1
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Slade L, Etheridge T, Szewczyk NJ. Consolidating multiple evolutionary theories of ageing suggests a need for new approaches to study genetic contributions to ageing decline. Ageing Res Rev 2024:102456. [PMID: 39153601 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Understanding mechanisms of ageing remains a complex challenge for biogerontologists, but recent adaptations of evolutionary ageing theories offer a compelling lens in which to view both age-related molecular and physiological deterioration. Ageing is commonly associated with progressive declines in biochemical and molecular processes resulting from damage accumulation, yet the role of continued developmental gene activation is less appreciated. Natural selection pressures are at their highest in youthful periods to modify gene expression towards maximising reproductive capacity. After sexual maturation, selective pressure diminishes, subjecting individuals to maladaptive pleiotropic gene functions that were once beneficial for developmental growth but become pathogenic later in life. Due to this selective 'shadowing' in ageing, mechanisms to counter such hyper/hypofunctional genes are unlikely to evolve. Interventions aimed at targeting gene hyper/hypofunction during ageing might, therefore, represent an attractive therapeutic strategy. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans offers a strong model for post-reproductive mechanistic and therapeutic investigations, yet studies examining the mechanisms of, and countermeasures against, ageing decline largely intervene from larval stages onwards. Importantly, however, lifespan extending conditions frequently impair early-life fitness and fail to correspondingly increase healthspan. Here, we consolidate multiple evolutionary theories of ageing and discuss data supporting hyper/hypofunctional changes at a global molecular and functional level in C. elegans, and how classical lifespan-extension mutations alter these dynamics. The relevance of such mutant models for exploring mechanisms of ageing are discussed, highlighting that post-reproductive gene optimisation represents a more translatable approach for C. elegans research that is not constrained by evolutionary trade-offs. Where some genetic mutations in C. elegans that promote late-life health map accordingly with healthy ageing in humans, other widely used genetic mutations that extend worm lifespan are associated with life-limiting pathologies in people. Lifespan has also become the gold standard for quantifying 'ageing', but we argue that gerospan compression (i.e., 'healthier' ageing) is an appropriate goal for anti-ageing research, the mechanisms of which appear distinct from those regulating lifespan alone. There is, therefore, an evident need to re-evaluate experimental approaches to study the role of hyper/hypofunctional genes in ageing in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Slade
- University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
| | - Timothy Etheridge
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Nathaniel J Szewczyk
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Athens, Ohio, 45701.
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2
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Xia Q, Li P, Casas-Martinez JC, Miranda-Vizuete A, McDermott E, Dockery P, Goljanek-Whysall K, McDonagh B. Peroxiredoxin 2 regulates DAF-16/FOXO mediated mitochondrial remodelling in response to exercise that is disrupted in ageing. Mol Metab 2024; 88:102003. [PMID: 39117041 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2024.102003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES A decline in mitochondrial function and increased susceptibility to oxidative stress is a hallmark of ageing. Exercise endogenously generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) in skeletal muscle and promotes mitochondrial remodelling resulting in improved mitochondrial function. It is unclear how exercise induced redox signalling results in alterations in mitochondrial dynamics and morphology. METHODS In this study, a Caenorhabditis elegans model of exercise and ageing was used to determine the mechanistic role of Peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX-2) in regulating mitochondrial morphology. Mitochondrial morphology was analysed using transgenic reporter strains and transmission electron microscopy, complimented with the analysis of the effects of ageing and exercise on physiological activity. RESULTS The redox state of PRDX-2 was altered with exercise and ageing, hyperoxidised peroxiredoxins were detected in old worms along with basally elevated intracellular ROS. Exercise generated intracellular ROS and rapid mitochondrial remodelling, which was disrupted with age. The exercise intervention promoted mitochondrial ER contact sites (MERCS) assembly and increased DAF-16/FOXO nuclear localisation. The prdx-2 mutant strain had a disrupted mitochondrial network as evidenced by increased mitochondrial fragmentation. In the prdx-2 mutant strain, exercise did not activate DAF-16/FOXO, mitophagy or increase MERCS assembly. The results demonstrate that exercise generated ROS increased DAF-16/FOXO transcription factor nuclear localisation required for activation of mitochondrial fusion events that were blunted with age. CONCLUSIONS The data demonstrate the critical role of PRDX-2 in orchestrating mitochondrial remodelling in response to a physiological stress by regulating redox dependent DAF-16/FOXO nuclear localisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Xia
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ireland; Apoptosis Research Centre, University of Galway, Ireland
| | - Penglin Li
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ireland; Apoptosis Research Centre, University of Galway, Ireland
| | - José C Casas-Martinez
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ireland; Apoptosis Research Centre, University of Galway, Ireland
| | - Antonio Miranda-Vizuete
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Emma McDermott
- Centre for Microscopy and Imaging, Discipline of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Ireland
| | - Peter Dockery
- Centre for Microscopy and Imaging, Discipline of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Ireland
| | - Katarzyna Goljanek-Whysall
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ireland; Apoptosis Research Centre, University of Galway, Ireland; Institute of Lifecourse and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK
| | - Brian McDonagh
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ireland; Apoptosis Research Centre, University of Galway, Ireland.
