functionally screened to further dissect VGLUT-mediated DA neuron resilience across PD models. We discovered transcription factors modulating dVGLUT-dependent DA neuroprotection and identified dj-1β as a regulator of sex-specific DA neuron dVGLUT expression. Overall, VGLUT protects DA neurons from PD-associated degeneration by maintaining mitochondrial health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silas A. Buck
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Sophie A. Rubin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Tenzin Kunkhyen
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Christoph D. Treiber
- Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Xiangning Xue
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Lief E. Fenno
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Samuel J. Mabry
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Varun R. Sundar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Zilu Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Divia Shah
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kyle D. Ketchesin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Darius D. Becker-Krail
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Iaroslavna Vasylieva
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Biologic Imaging, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Megan C. Smith
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Biologic Imaging, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Florian J. Weisel
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Wenjia Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - M. Quincy Erickson-Oberg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Emma I. O’Leary
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Eshan Aravind
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Charu Ramakrishnan
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yoon Seok Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yanying Wu
- Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Matthias Quick
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Jonathan A. Coleman
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | | | - Rania Elbakri
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Briana R. De Miranda
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Michael J. Palladino
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
- Pittsburgh Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Brian D. McCabe
- Brain Mind Institute, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kenneth N. Fish
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Marianne L. Seney
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Stephen Rayport
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Susana Mingote
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Neuroscience Initiative, Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of The City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Thomas S. Hnasko
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
| | | | - Alan M. Watson
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Biologic Imaging, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Scott Waddell
- Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | | | - Ryan W. Logan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Zachary Freyberg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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9
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Lin YC, Zhang M, Chang YJ, Kuo TH. Comparisons of lifespan and stress resistance between sexes in Drosophila melanogaster. Heliyon 2023; 9:e18178. [PMID: 37576293 PMCID: PMC10415617 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals exhibit different extents of sexual dimorphism in a variety of phenotypes. Sex differences in longevity, one of the most complex life history traits, have also been reported. Although lifespan regulation has been studied extensively in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, the sex differences in lifespan have not been consistent in previous studies. To explore this issue, we revisited this question by examining the lifespan and stress resistance of both sexes among 15 inbred strains. We first found positive correlations between males and females from the same strain in terms of lifespan and resistance to starvation and desiccation stress. Although the lifespan difference between male and female flies varied greatly depending on the strain, males across all strains collectively had a longer lifespan. In contrast, females showed better resistance to starvation and desiccation stress. We also observed greater variation in lifespan and resistance to starvation and desiccation stress in females. Unexpectedly, there was no notable correlation observed between lifespan and the three types of stress resistance in either males or females. Overall, our study provides new data regarding sexual dimorphism in fly lifespan and stress resistance; this information may promote the investigation of mechanisms underlying longevity in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chiao Lin
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - MingYang Zhang
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | | | - Tsung-Han Kuo
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
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10
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Ayajuddin M, Chaurasia R, Das A, Modi P, Phom L, Koza Z, Yenisetti SC. Fluorescence microscopy-based sensitive method to quantify dopaminergic neurodegeneration in a Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1158858. [PMID: 37434762 PMCID: PMC10332464 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1158858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Death of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta of the human brain is the characteristic pathological feature of Parkinson's disease (PD). On exposure to neurotoxicants, Drosophila too exhibits mobility defects and diminished levels of brain dopamine. In the fly model of sporadic PD, our laboratory has demonstrated that there is no loss of DAergic neuronal number, however, a significant reduction in fluorescence intensity (FI) of secondary antibodies that target the primary antibody-anti-tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Here, we present a sensitive, economical, and repeatable assay to characterize neurodegeneration based on the quantification of FI of the secondary antibody. As the intensity of fluorescence correlates with the amount of TH synthesis, its reduction under PD conditions denotes the depletion in the TH synthesis, suggesting DAergic neuronal dysfunction. Reduction in TH protein synthesis is further confirmed through Bio-Rad Stain-Free Western Blotting. Quantification of brain DA and its metabolites (DOPAC and HVA) using HPLC-ECD further demonstrated the depleted DA level and altered DA metabolism as evident from enhanced DA turnover rate. Together all these PD marker studies suggest that FI quantification is a refined and sensitive method to understand the early stages of DAergic neurodegeneration. FI quantification is performed using ZEN 2012 SP2, a licensed software from Carl Zeiss, Germany. This method will be of good use to biologists, as it with few modifications, can also be implemented to characterize the extent of degeneration of different cell types. Unlike the expensive and cumbersome confocal microscopy, the present method using fluorescence microscopy will be a feasible option for fund-constrained neurobiology laboratories in developing countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamad Ayajuddin
- Drosophila Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Nagaland University (Central), Lumami, Nagaland, India
| | - Rahul Chaurasia
- Drosophila Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Nagaland University (Central), Lumami, Nagaland, India
| | - Abhik Das
- Drosophila Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Nagaland University (Central), Lumami, Nagaland, India
| | - Priyanka Modi
- Drosophila Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Nagaland University (Central), Lumami, Nagaland, India
| | - Limamanen Phom
- Drosophila Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Nagaland University (Central), Lumami, Nagaland, India
- Sao Chang Government College, Tuensang, Nagaland, India
| | - Zevelou Koza
- Drosophila Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Nagaland University (Central), Lumami, Nagaland, India
- Patkai Christian College (Autonomous), Dimapur, Nagaland, India
| | - Sarat Chandra Yenisetti
- Drosophila Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Nagaland University (Central), Lumami, Nagaland, India
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11
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Costa-Machado LF, Garcia-Dominguez E, McIntyre RL, Lopez-Aceituno JL, Ballesteros-Gonzalez Á, Tapia-Gonzalez A, Fabregat-Safont D, Eisenberg T, Gomez J, Plaza A, Sierra-Ramirez A, Perez M, Villanueva-Bermejo D, Fornari T, Loza MI, Herradon G, Hofer SJ, Magnes C, Madeo F, Duerr JS, Pozo OJ, Galindo MI, Del Pino I, Houtkooper RH, Megias D, Viña J, Gomez-Cabrera MC, Fernandez-Marcos PJ. Peripheral modulation of antidepressant targets MAO-B and GABAAR by harmol induces mitohormesis and delays aging in preclinical models. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2779. [PMID: 37188705 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38410-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Reversible and sub-lethal stresses to the mitochondria elicit a program of compensatory responses that ultimately improve mitochondrial function, a conserved anti-aging mechanism termed mitohormesis. Here, we show that harmol, a member of the beta-carbolines family with anti-depressant properties, improves mitochondrial function and metabolic parameters, and extends healthspan. Treatment with harmol induces a transient mitochondrial depolarization, a strong mitophagy response, and the AMPK compensatory pathway both in cultured C2C12 myotubes and in male mouse liver, brown adipose tissue and muscle, even though harmol crosses poorly the blood-brain barrier. Mechanistically, simultaneous modulation of the targets of harmol monoamine-oxidase B and GABA-A receptor reproduces harmol-induced mitochondrial improvements. Diet-induced pre-diabetic male mice improve their glucose tolerance, liver steatosis and insulin sensitivity after treatment with harmol. Harmol or a combination of monoamine oxidase B and GABA-A receptor modulators extend the lifespan of hermaphrodite Caenorhabditis elegans or female Drosophila melanogaster. Finally, two-year-old male and female mice treated with harmol exhibit delayed frailty onset with improved glycemia, exercise performance and strength. Our results reveal that peripheral targeting of monoamine oxidase B and GABA-A receptor, common antidepressant targets, extends healthspan through mitohormesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Filipe Costa-Machado
- Metabolic Syndrome Group - BIOPROMET. Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies - IMDEA Food, CEI UAM + CSIC, E28049, Madrid, Spain
- Kaertor Foundation, EMPRENDIA Building, Floor 2, Office 4, Campus Vida, E-15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, E-15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- BioFarma Research Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Esther Garcia-Dominguez
- Freshage Research Group, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, CIBERFES, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico Universitario/INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Rebecca L McIntyre
- Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Metabolism, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jose Luis Lopez-Aceituno
- Metabolic Syndrome Group - BIOPROMET. Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies - IMDEA Food, CEI UAM + CSIC, E28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Álvaro Ballesteros-Gonzalez
- Developmental Biology and Disease Models Group, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46012, Valencia, Spain
| | - Andrea Tapia-Gonzalez
- Neural Plasticity Group, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46012, Valencia, Spain
| | - David Fabregat-Safont
- Applied Metabolomics Research Group, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute - (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, 12006, Castelló de la Plana, Castellón, Spain
| | - Tobias Eisenberg
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Humboldtstraße 50, 8010, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth - University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Jesús Gomez
- Confocal Microscopy Unit, Biotechnology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adrian Plaza
- Metabolic Syndrome Group - BIOPROMET. Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies - IMDEA Food, CEI UAM + CSIC, E28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Aranzazu Sierra-Ramirez
- Metabolic Syndrome Group - BIOPROMET. Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies - IMDEA Food, CEI UAM + CSIC, E28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Perez
- Confocal Microscopy Unit, Biotechnology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Villanueva-Bermejo
- Department of Production and Characterization of Novel Foods, Institute of Food Science Research (CIAL UAM-CSIC), C/ Nicolás Cabrera, 9, P.O. Box. 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Tiziana Fornari
- Department of Production and Characterization of Novel Foods, Institute of Food Science Research (CIAL UAM-CSIC), C/ Nicolás Cabrera, 9, P.O. Box. 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Isabel Loza
- Kaertor Foundation, EMPRENDIA Building, Floor 2, Office 4, Campus Vida, E-15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, E-15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- BioFarma Research Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Gonzalo Herradon
- Lab. Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Urb. Montepríncipe, 28668, Boadilla del Monte, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sebastian J Hofer
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Humboldtstraße 50, 8010, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth - University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Christoph Magnes
- HEALTH-Institute for Biomedicine and Health Sciences, Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Frank Madeo
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Humboldtstraße 50, 8010, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth - University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Janet S Duerr
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | - Oscar J Pozo
- Applied Metabolomics Research Group, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute - (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maximo-Ibo Galindo
- Developmental Biology and Disease Models Group, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46012, Valencia, Spain
- Instituto Interuniversitario de Investigación de Reconocimiento Molecular y Desarrollo Tecnológico (IDM), Universitat Politècnica de València, Universitat de València, 46022, Valencia, Spain
- UPV-CIPF Joint Research Unit "Disease Mechanisms and Nanomedicine". Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46012, Valencia, Spain
| | - Isabel Del Pino
- Neural Plasticity Group, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46012, Valencia, Spain
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Campus de Sant Joan, 03550, Alicante, Spain
| | - Riekelt H Houtkooper
- Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Metabolism, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Diego Megias
- Confocal Microscopy Unit, Biotechnology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose Viña
- Freshage Research Group, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, CIBERFES, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico Universitario/INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mari Carmen Gomez-Cabrera
- Freshage Research Group, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, CIBERFES, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico Universitario/INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pablo J Fernandez-Marcos
- Metabolic Syndrome Group - BIOPROMET. Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies - IMDEA Food, CEI UAM + CSIC, E28049, Madrid, Spain.
