1
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Yarmey VR, San-Miguel A. Biomarkers for aging in Caenorhabditis elegans high throughput screening. Biochem Soc Trans 2024:BST20231303. [PMID: 38884801 DOI: 10.1042/bst20231303] [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: 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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2
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Hellinga JR, Krücken J, Schulenburg H, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Use of Viscous medium to study anthelmintic drug action in Caenorhabditis elegans. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12756. [PMID: 38830930 PMCID: PMC11148144 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63090-z] [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: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans is an appealing tool for experimental evolution and for working with antiparasitic drugs, from understanding the molecular mechanisms of drug action and resistance to uncover new drug targets. We present a new methodology for studying the impact of antiparasitic drugs in C. elegans. Viscous medium was initially designed for C. elegans maintenance during long-term evolution experiments. Viscous medium provides a less structured environment than the standard nematode growth media agar, yet the bacteria food source remains suspended. Further, the Viscous medium offers the worm population enough support to move freely, mate, and reproduce at a rate comparable to standard agar cultures. Here, the Viscous medium was adapted for use in antiparasitic research. We observed a similar sensitivity of C. elegans to anthelmintic drugs as in standard liquid media and statistical difference to the standard agar media through a larval development assay. Using Viscous medium in C. elegans studies will considerably improve antiparasitic resistance research, and this medium could be used in studies aimed at understanding long-term multigenerational drug activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline R Hellinga
- Institute für Parasitologie und Tropenveterinärmedizin, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert von Ostertag Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute für Parasitologie und Tropenveterinärmedizin, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert von Ostertag Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hinrich Schulenburg
- Zoologisches Institut, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Zu Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24118, Kiel, Germany
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute für Parasitologie und Tropenveterinärmedizin, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert von Ostertag Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
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3
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Yuan C, Wang Y, Zhang L, Wang D. Procatechuic acid and protocatechuic aldehyde increase survival of Caenorhabditis elegans after fungal infection and inhibit fungal virulence. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1396733. [PMID: 38841375 PMCID: PMC11150623 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1396733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Protocatechuic acid (PCA) and protocatechuic aldehyde (PAL) are important phenolic compounds in plants. We here investigated their possible beneficial effect against fungal infection and the underlying mechanism. The model animal of Caenorhabditis elegans was used as host, and Candida albicans was used as fungal pathogen. The nematodes were first infected with C. albicans, and the PCA and PAL treatment were then performed. Post-treatment with 10-100 μM PCA and PAL suppressed toxicity of C. albicans infection in reducing lifespan. Accompanied with this beneficial effect, treatment with 10-100 μM PCA and PAL inhibited C. albicans accumulation in intestinal lumen. In addition, treatment with 10-100 μM PCA and PAL suppressed the increase in expressions of antimicrobial genes caused by C. albicans infection. The beneficial effect of PCA and PAL against C. albicans infection depended on p38 MAPK and insulin signals. Moreover, although treatment with 10-100 μM PCA and PAL could not exhibit noticeable antifungal activity, PCA and PAL treatment obviously suppressed biofilm formation, inhibited hyphal growth, and reduced expressions of virulence genes (ALS3, CaVps34, Vma7, Vac1, and/or HWP1) related to biofilm formation and hyphal growth in C. albicans. Therefore, our data demonstrated the potential of PCA and PAL post-treatment against fungal infection and fungal virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Yuan
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuxing Wang
- Deaprtment of Biochemistry and Molecrla Biology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Le Zhang
- Deaprtment of Biochemistry and Molecrla Biology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dayong Wang
- Deaprtment of Biochemistry and Molecrla Biology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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4
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Schiavi A, Cirotti C, Gerber LS, Di Lauro G, Maglioni S, Shibao PYT, Montresor S, Kirstein J, Petzsch P, Köhrer K, Schins RPF, Wahle T, Barilà D, Ventura N. Abl depletion via autophagy mediates the beneficial effects of quercetin against Alzheimer pathology across species. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:376. [PMID: 37838776 PMCID: PMC10576830 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01592-x] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is the most common age-associated neurodegenerative disorder and the most frequent form of dementia in our society. Aging is a complex biological process concurrently shaped by genetic, dietary and environmental factors and natural compounds are emerging for their beneficial effects against age-related disorders. Besides their antioxidant activity often described in simple model organisms, the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of different dietary compounds remain however largely unknown. In the present study, we exploit the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a widely established model for aging studies, to test the effects of different natural compounds in vivo and focused on mechanistic aspects of one of them, quercetin, using complementary systems and assays. We show that quercetin has evolutionarily conserved beneficial effects against Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology: it prevents Amyloid beta (Aβ)-induced detrimental effects in different C. elegans AD models and it reduces Aβ-secretion in mammalian cells. Mechanistically, we found that the beneficial effects of quercetin are mediated by autophagy-dependent reduced expression of Abl tyrosine kinase. In turn, autophagy is required upon Abl suppression to mediate quercetin's protective effects against Aβ toxicity. Our data support the power of C. elegans as an in vivo model to investigate therapeutic options for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Schiavi
- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Claudia Cirotti
- Department of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133, Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Cell Signaling, IRCCS-Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179, Rome, Italy
| | - Lora-Sophie Gerber
- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Giulia Di Lauro
- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Silvia Maglioni
- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Biological and Medical Research Center (BMFZ), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Priscila Yumi Tanaka Shibao
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Leibniz Institute on Aging, Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Janine Kirstein
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Leibniz Institute on Aging, Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Patrick Petzsch
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Karl Köhrer
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Roel P F Schins
- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tina Wahle
- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Daniela Barilà
- Department of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133, Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Cell Signaling, IRCCS-Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179, Rome, Italy
| | - Natascia Ventura
- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
- Biological and Medical Research Center (BMFZ), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany.
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5
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Okoro NO, Odiba AS, Yu Q, He B, Liao G, Jin C, Fang W, Wang B. Polysaccharides Extracted from Dendrobium officinale Grown in Different Environments Elicit Varying Health Benefits in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nutrients 2023; 15:2641. [PMID: 37375545 DOI: 10.3390/nu15122641] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendrobium officinale is one of the most widely used medicinal herbs, especially in Asia. In recent times, the polysaccharide content of D. officinale has garnered attention due to the numerous reports of its medicinal properties, such as anticancer, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and anti-aging activities. However, few reports of its anti-aging potential are available. Due to high demand, the wild D. officinale is scarce; hence, alternative cultivation methods are being employed. In this study, we used the Caenorhabditis elegans model to investigate the anti-aging potential of polysaccharides extracted from D. officinale (DOP) grown in three different environments; tree (TR), greenhouse (GH), and rock (RK). Our findings showed that at 1000 µg/mL, GH-DOP optimally extended the mean lifespan by 14% and the maximum lifespan by 25% (p < 0.0001). TR-DOP and RK-DOP did not extend their lifespan at any of the concentrations tested. We further showed that 2000 µg/mL TR-DOP, GH-DOP, or RK-DOP all enhanced resistance to H2O2-induced stress (p > 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.01, respectively). In contrast, only RK-DOP exhibited resistance (p < 0.01) to thermal stress. Overall, DOP from the three sources all increased HSP-4::GFP levels, indicating a boost in the ability of the worms to respond to ER-related stress. Similarly, DOP from all three sources decreased α-synuclein aggregation; however, only GH-DOP delayed β-amyloid-induced paralysis (p < 0.0001). Our findings provide useful information on the health benefits of DOP and also provide clues on the best practices for cultivating D. officinale for maximum medicinal applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nkwachukwu Oziamara Okoro
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Technology, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning 530007, China
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, Nigeria
| | - Arome Solomon Odiba
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Technology, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning 530007, China
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qi Yu
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Technology, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning 530007, China
| | - Bin He
- School of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangxi Vocational and Technical College, Nanning 530226, China
| | - Guiyan Liao
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Technology, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning 530007, China
| | - Cheng Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Wenxia Fang
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Technology, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning 530007, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Technology, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning 530007, China
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6
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Bene M, Salmon AB. Testing the evidence that lifespan-extending compound interventions are conserved across laboratory animal model species. GeroScience 2023; 45:1401-1409. [PMID: 36637786 PMCID: PMC10400519 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-022-00722-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
A growing number of pharmaceutical and small molecule interventions are reported to extend the lifespan of laboratory animals including Caenorhabditis, Drosophila, and mouse. However, the degree to which these pro-longevity interventions are conserved across species is unclear. Here, we took two approaches to ask the question: to what extent do longevity intervention studies in Caenorhabditis and Drosophila recapitulate effects on mouse lifespan? The first approach analyzes all published reports on longevity in the literature collated by the DrugAge database, and the second approach focused on results designed for reproducibility as reported from the NIA-supported Interventions Testing Program (ITP) and the Caenorhabditis Interventions Testing Program (CITP). Using published data sources, we identify only modest sensitivity and specificity of Drosophila interventional studies for identifying pro-longevity compounds in mouse lifespan studies. Surprisingly, reported studies in C. elegans show little predictive value for identifying drugs that extend lifespan in mice. The results therefore suggest caution should be used when making assumptions about the translatability of lifespan-extending compounds across species, including human intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Bene
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, 78229, USA
| | - Adam B Salmon
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, 78229, USA.
