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Tanaka T, Chung HL. Exploiting fly models to investigate rare human neurological disorders. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:21-28. [PMID: 38767473 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-23-01847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Rare neurological diseases, while individually are rare, collectively impact millions globally, leading to diverse and often severe neurological symptoms. Often attributed to genetic mutations that disrupt protein function or structure, understanding their genetic basis is crucial for accurate diagnosis and targeted therapies. To investigate the underlying pathogenesis of these conditions, researchers often use non-mammalian model organisms, such as Drosophila (fruit flies), which is valued for their genetic manipulability, cost-efficiency, and preservation of genes and biological functions across evolutionary time. Genetic tools available in Drosophila, including CRISPR-Cas9, offer a means to manipulate gene expression, allowing for a deep exploration of the genetic underpinnings of rare neurological diseases. Drosophila boasts a versatile genetic toolkit, rapid generation turnover, and ease of large-scale experimentation, making it an invaluable resource for identifying potential drug candidates. Researchers can expose flies carrying disease-associated mutations to various compounds, rapidly pinpointing promising therapeutic agents for further investigation in mammalian models and, ultimately, clinical trials. In this comprehensive review, we explore rare neurological diseases where fly research has significantly contributed to our understanding of their genetic basis, pathophysiology, and potential therapeutic implications. We discuss rare diseases associated with both neuron-expressed and glial-expressed genes. Specific cases include mutations in CDK19 resulting in epilepsy and developmental delay, mutations in TIAM1 leading to a neurodevelopmental disorder with seizures and language delay, and mutations in IRF2BPL causing seizures, a neurodevelopmental disorder with regression, loss of speech, and abnormal movements. And we explore mutations in EMC1 related to cerebellar atrophy, visual impairment, psychomotor retardation, and gain-of-function mutations in ACOX1 causing Mitchell syndrome. Loss-of-function mutations in ACOX1 result in ACOX1 deficiency, characterized by very-long-chain fatty acid accumulation and glial degeneration. Notably, this review highlights how modeling these diseases in Drosophila has provided valuable insights into their pathophysiology, offering a platform for the rapid identification of potential therapeutic interventions. Rare neurological diseases involve a wide range of expression systems, and sometimes common phenotypes can be found among different genes that cause abnormalities in neurons or glia. Furthermore, mutations within the same gene may result in varying functional outcomes, such as complete loss of function, partial loss of function, or gain-of-function mutations. The phenotypes observed in patients can differ significantly, underscoring the complexity of these conditions. In conclusion, Drosophila represents an indispensable and cost-effective tool for investigating rare neurological diseases. By facilitating the modeling of these conditions, Drosophila contributes to a deeper understanding of their genetic basis, pathophysiology, and potential therapies. This approach accelerates the discovery of promising drug candidates, ultimately benefiting patients affected by these complex and understudied diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Tanaka
- Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hyung-Lok Chung
- Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
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2
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Gowda SBM, Banu A, Hussain S, Mohammad F. Neuronal mechanisms regulating locomotion in adult Drosophila. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25332. [PMID: 38646942 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
The coordinated action of multiple leg joints and muscles is required even for the simplest movements. Understanding the neuronal circuits and mechanisms that generate precise movements is essential for comprehending the neuronal basis of the locomotion and to infer the neuronal mechanisms underlying several locomotor-related diseases. Drosophila melanogaster provides an excellent model system for investigating the neuronal circuits underlying motor behaviors due to its simple nervous system and genetic accessibility. This review discusses current genetic methods for studying locomotor circuits and their function in adult Drosophila. We highlight recently identified neuronal pathways that modulate distinct forward and backward locomotion and describe the underlying neuronal control of leg swing and stance phases in freely moving flies. We also report various automated leg tracking methods to measure leg motion parameters and define inter-leg coordination, gait and locomotor speed of freely moving adult flies. Finally, we emphasize the role of leg proprioceptive signals to central motor circuits in leg coordination. Together, this review highlights the utility of adult Drosophila as a model to uncover underlying motor circuitry and the functional organization of the leg motor system that governs correct movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swetha B M Gowda
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
| | - Ayesha Banu
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
| | - Sadam Hussain
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
| | - Farhan Mohammad
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
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3
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Zhu JY, van de Leemput J, Han Z. Promoting mitochondrial dynamics by inhibiting the PINK1-PRKN pathway to relieve diabetic nephropathy. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050471. [PMID: 38602042 PMCID: PMC11095637 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050471] [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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose levels and is a leading cause of kidney disease. Diabetic nephropathy has been attributed to dysfunctional mitochondria. However, many questions remain about the exact mechanism. The structure, function and molecular pathways are highly conserved between mammalian podocytes and Drosophila nephrocytes; therefore, we used flies on a high-sucrose diet to model type 2 diabetic nephropathy. The nephrocytes from flies on a high-sucrose diet showed a significant functional decline and decreased cell size, associated with a shortened lifespan. Structurally, the nephrocyte filtration structure, known as the slit diaphragm, was disorganized. At the cellular level, we found altered mitochondrial dynamics and dysfunctional mitochondria. Regulating mitochondrial dynamics by either genetic modification of the Pink1-Park (mammalian PINK1-PRKN) pathway or treatment with BGP-15, mitigated the mitochondrial defects and nephrocyte functional decline. These findings support a role for Pink1-Park-mediated mitophagy and associated control of mitochondrial dynamics in diabetic nephropathy, and demonstrate that targeting this pathway might provide therapeutic benefits for type 2 diabetic nephropathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-yi Zhu
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Joyce van de Leemput