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3
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Mathisen AF, Legøy TA, Larsen U, Unger L, Abadpour S, Paulo JA, Scholz H, Ghila L, Chera S. The age-dependent regulation of pancreatic islet landscape is fueled by a HNF1a-immune signaling loop. Mech Ageing Dev 2024; 220:111951. [PMID: 38825059 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2024.111951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Animal longevity is a function of global vital organ functionality and, consequently, a complex polygenic trait. Yet, monogenic regulators controlling overall or organ-specific ageing exist, owing their conservation to their function in growth and development. Here, by using pathway analysis combined with wet-biology methods on several dynamic timelines, we identified Hnf1a as a novel master regulator of the maturation and ageing in the adult pancreatic islet during the first year of life. Conditional transgenic mice bearing suboptimal levels of this transcription factor in the pancreatic islets displayed age-dependent changes, with a profile echoing precocious maturation. Additionally, the comparative pathway analysis revealed a link between Hnf1a age-dependent regulation and immune signaling, which was confirmed in the ageing timeline of an overly immunodeficient mouse model. Last, the global proteome analysis of human islets spanning three decades of life largely backed the age-specific regulation observed in mice. Collectively, our results suggest a novel role of Hnf1a as a monogenic regulator of the maturation and ageing process in the pancreatic islet via a direct or indirect regulatory loop with immune signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Frøslev Mathisen
- Mohn Research Center for Diabetes Precision Medicine, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Thomas Aga Legøy
- Mohn Research Center for Diabetes Precision Medicine, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ulrik Larsen
- Mohn Research Center for Diabetes Precision Medicine, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Lucas Unger
- Mohn Research Center for Diabetes Precision Medicine, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Shadab Abadpour
- Hybrid Technology Hub-Centre of Excellence, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Institute for Surgical Research, Department of Transplant Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Joao A Paulo
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hanne Scholz
- Hybrid Technology Hub-Centre of Excellence, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Institute for Surgical Research, Department of Transplant Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Luiza Ghila
- Mohn Research Center for Diabetes Precision Medicine, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Simona Chera
- Mohn Research Center for Diabetes Precision Medicine, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
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4
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Liu M, Chen J, Cui G, Dai Y, Song M, Zhou C, Hu Q, Chen Q, Wang H, Chen W, Han JJ, Peng G, Jing N, Shen Y. Germline loss in C. elegans enhances longevity by disrupting adhesion between niche and stem cells. EMBO J 2024:10.1038/s44318-024-00185-3. [PMID: 39060516 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00185-3] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Ageing and fertility are intertwined. Germline loss extends the lifespan in various organisms, termed gonadal longevity. However, the original longevity signal from the somatic gonad remains poorly understood. Here, we focused on the interaction between germline stem cells (GSCs) and their niche, the distal tip cells (DTCs), to explore the barely known longevity signal from the somatic gonad in C. elegans. We found that removing germline disrupts the cell adhesions between GSC and DTC, causing a significant transcriptomic change in DTC through hmp-2/β-catenin and two GATA transcription factors, elt-3 and pqm-1 in this niche cell. Inhibiting elt-3 and pqm-1 in DTC suppresses gonadal longevity. Moreover, we further identified the TGF-β ligand, tig-2, as the cytokine from DTC upon the loss of germline, which evokes the downstream gonadal longevity signalling throughout the body. Our findings thus reveal the source of the longevity signalling in response to germline removal, highlighting the stem cell niche as a critical signalling hub in ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Jiehui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
| | - Guizhong Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- Guangzhou Laboratory, 510005, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yumin Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengjiao Song
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunyu Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Quantitative Biology (CQB), Peking University, 102213, Beijing, China
| | - Qingyuan Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Qingxia Chen
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Institute of Early Life Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200092, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Wanli Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Jingdong Jackie Han
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Quantitative Biology (CQB), Peking University, 102213, Beijing, China
| | - Guangdun Peng
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
- Guangzhou Laboratory, 510005, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Cell Lineage and Development, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, GIBH-HKU Guangdong-Hong Kong Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530, Guangzhou, China
| | - Naihe Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
- Guangzhou Laboratory, 510005, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Cell Lineage and Development, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, GIBH-HKU Guangdong-Hong Kong Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yidong Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
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5
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Weng Y, Zhou S, Morillo K, Kaletsky R, Lin S, Murphy CT. The neuron-specific IIS/FOXO transcriptome in aged animals reveals regulatory mechanisms of cognitive aging. eLife 2024; 13:RP95621. [PMID: 38922671 PMCID: PMC11208049 DOI: 10.7554/elife.95621] [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] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Cognitive decline is a significant health concern in our aging society. Here, we used the model organism C. elegans to investigate the impact of the IIS/FOXO pathway on age-related cognitive decline. The daf-2 Insulin/IGF-1 receptor mutant exhibits a significant extension of learning and memory span with age compared to wild-type worms, an effect that is dependent on the DAF-16 transcription factor. To identify possible mechanisms by which aging daf-2 mutants maintain learning and memory with age while wild-type worms lose neuronal function, we carried out neuron-specific transcriptomic analysis in aged animals. We observed downregulation of neuronal genes and upregulation of transcriptional regulation genes in aging wild-type neurons. By contrast, IIS/FOXO pathway mutants exhibit distinct neuronal transcriptomic alterations in response to cognitive aging, including upregulation of stress response genes and downregulation of specific insulin signaling genes. We tested the roles of significantly transcriptionally-changed genes in regulating cognitive functions, identifying novel regulators of learning and memory. In addition to other mechanistic insights, a comparison of the aged vs young daf-2 neuronal transcriptome revealed that a new set of potentially neuroprotective genes is upregulated; instead of simply mimicking a young state, daf-2 may enhance neuronal resilience to accumulation of harm and take a more active approach to combat aging. These findings suggest a potential mechanism for regulating cognitive function with age and offer insights into novel therapeutic targets for age-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Weng
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Shiyi Zhou
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Katherine Morillo
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Rachel Kaletsky
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Sarah Lin
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Coleen T Murphy
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
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6