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12
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Zhang J, Lentz L, Goldammer J, Iliescu J, Tanimura J, Riemensperger TD. Asymmetric Presynaptic Depletion of Dopamine Neurons in a Drosophila Model of Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108585. [PMID: 37239942 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108585] [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: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) often displays a strong unilateral predominance in arising symptoms. PD is correlated with dopamine neuron (DAN) degeneration in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNPC), and in many patients, DANs appear to be affected more severely on one hemisphere than the other. The reason for this asymmetric onset is far from being understood. Drosophila melanogaster has proven its merit to model molecular and cellular aspects of the development of PD. However, the cellular hallmark of the asymmetric degeneration of DANs in PD has not yet been described in Drosophila. We ectopically express human α-synuclein (hα-syn) together with presynaptically targeted syt::HA in single DANs that innervate the Antler (ATL), a symmetric neuropil located in the dorsomedial protocerebrum. We find that expression of hα-syn in DANs innervating the ATL yields asymmetric depletion of synaptic connectivity. Our study represents the first example of unilateral predominance in an invertebrate model of PD and will pave the way to the investigation of unilateral predominance in the development of neurodegenerative diseases in the genetically versatile invertebrate model Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Zhang
- Institute of Zoology, Experimental Morphology and Neuroanatomy, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Lucie Lentz
- Institute of Zoology, Experimental Morphology and Neuroanatomy, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Jens Goldammer
- Institute of Zoology, Experimental Morphology and Neuroanatomy, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Jessica Iliescu
- Institute of Zoology, Experimental Morphology and Neuroanatomy, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Jun Tanimura
- Neuronal Circuit Division, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Thomas Dieter Riemensperger
- Institute of Zoology, Experimental Morphology and Neuroanatomy, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
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13
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Maitra U, Conger J, Owens MMM, Ciesla L. Predicting structural features of selected flavonoids responsible for neuroprotection in a Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease. Neurotoxicology 2023; 96:1-12. [PMID: 36822376 PMCID: PMC11080622 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.02.008] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Nature-derived bioactive compounds have emerged as promising candidates for the prevention and treatment of diverse chronic illnesses, including neurodegenerative diseases. However, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying their neuroprotective effects remain unclear. Most studies focus solely on the antioxidant activities of natural products which translate to poor outcome in clinical trials. Current therapies against neurodegeneration only provide symptomatic relief, thereby underscoring the need for novel strategies to combat disease onset and progression. We have employed an environmental toxin-induced Drosophila Parkinson's disease (PD) model as an inexpensive in vivo screening platform to explore the neuroprotective potential of selected dietary flavonoids. We have identified a specific group of flavonoids known as flavones displaying protection against paraquat (PQ)-induced neurodegenerative phenotypes involving reduced survival, mobility defects, and enhanced oxidative stress. Interestingly, the other groups of investigated flavonoids, namely, the flavonones and flavonols failed to provide protection indicating a requirement of specific structural features that confer protection against PQ-mediated neurotoxicity in Drosophila. Based on our screen, the neuroprotective flavones lack a functional group substitution at the C3 and contain α,β-unsaturated carbonyl group. Furthermore, flavones-mediated neuroprotection is not solely dependent on antioxidant properties through nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) but also requires regulation of the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway involving NFκB and the negative regulator poor Imd response upon knock-in (Pirk). Our data have identified specific structural features of selected flavonoids that provide neuroprotection against environmental toxin-induced PD pathogenesis that can be explored for novel therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urmila Maitra
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 2320 Science and Engineering Complex, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0344, USA.
| | - John Conger
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 2320 Science and Engineering Complex, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0344, USA; College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Mary Magdalene Maggie Owens
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 2320 Science and Engineering Complex, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0344, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Lukasz Ciesla
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 2320 Science and Engineering Complex, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0344, USA.
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14
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Anushree, Ali MZ, Bilgrami AL, Ahsan J. Acute Exposure to Arsenic Affects Pupal Development and Neurological Functions in Drosophila melanogaster. TOXICS 2023; 11:327. [PMID: 37112554 PMCID: PMC10142172 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11040327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Millions of people in developing countries are affected by arsenic (As) toxicity and its prevalence. Arsenic's detrimental effects on humans have been amplified by an unacceptable level of exposure to food and drinking water, the ongoing rise in industrial usage, and several other occupational conditions. Due to increased cellular absorption and the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), inorganic arsenic (iAs) is extremely hazardous to living organisms in its trivalent form. Arsenic toxicity damages an organism's tissues and organs, resulting in skin cancer, circulatory system abnormalities, and central nervous system disorders. However, a competent model system is required to investigate the acute effects of arsenic on the brain, cognition ability, and to assess any behavioral impairment. Hence, Drosophila, with its short generation time, genomic similarities with humans, and its availability for robust behavioral paradigms, may be considered an ideal model for studying arsenic toxicity. The present study helps to understand the toxic effects of acute arsenic treatment on the behavior, cognition, and development of Drosophila in a time-dependent manner. We found that the exposure of fruit flies to arsenic significantly affected their locomotor abilities, pupae size, cognitive functions, and neurobehavioral impairment. Hence, providing a better understanding of how arsenic toxicity affects the brain leading to acute behavioral disorders and neurological alterations, this study will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anushree
- Drosophila Behavior Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Central University of South Bihar, Gaya 824236, Bihar, India
| | - Md Zeeshan Ali
- Drosophila Behavior Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Central University of South Bihar, Gaya 824236, Bihar, India
| | - Anwar L. Bilgrami
- Deanship of Scientific Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jawaid Ahsan
- Drosophila Behavior Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Central University of South Bihar, Gaya 824236, Bihar, India
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15
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Moskal N, Visanji NP, Gorbenko O, Narasimhan V, Tyrrell H, Nash J, Lewis PN, McQuibban GA. An AI-guided screen identifies probucol as an enhancer of mitophagy through modulation of lipid droplets. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3001977. [PMID: 36862640 PMCID: PMC9980794 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Failures in mitophagy, a process by which damaged mitochondria are cleared, results in neurodegeneration, while enhancing mitophagy promotes the survival of dopaminergic neurons. Using an artificial intelligence platform, we employed a natural language processing approach to evaluate the semantic similarity of candidate molecules to a set of well-established mitophagy enhancers. Top candidates were screened in a cell-based mitochondrial clearance assay. Probucol, a lipid-lowering drug, was validated across several orthogonal mitophagy assays. In vivo, probucol improved survival, locomotor function, and dopaminergic neuron loss in zebrafish and fly models of mitochondrial damage. Probucol functioned independently of PINK1/Parkin, but its effects on mitophagy and in vivo depended on ABCA1, which negatively regulated mitophagy following mitochondrial damage. Autophagosome and lysosomal markers were elevated by probucol treatment in addition to increased contact between lipid droplets (LDs) and mitochondria. Conversely, LD expansion, which occurs following mitochondrial damage, was suppressed by probucol and probucol-mediated mitophagy enhancement required LDs. Probucol-mediated LD dynamics changes may prime the cell for a more efficient mitophagic response to mitochondrial damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Moskal
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Naomi P. Visanji
- Edmund J Safra Program in Parkinson’s Disease and Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Olena Gorbenko
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Vijay Narasimhan
- Zebrafish Centre for Advanced Drug Discovery and Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital and Department of Medicine and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Hannah Tyrrell
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jess Nash
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Peter N. Lewis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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16
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Sex Differences in Dopaminergic Vulnerability to Environmental Toxicants - Implications for Parkinson's Disease. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:563-573. [PMID: 36201109 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00380-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Sex dimorphism in Parkinson's disease (PD) is an ostensible feature of the neurological disorder, particularly as men are 1.5-2 times more likely to develop PD than women. Clinical features of the disease, such as presentation at onset, most prevalent symptoms, and response to treatment, are also affected by sex. Despite these well-known sex differences in PD risk and phenotype, the mechanisms that impart sex dimorphisms in PD remain poorly understood. RECENT FINDINGS As PD incidence is influenced by environmental factors, an intriguing pattern has recently emerged in research studies suggesting a male-specific vulnerability to dopaminergic neurodegeneration caused by neurotoxicant exposure, with relative protection in females. These new experimental data have uncovered potential mechanisms that provide clues to the source of sex differences in dopaminergic neurodegeneration and other PD pathology such as alpha-synuclein toxicity. In this review, we discuss the emerging evidence of increased male sensitivity to neurodegeneration from environmental exposures. We examine mechanisms underlying dopaminergic neurodegeneration and PD-related pathologies with evidence supporting the roles of estrogen, SRY expression, the vesicular glutamate transporter VGLUT2, and the microbiome as prospective catalysts for male vulnerability. We also highlight the importance of including sex as a biological variable, particularly when evaluating dopaminergic neurotoxicity in the context of PD.
