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Redl M, Shayegan A, Rollinger JM. Application of 3Rs in Caenorhabditis elegans Research for the Identification of Health-Promoting Natural Products. PLANTA MEDICA 2024; 90:576-587. [PMID: 38843797 DOI: 10.1055/a-2254-0131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
The average age of the population is increasing worldwide, which has a profound impact on our society. This leads to an increasing demand for medicines and requires the development of new strategies to promote health during the additional years. In the search for resources and therapeutics for improved health during an extended life span, attention has to be paid to environmental exposure and ecosystem burdens that inevitably emerge with the extended consumption of medicines and drug development, even in the preclinical stage. The hereby introduced sustainable strategy for drug discovery is built on 3Rs, "R: obustness, R: eliability, and saving R: esources", inspired by both the 3Rs used in animal experiments and environmental protection, and centers on the usefulness and the variety of the small model organism Caenorhabditis elegans for detecting health-promoting natural products. A workflow encompassing a multilevel screening approach is presented to maximize the amount of information on health-promoting samples, while considering the 3Rs. A detailed, methodology- and praxis-oriented compilation and discussion of proposed C. elegans health span assays and more disease-specific assays are presented to offer guidance for scientists intending to work with C. elegans, thus facilitating the initial steps towards the integration of C. elegans assays in their laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Redl
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical, Nutritional, and Sport Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anusha Shayegan
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Judith M Rollinger
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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2
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Wasilewicz A, Bojkova D, Beniddir MA, Cinatl J, Rabenau HF, Grienke U, Rollinger JM, Kirchweger B. Molecular networking unveils anti-SARS-CoV-2 constituents from traditionally used remedies. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117206. [PMID: 37783406 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Plants and fungi have a long tradition in ethnopharmacology for the treatment of infectious diseases including viruses. Many of these natural products have also been used to combat SARS-CoV-2 infections or symptoms of the post- and long-COVID form, owing to the scarcity of clinically approved therapeutics. AIM OF THE STUDY The ongoing threat posed by SARS-CoV-2, along with the rapidly evolving new variants, requires the development of new antiviral compounds. The aim of this study was to identify anti-SARS-CoV-2 herbal and fungal extracts used in traditional medicine against acute respiratory infection, inflammation, and related symptoms. Additionally, we sought to characterize their bioactive constituents. MATERIALS AND METHODS The antiviral activity and cell cytotoxicity of 179 herbal and fungal extracts were evaluated using two SARS-CoV-2 infection assays in Caco-2 cells. 19 plant extracts with and without anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity underwent detailed dereplication using molecular networking. RESULTS Extracts from Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels roots, Annona squamosa L. seeds, Azadirachta indica A. Juss. fruits, Buddleja officinalis Maxim. flowers, Burkea africana Hook. bark and Clinopodium menthifolium (Host) Stace aerial parts showed a potent anti SARS-CoV-2 activity (IC50 < 5 μg/ml) with only moderate cytotoxicity (CC50 > 60 μg/ml, Caco-2). By performing the dereplication with a bioactivity-featured molecular network (MN) on the extract library level, rather than on the level of individual extracts, we could pinpoint compounds characteristic for active extracts. Thus, a straight-forward identification of potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 natural compounds was achieved prior to any fractionation or isolation efforts. CONCLUSIONS A sophisticated hyphenation of empirical knowledge with MS-based bioinformatics and automated compound annotation was applied to decipher the chemical space of the investigated extracts. The correlation with experimentally assessed anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities helped in predicting compound classes and structural elements relevant for the antiviral activities. Consequently, this accelerated the identification of constituents from the investigated mixtures with inhibitory effects against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Wasilewicz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria; Vienna Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical, and Sport Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Denisa Bojkova
- Institute of Medical Virology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Paul-Ehrlich-Straβe 40, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Mehdi A Beniddir
- Équipe Chimie des Substances Naturelles, BioCIS, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 17 Avenue des Sciences, 91400, Orsay, France.