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Yarmey VR, San-Miguel A. Biomarkers for aging in Caenorhabditis elegans high throughput screening. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:1405-1418. [PMID: 38884801 DOI: 10.1042/bst20231303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Aging is characterized by a functional decline in organism fitness over time due to a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors [ 1-4]. With an increasing elderly population at risk of age-associated diseases, there is a pressing need for research dedicated to promoting health and longevity through anti-aging interventions. The roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans is an established model organism for aging studies due to its short life cycle, ease of culture, and conserved aging pathways. These benefits also make the worm well-suited for high-throughput screening (HTS) methods to study biomarkers of the molecular changes, cellular dysfunction, and physiological decline associated with aging. Within this review, we offer a summary of recent advances in HTS techniques to study biomarkers of aging in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria R Yarmey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27603, U.S.A
| | - Adriana San-Miguel
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27603, U.S.A
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7
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Schiksnis EC, Nicastro IA, Pasquinelli AE. Full-length direct RNA sequencing reveals extensive remodeling of RNA expression, processing and modification in aging Caenorhabditis elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.18.599640. [PMID: 38948813 PMCID: PMC11213008 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.18.599640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Organismal aging is marked by decline in cellular function and anatomy, ultimately resulting in death. To inform our understanding of the mechanisms underlying this degeneration, we performed standard RNA sequencing and Nanopore direct RNA sequencing over an adult time course in Caenorhabditis elegans. Long reads allowed for identification of hundreds of novel isoforms and age-associated differential isoform accumulation, resulting from alternative splicing and terminal exon choice. Genome-wide analysis reveals a decline in RNA processing fidelity and a rise in inosine and pseudouridine editing events in transcripts from older animals. In this first map of pseudouridine modifications for C. elegans, we find that they largely reside in coding sequences and that the number of genes with this modification increases with age. Collectively, this analysis discovers transcriptomic signatures associated with age and is a valuable resource to understand the many processes that dictate altered gene expression patterns and post-transcriptional regulation in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin C Schiksnis
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0349, USA
| | - Ian A Nicastro
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0349, USA
| | - Amy E Pasquinelli
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0349, USA
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8
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Jiang L, Wang X, Zhang D, Yee Yuen KW, Tse YC. RSU-1 regulates the integrity of dense bodies in muscle cells of aging Caenorhabditis elegans. iScience 2024; 27:109854. [PMID: 38784006 PMCID: PMC11112334 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109854] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Muscle contraction is vital for animal survival, and the sarcomere is the fundamental unit for this process. However, the functions of many conserved sarcomere proteins remain unknown, as their mutants do not exhibit obvious defects. To address this, Caenorhabditis elegans was utilized as a model organism to investigate RSU-1 function in the body wall muscle. RSU-1 is found to colocalize with UNC-97 at the dense body and M-line, and it is particularly crucial for regulating locomotion in aging worms, rather than in young worms. This suggests that RSU-1 has a specific function in maintaining muscle function during aging. Furthermore, the interaction between RSU-1 and UNC-97/PINCH is essential for RSU-1 to modulate locomotion, preserve filament structure, and sustain the M-line and dense body throughout aging. Overall, these findings highlight the significant contribution of RSU-1, through its interaction with UNC-97, in maintaining proper muscle cell function in aging worms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Jiang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
- School of Life Sciences, Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xinyan Wang
- Core Research Facilities, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Karen Wing Yee Yuen
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Life Sciences Building (Building 85), Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Yu Chung Tse
- School of Life Sciences, Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Core Research Facilities, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
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9
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Chen R, Zhang Z, Ma J, Liu B, Huang Z, Hu G, Huang J, Xu Y, Wang GZ. Circadian-driven tissue specificity is constrained under caloric restricted feeding conditions. Commun Biol 2024; 7:752. [PMID: 38902439 PMCID: PMC11190204 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06421-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Tissue specificity is a fundamental property of an organ that affects numerous biological processes, including aging and longevity, and is regulated by the circadian clock. However, the distinction between circadian-affected tissue specificity and other tissue specificities remains poorly understood. Here, using multi-omics data on circadian rhythms in mice, we discovered that approximately 35% of tissue-specific genes are directly affected by circadian regulation. These circadian-affected tissue-specific genes have higher expression levels and are associated with metabolism in hepatocytes. They also exhibit specific features in long-reads sequencing data. Notably, these genes are associated with aging and longevity at both the gene level and at the network module level. The expression of these genes oscillates in response to caloric restricted feeding regimens, which have been demonstrated to promote longevity. In addition, aging and longevity genes are disrupted in various circadian disorders. Our study indicates that the modulation of circadian-affected tissue specificity is essential for understanding the circadian mechanisms that regulate aging and longevity at the genomic level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renrui Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Ziang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Junjie Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Bing Liu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Zhengyun Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Cambridge-Su Genomic Resource Center, Medical School of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
| | - Ganlu Hu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ju Huang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Ying Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Cambridge-Su Genomic Resource Center, Medical School of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
| | - Guang-Zhong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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10
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Lv P, Yang X, Du J. LKRSDH-dependent histone modifications of insulin-like peptide sites contribute to age-related circadian rhythm changes. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3336. [PMID: 38637528 PMCID: PMC11026460 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47740-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
To understand aging impact on the circadian rhythm, we screened for factors influencing circadian changes during aging. Our findings reveal that LKRSDH mutation significantly reduces rhythmicity in aged flies. RNA-seq identifies a significant increase in insulin-like peptides (dilps) in LKRSDH mutants due to the combined effects of H3R17me2 and H3K27me3 on transcription. Genetic evidence suggests that LKRSDH regulates age-related circadian rhythm changes through art4 and dilps. ChIP-seq analyzes whole genome changes in H3R17me2 and H3K27me3 histone modifications in young and old flies with LKRSDH mutation and controls. The results reveal a correlation between H3R17me2 and H3K27me3, underscoring the role of LKRSDH in regulating gene expression and modification levels during aging. Overall, our study demonstrates that LKRSDH-dependent histone modifications at dilps sites contribute to age-related circadian rhythm changes. This data offers insights and a foundational reference for aging research by unveiling the relationship between LKRSDH and H3R17me2/H3K27me3 histone modifications in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Lv