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17
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Rahmani Z, Surabhi S, Rojo-Cortés F, Dulac A, Jenny A, Birman S. Lamp1 Deficiency Enhances Sensitivity to α-Synuclein and Oxidative Stress in Drosophila Models of Parkinson Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13078. [PMID: 36361864 PMCID: PMC9657416 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative condition affecting people predominantly at old age that is characterized by a progressive loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons and by the accumulation of α-synuclein-containing intraneuronal inclusions known as Lewy bodies. Defects in cellular degradation processes such as the autophagy-lysosomal pathway are suspected to be involved in PD progression. The mammalian Lysosomal-associated membrane proteins LAMP1 and LAMP2 are transmembrane glycoproteins localized in lysosomes and late endosomes that are involved in autophagosome/lysosome maturation and function. Here, we show that the lack of Drosophila Lamp1, the homolog of LAMP1 and LAMP2, severely increased fly susceptibility to paraquat, a pro-oxidant compound known as a potential PD inducer in humans. Moreover, the loss of Lamp1 also exacerbated the progressive locomotor defects induced by the expression of PD-associated mutant α-synuclein A30P (α-synA30P) in dopaminergic neurons. Remarkably, the ubiquitous re-expression of Lamp1 in a mutant context fully suppressed all these defects and conferred significant resistance towards both PD factors above that of wild-type flies. Immunostaining analysis showed that the brain levels of α-synA30P were unexpectedly decreased in young adult Lamp1-deficient flies expressing this protein in comparison to non-mutant controls. This suggests that Lamp1 could neutralize α-synuclein toxicity by promoting the formation of non-pathogenic aggregates in neurons. Overall, our findings reveal a novel role for Drosophila Lamp1 in protecting against oxidative stress and α-synuclein neurotoxicity in PD models, thus furthering our understanding of the function of its mammalian homologs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohra Rahmani
- Genes Circuits Rhythms and Neuropathology, Brain Plasticity Unit, UMR 8249, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Satya Surabhi
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Francisca Rojo-Cortés
- Genes Circuits Rhythms and Neuropathology, Brain Plasticity Unit, UMR 8249, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Amina Dulac
- Genes Circuits Rhythms and Neuropathology, Brain Plasticity Unit, UMR 8249, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Andreas Jenny
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Serge Birman
- Genes Circuits Rhythms and Neuropathology, Brain Plasticity Unit, UMR 8249, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
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18
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Niveditha S, Shivanandappa T. Potentiation of paraquat toxicity by inhibition of the antioxidant defenses and protective effect of the natural antioxidant, 4-hydroxyisopthalic acid in Drosophila melanogaster. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2022; 259:109399. [PMID: 35753646 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2022.109399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to pesticides such as paraquat (PQ) is known to induce oxidative stress-mediated damage, which is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. The antioxidant enzymes are part of the endogenous defense mechanisms capable of protecting against oxidative damage, and down-regulation of these enzymes results in elevated oxidative stress. In this study, we have evaluated the protective action of 4-hydroxyisophthalic acid (DHA-I), a novel bioactive molecule from the roots of D. hamiltonii, against PQ toxicity and demonstrated the protective role of endogenous antioxidant enzymes under the condition of oxidative stress using Drosophila model. The activity of the major antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) and catalase, was suppressed either by RNAi-mediated post transcriptional gene silencing or chemical inhibition. With the decreased in vivo activity of either SOD1 or catalase, Drosophila exhibited hypersensitivity to PQ toxicity, demonstrating the essential role of antioxidant enzymes in the mechanism of defense against PQ-induced oxidative stress. Dietary supplementation of DHA-I increased the resistance of Drosophila depleted in either SOD1 or catalase to PQ toxicity. Enhanced survival of flies against PQ toxicity indicates the protective role of DHA-I against oxidative stress-mediated damage under the condition of compromised antioxidant defenses.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Niveditha
- Neurobiology laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysuru 570006, Karnataka, India
| | - T Shivanandappa
- Neurobiology laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysuru 570006, Karnataka, India.
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19
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Rodrigues JA, Narasimhamurthy RK, Joshi MB, Dsouza HS, Mumbrekar KD. Pesticides Exposure-Induced Changes in Brain Metabolome: Implications in the Pathogenesis of Neurodegenerative Disorders. Neurotox Res 2022; 40:1539-1552. [PMID: 35781222 PMCID: PMC9515138 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-022-00534-2] [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: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Pesticides have been used in agriculture, public health programs, and pharmaceuticals for many decades. Though pesticides primarily target pests by affecting their nervous system and causing other lethal effects, these chemical entities also exert toxic effects in inadvertently exposed humans through inhalation or ingestion. Mounting pieces of evidence from cellular, animal, and clinical studies indicate that pesticide-exposed models display metabolite alterations of pathways involved in neurodegenerative diseases. Hence, identifying common key metabolites/metabolic pathways between pesticide-induced metabolic reprogramming and neurodegenerative diseases is necessary to understand the etiology of pesticides in the rise of neurodegenerative disorders. The present review provides an overview of specific metabolic pathways, including tryptophan metabolism, glutathione metabolism, dopamine metabolism, energy metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunction, fatty acids, and lipid metabolism that are specifically altered in response to pesticides. Furthermore, we discuss how these metabolite alterations are linked to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and to identify novel biomarkers for targeted therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Arvin Rodrigues
- Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India, 576104
| | - Rekha K Narasimhamurthy
- Department of Radiation Biology and Toxicology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India, 576104
| | - Manjunath B Joshi
- Department of Ageing Research, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India, 576104
| | - Herman Sunil Dsouza
- Department of Radiation Biology and Toxicology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India, 576104
| | - Kamalesh Dattaram Mumbrekar
- Department of Radiation Biology and Toxicology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India, 576104.
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20
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Qiang SJ, Shi YQ, Wu TY, Wang JQ, Chen XL, Su J, Chen XP, Li JZ, Chen ZS. The Discovery of Novel PGK1 Activators as Apoptotic Inhibiting and Neuroprotective Agents. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:877706. [PMID: 35387336 PMCID: PMC8978560 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.877706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide and the leading cause of long-term disability that seriously endangers health and quality of human life. Tissue-type fibrinogen activator is currently the only drug approved by FDA for the treatment of ischemic stroke. Neuroprotection is theoretically a common strategy for the treatment of both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke; therefore, the development of neuroprotective agent has been the focus of research. However, no ideal neuroprotective drug is clinically available. Phosphoglycerate kinase-1 (PGK1) activator has the effect of inhibiting apoptosis and protecting tissue damage, and therefore could be a potential neuroprotective agent. To obtain effective PGK1 activators, we virtually screened a large chemical database and their evaluated the efficacy by the Drosophila oxidative stress model, PGK1 enzymatic activity assay, and oxygen-glucose stripping reperfusion (OGD/R) model. The results showed that compounds 7979989, Z112553128 and AK-693/21087020 are potential PGK1 activators with protective effects against PQ-induced oxidative stress in the Drosophila model and could effectively ameliorate apoptosis induced by OGD/R-induced neuronal cell injury. Additionally, compounds 7979989 and Z112553128 are effective in alleviating LPS-induced cellular inflammation. This study indicated that these compounds are promising lead compounds that provide theoretical and material basis to the neuroprotective drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yu-Qi Shi
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Tong-Yu Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jing-Quan Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, United States
| | - Xue-Lian Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jie Su
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xin-Ping Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jia-Zhong Li
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, United States
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21
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Neves PFR, Milanesi BB, Paz LV, de Miranda Monteiro VAC, Neves LT, da Veiga LC, da Silva RB, Sulzbach JH, Knijkik GP, de Revoredo Ribeiro EC, de Souza Silva EL, Vieira MQ, Bagatini PB, Wieck A, Mestriner RG, Xavier LL. Age-related tolerance to paraquat-induced parkinsonism in Drosophila melanogaster. Toxicol Lett 2022; 361:43-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2022.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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22
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Thirugnanam T, Santhakumar K. Chemically induced models of Parkinson's disease. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2022; 252:109213. [PMID: 34673252 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2021.109213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Environmental toxins are harmful substances detrimental to humans. Constant exposure to these fatal neurotoxins can cause various neurodegenerative disorders. Although poisonous, specific neurotoxins at optimal concentrations mimic the clinical features of neurodegenerative diseases in several animal models. Such chemically-induced model systems are beneficial in deciphering the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration and drug screening for these disorders. One such neurotoxin is 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), a widely used chemical that recapitulates Parkinsonian features in various animal models. Apart from MPTP, other neurotoxins like 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), paraquat, rotenone also induce specific clinical features of Parkinson's disease in animal models. These chemically-induced Parkinson's disease models are playing a crucial role in understanding Parkinson's disease onset, pathology, and novel therapeutics. In this review, we provide a concise overview of various neurotoxins that can recapitulate Parkinsonian features in different in vivo and in vitro model systems specifically focusing on the different treatment methodologies of neurotoxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thilaga Thirugnanam
- Zebrafish Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603 203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kirankumar Santhakumar
- Zebrafish Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603 203, Tamil Nadu, India.