| | - Jindrich Cinatl
- Institute of Medical Virology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Paul-Ehrlich-Straβe 40, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Holger F Rabenau
- Institute of Medical Virology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Paul-Ehrlich-Straβe 40, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Ulrike Grienke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Judith M Rollinger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Benjamin Kirchweger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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Kirchweger B, Zwirchmayr J, Grienke U, Rollinger JM. The role of Caenorhabditis elegans in the discovery of natural products for healthy aging. Nat Prod Rep 2023; 40:1849-1873. [PMID: 37585263 DOI: 10.1039/d3np00021d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Covering: 2012 to 2023The human population is aging. Thus, the greatest risk factor for numerous diseases, such as diabetes, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, is increasing worldwide. Age-related diseases do not typically occur in isolation, but as a result of multi-factorial causes, which in turn require holistic approaches to identify and decipher the mode of action of potential remedies. With the advent of C. elegans as the primary model organism for aging, researchers now have a powerful in vivo tool for identifying and studying agents that effect lifespan and health span. Natural products have been focal research subjects in this respect. This review article covers key developments of the last decade (2012-2023) that have led to the discovery of natural products with healthy aging properties in C. elegans. We (i) discuss the state of knowledge on the effects of natural products on worm aging including methods, assays and involved pathways; (ii) analyze the literature on natural compounds in terms of their molecular properties and the translatability of effects on mammals; (iii) examine the literature on multi-component mixtures with special attention to the studied organisms, extraction methods and efforts regarding the characterization of their chemical composition and their bioactive components. (iv) We further propose to combine small in vivo model organisms such as C. elegans and sophisticated analytical approaches ("wormomics") to guide the way to dissect complex natural products with anti-aging properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Kirchweger
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Julia Zwirchmayr
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Ulrike Grienke
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Judith M Rollinger
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
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Kamal M, Mukherjee S, Joshi B, Sindhu ZUD, Wangchuk P, Haider S, Ahmed N, Talukder MH, Geary TG, Yadav AK. Model nematodes as a practical innovation to promote high throughput screening of natural products for anthelmintics discovery in South Asia: Current challenges, proposed practical and conceptual solutions. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2023; 256:111594. [PMID: 37730126 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2023.111594] [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: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
With the increasing prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in animals recorded globally, and the threat of resistance in human helminths, the need for novel anthelmintic drugs is greater than ever. Most research aimed at discovering novel anthelmintic leads relies on high throughput screening (HTS) of large libraries of synthetic small molecules in industrial and academic settings in developed countries, even though it is the tropical countries that are most plagued by helminth infections. Tropical countries, however, have the advantage of possessing a rich flora that may yield natural products (NP) with promising anthelmintic activity. Focusing on South Asia, which produces one of the world's highest research outputs in NP and NP-based anthelmintic discovery, we find that limited basic research and funding, a lack of awareness of the utility of model organisms, poor industry-academia partnerships and lack of technological innovations greatly limit anthelmintics research in the region. Here we propose that utilizing model organisms including the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, that can potentially allow rapid target identification of novel anthelmintics, and Oscheius tipulae, a closely related, free-living nematode which is found abundantly in soil in hotter temperatures, could be a much-needed innovation that can enable cost-effective and efficient HTS of NPs for discovering compounds with anthelmintic/antiparasitic potential in South Asia and other tropical regions that historically have devoted limited funding for such research. Additionally, increased collaborations at the national, regional and international level between parasitologists and pharmacologists/ethnobotanists, setting up government-industry-academia partnerships to fund academic research, creating a centralized, regional collection of plant extracts or purified NPs as a dereplication strategy and HTS library, and holding regional C. elegans/O. tipulae-based anthelmintics workshops and conferences to share knowledge and resources regarding model organisms may collectively promote and foster a NP-based anthelmintics landscape in South Asia and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muntasir Kamal
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
| | - Suprabhat Mukherjee
- Department of Animal Science, Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol 713340, West Bengal, India
| | - Bishnu Joshi
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zia-Ud-Din Sindhu
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Phurpa Wangchuk
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns Campus, QLD 4878, Australia
| | | | - Nurnabi Ahmed
- Department of Parasitology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
| | | | - Timothy G Geary
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University-Belfast, Belfast, NI, UK
| | - Arun K Yadav
- Department of Zoology, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793022, India
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Camaioni L, Ustyanowski B, Buisine M, Lambert D, Sendid B, Billamboz M, Jawhara S. Natural Compounds with Antifungal Properties against Candida albicans and Identification of Hinokitiol as a Promising Antifungal Drug. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1603. [PMID: 37998805 PMCID: PMC10668714 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12111603] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is an opportunistic yeast that causes most fungal infections. C. albicans has become increasingly resistant to antifungal drugs over the past decade. Our study focused on the identification of pure natural compounds for the development of antifungal medicines. A total of 15 natural compounds from different chemical families (cinnamic derivatives, aromatic phenols, mono- and sesquiterpenols, and unclassified compounds) were screened in this study. Among these groups, hinokitiol (Hi), a natural monoterpenoid extracted from the wood of the cypress family, showed excellent anti-C. albicans activity, with a MIC value of 8.21 µg/mL. Hi was selected from this panel for further investigation to assess its antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Hi exhibited significant antifungal activity against clinically isolated fluconazole- or caspofungin-resistant C. albicans strains. It also reduced biofilm formation and hyphal growth. Treatment with Hi protected Caenorhabditis elegans against infection with C. albicans and enhanced the expression of antimicrobial genes in worms infected with C. albicans. Aside from its antifungal activities against C. albicans, Hi challenge attenuated the LPS-induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, and CCL-2) in macrophages. Overall, Hi is a natural compound with antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties, making Hi a promising platform with which to fight against fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Camaioni
- CNRS, UMR 8576-UGSF-Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, INSERM U1285, F-59000 Lille, France; (L.C.); (B.U.); (M.B.); (D.L.); (B.S.)