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xingzhuo Yang
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Juan Du
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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11
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Fabrizio P, Alcolei A, Solari F. Considering Caenorhabditis elegans Aging on a Temporal and Tissue Scale: The Case of Insulin/IGF-1 Signaling. Cells 2024; 13:288. [PMID: 38334680 PMCID: PMC10854721 DOI: 10.3390/cells13030288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The aging process is inherently complex, involving multiple mechanisms that interact at different biological scales. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a simple model organism that has played a pivotal role in aging research following the discovery of mutations extending lifespan. Longevity pathways identified in C. elegans were subsequently found to be conserved and regulate lifespan in multiple species. These pathways intersect with fundamental hallmarks of aging that include nutrient sensing, epigenetic alterations, proteostasis loss, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Here we summarize recent data obtained in C. elegans highlighting the importance of studying aging at both the tissue and temporal scale. We then focus on the neuromuscular system to illustrate the kinetics of changes that take place with age. We describe recently developed tools that enabled the dissection of the contribution of the insulin/IGF-1 receptor ortholog DAF-2 to the regulation of worm mobility in specific tissues and at different ages. We also discuss guidelines and potential pitfalls in the use of these new tools. We further highlight the opportunities that they present, especially when combined with recent transcriptomic data, to address and resolve the inherent complexity of aging. Understanding how different aging processes interact within and between tissues at different life stages could ultimately suggest potential intervention points for age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Fabrizio
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Modélisation de la Cellule, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR5239, INSERM 1210, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69364 Lyon, France;
| | - Allan Alcolei
- INMG, MeLiS, CNRS UMR 5284, INSERM U1314, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69008 Lyon, France;
| | - Florence Solari
- INMG, MeLiS, CNRS UMR 5284, INSERM U1314, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69008 Lyon, France;
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12
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Iijima H, Zhang F, Ambrosio F, Matsui Y. Network-based cytokine inference implicates Oncostatin M as a driver of an inflammation phenotype in knee osteoarthritis. Aging Cell 2024; 23:e14043. [PMID: 38111237 PMCID: PMC10861212 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory cytokines released by synovium after trauma disturb the gene regulatory network and have been implicated in the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis. A mechanistic understanding of how aging perturbs this process can help identify novel interventions. Here, we introduced network paradigms to simulate cytokine-mediated pathological communication between the synovium and cartilage. Cartilage-specific network analysis of injured young and aged murine knees revealed aberrant matrix remodeling as a transcriptomic response unique to aged knees displaying accelerated cartilage degradation. Next, network-based cytokine inference with pharmacological manipulation uncovered IL6 family member, Oncostatin M (OSM), as a driver of the aberrant matrix remodeling. By implementing a phenotypic drug discovery approach, we identified that the activation of OSM recapitulated an "inflammatory" phenotype of knee osteoarthritis and highlighted high-value targets for drug development and repurposing. These findings offer translational opportunities targeting the inflammation-driven osteoarthritis phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotaka Iijima
- Discovery Center for Musculoskeletal RecoverySchoen Adams Research Institute at SpauldingCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Physical Medicine & RehabilitationHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Physical Medicine & RehabilitationSpaulding Rehabilitation HospitalCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
- Institute for Advanced ResearchNagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
- Biomedical and Health Informatics Unit, Graduate School of MedicineNagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Medicine Division of RheumatologyUniversity of Colorado School of MedicineAuroraColoradoUSA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics Center for Health AIUniversity of Colorado School of MedicineAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Fabrisia Ambrosio
- Discovery Center for Musculoskeletal RecoverySchoen Adams Research Institute at SpauldingCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Physical Medicine & RehabilitationHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Physical Medicine & RehabilitationSpaulding Rehabilitation HospitalCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
| | - Yusuke Matsui
- Biomedical and Health Informatics Unit, Graduate School of MedicineNagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
- Institute for Glyco‐core Research, Tokai National Higher Education and Research SystemNagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
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13
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Wang X, Jiang Q, Zhang H, He Z, Song Y, Chen Y, Tang N, Zhou Y, Li Y, Antebi A, Wu L, Han JDJ, Shen Y. Tissue-specific profiling of age-dependent miRNAomic changes in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nat Commun 2024; 15:955. [PMID: 38302463 PMCID: PMC10834975 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45249-4] [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: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Ageing exhibits common and distinct features in various tissues, making it critical to decipher the tissue-specific ageing mechanisms. MiRNAs are essential regulators in ageing and are recently highlighted as a class of intercellular messengers. However, little is known about the tissue-specific transcriptomic changes of miRNAs during ageing. C. elegans is a well-established model organism in ageing research. Here, we profile the age-dependent miRNAomic changes in five isolated worm tissues. Besides the diverse ageing-regulated miRNA expression across tissues, we discover numerous miRNAs in the tissues without their transcription. We further profile miRNAs in the extracellular vesicles and find that worm miRNAs undergo inter-tissue trafficking via these vesicles in an age-dependent manner. Using these datasets, we uncover the interaction between body wall muscle-derived mir-1 and DAF-16/FOXO in the intestine, suggesting mir-1 as a messenger in inter-tissue signalling. Taken together, we systematically investigate worm miRNAs in the somatic tissues and extracellular vesicles during ageing, providing a valuable resource to study tissue-autonomous and nonautonomous functions of miRNAs in ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Quanlong Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Quantitative Biology (CQB), Peking University, 102213, Beijing, China
| | - Hongdao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Zhidong He
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanyuan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Na Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yifei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yiping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Adam Antebi
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, D-50931, Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ligang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
| | - Jing-Dong J Han
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Quantitative Biology (CQB), Peking University, 102213, Beijing, China.