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23
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Calycosin Alleviates Paraquat-Induced Neurodegeneration by Improving Mitochondrial Functions and Regulating Autophagy in a Drosophila Model of Parkinson's Disease. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11020222. [PMID: 35204105 PMCID: PMC8868496 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11020222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder with limited clinical treatments. The occurrence of PD includes both genetic and environmental toxins, such as the pesticides paraquat (PQ), as major contributors to PD pathology in both invertebrate and mammalian models. Calycosin, an isoflavone phytoestrogen, has multiple pharmacological properties, including neuroprotective activity. However, the paucity of information regarding the neuroprotective potential of calycosin on PQ-induced neurodegeneration led us to explore whether calycosin can mitigate PD-like phenotypes and the underlying molecular mechanisms. We used a PQ-induced PD model in Drosophila as a cost-effective in vivo screening platform to investigate the neuroprotective efficacy of natural compounds on PD. We reported that calycosin shows a protective role in preventing dopaminergic (DA) neuronal cell death in PQ-exposed Canton S flies. Calycosin-fed PQ-exposed flies exhibit significant resistance against PQ-induced mortality and locomotor deficits in terms of reduced oxidative stress, loss of DA neurons, the depletion of dopamine content, and phosphorylated JNK-caspase-3 levels. Additionally, mechanistic studies show that calycosin administration improves PQ-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and stimulates mitophagy and general autophagy with reduced pS6K and p4EBP1 levels, suggestive of a maintained energy balance between anabolic and catabolic processes, resulting in the inhibition of neuronal cell death. Collectively, this study substantiates the protective effect of calycosin against PQ-induced neurodegeneration by improving DA neurons' survival and reducing apoptosis, likely via autophagy induction, and it is implicated as a novel therapeutic application against toxin-induced PD pathogenesis.
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24
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Xiao G, Zhao M, Liu Z, Du F, Zhou B. Zinc antagonizes iron-regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase activity and dopamine production in Drosophila melanogaster. BMC Biol 2021; 19:236. [PMID: 34732185 PMCID: PMC8564973 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01168-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dopamine (DA) is a neurotransmitter that plays roles in movement, cognition, attention, and reward responses, and deficient DA signaling is associated with the progression of a number of neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease. Due to its critical functions, DA expression levels in the brain are tightly controlled, with one important and rate-limiting step in its biosynthetic pathway being catalyzed by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), an enzyme that uses iron ion (Fe2+) as a cofactor. A role for metal ions has additionally been associated with the etiology of Parkinson’s disease. However, the way dopamine synthesis is regulated in vivo or whether regulation of metal ion levels is a component of DA synthesis is not fully understood. Here, we analyze the role of Catsup, the Drosophila ortholog of the mammalian zinc transporter SLC39A7 (ZIP7), in regulating dopamine levels. Results We found that Catsup is a functional zinc transporter that regulates intracellular zinc distribution between the ER/Golgi and the cytosol. Loss-of-function of Catsup leads to increased DA levels, and we showed that the increased dopamine production is due to a reduction in zinc levels in the cytosol. Zinc ion (Zn2+) negatively regulates dopamine synthesis through direct inhibition of TH activity, by antagonizing Fe2+ binding to TH, thus rendering the enzyme ineffective or non-functional. Conclusions Our findings uncovered a previously unknown mechanism underlying the control of cellular dopamine expression, with normal levels of dopamine synthesis being maintained through a balance between Fe2+ and Zn2+ ions. The findings also provide support for metal modulation as a possible therapeutic strategy in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other dopamine-related diseases. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01168-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiran Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, Anhui, China
| | - Mengran Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Zhihua Liu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, Anhui, China
| | - Fan Du
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Bing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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25
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Arsac JN, Sedru M, Dartiguelongue M, Vulin J, Davoust N, Baron T, Mollereau B. Chronic Exposure to Paraquat Induces Alpha-Synuclein Pathogenic Modifications in Drosophila. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11613. [PMID: 34769043 PMCID: PMC8584077 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the progressive accumulation of neuronal intracellular aggregates largely composed of alpha-Synuclein (αSyn) protein. The process of αSyn aggregation is induced during aging and enhanced by environmental stresses, such as the exposure to pesticides. Paraquat (PQ) is an herbicide which has been widely used in agriculture and associated with PD. PQ is known to cause an increased oxidative stress in exposed individuals but the consequences of such stress on αSyn conformation remains poorly understood. To study αSyn pathogenic modifications in response to PQ, we exposed Drosophila expressing human αSyn to a chronic PQ protocol. We first showed that PQ exposure and αSyn expression synergistically induced fly mortality. The exposure to PQ was also associated with increased levels of total and phosphorylated forms of αSyn in the Drosophila brain. Interestingly, PQ increased the detection of soluble αSyn in highly denaturating buffer but did not increase αSyn resistance to proteinase K digestion. These results suggest that PQ induces the accumulation of toxic soluble and misfolded forms of αSyn but that these toxic forms do not form fibrils or aggregates that are detected by the proteinase K assay. Collectively, our results demonstrate that Drosophila can be used to study the effect of PQ or other environmental neurotoxins on αSyn driven pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Noël Arsac
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses) Laboratory of Lyon, Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit, University of Lyon, F-69342 Lyon, France; (J.-N.A.); (M.D.); (J.V.)
| | - Marianne Sedru
- Laboratory of Biology and Modelling of the Cell, UMR5239 CNRS/ENS de Lyon, INSERM U1210, UMS 3444 Biosciences Lyon Gerland, University of Lyon, F-69342 Lyon, France; (M.S.); (N.D.)
| | - Mireille Dartiguelongue
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses) Laboratory of Lyon, Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit, University of Lyon, F-69342 Lyon, France; (J.-N.A.); (M.D.); (J.V.)
| | - Johann Vulin
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses) Laboratory of Lyon, Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit, University of Lyon, F-69342 Lyon, France; (J.-N.A.); (M.D.); (J.V.)
| | - Nathalie Davoust
- Laboratory of Biology and Modelling of the Cell, UMR5239 CNRS/ENS de Lyon, INSERM U1210, UMS 3444 Biosciences Lyon Gerland, University of Lyon, F-69342 Lyon, France; (M.S.); (N.D.)
| | - Thierry Baron
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses) Laboratory of Lyon, Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit, University of Lyon, F-69342 Lyon, France; (J.-N.A.); (M.D.); (J.V.)
| | - Bertrand Mollereau
- Laboratory of Biology and Modelling of the Cell, UMR5239 CNRS/ENS de Lyon, INSERM U1210, UMS 3444 Biosciences Lyon Gerland, University of Lyon, F-69342 Lyon, France; (M.S.); (N.D.)
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26
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Sarkar S, Feany MB. Precision Medicine on the Fly: Using Drosophila to Decipher Gene-Environment Interactions in Parkinson's Disease. Toxicol Sci 2021; 182:159-167. [PMID: 34076689 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfab060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Big data approaches have profoundly influenced state-of-the-art in many fields of research, with toxicology being no exception. Here, we use Parkinson's disease as a window through which to explore the challenges of a dual explosion of metabolomic data addressing the myriad environmental exposures individuals experience and genetic analyses implicating many different loci as risk factors for disease. We argue that new experimental approaches are needed to convert the growing body of omics data into molecular mechanisms of disease that can be therapeutically targeted in specific patients. We outline one attractive strategy, which capitalizes on the rapid generation time and advanced molecular tools available in the fruit fly, Drosophila, to provide a platform for mechanistic dissection and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souvarish Sarkar
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mel B Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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27
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Melatonin Increases Life Span, Restores the Locomotor Activity, and Reduces Lipid Peroxidation (LPO) in Transgenic Knockdown Parkin Drosophila melanogaster Exposed to Paraquat or Paraquat/Iron. Neurotox Res 2021; 39:1551-1563. [PMID: 34339012 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-021-00397-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex progressive neurodegenerative disorder involving impairment of bodily movement caused by the specific destruction of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons. Mounting evidence suggests that PD might be triggered by an interplay between environmental neurotoxicants (e.g., paraquat, PQ), heavy metals (e.g., iron), and gene alterations (e.g., PARKIN gene). Unfortunately, there are no therapies currently available that protect, slow, delay, or prevent the progression of PD. Melatonin (Mel, N-acetyl-5-methoxy tryptamine) is a natural hormone with pleiotropic functions including receptor-independent pathways which might be useful in the treatment of PD. Therefore, as a chemical molecule, it has been shown that Mel prolonged the lifespan and locomotor activity, and reduced lipid peroxidation (LPO) in wild-type Canton-S flies exposed to PQ, suggesting antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. However, it is not yet known whether Mel can protect or prevent the genetic model parkin deficient in flies against oxidative stress (OS) stimuli. Here, we show that Mel (0.5, 1, 3 mM) significantly extends the life span and locomotor activity of TH > parkin-RNAi/ + Drosophila melanogaster flies (> 15 days) compared to untreated flies. Knock-down (K-D) parkin flies treated with PQ (1 mM) or PQ (1 mM)/iron (1 mM) significantly diminished the survival index and climbing abilities (e.g., 50% of flies were dead and locomotor impairment by days 4 and 3, respectively). Remarkably, Mel reverted the noxious effect of PQ or PQ/iron combination in K-D parkin. Indeed, Mel protects TH > parkin-RNAi/ + Drosophila melanogaster flies against PQ- or PQ/iron-induced diminish survival, locomotor impairment, and LPO (e.g., 50% of flies were death and locomotor impairment by days 6 and 9, respectively). Similarly, Mel prevented K-D parkin flies against both PQ and PQ/iron. Taken together, these findings suggest that Mel can be safely used as an antioxidant and neuroprotectant agent against OS-stimuli in selective individuals at risk to suffer early-onset Parkinsonism and PD.