- Medicine Faculty, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
- CHU Lille, Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, Pôle de Biologie Pathologie Génétique, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Bastien Ustyanowski
- CNRS, UMR 8576-UGSF-Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, INSERM U1285, F-59000 Lille, France; (L.C.); (B.U.); (M.B.); (D.L.); (B.S.)
- Medicine Faculty, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
- CHU Lille, Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, Pôle de Biologie Pathologie Génétique, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Mathys Buisine
- CNRS, UMR 8576-UGSF-Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, INSERM U1285, F-59000 Lille, France; (L.C.); (B.U.); (M.B.); (D.L.); (B.S.)
- Medicine Faculty, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
- CHU Lille, Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, Pôle de Biologie Pathologie Génétique, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Dylan Lambert
- CNRS, UMR 8576-UGSF-Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, INSERM U1285, F-59000 Lille, France; (L.C.); (B.U.); (M.B.); (D.L.); (B.S.)
- Medicine Faculty, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
- CHU Lille, Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, Pôle de Biologie Pathologie Génétique, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Boualem Sendid
- CNRS, UMR 8576-UGSF-Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, INSERM U1285, F-59000 Lille, France; (L.C.); (B.U.); (M.B.); (D.L.); (B.S.)
- Medicine Faculty, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
- CHU Lille, Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, Pôle de Biologie Pathologie Génétique, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Muriel Billamboz
- INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1167-RID-AGE-Facteurs de Risque et Déterminants Moléculaires des Maladies Liées au Vieillissement, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France;
- JUNIA, Health and Environment, Laboratory of Sustainable Chemistry and Health, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Samir Jawhara
- CNRS, UMR 8576-UGSF-Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, INSERM U1285, F-59000 Lille, France; (L.C.); (B.U.); (M.B.); (D.L.); (B.S.)
- Medicine Faculty, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
- CHU Lille, Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, Pôle de Biologie Pathologie Génétique, F-59000 Lille, France
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Zwirchmayr J, Cruz CD, Grienke U, Tammela P, Rollinger JM. Biochemometry identifies ostruthin as pluripotent antimicrobial and anthelmintic agent from masterwort. iScience 2023; 26:107523. [PMID: 37636068 PMCID: PMC10457539 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The root extract of Peucedanum ostruthium (PO-E) was identified as a promising antibacterial source from a screening of 158 extracts against Staphylococcus aureus. It has also recently been shown to significantly decrease the survival of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We used the biochemometric approach ELINA to investigate the phytochemical characteristics of the multicomponent mixture PO-E to identify the anti-infective constituent(s) targeting S. aureus and C. elegans.1H NMR spectra of PO-E-derived microfractions were correlated with their respective bioactivity data. Heterocovariance analyses unambiguously identified ostruthin as an anti-staphylococcal constituent, which potently also inhibited Enterococcus spp.. ELINA demonstrated that anthelmintic activity was due to a combinatorial effect of ostruthin and isoimperatorin. A C. elegans-based survival and motility assay confirmed that isoimperatorin, imperatorin, and verapamil modulated the susceptibility of ostruthin. The combinatorial effect of these natural products was shown in larvae studies to be related to the function of the nematodes' efflux pump.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Zwirchmayr
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Cristina D. Cruz
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ulrike Grienke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Päivi Tammela
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Judith M. Rollinger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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7