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, 78229, USA.
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Audie L. Murphy Hospital, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas, 78229, USA.
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7
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Zhang A, Hsiung KC, Kern CC, Wang Y, Girtle AL, Xu N, Gems D. Unraveling effects of anti-aging drugs on C. elegans using liposomes. GeroScience 2023:10.1007/s11357-023-00800-x. [PMID: 37140725 PMCID: PMC10158714 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00800-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Liposome-mediated delivery is a possible means to overcome several shortcomings with C. elegans as a model for identifying and testing drugs that retard aging. These include confounding interactions between drugs and the nematodes' bacterial food source and failure of drugs to be taken up into nematode tissues. To explore this, we have tested liposome-mediated delivery of a range of fluorescent dyes and drugs in C. elegans. Liposome encapsulation led to enhanced effects on lifespan, requiring smaller quantities of compounds, and enhanced uptake of several dyes into the gut lumen. However, one dye (Texas red) did not cross into nematode tissues, showing that liposomes cannot ensure the uptake of all compounds. Of six compounds previously reported to extend lifespan (vitamin C, N-acetylcysteine, glutathione (GSH), trimethadione, thioflavin T (ThT), and rapamycin), this effect was reproduced for the latter four in a condition-dependent manner. For GSH and ThT, antibiotics abrogated life extension, implying a bacterially mediated effect. With GSH, this was attributable to reduced early death from pharyngeal infection and associated with alterations of mitochondrial morphology in a manner suggesting a possible innate immune training effect. By contrast, ThT itself exhibited antibiotic effects. For rapamycin, significant increases in lifespan were only seen when bacterial proliferation was prevented. These results document the utility and limitations of liposome-mediated drug delivery for C. elegans. They also illustrate how nematode-bacteria interactions can determine the effects of compounds on C. elegans lifespan in a variety of ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aihan Zhang
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Kuei Ching Hsiung
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Carina C Kern
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Yuting Wang
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Anna L Girtle
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Nuo Xu
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - David Gems
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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8
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Compound combinations targeting longevity: Challenges and perspectives. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 85:101851. [PMID: 36642188 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101851] [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: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Aging is one of the world's greatest concerns, requiring urgent, effective, large-scale interventions to decrease the number of late-life chronic diseases and improve human healthspan. Anti-aging drug therapy is one of the most promising strategies to combat the effects of aging. However, most geroprotective compounds are known to successfully affect only a few aging-related targets. Given this, there is a great biological rationale for the use of combinations of anti-aging interventions. In this review, we characterize the various types of compound combinations used to modulate lifespan, discuss the existing evidence on their role in life extension, and present some key points about current challenges and future prospects for the development of combination drug anti-aging therapy.