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28
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Kinold JC, Brenner M, Aberle H. Misregulation of Drosophila Sidestep Leads to Uncontrolled Wiring of the Adult Neuromuscular System and Severe Locomotion Defects. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:658791. [PMID: 34149366 PMCID: PMC8209334 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.658791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Holometabolic organisms undergo extensive remodelling of their neuromuscular system during metamorphosis. Relatively, little is known whether or not the embryonic guidance of molecules and axonal growth mechanisms are re-activated for the innervation of a very different set of adult muscles. Here, we show that the axonal attractant Sidestep (Side) is re-expressed during Drosophila metamorphosis and is indispensable for neuromuscular wiring. Mutations in side cause severe innervation defects in all legs. Neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) show a reduced density or are completely absent at multi-fibre muscles. Misinnervation strongly impedes, but does not completely abolish motor behaviours, including walking, flying, or grooming. Overexpression of Side in developing muscles induces similar innervation defects; for example, at indirect flight muscles, it causes flightlessness. Since muscle-specific overexpression of Side is unlikely to affect the central circuits, the resulting phenotypes seem to correlate with faulty muscle wiring. We further show that mutations in beaten path Ia (beat), a receptor for Side, results in similar weaker adult innervation and locomotion phenotypes, indicating that embryonic guidance pathways seem to be reactivated during metamorphosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaqueline C Kinold
- Department of Biology, Institute for Functional Cell Morphology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Marcel Brenner
- Department of Biology, Institute for Functional Cell Morphology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Hermann Aberle
- Department of Biology, Institute for Functional Cell Morphology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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29
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Fathy SM, El-Dash HA, Said NI. Neuroprotective effects of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) juice and seed extract in paraquat-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease. BMC Complement Med Ther 2021; 21:130. [PMID: 33902532 PMCID: PMC8074500 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-021-03298-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Paraquat, (PQ), an herbicide that can induce Parkinsonian-like symptoms in rodents and humans. The consumption of phytochemical-rich plants can reduce the risk of chronic illnesses such as inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of pomegranate seed extract (PSE) and juice (PJ) against PQ-induced neurotoxicity in mice. METHODS Mice were assigned into 4 groups; three groups received PQ (10 mg/kg, i.p.) twice a week for 3 weeks. Two of the PQ-induced groups pretreated with either PSE or PJ. Detection of phytochemicals, total phenolics, and total flavonoids in PSE and PJ was performed. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) level was measured in the substantia nigra (SN) by Western blotting technique. Striatal dopamine (DA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), malondialdehyde (MDA), and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes were estimated in the striatum by colorimetric analysis. Striatal pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as well as DNA fragmentation degree by qualitative DNA fragmentation assay, were evaluated. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay was performed for the detection of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-кB) gene expression. Moreover, Western blotting analysis was used for the estimation of the cluster of differentiation 11b (CD11b), transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), and glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) levels in the striatum. RESULTS Pretreatment with PSE or PJ increased the levels of TH in the SN as well as DA and its metabolite in the striatum that were reduced by PQ injection. PSE and PJ preadministration improved the PQ-induced oxidative stress via a significant reduction of the MDA level and the augmentation of antioxidant enzyme activities. PSE and PJ also significantly downregulated the striatal NF-кB gene expression, reduced the PQ-enhanced apoptosis, decreased the levels of; pro-inflammatory cytokines, CD11b, and TGF-β coupled with a significant increase of; interleukin-10 (IL-10), GDNF, and ATP levels as compared with PQ-treated mice. CONCLUSIONS The current study indicated that PSE and PJ consumption may exhibit protective effects against PQ-induced neurotoxicity in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samah M Fathy
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt.
| | - Heba A El-Dash
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
| | - Noha I Said
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
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30
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Lovejoy PC, Foley KE, Conti MM, Meadows SM, Bishop C, Fiumera AC. Genetic basis of susceptibility to low-dose paraquat and variation between the sexes in Drosophila melanogaster. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:2040-2053. [PMID: 33710693 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Toxicant resistance is a complex trait, affected both by genetics and the environment. Like most complex traits, it can exhibit sexual dimorphism, yet sex is often overlooked as a factor in studies of toxicant resistance. Paraquat, one such toxicant, is a commonly used herbicide and is known to produce mitochondrial oxidative stress, decrease dopaminergic neurons and dopamine (DA) levels, and decrease motor ability. While the main effects of paraquat are well-characterized, less is known about the naturally occurring variation in paraquat susceptibility. The purpose of this study was to map the genes contributing to low-dose paraquat susceptibility in Drosophila melanogaster, and to determine if susceptibility differs between the sexes. One hundred of the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) lines were scored for susceptibility via climbing ability and used in a genome-wide association study (GWAS). Variation in seventeen genes in females and thirty-five genes in males associated with paraquat susceptibility. Only two candidate genes overlapped between the sexes despite a significant positive correlation between male and female susceptibilities. Many associated polymorphisms had significant interactions with sex, with most having conditionally neutral effects. Conditional neutrality between the sexes probably stems from sex-biased expression which may result from partial resolution of sexual conflict. Candidate genes were verified with RNAi knockdowns, gene expression analyses, and DA quantification. Several of these genes are novel associations with paraquat susceptibility. This research highlights the importance of assessing both sexes when studying toxicant susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela C Lovejoy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA.,Department of Biology, St. Joseph's College, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Kate E Foley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - Melissa M Conti
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Anthony C Fiumera
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
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31
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Maitra U, Harding T, Liang Q, Ciesla L. GardeninA confers neuroprotection against environmental toxin in a Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease. Commun Biol 2021; 4:162. [PMID: 33547411 PMCID: PMC7864937 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01685-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease is an age-associated neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons from the midbrain. Epidemiological studies have implicated exposures to environmental toxins like the herbicide paraquat as major contributors to Parkinson’s disease etiology in both mammalian and invertebrate models. We have employed a paraquat-induced Parkinson’s disease model in Drosophila as an inexpensive in vivo platform to screen therapeutics from natural products. We have identified the polymethoxyflavonoid, GardeninA, with neuroprotective potential against paraquat-induced parkinsonian symptoms involving reduced survival, mobility defects, and loss of dopaminergic neurons. GardeninA-mediated neuroprotection is not solely dependent on its antioxidant activities but also involves modulation of the neuroinflammatory and cellular death responses. Furthermore, we have successfully shown GardeninA bioavailability in the fly heads after oral administration using ultra-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Our findings reveal a molecular mechanistic insight into GardeninA-mediated neuroprotection against environmental toxin-induced Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis for novel therapeutic intervention. Maitra and colleagues identify the neuroprotective properties of GardeninA against environmental toxin-induced neurodegeneration in Drosophila. This study has the potential to influence future research into toxin-induced Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urmila Maitra
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 2320 Science and Engineering Complex, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487-0344, USA.
| | - Thomas Harding
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 2320 Science and Engineering Complex, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487-0344, USA
| | - Qiaoli Liang
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alabama, 2004 Shelby Hall, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487-0336, USA
| | - Lukasz Ciesla
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 2320 Science and Engineering Complex, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487-0344, USA.
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Budnar P, Singh NP, Rao CM. HSPB5 (αB-crystallin) confers protection against paraquat-induced oxidative stress at the organismal level in a tissue-dependent manner. Cell Stress Chaperones 2021; 26:229-239. [PMID: 33078332 PMCID: PMC7736594 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-020-01171-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress is one of the major and continuous stresses, an organism encounters during its lifetime. Tissues such as the brain, liver and muscles are more prone to damage by oxidative stress due to their metabolic activity, differences in physiological and adaptive processes. One of the defence mechanisms against continuous oxidative stress is a set of small heat shock proteins. αB-Crystallin/HSPB5, a small heat shock protein, gets upregulated under stress and acts as a molecular chaperone. In addition to acting as a molecular chaperone, HSPB5 is shown to have a role in other cytoprotective functions such as inhibition of apoptosis, prevention of oxidative stress and stabilisation of cytoskeletal system. Such protection in vivo, at the organism level, particularly in a tissue-dependent manner, has not been investigated. We have expressed HSPB5 in fat body (liver), neurons and specifically in dopaminergic and motor neurons in Drosophila and investigated its protective effect against paraquat-induced oxidative stress. We observed that expression of HSPB5 in neurons and fat body confers protection against paraquat-induced oxidative stress. Expression in dopaminergic neurons showed a higher protective effect. Our results clearly establish the protective ability of HSPB5 in vivo; the extent of protection, however, varies depending on the tissue in which it is expressed. Interestingly, neuronal expression of HSPB5 resulted in an improvement in negative geotropic behaviour, whereas specific expression in muscle tissue did not show such a beneficial effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashanth Budnar
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, India
| | - Narendra Pratap Singh
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, India
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, 64110, USA
| | - Ch Mohan Rao
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, India.