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Camaioni L, Lambert D, Sendid B, Billamboz M, Jawhara S. Antifungal Properties of Hydrazine-Based Compounds against Candida albicans. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1043. [PMID: 37370362 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12061043] [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: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans, an opportunistic yeast, is the most common cause of fungal infection. In the past decade, there has been an increase in C. albicans resistance to existing antifungal drugs, which has necessitated the development of new antifungal agents. In the present study, screening 60 compounds from the JUNIA chemical library enabled us to explore an additional 11 hybrid compounds that contain pyrrolidinone rings and hydrazine moieties for their potential antifungal activities. This chemical series was identified with fair to excellent antifungal activities. Among this series, three molecules (Hyd.H, Hyd.OCH3, and Hyd.Cl) significantly reduced C. albicans viability, with rapid fungicidal activity. In addition, these three compounds exhibited significant antifungal activity against clinically isolated fluconazole- or caspofungin-resistant C. albicans strains. Hyd.H, Hyd.OCH3, and Hyd.Cl did not show any cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines up to a concentration of 50 µg/mL and decreased Candida biofilm formation, with a significant reduction of 60% biofilm formation with Hyd.OCH3. In an infection model of Caenorhabditis elegans with C. albicans, hydrazine-based compounds significantly reduced nematode mortality. Overall, fungicidal activity was observed for Hyd.H, Hyd.OCH3, and Hyd.Cl against C. albicans, and these compounds protected C. elegans from C. albicans infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Camaioni
- CNRS, UMR 8576-UGSF-Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, INSERM U1285, F-59000 Lille, France
- Medicine Faculty, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
- CHU Lille, Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, Pôle de Biologie Pathologie Génétique, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Dylan Lambert
- CNRS, UMR 8576-UGSF-Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, INSERM U1285, F-59000 Lille, France
- Medicine Faculty, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
- CHU Lille, Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, Pôle de Biologie Pathologie Génétique, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Boualem Sendid
- CNRS, UMR 8576-UGSF-Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, INSERM U1285, F-59000 Lille, France
- Medicine Faculty, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
- CHU Lille, Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, Pôle de Biologie Pathologie Génétique, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Muriel Billamboz
- INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1167-RID-AGE-Facteurs de Risque et Déterminants Moléculaires des Maladies Liées au Vieillissement, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
- JUNIA, Health and Environment, Laboratory of Sustainable Chemistry and Health, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Samir Jawhara
- CNRS, UMR 8576-UGSF-Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, INSERM U1285, F-59000 Lille, France
- Medicine Faculty, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
- CHU Lille, Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, Pôle de Biologie Pathologie Génétique, F-59000 Lille, France
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8
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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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Hernández-Cruz E, Eugenio-Pérez D, Ramírez-Magaña KJ, Pedraza-Chaverri J. Effects of Vegetal Extracts and Metabolites against Oxidative Stress and Associated Diseases: Studies in Caenorhabditis elegans. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:8936-8959. [PMID: 36936291 PMCID: PMC10018526 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c07025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Oxidative stress is a natural physiological process where the levels of oxidants, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS), exceed the strategy of antioxidant defenses, culminating in the interruption of redox signaling and control. Oxidative stress is associated with multiple pathologies, including premature aging, neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and arthritis. It is not yet clear whether oxidative stress is the cause or consequence of these diseases; however, it has been shown that using compounds with antioxidant properties, particularly compounds of natural origin, could prevent or slow down the progress of different pathologies. Within this context, the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model has served to study the effect of different metabolites and natural compounds, which has helped to decipher molecular targets and the effect of these compounds on premature aging and some diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases and dyslipidemia. This article lists the studies carried out on C. elegans in which metabolites and natural extracts have been tested against oxidative stress and the pathologies associated with providing an overview of the discoveries in the redox area made with this nematode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefani
Yaquelin Hernández-Cruz
- Department
of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, National
Autonomous University of Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
- Postgraduate
in Biological Sciences, National Autonomous
University of Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Dianelena Eugenio-Pérez
