Caffeine improves mitochondrial function in PINK1B9-null mutant Drosophila melanogaster

Evidence of acrylamide-induced behavioral deficit, mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death in Drosophila melanogaster

Acrylamide (ACR), a ubiquitous compound with diverse route of exposure, has been demonstrated to have detrimental effects on human and animal health. The mechanisms underlying its toxicity is multifaceted and not fully elucidated. This study aims to provide further insight into novel pathways underlying ACR toxicity by leveraging on Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. The concentrations of acrylamide (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) and period of exposure (7-days) used in this study was established through a concentration response curve. ACR exposure demonstrably reduced organismal viability, evidenced by decline in survival rate, offspring emergence and deficits in activity, sleep and locomotory behaviors. Using a high-resolution respirometry assay, the role of mitochondria respiratory system in ACR-mediated toxicity in the flies was investigated. Acrylamide caused dysregulation in mitochondrial bioenergetics and respiratory capacity leading to an impaired OXPHOS activity and electron transport, ultimately contributing to the pathological process of ACR-toxicity. Furthermore, ACR exacerbated apoptosis and induced oxidative stress in D. melanogaster. The up-regulation of mRNA transcription of Reaper, Debcl and Dark genes and down-regulation of DIAP1, an ubiquitylation catalyzing enzyme, suggests that ACR promotes apoptosis through disruption of caspase and pro-apoptotic protein ubiquitination and a mitochondria-dependent pathway in Drosophila melanogaster. Conclusively, this study provides valuable insights into the cellular mechanism underlying ACR-mediated toxicity. Additionally, our study reinforces the utility of D. melanogaster as a translational tool for elucidating the complex mechanisms of ACR toxicity.

Caffeine and neonatal acute kidney injury

Acute kidney injury is one of the most threatening diseases in neonates, with complex pathogenesis and limited treatment options. Caffeine is a commonly used central nervous system stimulant for treating apnea in preterm infants. There is compelling evidence that caffeine may have potential benefits for preventing neonatal acute kidney injury, but comprehensive reports are lacking in this area. Hence, this review aims to provide a summary of clinical data on the potential benefits of caffeine in improving neonatal acute kidney injury. Additionally, it delves into the molecular mechanisms underlying caffeine's effects on acute kidney injury, with a focus on various aspects such as oxidative stress, adenosine receptors, mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammasome, autophagy, p53, and gut microbiota. The ultimate goal of this review is to provide information for healthcare professionals regarding the link between caffeine and neonatal acute kidney injury and to identify gaps in our current understanding.

Exploring the Efficient Natural Products for the Therapy of Parkinson's Disease via Drosophila Melanogaster (Fruit Fly) Models

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a severe neurodegenerative disorder, partly attributed to mutations, environmental toxins, oxidative stress, abnormal protein aggregation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the precise pathogenesis of PD and its treatment strategy still require investigation. Fortunately, natural products have demonstrated potential as therapeutic agents for alleviating PD symptoms due to their neuroprotective properties. To identify promising lead compounds from herbal medicines' natural products for PD management and understand their modes of action, suitable animal models are necessary. Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) serves as an essential model for studying genetic and cellular pathways in complex biological processes. Diverse Drosophila PD models have been extensively utilized in PD research, particularly for discovering neuroprotective natural products. This review emphasizes the research progress of natural products in PD using the fruit fly PD model, offering valuable insights into utilizing invertebrate models for developing novel anti-PD drugs.

Senolytic and senomorphic secondary metabolites as therapeutic agents in Drosophila melanogaster models of Parkinson's disease

Drosophila melanogaster is a valuable model organism for a wide range of biological exploration. The well-known advantages of D. melanogaster include its relatively simple biology, the ease with which it is genetically modified, the relatively low financial and time costs associated with their short gestation and life cycles, and the large number of offspring they produce per generation. D. melanogaster has facilitated the discovery of many significant insights into the pathology of Parkinson's disease (PD) and has served as an excellent preclinical model of PD-related therapeutic discovery. In this review, we provide an overview of the major D. melanogaster models of PD, each of which provide unique insights into PD-relevant pathology and therapeutic targets. These models are discussed in the context of their past, current, and future potential use for studying the utility of secondary metabolites as therapeutic agents in PD. Over the last decade, senolytics have garnered an exponential interest in their ability to mitigate a broad spectrum of diseases, including PD. Therefore, an emphasis is placed on the senolytic and senomorphic properties of secondary metabolites. It is expected that D. melanogaster will continue to be critical in the effort to understand and improve treatment of PD, including their involvement in translational studies focused on secondary metabolites.