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9
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Weinkove D, Zavagno G. Applying C. elegans to the Industrial Drug Discovery Process to Slow Aging. FRONTIERS IN AGING 2022; 2:740582. [PMID: 35821999 PMCID: PMC9261450 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2021.740582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The increase in our molecular understanding of the biology of aging, coupled with a recent surge in investment, has led to the formation of several companies developing pharmaceuticals to slow aging. Research using the tiny nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans was the first to show that mutations in single genes can extend lifespan, and subsequent research has shown that this model organism is uniquely suited to testing interventions to slow aging. Yet, with a few notable exceptions, C. elegans is not in the standard toolkit of longevity companies. Here we discuss the paths to overcome the barriers to using C. elegans in industrial drug discovery. We address the predictive power of C. elegans for human aging, how C. elegans research can be applied to specific challenges in the typical drug discovery pipeline, and how standardised and quantitative assays will help C. elegans fulfil its potential in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. We argue that correct application of this model and its knowledge base will significantly accelerate progress to slow human aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Weinkove
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom.,Magnitude Biosciences Ltd., NETpark Plexus, Sedgefield, United Kingdom
| | - Giulia Zavagno
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom.,Magnitude Biosciences Ltd., NETpark Plexus, Sedgefield, United Kingdom
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10
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Saul N, Dhondt I, Kuokkanen M, Perola M, Verschuuren C, Wouters B, von Chrzanowski H, De Vos WH, Temmerman L, Luyten W, Zečić A, Loier T, Schmitz-Linneweber C, Braeckman BP. Identification of healthspan-promoting genes in Caenorhabditis elegans based on a human GWAS study. Biogerontology 2022; 23:431-452. [PMID: 35748965 PMCID: PMC9388463 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-022-09969-8] [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: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
To find drivers of healthy ageing, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed in healthy and unhealthy older individuals. Healthy individuals were defined as free from cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart failure, major adverse cardiovascular event, diabetes, dementia, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, rheumatism, Crohn’s disease, malabsorption or kidney disease. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with unknown function associated with ten human genes were identified as candidate healthspan markers. Thirteen homologous or closely related genes were selected in the model organism C. elegans for evaluating healthspan after targeted RNAi-mediated knockdown using pathogen resistance, muscle integrity, chemotaxis index and the activity of known longevity and stress response pathways as healthspan reporters. In addition, lifespan was monitored in the RNAi-treated nematodes. RNAi knockdown of yap-1, wwp-1, paxt-1 and several acdh genes resulted in heterogeneous phenotypes regarding muscle integrity, pathogen resistance, chemotactic behaviour, and lifespan. Based on these observations, we hypothesize that their human homologues WWC2, CDKN2AIP and ACADS may play a role in health maintenance in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Saul
- Molecular Genetics Group, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Ineke Dhondt
- Laboratory of Aging Physiology and Molecular Evolution, Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mikko Kuokkanen
- Genomics and Biomarkers Unit, Department of Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Human Genetics and South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA
| | - Markus Perola
- Genomics and Biomarkers Unit, Department of Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Clara Verschuuren
- Laboratory of Aging Physiology and Molecular Evolution, Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Henrik von Chrzanowski
- Molecular Genetics Group, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Winnok H De Vos
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | | | - Aleksandra Zečić
- Laboratory of Aging Physiology and Molecular Evolution, Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tim Loier
- Laboratory of Aging Physiology and Molecular Evolution, Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Bart P Braeckman
- Laboratory of Aging Physiology and Molecular Evolution, Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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11
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Anh NH, Yoon YC, Min YJ, Long NP, Jung CW, Kim SJ, Kim SW, Lee EG, Wang D, Wang X, Kwon SW. Caenorhabditis elegans deep lipidome profiling by using integrative mass spectrometry acquisitions reveals significantly altered lipid networks. J Pharm Anal 2022; 12:743-754. [PMID: 36320604 PMCID: PMC9615529 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2022.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipidomics coverage improvement is essential for functional lipid and pathway construction. A powerful approach to discovering organism lipidome is to combine various data acquisitions, such as full scan mass spectrometry (full MS), data-dependent acquisition (DDA), and data-independent acquisition (DIA). Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a useful model for discovering toxic-induced metabolism, high-throughput drug screening, and a variety of human disease pathways. To determine the lipidome of C. elegans and investigate lipid disruption from the molecular level to the system biology level, we used integrative data acquisition. The methyl-tert-butyl ether method was used to extract L4 stage C. elegans after exposure to triclosan (TCS), perfluorooctanoic acid, and nanopolystyrene (nPS). Full MS, DDA, and DIA integrations were performed to comprehensively profile the C. elegans lipidome by Q-Exactive Plus MS. All annotated lipids were then analyzed using lipid ontology and pathway analysis. We annotated up to 940 lipids from 20 lipid classes involved in various functions and pathways. The biological investigations revealed that when C. elegans were exposed to nPS, lipid droplets were disrupted, whereas plasma membrane-functionalized lipids were likely to be changed in the TCS treatment group. The nPS treatment caused a significant disruption in lipid storage. Triacylglycerol, glycerophospholipid, and ether class lipids were those primarily hindered by toxicants. Finally, toxicant exposure frequently involved numerous lipid-related pathways, including the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway. In conclusion, an integrative data acquisition strategy was used to characterize the C. elegans lipidome, providing valuable biological insights into hypothesis generation and validation. Multiple data acquisitions were used to profile the lipidome of C. elegans. 940 detected lipids of 20 main classes involved in various pathways. Relevant hypotheses were generated using high-coverable lipidomics and pathways analysis.