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Zhe Han
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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4
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Gomez A, Gonzalez S, Oke A, Luo J, Duong JB, Esquerra RM, Zimmerman T, Capponi S, Fung JC, Nystul TG. A high-throughput method for quantifying Drosophila fecundity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.27.587093. [PMID: 38585877 PMCID: PMC10996622 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.27.587093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Measurements of Drosophila fecundity are used in a wide variety of studies, such as investigations of stem cell biology, nutrition, behavior, and toxicology. In addition, because fecundity assays are performed on live flies, they are suitable for longitudinal studies such as investigations of aging or prolonged chemical exposure. However, standard Drosophila fecundity assays have been difficult to perform in a high-throughput manner because experimental factors such as the physiological state of the flies and environmental cues must be carefully controlled to achieve consistent results. In addition, exposing flies to a large number of different experimental conditions (such as chemical additives in the diet) and manually counting the number of eggs laid to determine the impact on fecundity is time-consuming. We have overcome these challenges by combining a new multiwell fly culture strategy with a novel 3D-printed fly transfer device to rapidly and accurately transfer flies from one plate to another; the RoboCam, a low-cost, custom built robotic camera to capture images of the wells automatically; and an image segmentation pipeline to automatically identify and quantify eggs. We show that this method is compatible with robust and consistent egg laying throughout the assay period; and demonstrate that the automated pipeline for quantifying fecundity is very accurate (r2 = 0.98 for the correlation between the automated egg counts and the ground truth) In addition, we show that this method can be used to efficiently detect the effects on fecundity induced by dietary exposure to chemicals. Taken together, this strategy substantially increases the efficiency and reproducibility of high throughput egg laying assays that require exposing flies to multiple different media conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreana Gomez
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Anatomy
| | - Sergio Gonzalez
- San Francisco State University, Department of Biology
- Center for Cellular Construction, San Francisco, CA
| | - Ashwini Oke
- San Francisco State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; University of California, San Francisco, OB/GYN Department
- IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose, CA; University of California, San Francisco, Center for Reproductive Sciences
| | - Jiayu Luo
- San Francisco State University, Department of Biology
- Center for Cellular Construction, San Francisco, CA
| | - Johnny B Duong
- Center for Cellular Construction, San Francisco, CA
- San Francisco State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; University of California, San Francisco, OB/GYN Department
| | - Raymond M Esquerra
- Center for Cellular Construction, San Francisco, CA
- San Francisco State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; University of California, San Francisco, OB/GYN Department
| | - Thomas Zimmerman
- Center for Cellular Construction, San Francisco, CA
- IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose, CA; University of California, San Francisco, Center for Reproductive Sciences
| | - Sara Capponi
- Center for Cellular Construction, San Francisco, CA
- IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose, CA; University of California, San Francisco, Center for Reproductive Sciences
| | - Jennifer C Fung
- San Francisco State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; University of California, San Francisco, OB/GYN Department
- IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose, CA; University of California, San Francisco, Center for Reproductive Sciences
- University of California, San Francisco EaRTH Center
| | - Todd G Nystul
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Anatomy
- San Francisco State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; University of California, San Francisco, OB/GYN Department
- IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose, CA; University of California, San Francisco, Center for Reproductive Sciences
- University of California, San Francisco EaRTH Center
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5
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Catalani E, Brunetti K, Del Quondam S, Bongiorni S, Picchietti S, Fausto AM, Lupidi G, Marcantoni E, Perrotta C, Achille G, Buonanno F, Ortenzi C, Cervia D. Exposure to the Natural Compound Climacostol Induces Cell Damage and Oxidative Stress in the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster. TOXICS 2024; 12:102. [PMID: 38393197 PMCID: PMC10891975 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12020102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
The ciliate Climacostomum virens produces the metabolite climacostol that displays antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity on human and rodent tumor cells. Given its potential as a backbone in pharmacological studies, we used the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to evaluate how the xenobiotic climacostol affects biological systems in vivo at the organismal level. Food administration with climacostol demonstrated its harmful role during larvae developmental stages but not pupation. The midgut of eclosed larvae showed apoptosis and increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus demonstrating gastrointestinal toxicity. Climacostol did not affect enteroendocrine cell proliferation, suggesting moderate damage that does not initiate the repairing program. The fact that climacostol increased brain ROS and inhibited the proliferation of neural cells revealed a systemic (neurotoxic) role of this harmful substance. In this line, we found lower expression of relevant antioxidant enzymes in the larvae and impaired mitochondrial activity. Adult offsprings presented no major alterations in survival and mobility, as well the absence of abnormal phenotypes. However, mitochondrial activity and oviposition behavior was somewhat affected, indicating the chronic toxicity of climacostol, which continues moderately until adult stages. These results revealed for the first time the detrimental role of ingested climacostol in a non-target multicellular organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Catalani
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems (DIBAF), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.C.); (K.B.); (S.D.Q.); (S.P.); (A.M.F.)
| | - Kashi Brunetti
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems (DIBAF), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.C.); (K.B.); (S.D.Q.); (S.P.); (A.M.F.)
| | - Simona Del Quondam
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems (DIBAF), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.C.); (K.B.); (S.D.Q.); (S.P.); (A.M.F.)
| | - Silvia Bongiorni
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy;
| | - Simona Picchietti
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems (DIBAF), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.C.); (K.B.); (S.D.Q.); (S.P.); (A.M.F.)