- Department
of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, National
Autonomous University of Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
- Postgraduate
in Biochemical Sciences, National Autonomous
University of Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Karla Jaqueline Ramírez-Magaña
- Department
of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, National
Autonomous University of Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
- Postgraduate
in Biochemical Sciences, National Autonomous
University of Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - José Pedraza-Chaverri
- Department
of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, National
Autonomous University of Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
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Application of Caenorhabditis elegans in Lipid Metabolism Research. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021173. [PMID: 36674689 PMCID: PMC9860639 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021173] [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: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, the development and prevalence of obesity have posed a serious public health risk, which has prompted studies on the regulation of adiposity. With the ease of genetic manipulation, the diversity of the methods for characterizing body fat levels, and the observability of feeding behavior, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is considered an excellent model for exploring energy homeostasis and the regulation of the cellular fat storage. In addition, the homology with mammals in the genes related to the lipid metabolism allows many aspects of lipid modulation by the regulators of the central nervous system to be conserved in this ideal model organism. In recent years, as the complex network of genes that maintain an energy balance has been gradually expanded and refined, the regulatory mechanisms of lipid storage have become clearer. Furthermore, the development of methods and devices to assess the lipid levels has become a powerful tool for studies in lipid droplet biology and the regulation of the nematode lipid metabolism. Herein, based on the rapid progress of C. elegans lipid metabolism-related studies, this review outlined the lipid metabolic processes, the major signaling pathways of fat storage regulation, and the primary experimental methods to assess the lipid content in nematodes. Therefore, this model system holds great promise for facilitating the understanding, management, and therapies of human obesity and other metabolism-related diseases.
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11
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Duran-Izquierdo M, Taboada-Alquerque M, Sierra-Marquez L, Alvarez-Ortega N, Stashenko E, Olivero-Verbel J. Hydroalcoholic extract of Haematoxylum brasiletto protects Caenorhabditis elegans from cadmium-induced toxicity. BMC Complement Med Ther 2022; 22:184. [PMID: 35818043 PMCID: PMC9272861 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-022-03654-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background H. brasiletto is used in popular culture due to its therapeutic properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties, although little is known about its role as a protector against metal toxicity. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and efficacy of the hydroalcoholic extract from H. brasiletto (HAE-Hbrasiletto) collected in northern Colombia to defend against cadmium (Cd)-induced toxicity. Methods Phytochemical characterization was performed using HPLC-ESI-QTOF. Caenorhabditis elegans was employed to assess the shielding effect of HAE-Hbrasiletto against Cd toxicity in vivo, and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay was utilized to measure radical scavenging activity. Results The main secondary metabolites identified by HPLC-ESI-QTOF in the extracts were hematoxylins (brazilein and hematein) and protosappanins (protosappanin A, B and C, 10-O-methylprotosappanin B, and protosappanin A dimethyl acetal). The HAE-Hbrasiletto elicited low lethality in N2 worms and significantly reduced the Cd-induced death of the nematodes. It also improved Cd-induced motility inhibition, as well as body length and reproduction reduction provoked by the heavy metal. The extract displayed a good capacity to halt Cd-induced DAF-16 translocation. As this last process was associated with lethality (r = 0.962, p < 0.01), the antioxidant properties of the extract may contribute to ameliorating tissue damage induced by oxidative stress from Cd exposure. Conclusion HAE-Hbrasiletto has remarkable properties to protect against Cd-induced toxicity. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-022-03654-6. Most secondary metabolites tentatively identified in H. brasiletto are homoisoflavones. Hidroalcoholic extract of H. brasiletto protects C. elegans from Cd toxicity The extract diminished Cd-induced damage to reproduction, growth, and locomotion. Cd-induced oxidative stress and translocation of DAF-16 are blocked by the extract.