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12
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Göethel G, Augsten LV, das Neves GM, Gonçalves IL, de Souza JPS, Garcia SC, Eifler-Lima VL. The role of alternative toxicological trials in drug discovery programs: The case of Caenorhabditis elegans and other methods. Curr Med Chem 2022; 29:5270-5288. [PMID: 35352642 DOI: 10.2174/0929867329666220329190825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of a new drug requires over a billion dollars and around 12 years of research efforts, and toxicity is the leading reason for failure to approve candidate drugs. Many alternative methods have been validated to detect toxicity as early as possible to diminish the waste of resources and efforts in medicinal chemistry research, and in vivo alternative methods are especially valuable for the amount of information they can give at little cost and in a short time. In this work, we present a review of the literature published between the years 2000 and 2021 of in vivo alternative methods of toxicity screening employed in medicinal chemistry, which we believe will be useful because, in addition to shortening research times, these studies provide much additional information aside from the toxicity of drug candidate compounds. These in vivo models include zebrafish, Artemia salina, Galleria mellonella, Drosophila melanogaster, planarians, and Caenorhabditis elegans as highlights. The most published ones in the last decade were zebrafish, D. melanogaster and C. elegans due to their reliability, ease and cost-effectiveness of implementation and flexibility. Special attention is given to C. elegans because of its rising popularity, a wide range of uses including toxicity screening, and active effects measurement, from antioxidant effects to anthelmintic and antimicrobial activities, and its fast and reliable results. Over time, C. elegans also became a viable high-throughput (HTS) automated drug screening option. Additionally, this manuscript lists briefly the other screening methods used for the initial toxicological analyses and the role of alternative in vivo methods in these scenarios, classifying them as in silico, in vitro and alternative in vivo models, the latter of which have been receiving a growing increase in interest in recent years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Göethel
- Laboratório de Toxicologia (LATOX). Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, College of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre - RS, Brazil
| | - Lucas Volnei Augsten
- Laboratório de Síntese Orgânica Medicinal (LaSOM), Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, College of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre - RS, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Machado das Neves
- Laboratório de Síntese Orgânica Medicinal (LaSOM), Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, College of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre - RS, Brazil
| | - Itamar Luís Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Síntese Orgânica Medicinal (LaSOM), Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, College of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre - RS, Brazil
| | - João Pedro Silveira de Souza
- Laboratório de Síntese Orgânica Medicinal (LaSOM), Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, College of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre - RS, Brazil
| | - Solange Cristina Garcia
- Laboratório de Toxicologia (LATOX). Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, College of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre - RS, Brazil
| | - Vera Lucia Eifler-Lima
- Laboratório de Síntese Orgânica Medicinal (LaSOM), Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, College of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre - RS, Brazil
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13
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Wainwright CL, Teixeira MM, Adelson DL, Buenz EJ, David B, Glaser KB, Harata-Lee Y, Howes MJR, Izzo AA, Maffia P, Mayer AM, Mazars C, Newman DJ, Nic Lughadha E, Pimenta AM, Parra JA, Qu Z, Shen H, Spedding M, Wolfender JL. Future Directions for the Discovery of Natural Product-Derived Immunomodulating Drugs. Pharmacol Res 2022; 177:106076. [PMID: 35074524 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106076] [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: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Drug discovery from natural sources is going through a renaissance, having spent many decades in the shadow of synthetic molecule drug discovery, despite the fact that natural product-derived compounds occupy a much greater chemical space than those created through synthetic chemistry methods. With this new era comes new possibilities, not least the novel targets that have emerged in recent times and the development of state-of-the-art technologies that can be applied to drug discovery from natural sources. Although progress has been made with some immunomodulating drugs, there remains a pressing need for new agents that can be used to treat the wide variety of conditions that arise from disruption, or over-activation, of the immune system; natural products may therefore be key in filling this gap. Recognising that, at present, there is no authoritative article that details the current state-of-the-art of the immunomodulatory activity of natural products, this in-depth review has arisen from a joint effort between the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR) Natural Products and Immunopharmacology, with contributions from a Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation number of world-leading researchers in the field of natural product drug discovery, to provide a "position statement" on what natural products has to offer in the search for new immunomodulatory argents. To this end, we provide a historical look at previous discoveries of naturally occurring immunomodulators, present a picture of the current status of the field and provide insight into the future opportunities and challenges for the discovery of new drugs to treat immune-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cherry L Wainwright
- Centre for Natural Products in Health, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK.
