Olfactory imprinting enhances associative learning and memory in C. elegans

Calycosin and kidney health: a molecular perspective on its protective mechanisms

Kidney diseases encompass a diverse group of pathological conditions characterized by the progressive loss of renal function, leading to systemic complications and increased morbidity. Their global prevalence increasing, posing a substantial public health challenge. The underlying pathophysiology involves complex molecular interactions that drive inflammation, fibrosis, and tissue injury. Notably, the AGE/RAGE axis activates NF-κB, a pivotal transcription factor responsible for pro-inflammatory cytokine production. This response is further intensified by NLRP3-inflammasome activation, which detects cellular stress and promotes IL-1β release. Additionally, TGF-β signaling through SMADs and MAPK pathways induces ECM accumulation, contributing to tissue fibrosis. Besides this, oxidative stress-induced ferroptosis and apoptosis also play critical roles in disease progression. Given the multifactorial nature of kidney diseases, agents with multi-targeted actions are promising for effective renoprotection. Significant research interest has emerged in exploring calycosin's protective effects against kidney-related pathologies, owing to its diverse pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-fibrotic effects. Calycosin is a naturally occurring isoflavone primarily found in Astragalus membranaceus, a well-known medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine. Several studies have demonstrated that calycosin exerts its renoprotective effects by modulating key molecular mediators, including RAGE, NF-κB, TGF-β, MAPKs, NLRP3-inflammasome, Nrf-2, PPARγ, and Sirtuin-3, among others, thereby providing a multitargeted defense against kidney diseases. Considering the potential of calycosin in modulating these mediators, the present study was conceptualized to study the mechanistic interplay underlying its renoprotective effects. By investigating these interconnected pathways, this study will provide foundational insights that will enable future researchers to address existing gaps and further elucidate calycosin's potential in renal disorders.

Food preference-based screening method for identification of effectors of substance use disorders using Caenorhabditis elegans

Substance use disorder (SUD) affects over 48 million Americans aged 12 and over. Thus, identifying novel chemicals contributing to SUD will be critical for developing efficient prevention and mitigation strategies. Considering the complexity of the actions and effects of these substances on human behavior, a high-throughput platform using a living organism is ideal. We developed a quick and easy screening assay using Caenorhabditis elegans. C. elegans prefers high-quality food (Escherichia coli HB101) over low-quality food (Bacillus megaterium), with a food preference index of approximately 0.2, defined as the difference in the number of worms at E. coli HB101 and B. megaterium over the total worm number. The food preference index was significantly increased by loperamide, a μ-opioid receptor (MOPR) agonist, and decreased by naloxone, a MOPR antagonist. These changes depended on npr-17, a C. elegans homolog of opioid receptors. In addition, the food preference index was significantly increased by arachidonyl-2'-chloroethylamide, a cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) agonist, and decreased by rimonabant, a CB1R inverse agonist. These changes depended on npr-19, a homolog of CB1R. These results suggest that the conserved opioid and endocannabinoid systems modulate the food preference behaviors of C. elegans. Finally, the humanoid C. elegans strains where npr-17 was replaced with human MOPR and where npr-19 was replaced with human CB1R phenocopied the changes in food preference by the drug treatment. Together, the current results show that this method can be used to rapidly screen the potential effectors of MOPR and CB1R to yield results highly translatable to humans.