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33
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Idda T, Bonas C, Hoffmann J, Bertram J, Quinete N, Schettgen T, Fietkau K, Esser A, Stope MB, Leijs MM, Baron JM, Kraus T, Voigt A, Ziegler P. Metabolic activation and toxicological evaluation of polychlorinated biphenyls in Drosophila melanogaster. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21587. [PMID: 33299007 PMCID: PMC7726022 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78405-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is initiated by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes and includes PCB oxidation to OH-metabolites, which often display a higher toxicity than their parental compounds. In search of an animal model reflecting PCB metabolism and toxicity, we tested Drosophila melanogaster, a well-known model system for genetics and human disease. Feeding Drosophila with lower chlorinated (LC) PCB congeners 28, 52 or 101 resulted in the detection of a human-like pattern of respective OH-metabolites in fly lysates. Feeding flies high PCB 28 concentrations caused lethality. Thus we silenced selected CYPs via RNA interference and analyzed the effect on PCB 28-derived metabolite formation by assaying 3-OH-2',4,4'-trichlorobiphenyl (3-OHCB 28) and 3'-OH-4',4,6'-trichlorobiphenyl (3'-OHCB 28) in fly lysates. We identified several drosophila CYPs (dCYPs) whose knockdown reduced PCB 28-derived OH-metabolites and suppressed PCB 28 induced lethality including dCYP1A2. Following in vitro analysis using a liver-like CYP-cocktail, containing human orthologues of dCYP1A2, we confirm human CYP1A2 as a PCB 28 metabolizing enzyme. PCB 28-induced mortality in flies was accompanied by locomotor impairment, a common phenotype of neurodegenerative disorders. Along this line, we show PCB 28-initiated caspase activation in differentiated fly neurons. This suggested the loss of neurons through apoptosis. Our findings in flies are congruent with observation in human exposed to high PCB levels. In plasma samples of PCB exposed humans, levels of the neurofilament light chain increase after LC-PCB exposure, indicating neuronal damage. In summary our findings demonstrate parallels between Drosophila and the human systems with respect to CYP mediated metabolism and PCB mediated neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Idda
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - C Bonas
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - J Hoffmann
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - J Bertram
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - N Quinete
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University Florida, Florida, USA
| | - T Schettgen
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - K Fietkau
- Department of Dermatology and Allergology, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - A Esser
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - M B Stope
- Department of Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - M M Leijs
- Department of Dermatology and Allergology, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - J M Baron
- Department of Dermatology and Allergology, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - T Kraus
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - A Voigt
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - P Ziegler
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
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Vesicular neurotransmitter transporters in Drosophila melanogaster. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183308. [PMID: 32305263 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster express vesicular transporters for the storage of neurotransmitters acetylcholine, biogenic amines, GABA, and glutamate. The large array of powerful molecular-genetic tools available in Drosophila enhances the use of this model organism for studying transporter function and regulation.
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Srivastav S, Anand BG, Fatima M, Prajapati KP, Yadav SS, Kar K, Mondal AC. Piperine-Coated Gold Nanoparticles Alleviate Paraquat-Induced Neurotoxicity in Drosophila melanogaster. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:3772-3785. [PMID: 33125229 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common progressive neurodegenerative disease known to impart bradykinesia leading to diverse metabolic complications. Currently, scarcity of effective drug candidates against this long-term devastating disorder poses a big therapeutic challenge. Here, we have synthesized biocompatible, polycrystalline, and uniform piperine-coated gold nanoparticles (AuNPspiperine) to specifically target paraquat-induced metabolic complications both in Drosophila melanogaster and SH-SY5Y cells. Our experimental evidence clearly revealed that AuNPspiperine can effectively reverse paraquat-induced lethal effects in both in vitro and in vivo model systems of PD. AuNPspiperine were found to suppress oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to inhibition of apoptotic cell death in paraquat-treated flies. AuNPspiperine were also found to protect SH-SY5Y cells against paraquat-induced toxicity at the cellular level preferably by maintaining mitochondrial membrane potential. Both experimental and computational data point to the possible influence of AuNPspiperine in regulating the homeostasis of parkin and p53 which may turn out to be the key factors in reducing PD symptoms. The findings of this work may facilitate the development of piperine-based nanoformulations against PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Srivastav
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067, India
| | - Bibin G. Anand
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067, India
| | - Mahino Fatima
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067, India
| | | | - Suresh Singh Yadav
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067, India
| | - Karunakar Kar
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067, India
| | - Amal Chandra Mondal
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067, India
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36
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Abolaji AO, Fasae KD, Iwezor CE, Farombi EO. D-Penicillamine prolongs survival and lessens copper-induced toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2020; 9:346-352. [PMID: 32905187 DOI: 10.1093/toxres/tfaa032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
D-penicillamine (DPA) is an amino-thiol that has been established as a copper chelating agent for the treatment of Wilson's disease. DPA reacts with metals to form complexes and/or chelates. Here, we investigated the survival rate extension capacity and modulatory role of DPA on Cu2+-induced toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster. Adult Wild type (Harwich strain) flies were exposed to Cu2+ (1 mM) and/or DPA (50 μM) in the diet for 7 days. Additionally, flies were exposed to acute Cu2+ (10 mM) for 24 h, followed by DPA (50 μM) treatment for 4 days. Thereafter, the antioxidant status [total thiol (T-SH) and glutathione (GSH) levels and glutathione S-transferase and catalase activities] as well as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) level and acetylcholinesterase activity were evaluated. The results showed that DPA treatment prolongs the survival rate of D. melanogaster by protecting against Cu2+-induced lethality. Further, DPA restored Cu2+-induced depletion of T-SH level compared to the control (P < 0.05). DPA also protected against Cu2+ (1 mM)-induced inhibition of catalase activity. In addition, DPA ameliorated Cu2+-induced elevation of acetylcholinesterase activity in the flies. The study may therefore have health implications in neurodegenerative diseases involving oxidative stress such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amos Olalekan Abolaji
- Department of Biochemistry, Drosophila Laboratory, Molecular Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Unit, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Kehinde Damilare Fasae
- Department of Biochemistry, Drosophila Laboratory, Molecular Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Unit, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Chizim Elizabeth Iwezor
- Department of Biochemistry, Drosophila Laboratory, Molecular Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Unit, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Ebenezer Olatunde Farombi
- Department of Biochemistry, Drosophila Laboratory, Molecular Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Unit, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
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Xue J, Wang HL, Xiao G. Transferrin1 modulates rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease through affecting iron homeostasis in Drosophila melanogaster. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 531:305-311. [PMID: 32800558 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are pathophysiologic mechanisms implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD). In recent years, environmental toxins are employed to increase oxidative stress mediated neuropathology and sporadic PD. Disruption of iron homeostasis has been implicated in PD patients for many years, but the functional role of iron in sporadic PD pathogenesis is still not well clarified in vivo. To address this question, we set out to investigate the effect of iron on a Drosophila rotenone model of sporadic PD. Iron homeostasis is maintained by many transporters. We found that inhibition of transferrin1 (Tsf1) expression in the central nervous system (CNS) results in reduced iron levels in brains and significantly ameliorates the neurodegenerative phenotypes of rotenone exposure Drosophila; moreover, the rotenone induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the brain, the damaged complex I activity and the decreased ATP generation were dramatically rescued by Tsf1 knockdown. Further study indicated that all the rescue effects of Tsf1 knockdown on sporadic PD could be inhibited by malvolio (Mvl) overexpression, an iron transporter responsible for iron uptake. These results imply that Tsf1 knockdown in the CNS could attenuate rotenone toxicity by decreasing the ROS levels in brains through reducing iron levels, and manipulation of iron transporters in brains may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for sporadic PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsong Xue
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, 230009, China
| | - Hui-Li Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, 230009, China.
| | - Guiran Xiao
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, 230009, China.
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38
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Chaudhuri A, Johnson R, Rakshit K, Bednářová A, Lackey K, Chakraborty SS, Krishnan N, Chaudhuri A. Exposure to Spectracide® causes behavioral deficits in Drosophila melanogaster: Insights from locomotor analysis and molecular modeling. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 248:126037. [PMID: 32018111 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study was focused on gaining insights into the mechanism by which the herbicide- Spectracide®, induces oxidative stress and alters behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Exposure to Spectracide® (50%) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the negative geotaxis response, jumping behavior and dampened locomotor activity rhythm in adult flies compared to non-exposed flies. Protein carbonyl levels indicative of oxidative damage increased significantly coupled with down-regulation of Sniffer gene expression encoding carbonyl reductase (CR) and its activity in Spectracide®-exposed flies. In silico modeling analysis revealed that the active ingredients of Spectracide® (atrazine, diquat dibromide, fluazifop-p-butyl, and dicamba) have significant binding affinity to the active site of CR enzyme, with atrazine having comparatively greater affinity. Our results suggest a mechanism by which ingredients in Spectracide® induce oxidative damage by competitive binding to the active site of a protective enzyme and impair its ability to prevent damage to proteins thereby leading to deficits in locomotor behavior in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankur Chaudhuri
- Department of Microbiology, West Bengal State University, Barasat, Kolkata, 126, India
| | | | - Kuntol Rakshit
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Andrea Bednářová
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, MS, 39762, USA; Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budĕjovice, Czech Republic
| | - Kimberly Lackey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA
| | | | - Natraj Krishnan
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, MS, 39762, USA.
| | - Anathbandhu Chaudhuri
- Biology Department, Stillman College, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35404, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA.