| | - Anna Maria Fausto
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems (DIBAF), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.C.); (K.B.); (S.D.Q.); (S.P.); (A.M.F.)
| | - Gabriele Lupidi
- School of Science and Technology, Section of Chemistry, Università degli Studi di Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.L.); (E.M.)
| | - Enrico Marcantoni
- School of Science and Technology, Section of Chemistry, Università degli Studi di Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.L.); (E.M.)
| | - Cristiana Perrotta
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (DIBIC), Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milano, Italy;
| | - Gabriele Achille
- Laboratory of Protistology and Biology Education, Department of Education, Cultural Heritage, and Tourism (ECHT), Università degli Studi di Macerata, 62100 Macerata, Italy; (G.A.); (F.B.); (C.O.)
| | - Federico Buonanno
- Laboratory of Protistology and Biology Education, Department of Education, Cultural Heritage, and Tourism (ECHT), Università degli Studi di Macerata, 62100 Macerata, Italy; (G.A.); (F.B.); (C.O.)
| | - Claudio Ortenzi
- Laboratory of Protistology and Biology Education, Department of Education, Cultural Heritage, and Tourism (ECHT), Università degli Studi di Macerata, 62100 Macerata, Italy; (G.A.); (F.B.); (C.O.)
| | - Davide Cervia
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems (DIBAF), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.C.); (K.B.); (S.D.Q.); (S.P.); (A.M.F.)
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6
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Yamamoto S, Kanca O, Wangler MF, Bellen HJ. Integrating non-mammalian model organisms in the diagnosis of rare genetic diseases in humans. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:46-60. [PMID: 37491400 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00633-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Next-generation sequencing technology has rapidly accelerated the discovery of genetic variants of interest in individuals with rare diseases. However, showing that these variants are causative of the disease in question is complex and may require functional studies. Use of non-mammalian model organisms - mainly fruitflies (Drosophila melanogaster), nematode worms (Caenorhabditis elegans) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) - enables the rapid and cost-effective assessment of the effects of gene variants, which can then be validated in mammalian model organisms such as mice and in human cells. By probing mechanisms of gene action and identifying interacting genes and proteins in vivo, recent studies in these non-mammalian model organisms have facilitated the diagnosis of numerous genetic diseases and have enabled the screening and identification of therapeutic options for patients. Studies in non-mammalian model organisms have also shown that the biological processes underlying rare diseases can provide insight into more common mechanisms of disease and the biological functions of genes. Here, we discuss the opportunities afforded by non-mammalian model organisms, focusing on flies, worms and fish, and provide examples of their use in the diagnosis of rare genetic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Yamamoto
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Oguz Kanca
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael F Wangler
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Hugo J Bellen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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7
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Lagunas-Rangel FA, Liao S, Williams MJ, Trukhan V, Fredriksson R, Schiöth HB. Drosophila as a Rapid Screening Model to Evaluate the Hypoglycemic Effects of Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 (DPP4) Inhibitors: High Evolutionary Conservation of DPP4. Biomedicines 2023; 11:3032. [PMID: 38002032 PMCID: PMC10669173 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11113032] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitors, commonly known as gliptins, have been an integral part of the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) for several years. Despite their remarkable efficacy in lowering glucose levels and their compatibility with other hypoglycemic drugs, recent studies have revealed adverse effects, prompting the search for improved drugs within this category, which has required the use of animal models to verify the hypoglycemic effects of these compounds. Currently, in many countries the use of mammals is being significantly restricted, as well as cost prohibitive, and alternative in vivo approaches have been encouraged. In this sense, Drosophila has emerged as a promising alternative for several compelling reasons: it is cost-effective, offers high experimental throughput, is genetically manipulable, and allows the assessment of multigenerational effects, among other advantages. In this study, we present evidence that diprotin A, a DPP4 inhibitor, effectively reduces glucose levels in Drosophila hemolymph. This discovery underscores the potential of Drosophila as an initial screening tool for novel compounds directed against DPP4 enzymatic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Alejandro Lagunas-Rangel
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, 751 24 Uppsala, Sweden; (F.A.L.-R.); (S.L.); (M.J.W.)
| | - Sifang Liao
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, 751 24 Uppsala, Sweden; (F.A.L.-R.); (S.L.); (M.J.W.)
| | - Michael J. Williams
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, 751 24 Uppsala, Sweden; (F.A.L.-R.); (S.L.); (M.J.W.)
| | | | - Robert Fredriksson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, 751 24 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Helgi B. Schiöth
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, 751 24 Uppsala, Sweden; (F.A.L.-R.); (S.L.); (M.J.W.)