| | - Yidong Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
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14
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Todorova MN, Savova MS, Mihaylova LV, Georgiev MI. Icariin Improves Stress Resistance and Extends Lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans through hsf-1 and daf-2-Driven Hormesis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:352. [PMID: 38203522 PMCID: PMC10778813 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010352] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging presents an increasingly significant challenge globally, driven by the growing proportion of individuals aged 60 and older. Currently, there is substantial research interest in pro-longevity interventions that target pivotal signaling pathways, aiming not only to extend lifespan but also to enhance healthspan. One particularly promising approach involves inducing a hormetic response through the utilization of natural compounds defined as hormetins. Various studies have introduced the flavonoid icariin as beneficial for age-related diseases such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative conditions. To validate its potential pro-longevity properties, we employed Caenorhabditis elegans as an experimental platform. The accumulated results suggest that icariin extends the lifespan of C. elegans through modulation of the DAF-2, corresponding to the insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway in humans. Additionally, we identified increased resistance to heat and oxidative stress, modulation of lipid metabolism, improved late-life healthspan, and an extended lifespan upon icariin treatment. Consequently, a model mechanism of action was provided for icariin that involves the modulation of various players within the stress-response network. Collectively, the obtained data reveal that icariin is a potential hormetic agent with geroprotective properties that merits future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika N. Todorova
- Laboratory of Metabolomics, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 139 Ruski Blvd., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (M.N.T.); (M.S.S.); (L.V.M.)
| | - Martina S. Savova
- Laboratory of Metabolomics, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 139 Ruski Blvd., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (M.N.T.); (M.S.S.); (L.V.M.)
- Department of Plant Cell Biotechnology, Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Liliya V. Mihaylova
- Laboratory of Metabolomics, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 139 Ruski Blvd., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (M.N.T.); (M.S.S.); (L.V.M.)
- Department of Plant Cell Biotechnology, Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Milen I. Georgiev
- Laboratory of Metabolomics, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 139 Ruski Blvd., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (M.N.T.); (M.S.S.); (L.V.M.)
- Department of Plant Cell Biotechnology, Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
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15
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Pun FW, Leung GHD, Leung HW, Rice J, Schmauck‐Medina T, Lautrup S, Long X, Liu BHM, Wong CW, Ozerov IV, Aliper A, Ren F, Rosenberg AJ, Agrawal N, Izumchenko E, Fang EF, Zhavoronkov A. A comprehensive AI-driven analysis of large-scale omic datasets reveals novel dual-purpose targets for the treatment of cancer and aging. Aging Cell 2023; 22:e14017. [PMID: 37888486 PMCID: PMC10726874 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
As aging and tumorigenesis are tightly interconnected biological processes, targeting their common underlying driving pathways may induce dual-purpose anti-aging and anti-cancer effects. Our transcriptomic analyses of 16,740 healthy samples demonstrated tissue-specific age-associated gene expression, with most tumor suppressor genes downregulated during aging. Furthermore, a large-scale pan-cancer analysis of 11 solid tumor types (11,303 cases and 4431 control samples) revealed that many cellular processes, such as protein localization, DNA replication, DNA repair, cell cycle, and RNA metabolism, were upregulated in cancer but downregulated in healthy aging tissues, whereas pathways regulating cellular senescence were upregulated in both aging and cancer. Common cancer targets were identified by the AI-driven target discovery platform-PandaOmics. Age-associated cancer targets were selected and further classified into four groups based on their reported roles in lifespan. Among the 51 identified age-associated cancer targets with anti-aging experimental evidence, 22 were proposed as dual-purpose targets for anti-aging and anti-cancer treatment with the same therapeutic direction. Among age-associated cancer targets without known lifespan-regulating activity, 23 genes were selected based on predicted dual-purpose properties. Knockdown of histone demethylase KDM1A, one of these unexplored candidates, significantly extended lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans. Given KDM1A's anti-cancer activities reported in both preclinical and clinical studies, our findings propose KDM1A as a promising dual-purpose target. This is the first study utilizing an innovative AI-driven approach to identify dual-purpose target candidates for anti-aging and anti-cancer treatment, supporting the value of AI-assisted target identification for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jared Rice
- Department of Clinical Molecular BiologyUniversity of Oslo and Akershus University HospitalLørenskogNorway
| | - Tomas Schmauck‐Medina
- Department of Clinical Molecular BiologyUniversity of Oslo and Akershus University HospitalLørenskogNorway
| | - Sofie Lautrup
- Department of Clinical Molecular BiologyUniversity of Oslo and Akershus University HospitalLørenskogNorway
| | - Xi Long
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd.Hong KongChina
| | | | | | | | - Alex Aliper
- Insilico Medicine AI Ltd.Masdar CityUnited Arab Emirates
| | - Feng Ren
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd.ShanghaiChina
| | - Ari J. Rosenberg
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and OncologyUniversity of ChicagoChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Nishant Agrawal
- Department of SurgeryUniversity of ChicagoChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Evgeny Izumchenko
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and OncologyUniversity of ChicagoChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Evandro F. Fang
- Department of Clinical Molecular BiologyUniversity of Oslo and Akershus University HospitalLørenskogNorway
- The Norwegian Centre On Healthy Ageing (NO‐Age)OsloNorway
| | - Alex Zhavoronkov
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd.Hong KongChina
- Insilico Medicine AI Ltd.Masdar CityUnited Arab Emirates
- Buck Institute for Research on AgingNovatoCaliforniaUSA
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16
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Ruszkiewicz J, Endig L, Güver E, Bürkle A, Mangerich A. Life-Cycle-Dependent Toxicities of Mono- and Bifunctional Alkylating Agents in the 3R-Compliant Model Organism C. elegans. Cells 2023; 12:2728. [PMID: 38067156 PMCID: PMC10705807 DOI: 10.3390/cells12232728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is gaining recognition and importance as an organismic model for toxicity testing in line with the 3Rs principle (replace, reduce, refine). In this study, we explored the use of C. elegans to examine the toxicities of alkylating sulphur mustard analogues, specifically the monofunctional agent 2-chloroethyl-ethyl sulphide (CEES) and the bifunctional, crosslinking agent mechlorethamine (HN2). We exposed wild-type worms at different life cycle stages (from larvae L1 to adulthood day 10) to CEES or HN2 and scored their viability 24 h later. The susceptibility of C. elegans to CEES and HN2 paralleled that of human cells, with HN2 exhibiting higher toxicity than CEES, reflected in LC50 values in the high µM to low mM range. Importantly, the effects were dependent on the worms' developmental stage as well as organismic age: the highest susceptibility was observed in L1, whereas the lowest was observed in L4 worms. In adult worms, susceptibility to alkylating agents increased with advanced age, especially to HN2. To examine reproductive effects, L4 worms were exposed to CEES and HN2, and both the offspring and the percentage of unhatched eggs were assessed. Moreover, germline apoptosis was assessed by using ced-1p::GFP (MD701) worms. In contrast to concentrations that elicited low toxicities to L4 worms, CEES and HN2 were highly toxic to germline cells, manifesting as increased germline apoptosis as well as reduced offspring number and percentage of eggs hatched. Again, HN2 exhibited stronger effects than CEES. Compound specificity was also evident in toxicities to dopaminergic neurons-HN2 exposure affected expression of dopamine transporter DAT-1 (strain BY200) at lower concentrations than CEES, suggesting a higher neurotoxic effect. Mechanistically, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) has been linked to mustard agent toxicities. Therefore, the NAD+-dependent system was investigated in the response to CEES and HN2 treatment. Overall NAD+ levels in worm extracts were revealed to be largely resistant to mustard exposure except for high concentrations, which lowered the NAD+ levels in L4 worms 24 h post-treatment. Interestingly, however, mutant worms lacking components of NAD+-dependent pathways involved in genome maintenance, namely pme-2, parg-2, and sirt-2.1 showed a higher and compound-specific susceptibility, indicating an active role of NAD+ in genotoxic stress response. In conclusion, the present results demonstrate that C. elegans represents an attractive model to study the toxicology of alkylating agents, which supports its use in mechanistic as well as intervention studies with major strength in the possibility to analyze toxicities at different life cycle stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Ruszkiewicz
- Molecular Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany (A.B.)