| | - Mauro M Teixeira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - David L Adelson
- Molecular & Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Australia.
| | - Eric J Buenz
- Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, New Zealand.
| | - Bruno David
- Green Mission Pierre Fabre, Pierre Fabre Laboratories, Toulouse, France.
| | - Keith B Glaser
- AbbVie Inc., Integrated Discovery Operations, North Chicago, USA.
| | - Yuka Harata-Lee
- Molecular & Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Melanie-Jayne R Howes
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK; Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, UK.
| | - Angelo A Izzo
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
| | - Pasquale Maffia
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Italy; Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Alejandro Ms Mayer
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, IL, USA.
| | - Claire Mazars
- Green Mission Pierre Fabre, Pierre Fabre Laboratories, Toulouse, France.
| | | | | | - Adriano Mc Pimenta
- Laboratory of Animal Venoms and Toxins, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - John Aa Parra
- Laboratory of Animal Venoms and Toxins, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Zhipeng Qu
- Molecular & Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Hanyuan Shen
- Molecular & Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Jean-Luc Wolfender
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
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14
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Maglioni S, Arsalan N, Hamacher A, Afshar S, Schiavi A, Beller M, Ventura N. High-Content C. elegans Screen Identifies Natural Compounds Impacting Mitochondria-Lipid Homeostasis and Promoting Healthspan. Cells 2021; 11:100. [PMID: 35011662 PMCID: PMC8750055 DOI: 10.3390/cells11010100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The aging process is concurrently shaped by genetic and extrinsic factors. In this work, we screened a small library of natural compounds, many of marine origin, to identify novel possible anti-aging interventions in Caenorhabditis elegans, a powerful model organism for aging studies. To this aim, we exploited a high-content microscopy platform to search for interventions able to induce phenotypes associated with mild mitochondrial stress, which is known to promote animal's health- and lifespan. Worms were initially exposed to three different concentrations of the drugs in liquid culture, in search of those affecting animal size and expression of mitochondrial stress response genes. This was followed by a validation step with nine compounds on solid media to refine compounds concentration, which led to the identification of four compounds (namely isobavachalcone, manzamine A, kahalalide F and lutein) consistently affecting development, fertility, size and lipid content of the nematodes. Treatment of Drosophila cells with the four hits confirmed their effects on mitochondria activity and lipid content. Out of these four, two were specifically chosen for analysis of age-related parameters, kahalalide F and lutein, which conferred increased resistance to heat and oxidative stress and extended animals' healthspan. We also found that, out of different mitochondrial stress response genes, only the C. elegans ortholog of the synaptic regulatory proteins neuroligins, nlg-1, was consistently induced by the two compounds and mediated lutein healthspan effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Maglioni
- IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany; (S.M.); (N.A.); (S.A.); (A.S.)
| | - Nayna Arsalan
- IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany; (S.M.); (N.A.); (S.A.); (A.S.)
| | - Anna Hamacher
- Institute for Mathematical Modeling of Biological Systems, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany; (A.H.); (M.B.)
- Systems Biology of Lipid Metabolism, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Shiwa Afshar
- IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany; (S.M.); (N.A.); (S.A.); (A.S.)
| | - Alfonso Schiavi
- IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany; (S.M.); (N.A.); (S.A.); (A.S.)
| | - Mathias Beller
- Institute for Mathematical Modeling of Biological Systems, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany; (A.H.); (M.B.)
- Systems Biology of Lipid Metabolism, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Natascia Ventura
- IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany; (S.M.); (N.A.); (S.A.); (A.S.)