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8
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Bertrand M, Szeremeta F, Hervouet-Coste N, Sarou-Kanian V, Landon C, Morisset-Lopez S, Decoville M. An adult Drosophila glioma model to highlight metabolic dysfunctions and evaluate the role of the serotonin 5-HT 7 receptor as a potential therapeutic target. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23230. [PMID: 37781977 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202300783rr] [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: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Gliomas account for 50% of brain cancers and are therefore the most common brain tumors. Molecular alterations involved in adult gliomas have been identified and mainly affect tyrosine kinase receptors with amplification and/or mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its associated signaling pathways. Several targeted therapies have been developed, but current treatments remain ineffective for glioblastomas, the most severe forms. Thus, it is a priority to identify new pharmacological targets. Drosophila glioma models established in larvae and adults are useful to identify new genes and signaling pathways involved in glioma progression. Here, we used a Drosophila glioma model in adults, to characterize metabolic disturbances associated with glioma and assess the consequences of 5-HT7 R expression on glioma development. First, by using in vivo magnetic resonance imaging, we have shown that expression of the constitutively active forms of EGFR and PI3K in adult glial cells induces brain enlargement. Then, we explored altered cellular metabolism by using high-resolution magic angle spinning NMR and 1 H-13 C heteronuclear single quantum coherence solution states. Discriminant metabolites identified highlight the rewiring of metabolic pathways in glioma and associated cachexia phenotypes. Finally, the expression of 5-HT7 R in this adult model attenuates phenotypes associated with glioma development. Collectively, this whole-animal approach in Drosophila allowed us to provide several rapid and robust phenotype readouts, such as enlarged brain volume and glioma-associated cachexia, as well as to determine the metabolic pathways involved in glioma genesis and finally to confirm the interest of the 5-HT7 R in the treatment of glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marylène Bertrand
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire-CBM, UPR 4301, CNRS, Orléans, France
| | | | | | - Vincent Sarou-Kanian
- Conditions Extrêmes et Matériaux: Haute Température et Irradiation-CEMHTI-CNRS UPR 3079, Orléans, France
| | - Céline Landon
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire-CBM, UPR 4301, CNRS, Orléans, France
| | | | - Martine Decoville
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire-CBM, UPR 4301, CNRS, Orléans, France
- UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université d'Orléans, Orléans, France
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9
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Holvoet H, Long DM, Yang L, Choi J, Marney L, Poeck B, Maier CS, Soumyanath A, Kretzschmar D, Strauss R. Chlorogenic Acids, Acting via Calcineurin, Are the Main Compounds in Centella asiatica Extracts That Mediate Resilience to Chronic Stress in Drosophila melanogaster. Nutrients 2023; 15:4016. [PMID: 37764799 PMCID: PMC10537055 DOI: 10.3390/nu15184016] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Common symptoms of depressive disorders include anhedonia, sleep problems, and reduced physical activity. Drugs used to treat depression mostly aim to increase serotonin signaling but these can have unwanted side effects. Depression has also been treated by traditional medicine using plants like Centella asiatica (CA) and this has been found to be well tolerated. However, very few controlled studies have addressed CA's protective role in depression, nor have the active compounds or mechanisms that mediate this function been identified. To address this issue, we used Drosophila melanogaster to investigate whether CA can improve depression-associated symptoms like anhedonia and decreased climbing activity. We found that a water extract of CA provides resilience to stress induced phenotypes and that this effect is primarily due to mono-caffeoylquinic acids found in CA. Furthermore, we describe that the protective function of CA is due to a synergy between chlorogenic acid and one of its isomers also present in CA. However, increasing the concentration of chlorogenic acid can overcome the requirement for the second isomer. Lastly, we found that chlorogenic acid acts via calcineurin, a multifunctional phosphatase that can regulate synaptic transmission and plasticity and is also involved in neuronal maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Holvoet
- Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie und Neurobiologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (H.H.)
| | - Dani M. Long
- BENFRA Botanical Dietary Supplements Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA (L.Y.); (J.C.); (A.S.)
- Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Liping Yang
- BENFRA Botanical Dietary Supplements Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA (L.Y.); (J.C.); (A.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Jaewoo Choi
- BENFRA Botanical Dietary Supplements Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA (L.Y.); (J.C.); (A.S.)
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Luke Marney
- BENFRA Botanical Dietary Supplements Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA (L.Y.); (J.C.); (A.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Burkhard Poeck
- Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie und Neurobiologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (H.H.)
| | - Claudia S. Maier
- BENFRA Botanical Dietary Supplements Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA (L.Y.); (J.C.); (A.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Amala Soumyanath
- BENFRA Botanical Dietary Supplements Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA (L.Y.); (J.C.); (A.S.)
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Doris Kretzschmar
- BENFRA Botanical Dietary Supplements Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA (L.Y.); (J.C.); (A.S.)
- Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Roland Strauss
- Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie und Neurobiologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (H.H.)