| | - Lisa Endig
- Molecular Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany (A.B.)
| | - Ebru Güver
- Molecular Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany (A.B.)
| | - Alexander Bürkle
- Molecular Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany (A.B.)
| | - Aswin Mangerich
- Molecular Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany (A.B.)
- Nutritional Toxicology, Institute Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, 14469 Potsdam, Germany
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17
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Reich H, Savage-Dunn C. Signaling circuits and the apical extracellular matrix in aging: connections identified in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2023; 325:C1201-C1211. [PMID: 37721005 PMCID: PMC10861026 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00195.2023] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Numerous conserved signaling pathways play critical roles in aging, including insulin/IGF-1, TGF-β, and Wnt pathways. Some of these pathways also play prominent roles in the formation and maintenance of the extracellular matrix. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been an enduringly productive system for the identification of conserved mechanisms of biological aging. Recent studies in C. elegans highlight the regulatory circuits between conserved signaling pathways and the extracellular matrix, revealing a bidirectional relationship between these factors and providing a platform to address how regulation of and by the extracellular matrix can impact lifespan and organismal health during aging. These discoveries provide new opportunities for clinical advances and novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Reich
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, New York, United States
| | - Cathy Savage-Dunn
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, New York, United States
- PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York, United States
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18
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Zane F, Bouzid H, Sosa Marmol S, Brazane M, Besse S, Molina JL, Cansell C, Aprahamian F, Durand S, Ayache J, Antoniewski C, Todd N, Carré C, Rera M. Smurfness-based two-phase model of ageing helps deconvolve the ageing transcriptional signature. Aging Cell 2023; 22:e13946. [PMID: 37822253 PMCID: PMC10652310 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Ageing is characterised at the molecular level by six transcriptional 'hallmarks of ageing', that are commonly described as progressively affected as time passes. By contrast, the 'Smurf' assay separates high-and-constant-mortality risk individuals from healthy, zero-mortality risk individuals, based on increased intestinal permeability. Performing whole body total RNA sequencing, we found that Smurfness distinguishes transcriptional changes associated with chronological age from those associated with biological age. We show that transcriptional heterogeneity increases with chronological age in non-Smurf individuals preceding the other five hallmarks of ageing that are specifically associated with the Smurf state. Using this approach, we also devise targeted pro-longevity genetic interventions delaying entry in the Smurf state. We anticipate that increased attention to the evolutionary conserved Smurf phenotype will bring about significant advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flaminia Zane
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR U1284ParisFrance
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | - Hayet Bouzid
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR U1284ParisFrance
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | | | - Mira Brazane
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | | | | | - Céline Cansell
- Université Paris‐Saclay, AgroParisTech, INRAE, UMR PNCAPalaiseauFrance
| | - Fanny Aprahamian
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, UMS AMMICaInstitut Gustave RoussyVillejuifFrance
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le CancerUniversité de Paris, Sorbonne Université, INSERM U1138, Institut Universitaire de FranceParisFrance
| | - Sylvère Durand
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, UMS AMMICaInstitut Gustave RoussyVillejuifFrance
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le CancerUniversité de Paris, Sorbonne Université, INSERM U1138, Institut Universitaire de FranceParisFrance
| | - Jessica Ayache
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS UMR 7592, Université Paris CitéParisFrance
| | | | - Nicolas Todd
- Eco‐Anthropologie (EA), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRSUniversité de Paris, Musée de l'HommeParisFrance
| | - Clément Carré
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | - Michael Rera
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR U1284ParisFrance
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19
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Roux AE, Yuan H, Podshivalova K, Hendrickson D, Kerr R, Kenyon C, Kelley D. Individual cell types in C. elegans age differently and activate distinct cell-protective responses. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112902. [PMID: 37531250 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is characterized by a global decline in physiological function. However, by constructing a complete single-cell gene expression atlas, we find that Caenorhabditis elegans aging is not random in nature but instead is characterized by coordinated changes in functionally related metabolic, proteostasis, and stress-response genes in a cell-type-specific fashion, with downregulation of energy metabolism being the only nearly universal change. Similarly, the rates at which cells age differ significantly between cell types. In some cell types, aging is characterized by an increase in cell-to-cell variance, whereas in others, variance actually decreases. Remarkably, multiple resilience-enhancing transcription factors known to extend lifespan are activated across many cell types with age; we discovered new longevity candidates, such as GEI-3, among these. Together, our findings suggest that cells do not age passively but instead react strongly, and individualistically, to events that occur during aging. This atlas can be queried through a public interface.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Han Yuan