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
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15
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Runfola M, Perni M, Yang X, Marchese M, Bacci A, Mero S, Santorelli FM, Polini B, Chiellini G, Giuliani D, Vilella A, Bodria M, Daini E, Vandini E, Rudge S, Gul S, Wakelam MOJ, Vendruscolo M, Rapposelli S. Identification of a Thyroid Hormone Derivative as a Pleiotropic Agent for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:1330. [PMID: 34959730 PMCID: PMC8704018 DOI: 10.3390/ph14121330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The identification of effective pharmacological tools for Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents one of the main challenges for therapeutic discovery. Due to the variety of pathological processes associated with AD, a promising route for pharmacological intervention involves the development of new chemical entities that can restore cellular homeostasis. To investigate this strategy, we designed and synthetized SG2, a compound related to the thyroid hormone thyroxine, that shares a pleiotropic activity with its endogenous parent compound, including autophagic flux promotion, neuroprotection, and metabolic reprogramming. We demonstrate herein that SG2 acts in a pleiotropic manner to induce recovery in a C. elegans model of AD based on the overexpression of Aβ42 and improves learning abilities in the 5XFAD mouse model of AD. Further, in vitro ADME-Tox profiling and toxicological studies in zebrafish confirmed the low toxicity of this compound, which represents a chemical starting point for AD drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Runfola
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (M.R.); (A.B.)
| | - Michele Perni
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (M.P.); (X.Y.)
| | - Xiaoting Yang
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (M.P.); (X.Y.)
| | - Maria Marchese
- Molecular Medicine, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Fondazione Stella Maris, Via dei Giacinti 2, 56128 Calambrone, Italy; (M.M.); (S.M.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Andrea Bacci
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (M.R.); (A.B.)
| | - Serena Mero
- Molecular Medicine, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Fondazione Stella Maris, Via dei Giacinti 2, 56128 Calambrone, Italy; (M.M.); (S.M.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Filippo M. Santorelli
- Molecular Medicine, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Fondazione Stella Maris, Via dei Giacinti 2, 56128 Calambrone, Italy; (M.M.); (S.M.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Beatrice Polini
- Department of Pathology, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (B.P.); (G.C.)
| | - Grazia Chiellini
- Department of Pathology, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (B.P.); (G.C.)
| | - Daniela Giuliani
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy; (D.G.); (A.V.); (M.B.); (E.D.); (E.V.)
| | - Antonietta Vilella
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy; (D.G.); (A.V.); (M.B.); (E.D.); (E.V.)
| | - Martina Bodria
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy; (D.G.); (A.V.); (M.B.); (E.D.); (E.V.)
| | - Eleonora Daini
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy; (D.G.); (A.V.); (M.B.); (E.D.); (E.V.)
| | - Eleonora Vandini
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy; (D.G.); (A.V.); (M.B.); (E.D.); (E.V.)
| | - Simon Rudge
- Ibabraham Research Campus, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK; (S.R.); (M.O.J.W.)
| | - Sheraz Gul
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Schnackenburgallee 114, 22525 Hamburg, Germany;
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases CIMD, Hamburg Site, Schnackenburgallee 114, 22525 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michale O. J. Wakelam
- Ibabraham Research Campus, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK; (S.R.); (M.O.J.W.)
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (M.P.); (X.Y.)
| | - Simona Rapposelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (M.R.); (A.B.)