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10
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Datta I, Vassel T, Linkous B, Odum T, Drew C, Taylor A, Bangi E. A targeted genetic modifier screen in Drosophila uncovers vulnerabilities in a genetically complex model of colon cancer. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad053. [PMID: 36880303 PMCID: PMC10151408 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Received on 16 January 2023; accepted on 21 February 2023Kinases are key regulators of cellular signal transduction pathways. Many diseases, including cancer, are associated with global alterations in protein phosphorylation networks. As a result, kinases are frequent targets of drug discovery efforts. However, target identification and assessment, a critical step in targeted drug discovery that involves identifying essential genetic mediators of disease phenotypes, can be challenging in complex, heterogeneous diseases like cancer, where multiple concurrent genomic alterations are common. Drosophila is a particularly useful genetic model system to identify novel regulators of biological processes through unbiased genetic screens. Here, we report 2 classic genetic modifier screens focusing on the Drosophila kinome to identify kinase regulators in 2 different backgrounds: KRAS TP53 PTEN APC, a multigenic cancer model that targets 4 genes recurrently mutated in human colon tumors and KRAS alone, a simpler model that targets one of the most frequently altered pathways in cancer. These screens identified hits unique to each model and one shared by both, emphasizing the importance of capturing the genetic complexity of human tumor genome landscapes in experimental models. Our follow-up analysis of 2 hits from the KRAS-only screen suggests that classical genetic modifier screens in heterozygous mutant backgrounds that result in a modest, nonlethal reduction in candidate gene activity in the context of a whole animal-a key goal of systemic drug treatment-may be a particularly useful approach to identify the most rate-limiting genetic vulnerabilities in disease models as ideal candidate drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishwaree Datta
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32304, USA
| | - Tajah Vassel
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32304, USA
| | - Benjamin Linkous
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32304, USA
| | - Tyler Odum
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32304, USA
| | - Christian Drew
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32304, USA
| | - Andrew Taylor
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32304, USA
| | - Erdem Bangi
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32304, USA
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11
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Yang J, Zhang D, Cai Y, Yu K, Li M, Liu L, Chen X. Computational Prediction of Drug Phenotypic Effects Based on Substructure-Phenotype Associations. IEEE/ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS 2023; 20:256-265. [PMID: 35239490 DOI: 10.1109/tcbb.2022.3155453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Identifying drug phenotypic effects, including therapeutic effects and adverse drug reactions (ADRs), is an inseparable part for evaluating the potentiality of new drug candidates (NDCs). However, current computational methods for predicting phenotypic effects of NDCs are mainly based on the overall structure of an NDC or a related target. These approaches often lead to inconsistencies between the structures and functions and limit the prediction space of NDCs. In this study, first, we constructed quantitative associations of substructure-domain, domain-ADR, and domain-ATC (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System code) through L1LOG and L1SVM machine learning models. These associations represent relationships between phenotypes (ADRs and ATCs) and local structures of drugs and proteins. Then, based on these established associations, substructure-phenotype relationships were constructed which were utilized to quantify drug-phenotype relationships. Thus, this approach could achieve high-throughput and effective evaluations of the druggability of NDCs by referring to the established substructure-phenotype relationships and structural information of NDCs without additional prior knowledge. Using this computational pipeline, 83,205 drug-ATC relationships (including 1,479 drugs and 178 ATCs) and 306,421 drug-ADR relationships (including 1,752 drugs and 454 ADRs) were predicted in total. The prediction results were validated at four levels: five-fold cross validation, public databases, literature, and molecular docking. Furthermore, three case studies demonstrated the feasibility of our method. 79 ATCs and 269 ADRs were predicted to be related to Maraviroc, an approved drug, including the existing antiviral effect in clinical use. Additionally, we also found risk substructures of severe ADRs, for example, SUB215 (>= 1, saturated or only aromatic carbon ring size 7) can result in shock. And we analyzed the mechanism of action (MOA) of interested drugs based on the established drug-substructure-domain-protein associations. In a word, this approach through establishing drug-substructure-phenotype relationships can achieve quantitative prediction of phenotypes for a given NDC or drug without any prior knowledge except its structure information. Using that way, we can directly obtain the relationships between substructure and phenotype of a compound, which is more convenient to analyze the phenotypic mechanism of drugs and accelerate the process of rational drug design.
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12
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Xiu M, Wang Y, Yang D, Zhang X, Dai Y, Liu Y, Lin X, Li B, He J. Using Drosophila melanogaster as a suitable platform for drug discovery from natural products in inflammatory bowel disease. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1072715. [PMID: 36545307 PMCID: PMC9760693 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1072715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and life-treating inflammatory disease that can occur in multiple parts of the human intestine and has become a worldwide problem with a continually increasing incidence. Because of its mild early symptoms, most of them will not attract people's attention and may cause more serious consequences. There is an urgent need for new therapeutics to prevent disease progression. Natural products have a variety of active ingredients, diverse biological activities, and low toxicity or side effects, which are the new options for preventing and treating the intestinal inflammatory diseases. Because of multiple genetic models, less ethical concerns, conserved signaling pathways with mammals, and low maintenance costs, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has become a suitable model for studying mechanism and treatment strategy of IBD. Here, we review the advantages of fly model as screening platform in drug discovery, describe the conserved molecular pathways as therapetic targets for IBD between mammals and flies, dissect the feasibility of Drosophila model in IBD research, and summarize the natural products for IBD treatment using flies. This review comprehensively elaborates that the benefit of flies as a perfact model to evaluate the therapeutic potential of phytochemicals against IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Xiu
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China,Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Dunhuang Medicine, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yixuan Wang
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Dan Yang
- College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xueyan Zhang
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuting Dai
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yongqi Liu
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Dunhuang Medicine, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xingyao Lin
- Key Laboratory of Dunhuang Medicine, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou, China
| | - Botong Li
- College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jianzheng He
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Dunhuang Medicine, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou, China,College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China,*Correspondence: Jianzheng He,
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13
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Yang S, Tian M, Dai Y, Feng S, Wang Y, Chhangani D, Ou T, Li W, Yang Z, McAdow J, Rincon-Limas DE, Yin X, Tai W, Cheng G, Johnson A. Infection and chronic disease activate a brain-muscle signaling axis that regulates muscle performance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2020.12.20.423533. [PMID: 33398283 PMCID: PMC7781322 DOI: 10.1101/2020.12.20.423533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Infections and neurodegenerative diseases induce neuroinflammation, but affected individuals often show a number of non-neural symptoms including muscle pain and muscle fatigue. The molecular pathways by which neuroinflammation causes pathologies outside the central nervous system (CNS) are poorly understood, so we developed three models to investigate the impact of neuroinflammation on muscle performance. We found that bacterial infection, COVID-like viral infection, and expression of a neurotoxic protein associated with Alzheimer' s disease promoted the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the brain. Excessive ROS induces the expression of the cytokine Unpaired 3 (Upd3) in insects, or its orthologue IL-6 in mammals, and CNS-derived Upd3/IL-6 activates the JAK/Stat pathway in skeletal muscle. In response to JAK/Stat signaling, mitochondrial function is impaired and muscle performance is reduced. Our work uncovers a brain-muscle signaling axis in which infections and chronic diseases induce cytokine-dependent changes in muscle performance, suggesting IL-6 could be a therapeutic target to treat muscle weakness caused by neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Yang