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | | | | | - Rex Kerr
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Cynthia Kenyon
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | - David Kelley
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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20
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Doering KRS, Ermakova G, Taubert S. Nuclear hormone receptor NHR-49 is an essential regulator of stress resilience and healthy aging in Caenorhabditis elegans. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1241591. [PMID: 37645565 PMCID: PMC10461480 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1241591] [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: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The genome of Caenorhabditis elegans encodes 284 nuclear hormone receptor, which perform diverse functions in development and physiology. One of the best characterized of these is NHR-49, related in sequence and function to mammalian hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α. Initially identified as regulator of lipid metabolism, including fatty acid catabolism and desaturation, additional important roles for NHR-49 have since emerged. It is an essential contributor to longevity in several genetic and environmental contexts, and also plays vital roles in the resistance to several stresses and innate immune response to infection with various bacterial pathogens. Here, we review how NHR-49 is integrated into pertinent signaling circuits and how it achieves its diverse functions. We also highlight areas for future investigation including identification of regulatory inputs that drive NHR-49 activity and identification of tissue-specific gene regulatory outputs. We anticipate that future work on this protein will provide information that could be useful for developing strategies to age-associated declines in health and age-related human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsie R. S. Doering
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Edwin S. H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Glafira Ermakova
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Edwin S. H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Stefan Taubert
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Edwin S. H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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21
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Yuan W, Weaver YM, Earnest S, Taylor CA, Cobb MH, Weaver BP. Modulating p38 MAPK signaling by proteostasis mechanisms supports tissue integrity during growth and aging. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4543. [PMID: 37507441 PMCID: PMC10382525 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40317-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The conserved p38 MAPK family is activated by phosphorylation during stress responses and inactivated by phosphatases. C. elegans PMK-1 p38 MAPK initiates innate immune responses and blocks development when hyperactivated. Here we show that PMK-1 signaling is enhanced during early aging by modulating the stoichiometry of non-phospho-PMK-1 to promote tissue integrity and longevity. Loss of pmk-1 function accelerates progressive declines in neuronal integrity and lysosome function compromising longevity which has both cell autonomous and cell non-autonomous contributions. CED-3 caspase cleavage limits phosphorylated PMK-1. Enhancing p38 signaling with caspase cleavage-resistant PMK-1 protects lysosomal and neuronal integrity extending a youthful phase. PMK-1 works through a complex transcriptional program to regulate lysosome formation. During early aging, the absolute phospho-p38 amount is maintained but the reservoir of non-phospho-p38 diminishes to enhance signaling without hyperactivation. Our findings show that modulating the stoichiometry of non-phospho-p38 dynamically supports tissue-homeostasis during aging without hyper-activation of stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Yuan
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yi M Weaver
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Svetlana Earnest
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Clinton A Taylor
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Melanie H Cobb
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Benjamin P Weaver
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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Spanoudakis E, Tavernarakis N. Age-associated anatomical and physiological alterations in Caenorhabditis elegans. Mech Ageing Dev 2023; 213:111827. [PMID: 37268279 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Since its introduction by Sydney Brenner, Caenorhabditis elegans has become a widely studied organism. Given its highly significant properties, including transparency, short lifespan, self-fertilization, high reproductive yield and ease in manipulation and genetic modifications, the nematode has contributed to the elucidation of several fundamental aspects of biology, such as development and ageing. Moreover, it has been extensively used as a platform for the modelling of ageing-associated human disorders, especially those related to neurodegeneration. The use of C. elegans for such purposes requires, and at the same time promotes the investigation of its normal ageing process. In this review we aim to summarize the major organismal alterations during normal worm ageing, in terms of morphology and functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Spanoudakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Nikolaou Plastira 100, Heraklion 70013, Crete, Greece; Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion 70013, Crete, Greece
| | - Nektarios Tavernarakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Nikolaou Plastira 100, Heraklion 70013, Crete, Greece; Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion 70013, Crete, Greece.