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39
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Bolus H, Crocker K, Boekhoff-Falk G, Chtarbanova S. Modeling Neurodegenerative Disorders in Drosophila melanogaster. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E3055. [PMID: 32357532 PMCID: PMC7246467 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21093055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster provides a powerful genetic model system in which to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we discuss recent progress in Drosophila modeling Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's Disease, Ataxia Telangiectasia, and neurodegeneration related to mitochondrial dysfunction or traumatic brain injury. We close by discussing recent progress using Drosophila models of neural regeneration and how these are likely to provide critical insights into future treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harris Bolus
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA;
| | - Kassi Crocker
- Genetics Graduate Training Program, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Grace Boekhoff-Falk
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
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40
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White D, de Sousa Abreu RP, Blake A, Murphy J, Showell S, Kitamoto T, Lawal HO. Deficits in the vesicular acetylcholine transporter alter lifespan and behavior in adult Drosophila melanogaster. Neurochem Int 2020; 137:104744. [PMID: 32315665 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2020.104744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) is involved in critical organismal functions that include locomotion and cognition. Importantly, alterations in the cholinergic system are a key underlying factor in cognitive defects associated with aging. One essential component of cholinergic synaptic transmission is the vesicular ACh transporter (VAChT), which regulates the packaging of ACh into synaptic vesicles for extracellular release. Mutations that cause a reduction in either protein level or activity lead to diminished locomotion ability whereas complete loss of function of VAChT is lethal. While much is known about the function of VAChT, the direct role of altered ACh release and its association with either an impairment or an enhancement of cognitive function are still not fully understood. We hypothesize that point mutations in Vacht cause age-related deficits in cholinergic-mediated behaviors such as locomotion, and learning and memory. Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system, we have studied several mutations within Vacht and observed their effect on survivability and locomotive behavior. Here we report for the first time a weak hypomorphic Vacht allele that shows a differential effect on ACh-linked behaviors. We also demonstrate that partially rescued Vacht point mutations cause an allele-dependent deficit in lifespan and defects in locomotion ability. Moreover, using a thorough data analytics strategy to identify exploratory behavioral patterns, we introduce new paradigms for measuring locomotion-related activities that could not be revealed or detected by a simple measure of the average speed alone. Together, our data indicate a role for VAChT in the maintenance of longevity and locomotion abilities in Drosophila and we provide additional measurements of locomotion that can be useful in determining subtle changes in Vacht function on locomotion-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel White
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, 19901, USA
| | - Raquel P de Sousa Abreu
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Andrew Blake
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, 19901, USA
| | - Jeremy Murphy
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, 19901, USA
| | - Shardae Showell
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, 19901, USA
| | - Toshihiro Kitamoto
- Department of Anesthesia, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Hakeem O Lawal
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, 19901, USA.
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41
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Overexpression of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter disrupts cognitive performance and causes age-dependent locomotion decline in Drosophila. Mol Cell Neurosci 2020; 105:103483. [PMID: 32217162 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2020.103483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholinergic (ACh) neurotransmission is essential for key organismal functions such as locomotion and cognition. However, the mechanism through which ACh is regulated in the central nervous system is not fully understood. The vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) mediates the packaging and transport of ACh for exocytotic release and is a critical component of the ACh release machinery. Yet its precise role in the maintenance of cholinergic tone remains a subject of active investigation. Here we use the overexpression of VAChT as a tool to investigate the role of changes in ACh exocytosis on the regulation of synaptic activity and its downstream consequences. We measured the effect of an increase in VAChT expression on locomotion and cognitive performance as well as on organismal survival across the lifespan. We report the surprising finding that increased VAChT expression results in a significantly shorter lifespan in comparison to control flies. Moreover, constructs overexpressing VAChT demonstrate an age-dependent decrease in locomotion performance. Importantly, we report clear deficits in learning and memory which we measured through a courtship conditioning assay. Together, these data provide evidence for the adverse effects of overexpression of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter in the maintenance of normal behavioral abilities in Drosophila and demonstrates for the first time a role for ACh in the regulation of organismal survival.
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42
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Ke T, Tsatsakis A, Santamaría A, Antunes Soare FA, Tinkov AA, Docea AO, Skalny A, Bowman AB, Aschner M. Chronic exposure to methylmercury induces puncta formation in cephalic dopaminergic neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neurotoxicology 2020; 77:105-113. [PMID: 31935438 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2020.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The neurotransmitter dopamine is a neuromodulator in the positive and negative regulation of brain circuits. Dopamine insufficiency or overload has been implicated in aberrant activities of neural circuits that play key roles in the pathogenesis of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Dopaminergic neurons are vulnerable to environmental insults. The neurotoxin methylmercury (MeHg) produces dopaminergic neuron damage in rodent as well as in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) models. Previous studies have demonstrated the utility of C. elegans as an alternative and complementary experimental model in dissecting out mechanism of MeHg-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration. However, a sensitive pathological change that marks early events in neurodegeneration induced by environmental level of MeHg, is still lacking. By establishing a chronic exposure C. elegans model, for the first time, we have shown the propensity of MeHg (5 μM, 10 days) to induce bright puncta of dat-1::mCherry aggreagtes in the dendrites of cephalic (2 CEPs) dopaminergic neurons in a dose- and time-dependent manner, while these changes were not found in other dopaminergic neurons: anterior deirids (2 ADEs) and posterior deirids (2 PDEs), cholinergic neurons (2 AIYs) or glutamatergic neurons (2 PVDs). The bright puncta appear as an aggregation of mCherry proteins accumulating in dendrites. Further staining shows that the puncta were not inclusions in lysosome, or amyloid protein aggregates. In addition, features of the puncta including enlarged sphere shape (0.5-2 μm diameters), bright and accompanying with the shrinkage of the dendrite suggest that the puncta are likely composed of homologous mCherry molecules packaged at the dendritic site for exportation. Moreover, in the glutathione S-transferase 4 (gst-4) transcriptional reporter strain and RT-PCR assay, the expression levels of gst-4 and tubulins (tba-1 and tba-2) genes were not significantly modified under this chronic exposure paradigm, but gst-4 did show significant changes in an one day exposure paradigm. Collectively, these results suggest that CEP dopaminergic neurons are a sensitive target of MeHg, and the current exposure paradigm could be used as a model to investigate mechanism of dopaminergic neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Ke
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, United States
| | - Aristidis Tsatsakis
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Abel Santamaría
- Laboratorio de Aminoácidos Excitadores, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, 14269, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Félix Alexandre Antunes Soare
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, United States; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Alexey A Tinkov
- Yaroslavl State University, Sovetskaya St., 14, Yaroslavl 150000, Russia
| | - Anca Oana Docea
- Department of Toxicology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Craiova, 200349, Romania
| | - Anatoly Skalny
- Yaroslavl State University, Sovetskaya St., 14, Yaroslavl 150000, Russia; Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Miklukho-Maklaya St., 6, Moscow 105064, Russia; Orenburg State University, Pobedy Ave., 13, Orenburg 460352, Russia
| | - Aaron B Bowman
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2051, United States
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, United States; Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Miklukho-Maklaya St., 6, Moscow 105064, Russia.
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43
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Lovejoy PC, Fiumera AC. Effects of Dual Exposure to the Herbicides Atrazine and Paraquat on Adult Climbing Ability and Longevity in Drosophila melanogaster. INSECTS 2019; 10:E398. [PMID: 31717666 PMCID: PMC6920984 DOI: 10.3390/insects10110398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Anthropomorphic effects are changing the planet, and therefore, organisms are being exposed to many new biotic and abiotic stressors. Exposure to multiple stressors can affect organisms in ways that are different than the sum of their individual effects, and these interactions are often difficult to predict. Atrazine and paraquat are two of the most widely used herbicides in the United States, and are individually known to increase oxidative damage, affect dopaminergic functioning, reduce longevity, and alter motor ability in non-target organisms. We measured the effects of individual and combined exposure to low doses of atrazine and paraquat on climbing ability and longevity of Drosophila melanogaster. Atrazine and paraquat interact to affect D. melanogaster climbing ability and longevity in different ways. Atrazine appeared to have a weak mitigative effect against the decrease in climbing ability caused by paraquat. In contrast, combined exposure to atrazine and paraquat had detrimental synergistic effects on female longevity. Overall, this study shows that atrazine and paraquat can interact and that it is important to measure several traits when assessing the consequences of exposure to multiple stressors. Future studies should continue to assess the impacts of stressor interactions on organisms, as many combinations have never been examined.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anthony C. Fiumera
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA;
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An infection of Enterobacter ludwigii affects development and causes age-dependent neurodegeneration in Drosophila melanogaster. INVERTEBRATE NEUROSCIENCE 2019; 19:13. [PMID: 31641932 DOI: 10.1007/s10158-019-0233-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The effects of teeth-blackening bacteria Enterobacter ludwigii on the physiological system were investigated using the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. The bacteria were mixed with the fly food, and its effect was checked on the growth, development and behaviour of Drosophila. Microbes generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the haemolymph of the larvae once it enters into the body. The increased amount of ROS was evidenced by the NBT assay and using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate dye, which indicates the mitochondrial ROS. The increased amount of ROS resulted in a number of abnormal nuclei within the gut. Besides that larvae walking became sluggish in comparison with wild type although the larvae crawling path did not change much. Flies hatched from the infectious larvae have the posterior scutellar bristle absent from the thorax and abnormal mechanosensory hairs in the eye, and they undergo time-dependent neurodegeneration as evidenced by the geotrophic and phototrophic assays. To decipher the mechanism of neurodegeneration, flies were checked for the presence of four important bioamines: tyramine, cadaverine, putrescine and histamine. Out of these four, histamine was found to be absent in infected flies. Histamine is a key molecule required for the functioning of the photoreceptor as well as mechanoreceptors. The mechanism via which mouth infectious bacteria E. ludwigii can affect the development and cause age-dependent neurodegeneration is explained in this paper.