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Meijie Tian
- Genetics Branch, Oncogenomics Section, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yulong Dai
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, P.R. China
| | - Shengyong Feng
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yunyun Wang
- Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Department of Forensic Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Deepak Chhangani
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Tiffany Ou
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Wenle Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics & Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China
| | - Ze Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Jennifer McAdow
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Diego E. Rincon-Limas
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Xin Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, P.R. China
| | - Wanbo Tai
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Gong Cheng
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Aaron Johnson
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Lead corresponding author
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14
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Munnik C, Xaba MP, Malindisa ST, Russell BL, Sooklal SA. Drosophila melanogaster: A platform for anticancer drug discovery and personalized therapies. Front Genet 2022; 13:949241. [PMID: 36003330 PMCID: PMC9393232 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.949241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a complex disease whereby multiple genetic aberrations, epigenetic modifications, metabolic reprogramming, and the microenvironment contribute to the development of a tumor. In the traditional anticancer drug discovery pipeline, drug candidates are usually screened in vitro using two-dimensional or three-dimensional cell culture. However, these methods fail to accurately mimic the human disease state. This has led to the poor success rate of anticancer drugs in the preclinical stages since many drugs are abandoned due to inefficacy or toxicity when transitioned to whole-organism models. The common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has emerged as a beneficial system for modeling human cancers. Decades of fundamental research have shown the evolutionary conservation of key genes and signaling pathways between flies and humans. Moreover, Drosophila has a lower genetic redundancy in comparison to mammals. These factors, in addition to the advancement of genetic toolkits for manipulating gene expression, allow for the generation of complex Drosophila genotypes and phenotypes. Numerous studies have successfully created Drosophila models for colorectal, lung, thyroid, and brain cancers. These models were utilized in the high-throughput screening of FDA-approved drugs which led to the identification of several compounds capable of reducing proliferation and rescuing phenotypes. More noteworthy, Drosophila has also unlocked the potential for personalized therapies. Drosophila ‘avatars’ presenting the same mutations as a patient are used to screen multiple therapeutic agents targeting multiple pathways to find the most appropriate combination of drugs. The outcomes of these studies have translated to significant responses in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma and metastatic colorectal cancers. Despite not being widely utilized, the concept of in vivo screening of drugs in Drosophila is making significant contributions to the current drug discovery pipeline. In this review, we discuss the application of Drosophila as a platform in anticancer drug discovery; with special focus on the cancer models that have been generated, drug libraries that have been screened and the status of personalized therapies. In addition, we elaborate on the biological and technical limitations of this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chamoné Munnik
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Malungi P. Xaba
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Sibusiso T. Malindisa
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Bonnie L. Russell
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- Buboo (Pty) Ltd, The Innovation Hub, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Selisha A. Sooklal
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Selisha A. Sooklal,
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15
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Tello JA, Williams HE, Eppler RM, Steinhilb ML, Khanna M. Animal Models of Neurodegenerative Disease: Recent Advances in Fly Highlight Innovative Approaches to Drug Discovery. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:883358. [PMID: 35514431 PMCID: PMC9063566 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.883358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases represent a formidable challenge to global health. As advances in other areas of medicine grant healthy living into later decades of life, aging diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders can diminish the quality of these additional years, owed largely to the lack of efficacious treatments and the absence of durable cures. Alzheimer's disease prevalence is predicted to more than double in the next 30 years, affecting nearly 15 million Americans, with AD-associated costs exceeding $1 billion by 2050. Delaying onset of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases is critical to improving the quality of life for patients and reducing the burden of disease on caregivers and healthcare systems. Significant progress has been made to model disease pathogenesis and identify points of therapeutic intervention. While some researchers have contributed to our understanding of the proteins and pathways that drive biological dysfunction in disease using in vitro and in vivo models, others have provided mathematical, biophysical, and computational technologies to identify potential therapeutic compounds using in silico modeling. The most exciting phase of the drug discovery process is now: by applying a target-directed approach that leverages the strengths of multiple techniques and validates lead hits using Drosophila as an animal model of disease, we are on the fast-track to identifying novel therapeutics to restore health to those impacted by neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith A. Tello
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Center of Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Haley E. Williams
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Center of Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Robert M. Eppler
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, United States
| | - Michelle L. Steinhilb
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, United States
| | - May Khanna
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Center of Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
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16
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Safety studies of polyethylene glycol–hydroxyapatite nanocomposites on Drosophila melanogaster: an in vivo model. APPLIED NANOSCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13204-021-02284-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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17
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Scholl A, Ndoja I, Jiang L. Drosophila Trachea as a Novel Model of COPD. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312730. [PMID: 34884534 PMCID: PMC8658011 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
COPD, a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Clinical studies and research in rodent models demonstrated that failure of repair mechanisms to cope with increased ROS and inflammation in the lung leads to COPD. Despite this progress, the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of COPD remain poorly understood, resulting in a lack of effective treatments. Thus, an informative, simple model is highly valued and desired. Recently, the cigarette smoke-induced Drosophila COPD model showed a complex set of pathological phenotypes that resemble those seen in human COPD patients. The Drosophila trachea has been used as a premier model to reveal the mechanisms of tube morphogenesis. The association of these mechanisms to structural changes in COPD can be analyzed by using Drosophila trachea. Additionally, the timeline of structural damage, ROS, and inflammation can be studied in live organisms using fluorescently-tagged proteins. The related function of human COPD genes identified by GWAS can be screened using respective fly homologs. Finally, the Drosophila trachea can be used as a high-throughput drug screening platform to identify novel treatments for COPD. Therefore, Drosophila trachea is an excellent model that is complementary to rodent COPD models.