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23
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Phuphisut O, Poodeepiyasawat A, Yoonuan T, Watthanakulpanich D, Chotsiri P, Reamtong O, Mousley A, Gobert GN, Adisakwattana P. Transcriptome profiling of male and female Ascaris lumbricoides reproductive tissues. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:477. [PMID: 36539906 PMCID: PMC9768952 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05602-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ascaris lumbricoides causes human ascariasis, the most prevalent helminth disease, infecting approximately 1 billion individuals globally. In 2019 the global disease burden was estimated to be 754,000 DALYs and resulted in 2090 deaths. In the absence of a vaccination strategy, treatment of ascariasis has relied on anthelminthic chemotherapy, but drug resistance is a concern. The propensity for reinfection is also a major challenge to disease control; female worms lay up to 200,000 eggs daily, which contaminate surrounding environments and remain viable for years, resulting in high transmission rates. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of reproductive processes, including control of egg production, spermatogenesis, oogenesis and embryogenesis, will drive the development of new drugs and/or vaccine targets for future ascariasis control. METHODS Transcriptome profiles of discrete reproductive and somatic tissue samples were generated from adult male and female worms using Illumina HiSeq with 2 × 150 bp paired-end sequencing. Male tissues included: testis germinal zone, testis part of vas deferens, seminal vesicle and somatic tissue. Female tissues included: ovary germinal zone, ovary part of the oviduct, uterus and somatic tissue. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from the fragments per kilobases per million reads (FPKM) profiles. Hierarchical analysis was performed to identify tissue-specific genes. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were employed to identify significant terms and pathways for the DEGs. RESULTS DEGs involved in protein phosphorylation and adhesion molecules were indicated to play a crucial role in spermatogenesis and fertilization, respectively. Those genes associated with the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling pathway and small GTPase-mediated signal transduction pathway play an essential role in cytoskeleton organization during oogenesis. Additionally, DEGs associated with the SMA genes and TGF-β signaling pathway are crucial in adult female embryogenesis. Some genes associated with particular biological processes and pathways that were identified in this study have been linked to defects in germline development, embryogenesis and reproductive behavior. In the enriched KEGG pathway analysis, Hippo signaling, oxytocin signaling and tight junction pathways were identified to play a role in Ascaris male and female reproductive systems. CONCLUSIONS This study has provided comprehensive transcriptome profiles of discrete A. lumbricoides reproductive tissue samples, revealing the molecular basis of these functionally important tissues. The data generated from this study will provide fundamental knowledge on the reproductive biology of Ascaris and will inform future target identification for anti-ascariasis drugs and/or vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orawan Phuphisut
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Akkarin Poodeepiyasawat
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Tippayarat Yoonuan
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Dorn Watthanakulpanich
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Palang Chotsiri
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Onrapak Reamtong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Angela Mousley
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Geoffrey N Gobert
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Poom Adisakwattana
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
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24
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Midkiff DF, Huayta J, Lichty JD, Crapster JP, San-Miguel A. Identifying C. elegans lifespan mutants by screening for early-onset protein aggregation. iScience 2022; 25:105460. [PMID: 36388964 PMCID: PMC9664360 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105460] [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: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic screens are widely used to identify genes that control specific biological functions. In Caenorhabditis elegans, forward genetic screens rely on the isolation of reproductively active mutants that can self-propagate clonal populations. Screens that target post-reproductive phenotypes, such as lifespan, are thus challenging. We combine microfluidic technologies and image processing to perform high-throughput automated screening for short-lived mutants using protein aggregation as a marker for aging. We take advantage of microfluidics for maintaining a reproductively active adult mutagenized population and for performing serial high-throughput analysis and sorting of animals with increased protein aggregation, using fluorescently-labeled PAB-1 as a readout. We demonstrate that lifespan mutants can be identified by screening for accelerated protein aggregation through quantitative analysis of fluorescently labeled aggregates while avoiding conditional sterilization or manual separation of parental and progeny populations. We also show that aged wildtypes and premature aggregation mutants differ in aggregate morphology, suggesting aggregate growth is time-dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Midkiff
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Javier Huayta
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - James D. Lichty
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Joseph P. Crapster
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Adriana San-Miguel
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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25
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Fernandez G, Yubero D, Palau F, Armstrong J. Molecular Modelling Hurdle in the Next-Generation Sequencing Era. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23137176. [PMID: 35806177 PMCID: PMC9266691 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23137176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
There are challenges in the genetic diagnosis of rare diseases, and pursuing an optimal strategy to identify the cause of the disease is one of the main objectives of any clinical genomics unit. A range of techniques are currently used to characterize the genomic variability within the human genome to detect causative variants of specific disorders. With the introduction of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in the clinical setting, geneticists can study single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) throughout the entire exome/genome. In turn, the number of variants to be evaluated per patient has increased significantly, and more information has to be processed and analyzed to determine a proper diagnosis. Roughly 50% of patients with a Mendelian genetic disorder are diagnosed using NGS, but a fair number of patients still suffer a diagnostic odyssey. Due to the inherent diversity of the human population, as more exomes or genomes are sequenced, variants of uncertain significance (VUSs) will increase exponentially. Thus, assigning relevance to a VUS (non-synonymous as well as synonymous) in an undiagnosed patient becomes crucial to assess the proper diagnosis. Multiple algorithms have been used to predict how a specific mutation might affect the protein’s function, but they are far from accurate enough to be conclusive. In this work, we highlight the difficulties of genomic variability determined by NGS that have arisen in diagnosing rare genetic diseases, and how molecular modelling has to be a key component to elucidate the relevance of a specific mutation in the protein’s loss of function or malfunction. We suggest that the creation of a multi-omics data model should improve the classification of pathogenicity for a significant amount of the detected genomic variability. Moreover, we argue how it should be incorporated systematically in the process of variant evaluation to be useful in the clinical setting and the diagnostic pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guerau Fernandez
- Department of Genetic and Molecular Medicine—IPER, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain; (G.F.); (F.P.); (J.A.)
- Center for Biomedical Research Network on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Dèlia Yubero
- Department of Genetic and Molecular Medicine—IPER, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain; (G.F.); (F.P.); (J.A.)
- Center for Biomedical Research Network on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-93-600-9451; Fax: +34-93-600-9760
| | - Francesc Palau
- Department of Genetic and Molecular Medicine—IPER, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain; (G.F.); (F.P.); (J.A.)
- Center for Biomedical Research Network on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
- Division of Pediatrics, University of Barcelona School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Judith Armstrong
- Department of Genetic and Molecular Medicine—IPER, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain; (G.F.); (F.P.); (J.A.)
- Center for Biomedical Research Network on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
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26
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Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) and CDK6 are critical mediators of cellular transition into S phase and are important for the initiation, growth and survival of many cancer types. Pharmacological inhibitors of CDK4/6 have rapidly become a new standard of care for patients with advanced hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. As expected, CDK4/6 inhibitors arrest sensitive tumour cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. However, the effects of CDK4/6 inhibition are far more wide-reaching. New insights into their mechanisms of action have triggered identification of new therapeutic opportunities, including the development of novel combination regimens, expanded application to a broader range of cancers and use as supportive care to ameliorate the toxic effects of other therapies. Exploring these new opportunities in the clinic is an urgent priority, which in many cases has not been adequately addressed. Here, we provide a framework for conceptualizing the activity of CDK4/6 inhibitors in cancer and explain how this framework might shape the future clinical development of these agents. We also discuss the biological underpinnings of CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance, an increasingly common challenge in clinical oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shom Goel
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Johann S Bergholz
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jean J Zhao
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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