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Innate immune responses to paraquat exposure in a Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12714. [PMID: 31481676 PMCID: PMC6722124 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48977-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Limited understanding of the early molecular pathways associated with the demise of DA neurons, including those of inflammatory exacerbation of neurodegeneration, is a major impediment to therapeutic development. Recent studies have implicated gene-environment interactions in PD susceptibility. We used transcriptomic profiling in a Drosophila PD model in response to paraquat (PQ)-induced oxidative stress to identify pre-symptomatic signatures of impending neuron dysfunction. Our RNAseq data analysis revealed extensive regulation of innate immune response genes following PQ ingestion. We found that PQ exposure leads to the activation of the NF-κB transcription factor, Relish, and the stress signaling factor JNK, encoded by the gene basket in Drosophila. Relish knockdown in the dopaminergic neurons confers PQ resistance and rescues mobility defects and DA neuron loss. Furthermore, PQ-induced toxicity is mediated through the immune deficiency signaling pathway. Surprisingly, the expression of Relish-dependent anti-microbial peptide (AMPs) genes is suppressed upon PQ exposure causing increased sensitivity to Gram-negative bacterial infection. This work provides a novel link between PQ exposure and innate immune system modulation underlying environmental toxin-induced neurodegeneration, thereby underscoring the role of the innate immune system in PD pathogenesis.
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Wu S, Tan KJ, Govindarajan LN, Stewart JC, Gu L, Ho JWH, Katarya M, Wong BH, Tan EK, Li D, Claridge-Chang A, Libedinsky C, Cheng L, Aw SS. Fully automated leg tracking of Drosophila neurodegeneration models reveals distinct conserved movement signatures. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000346. [PMID: 31246996 PMCID: PMC6619818 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Some neurodegenerative diseases, like Parkinsons Disease (PD) and Spinocerebellar ataxia 3 (SCA3), are associated with distinct, altered gait and tremor movements that are reflective of the underlying disease etiology. Drosophila melanogaster models of neurodegeneration have illuminated our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of disease. However, it is unknown whether specific gait and tremor dysfunctions also occur in fly disease mutants. To answer this question, we developed a machine-learning image-analysis program, Feature Learning-based LImb segmentation and Tracking (FLLIT), that automatically tracks leg claw positions of freely moving flies recorded on high-speed video, producing a series of gait measurements. Notably, unlike other machine-learning methods, FLLIT generates its own training sets and does not require user-annotated images for learning. Using FLLIT, we carried out high-throughput and high-resolution analysis of gait and tremor features in Drosophila neurodegeneration mutants for the first time. We found that fly models of PD and SCA3 exhibited markedly different walking gait and tremor signatures, which recapitulated characteristics of the respective human diseases. Selective expression of mutant SCA3 in dopaminergic neurons led to a gait signature that more closely resembled those of PD flies. This suggests that the behavioral phenotype depends on the neurons affected rather than the specific nature of the mutation. Different mutations produced tremors in distinct leg pairs, indicating that different motor circuits were affected. Using this approach, fly models can be used to dissect the neurogenetic mechanisms that underlie movement disorders. This study uses automated leg tracking to characterise gait and tremor features in fruit fly models of Parkinson’s disease and spinocerebellar ataxia 3, finding movement features that resemble characteristics of the respective human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Wu
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Kah Junn Tan
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | | | - James Charles Stewart
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
- Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders, Singapore
| | - Lin Gu
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Joses Wei Hao Ho
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
- Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders, Singapore
| | - Malvika Katarya
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Boon Hui Wong
- National University of Singapore, Department of Biological Sciences, Singapore
| | - Eng-King Tan
- National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Daiqin Li
- National University of Singapore, Department of Biological Sciences, Singapore
| | - Adam Claridge-Chang
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
- Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders, Singapore
| | - Camilo Libedinsky
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
- Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SiNAPSE), Singapore
- National University of Singapore, Department of Psychology, Singapore
| | - Li Cheng
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- * E-mail: (SA); (CL)
| | - Sherry Shiying Aw
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
- * E-mail: (SA); (CL)
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Maitra U, Ciesla L. Using Drosophila as a platform for drug discovery from natural products in Parkinson's disease. MEDCHEMCOMM 2019; 10:867-879. [PMID: 31303984 PMCID: PMC6596131 DOI: 10.1039/c9md00099b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder with no cure. Despite intensive research, most of the currently available therapies are only effective in alleviating symptoms with no effect on disease progression. There is an urgent need for new therapeutics to impede disease progression. Natural products are valuable sources of bioactive compounds that can be exploited for novel therapeutic potential in PD pathogenesis. However, rapid screening of plant-derived natural products and characterization of bioactive compounds is costly and challenging. Drosophila melanogaster, commonly known as the fruit fly, has recently emerged as an excellent model for human neurodegenerative diseases, including PD. The high degree of conserved molecular pathways with mammalian models make Drosophila PD models an inexpensive solution to preliminary phases of target validation in the drug discovery pipeline. The present review provides an overview of drug discovery from natural extracts using Drosophila as a screening platform to evaluate the therapeutic potential of phytochemicals against PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urmila Maitra
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alabama , Science and Engineering Complex 2320, 300 Hackberry Lane , Tuscaloosa , Alabama 35487-0344 , USA . ; Tel: +205 348 7599
| | - Lukasz Ciesla
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alabama , Science and Engineering Complex 2329, 300 Hackberry Lane , Tuscaloosa , Alabama 35487-0344 , USA . ; Tel: +205 348 1828
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Evaluating the Potential of Portulaca oleracea L. for Parkinson's Disease Treatment Using a Drosophila Model with dUCH-Knockdown. PARKINSONS DISEASE 2019; 2019:1818259. [PMID: 31143437 PMCID: PMC6501175 DOI: 10.1155/2019/1818259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD), which is characterized by the decreased motor function and the loss of dopaminergic neurons, is a common neurodegenerative disorder in elders. There have been numerous in vitro and in vivo models developed to study mechanisms of PD and screen potential drug. Recently, dUCH-knockdown Drosophila model has been established and showed potential for screening antioxidants for PD treatment. The dUCH-knockdown Drosophila model of PD mimics most of main PD pathologies such as dopaminergic neurons degeneration, locomotor dysfunction, and shortage of dopamine in the brain. Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is a nutritious vegetable containing a variety of antioxidants, levodopa, and dopamine, a neurotransmitter closely related to PD. Purslane has been reported to exert neuroprotective effects against several neurotoxins including rotenone and 6-OHDA in PD models. However, the recent data have not provided sufficient evidence for using purslane to treat PD or decelerate disease progression. Therefore, in this study, we utilized dUCH-knockdown fly to evaluate the capacity of purslane extracts for PD treatment. The results showed that purslane extracts improved locomotor ability in the larval stage and decelerated disease progression in the adult stage. Additionally, purslane extracts also reduced dopaminergic neuron degeneration. Taken together, our data strongly demonstrated that purslane extracts effectively rescued PD-like phenotypes in the fly model. This result contributed a foundation for further study on the application of purslane in PD treatment.
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Drosophila Models of Sporadic Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19113343. [PMID: 30373150 PMCID: PMC6275057 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19113343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common cause of movement disorders and is characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. It is increasingly recognized as a complex group of disorders presenting widely heterogeneous symptoms and pathology. With the exception of the rare monogenic forms, the majority of PD cases result from an interaction between multiple genetic and environmental risk factors. The search for these risk factors and the development of preclinical animal models are in progress, aiming to provide mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of PD. This review summarizes the studies that capitalize on modeling sporadic (i.e., nonfamilial) PD using Drosophilamelanogaster and discusses their methodologies, new findings, and future perspectives.
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Bacopa monnieri alleviates paraquat induced toxicity in Drosophila by inhibiting jnk mediated apoptosis through improved mitochondrial function and redox stabilization. Neurochem Int 2018; 121:98-107. [PMID: 30296463 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Paraquat (PQ) is an organic chemical compound and a member of redox active family of heterocycles. In spite of its high toxicities, it is used as one of the potent herbicide throughout the world. Though its toxic manifestations are observed in different organs, its principal toxic effect is manifested in the brain leading to the development of Parkinsonian symptoms. PQ exposure adversely affects dopaminergic (DA-ergic) neuron-rich region in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNPC) of brain in the animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD), thereby mimicking PD like symptoms. Currently, lack of a potential drug to counter the toxic effect of PQ makes the management difficult. Bacopa monnieri extract (BME) has been shown to have promising effect against neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, the present study evaluated the role of BME against PQ induced toxicity in Drosophila model of PD, the results of which are reproducible in higher animal models including human subjects. Here, we showed that BME treatment attenuates acute PQ induced toxicity in Drosophila by decreasing mortality and improving climbing ability. BME functions by optimizing redox equilibrium, mitochondrial function and depreciating apoptosis level. The underlying mechanisms were attributed to optimization of active JNK and cleaved Caspase-3 activity along with transcriptional stabilization of the genes regulating oxidative stress and apoptosis (jnk, caspase-3, damb and nrf-2). These results showed therapeutic efficacy of BME against PQ toxicity in the brain. Our results pave the way for further detailed analysis of BME to combat the development of Parkinson's like symptoms following exposure to PQ toxicity in the brain of higher animal models.
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