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18
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Liu Y, Weaver CM, Sen Y, Eitzen G, Simmonds AJ, Linchieh L, Lurette O, Hebert-Chatelain E, Rachubinski RA, Di Cara F. The Nitric Oxide Donor, S-Nitrosoglutathione, Rescues Peroxisome Number and Activity Defects in PEX1G843D Mild Zellweger Syndrome Fibroblasts. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:714710. [PMID: 34434934 PMCID: PMC8382563 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.714710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Peroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBDs) are a group of metabolic developmental diseases caused by mutations in one or more genes encoding peroxisomal proteins. Zellweger syndrome spectrum (PBD-ZSS) results from metabolic dysfunction caused by damaged or non-functional peroxisomes and manifests as a multi-organ syndrome with significant morbidity and mortality for which there is no current drug therapy. Mild PBD-ZSS patients can exhibit a more progressive disease course and could benefit from the identification of drugs to improve the quality of life and extend the lifespan of affected individuals. Our study used a high-throughput screen of FDA-approved compounds to identify compounds that improve peroxisome function and biogenesis in human fibroblast cells carrying the mild PBD-ZSS variant, PEX1G843D. Our screen identified the nitrogen oxide donor, S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), as a potential therapeutic for this mild form of PBD-ZSS. Further biochemical characterization showed that GSNO enhances both peroxisome number and function in PEX1G843D mutant fibroblasts and leads to increased survival and longer lifespan in an in vivo humanized Drosophila model carrying the PEX1G843D mutation. GSNO is therefore a strong candidate to be translated to clinical trials as a potential therapeutic for mild PBD-ZSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidi Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Ceileigh M Weaver
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, IWK Research Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Yarina Sen
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Gary Eitzen
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Andrew J Simmonds
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Lilliana Linchieh
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Olivier Lurette
- Department of Biology, University of Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada
| | | | | | - Francesca Di Cara
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, IWK Research Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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19
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Hounsell C, Fan Y. The Duality of Caspases in Cancer, as Told through the Fly. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8927. [PMID: 34445633 PMCID: PMC8396359 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Caspases, a family of cysteine-aspartic proteases, have an established role as critical components in the activation and initiation of apoptosis. Alongside this a variety of non-apoptotic caspase functions in proliferation, differentiation, cellular plasticity and cell migration have been reported. The activity level and context are important factors in determining caspase function. As a consequence of their critical role in apoptosis and beyond, caspases are uniquely situated to have pathological roles, including in cancer. Altered caspase function is a common trait in a variety of cancers, with apoptotic evasion defined as a "hallmark of cancer". However, the role that caspases play in cancer is much more complex, acting both to prevent and to promote tumourigenesis. This review focuses on the major findings in Drosophila on the dual role of caspases in tumourigenesis. This has major implications for cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with the activation of apoptosis being the end goal. However, such treatments may inadvertently have adverse effects on promoting tumour progression and acerbating the cancer. A comprehensive understanding of the dual role of caspases will aid in the development of successful cancer therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yun Fan
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK;
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20
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Genotype and Trait Specific Responses to Rapamycin Intake in Drosophila melanogaster. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12050474. [PMID: 34065203 PMCID: PMC8161023 DOI: 10.3390/insects12050474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Rapamycin is commonly used as an immunosuppressant, but also as an anti-aging medicine. Despite its widespread use, results suggest that there is large variability in drug efficiency among patients, and limited knowledge exists about potential side-effects. In the present study, we investigated the effects of rapamycin using the common fruit fly as model organism. Six genetically distinct lines were exposed to rapamycin, and the phenotypic consequence on fecundity, longevity and heat stress tolerance was quantified. Flies exposed to rapamycin had increased longevity and heat stress tolerance, however a side effect in the form of decreased fecundity was also observed. Our data clearly show that the costs and benefits of rapamycin treatment is strongly genotype dependent. These observations are important as they imply that a ‘one size fits all’ approach when it comes to rapamycin treatment is not advisable. Future studies should address the underlying genetic component that drive the drug response variability. Abstract Rapamycin is a powerful inhibitor of the TOR (Target of Rapamycin) pathway, which is an evolutionarily conserved protein kinase, that plays a central role in plants and animals. Rapamycin is used globally as an immunosuppressant and as an anti-aging medicine. Despite widespread use, treatment efficiency varies considerably across patients, and little is known about potential side effects. Here we seek to investigate the effects of rapamycin by using Drosophila melanogaster as model system. Six isogenic D. melanogaster lines were assessed for their fecundity, male longevity and male heat stress tolerance with or without rapamycin treatment. The results showed increased longevity and heat stress tolerance for male flies treated with rapamycin. Conversely, the fecundity of rapamycin-exposed individuals was lower than for flies from the non-treated group, suggesting unwanted side effects of the drug in D. melanogaster. We found strong evidence for genotype-by-treatment interactions suggesting that a ‘one size fits all’ approach when it comes to treatment with rapamycin is not recommendable. The beneficial responses to rapamycin exposure for stress tolerance and longevity are in agreement with previous findings, however, the unexpected effects on reproduction are worrying and need further investigation and question common believes that rapamycin constitutes a harmless drug.