- CISUP, Center for Instrument Sharing, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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16
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Dyshlyuk LS, Dmitrieva AI, Drozdova MY, Milentyeva IS, Prosekov AY. Relevance of bioassay of biologically active substances (BAS) with geroprotective properties in the model of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans in experiments in vivo. Curr Aging Sci 2021; 15:121-134. [PMID: 34856917 DOI: 10.2174/1874609814666211202144911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Aging is a process global in nature. The age of living organisms contributes to the appearance of chronic diseases, which not only reduce the quality of life, but also significantly damage it. Modern medicines can successfully fight multiple diseases and prolong life. At the same time, medications have a large number of side effects. New research indicates that bioactive phytochemicals have great potential for treating even the most severe diseases and can become an alternative to medicines. Despite many studies in this area, the effects of many plant ingredients on living organisms are poorly understood. Analysis of the mechanisms through which herbal preparations influence the aging process helps to select the right active substances, determine the optimal doses to obtain the maximum positive effect. It is preferable to check the effectiveness of plant extracts and biologically active components with geroprotective properties in vivo. For these purposes, live model systems such as Rattus rattus, Mus musculus, Drosophila melanogaster, and Caenorhabditis elegans are used. These models help to comprehensively study the impact of the developed new drugs on the aging process. The model organism C. elegans is gaining increasing popularity in these studies because of its many advantages. This review article discusses the advantages of the nematode C. elegans as a model organism for studying the processes associated with aging. The influence of various BAS and plant extracts on the increase in the life span of the nematode, on the increase in its stress resistance and on other markers of aging is also considered. The review showed that the nematode C. elegans has a number of advantages over other organisms and is a promising model system for studying the geroprotective properties of BAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyubov S Dyshlyuk
- Natural Nutraceutical Bioassay Laboratory. Kemerovo State University,6 Krasnaya str., Kemerovo, 650043. Russian Federation
| | - Anastasiya I Dmitrieva
- Natural Nutraceutical Bioassay Laboratory. Kemerovo State University,6 Krasnaya str., Kemerovo, 650043. Russian Federation
| | - Margarita Yu Drozdova
- Natural Nutraceutical Bioassay Laboratory. Kemerovo State University,6 Krasnaya str., Kemerovo, 650043. Russian Federation
| | - Irina S Milentyeva
- Natural Nutraceutical Bioassay Laboratory. Kemerovo State University,6 Krasnaya str., Kemerovo, 650043. Russian Federation
| | - Alexander Yu Prosekov
- Natural Nutraceutical Bioassay Laboratory. Kemerovo State University,6 Krasnaya str., Kemerovo, 650043. Russian Federation
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17
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Dhondt I, Verschuuren C, Zečić A, Loier T, Braeckman BP, De Vos WH. Prediction of biological age by morphological staging of sarcopenia in Caenorhabditis elegans. Dis Model Mech 2021; 14:272684. [PMID: 34723324 PMCID: PMC8649172 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sarcopenia encompasses a progressive decline in muscle quantity and quality. Given its close association with ageing, it may represent a valuable healthspan marker. The commonalities with human muscle structure and facile visualization possibilities make Caenorhabditis elegans an attractive model for studying the relationship between sarcopenia and healthspan. However, classical visual assessment of muscle architecture is subjective and has low throughput. To resolve this, we have developed an image analysis pipeline for the quantification of muscle integrity in confocal microscopy images from a cohort of ageing myosin::GFP reporter worms. We extracted a variety of morphological descriptors and found a subset to scale linearly with age. This allowed establishing a linear model that predicts biological age from a morphological muscle signature. To validate the model, we evaluated muscle architecture in long-lived worms that are known to experience delayed sarcopenia by targeted knockdown of the daf-2 gene. We conclude that quantitative microscopy allows for staging sarcopenia in C. elegans and may foster the development of image-based screens in this model organism to identify modulators that mitigate age-related muscle frailty and thus improve healthspan. Summary: A tool for quantitative image analysis of muscle deterioration that allows predicting healthspan in the nematode model Caenorhabditis elegans and may lead to the first C. elegans-based high-throughput sarcopenia screening platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ineke Dhondt
- Biology Department, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Clara Verschuuren
- Biology Department, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Aleksandra Zečić
- Biology Department, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tim Loier
- Biology Department, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bart P Braeckman
- Biology Department, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Winnok H De Vos
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
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18
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Caenorhabditis elegans as a model for obesity research. Curr Res Food Sci 2021; 4:692-697. [PMID: 34647034 PMCID: PMC8501670 DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2021.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans, a free-living nematode, is an animal model that has been extensively employed in a variety of research fields, including in the study of obesity. Its favorable features include its compact size, short life cycle, large brood size, easy handling, low cost, availability of complete genetic information, 65% conserved human diseases-associated genes, relatively easy genetic manipulation, and research using Caenorhabditis elegans does not require approvals by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. These advantages make Caenorhabditis elegans a great in vivo model for life science research including obesity research. In this review, we provide graphic overviews of Caenorhabditis elegans' basic anatomy, growth conditions, routes of compound delivery, and fat metabolism, both synthesis and degradation pathways, including major signaling pathways involved. Our aim is to provide an overview for researchers interested in applying C. elegans as an in vivo model for the screening and identification of anti-obesity bioactive compounds prior to testing in vertebrate animal models.
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