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21
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Yi Y, Xu W, Fan Y, Wang HX. Drosophila as an emerging model organism for studies of food-derived antioxidants. Food Res Int 2021; 143:110307. [PMID: 33992327 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2021.110307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Dietary supplementation with antioxidants provides health benefits by preventing diseases caused by oxidative stress and damage. Consequently, there has been growing interest in the study of antioxidative foods and their active ingredients. Oxidative stress and antioxidative responses are mechanistically conserved from Drosophila to mammals. Therefore, as a well-established model organism with a short life cycle and advantages of genetic manipulation, the fruit fly has been increasingly employed to assess functions of antioxidants in vivo. In this review, the antioxidative defense mechanisms, methods used and assays developed in Drosophila to evaluate antioxidant supplementation, are highlighted. The main manifestations of antioxidation include reduction of reactive species, up-regulation of endogenous antioxidants, inhibition on oxidative damage to biomacromolecules, enhanced resistance against oxidative stress and extension of lifespan, which are related to the activations of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2-antioxidant response element pathway and other adaptive responses. Moreover, the key considerations and future perspectives for the application of Drosophila models in the studies of food-derived antioxidants are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yi
- College of Food Science & Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan 430023, China.
| | - Wei Xu
- College of Food Science & Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan 430023, China.
| | - Yun Fan
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Hong-Xun Wang
- College of Biology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan 430023, China.
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22
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Fernández-Hernández I, Marsh EB, Bonaguidi MA. Mechanosensory neuron regeneration in adult Drosophila. Development 2021; 148:dev.187534. [PMID: 33597190 DOI: 10.1242/dev.187534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Auditory and vestibular mechanosensory hair cells do not regenerate following injury or aging in the adult mammalian inner ear, inducing irreversible hearing loss and balance disorders for millions of people. Research on model systems showing replacement of mechanosensory cells can provide mechanistic insights into developing new regenerative therapies. Here, we developed lineage tracing systems to reveal the generation of mechanosensory neurons in the Johnston's organ (JO) of intact adult Drosophila, which are the functional counterparts to hair cells in vertebrates. New JO neurons develop cilia and target central brain circuitry. Unexpectedly, mitotic recombination clones point to JO neuron self-replication as a likely source of neuronal plasticity. This mechanism is further enhanced upon treatment with experimental and ototoxic compounds. Our findings introduce a new platform to expedite research on mechanisms and compounds mediating mechanosensory cell regeneration, with nascent implications for hearing and balance restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismael Fernández-Hernández
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Evan B Marsh
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Michael A Bonaguidi
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.,Department of Gerontology, Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.,Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 USA
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23
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Saucedo LJ, Triolo RE, Segar KE. How Drosophila Can Inform the Emerging Paradigm of the Role of Antioxidants in Cancer. Mol Cancer Res 2020; 19:38-41. [PMID: 32873627 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-20-0172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster has proven to be an effective model system in uncovering both genetic and cellular contributions to human cancer. Many elusive genes and signaling pathways that control oncogenic growth were first identified using flies. In many cases, these discoveries were not driven by a direct search for novel genes involved in cancer but rather stemmed from research programs to uncover mechanisms that control growth and development. However, the bounty of genetic tools and the shared evolution of multicellular organisms places Drosophila in a powerful position to purposefully elucidate observations seen in human cancers. In the past decade, the role of antioxidants in cancer progression has shifted dramatically. This review highlights major findings driving this change in perspective and underscores an array of existing work and resources in laboratories using Drosophila that can make significant contributions to how the redox environment affects cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie J Saucedo
- Department of Biology, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington.
| | - Rosalie E Triolo
- Department of Biology, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington
| | - Kate E Segar
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts
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24
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Millet-Boureima C, Selber-Hnatiw S, Gamberi C. Drug discovery and chemical probing in Drosophila. Genome 2020; 64:147-159. [PMID: 32551911 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2020-0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Flies are increasingly utilized in drug discovery and chemical probing in vivo, which are novel technologies complementary to genetic probing in fundamental biological studies. Excellent genetic conservation, small size, short generation time, and over one hundred years of genetics make Drosophila an attractive model for rapid assay readout and use of analytical amounts of compound, enabling the experimental iterations needed in early drug development at a fraction of time and costs. Here, we describe an effective drug-testing pipeline using adult flies that can be easily implemented to study several disease models and different genotypes to discover novel molecular insight, probes, quality lead compounds, and develop novel prototype drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra Millet-Boureima
- Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada.,Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Susannah Selber-Hnatiw
- Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada.,Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Chiara Gamberi
- Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada.,Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
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25
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Drosophila as a model to understand autophagy deregulation in human disorders. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2020. [PMID: 32620249 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy has important functions in normal physiology to maintain homeostasis and protect against cellular stresses by the removal of harmful cargos such as dysfunctional organelles, protein aggregates and invading pathogens. The deregulation of autophagy is a hallmark of many diseases and therapeutic targeting of autophagy is highly topical. With the complex role of autophagy in disease it is essential to understand the genetic and molecular basis of the contribution of autophagy to pathogenesis. The model organism, Drosophila, provides a genetically amenable system to dissect out the contribution of autophagy to human disease models. Here we review the roles of autophagy in human disease and how autophagy studies in Drosophila have contributed to the understanding of pathophysiology.
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