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12
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AlOkda A, Van Raamsdonk JM. Effect of DMSO on lifespan and physiology in C. elegans : Implications for use of DMSO as a solvent for compound delivery. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2022; 2022:10.17912/micropub.biology.000634. [PMID: 36158529 PMCID: PMC9494168 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a solvent that has been used for basic and medical research based on its ability to dissolve both polar and non-polar compounds. In order to use DMSO to deliver compounds that may impact longevity or neurodegeneration, it is important to first determine the effects of DMSO on aging and physiology. We examined the effect of different concentrations of DMSO on lifespan and development time in C. elegans. We found that DMSO concentrations up to 2% DMSO did not affect longevity in wild-type worms, while concentrations of up to 0.5% DMSO were compatible with normal development times. 0.5% DMSO also had minimal effect on fertility and movement. In summary, our results show that concentrations of DMSO up to 0.5% can be safely used to deliver compounds to C. elegans with little or no modifying effects on lifespan or physiologic rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelrahman AlOkda
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
,
Metabolic Disorders and Complications Program, and Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
,
Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
,
Correspondence to: Abdelrahman AlOkda (
)
| | - Jeremy M. Van Raamsdonk
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
,
Metabolic Disorders and Complications Program, and Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
,
Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
,
Correspondence to: Jeremy M. Van Raamsdonk (
)
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13
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A new use for old drugs: identifying compounds with an anti-obesity effect using a high through-put semi-automated Caenorhabditis elegans screening platform. Heliyon 2022; 8:e10108. [PMID: 36033279 PMCID: PMC9399480 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity is one of the most common global health problems for all age groups with obese people at risk of a variety of associated health complications. Consequently, there is a need to develop new therapies that lower body fat without the side effects. However, obesity is a complex and systemic disease, so that in vitro results are not easily translatable to clinical situations. A promising way to circumnavigate these issues is to reposition already approved drugs for new treatments, enabling a more streamlined drug discovery process due to the availability of pre-existing pharmacological and toxicological datasets. Chemical libraries, such as the Prestwick Chemical Library of 1200 FDA approved drugs, are available for this purpose. We have developed a simple semi-automated whole-organism approach to screening the Prestwick Chemical Library for those compounds which reduce fat content using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. Our whole-organism approach to high-throughput screening identified 9 “lead” compounds that reduced fat within 2 weeks in the model. Further screening and analysis provided 4 “hit” compounds (Midodrine, Vinpocetine, Fenoprofen and Lamivudine) that showed significant promise as drugs to reduce fat levels. The effects of these candidates were found to further reduce fat content in nematodes where an nhr-49/PPAR mutation resulted in “overweight” worms. Upon unblinding the “hit” compounds, they were found to have recently been shown to have anti-obesity effects in mammalian models too. In developing a whole-animal chemical screen to identify pharmacological agents as potential anti-obesity compounds, we demonstrate how chemical libraries can be rapidly and relatively cheaply profiled for active hits. Using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans thus enables drugs to be assessed for applicability in humans and provides a new incentive to explore drug repurposing as a feasible and efficient way to identify new anti-obesity compounds.
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14
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Arampatzis AS, Tsave O, Kirchweger B, Zwirchmayr J, Papageorgiou VP, Rollinger JM, Assimopoulou AN. Expanding the Biological Properties of Alkannins and Shikonins: Their Impact on Adipogenesis and Life Expectancy in Nematodes. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:909285. [PMID: 35754463 PMCID: PMC9216188 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.909285] [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: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alkannin, shikonin (A/S) and their derivatives are naturally occurring hydroxynaphthoquinones biosynthesized in some species of the Boraginaceae family. These natural compounds have been extensively investigated for their biological properties over the last 40 years, demonstrating a plethora of activities, such as wound healing, regenerative, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antimicrobial and antioxidant. This study aims to extend the current knowledge by investigating the effects of various A/S compounds on two model systems, namely on 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The former constitutes an established in vitro model for investigating anti-obesity and insulin-mimetic properties, while the latter has been widely used as a model organism for studying fat accumulation, lifespan and the anthelmintic potential. A set of chemically well-defined A/S derivatives were screened for their effect on pre-adipocytes to assess cell toxicity, cell morphology, and cell differentiation. The differentiation of pre-adipocytes into mature adipocytes was examined upon treatment with A/S compounds in the presence/absence of insulin, aiming to establish a structure-activity relationship. The majority of A/S compounds induced cell proliferation at sub-micromolar concentrations. The ester derivatives exhibited higher IC50 values, and thus, proved to be less toxic to 3T3-L1 cells. The parent molecules, A and S tested at 1 μM resulted in a truncated differentiation with a reduced number of forming lipids, whereas compounds lacking the side chain hydroxyl group projected higher populations of mature adipocytes. In C. elegans mutant strain SS104, A/S enriched extracts were not able to inhibit the fat accumulation but resulted in a drastic shortage of survival. Thus, the set of A/S compounds were tested at 15 and 60 μg/ml in the wild-type strain N2 for their nematocidal activity, which is of relevance for the discovery of anthelmintic drugs. The most pronounced nematocidal activity was observed for naphthazarin and β,β-dimethyl-acryl-shikonin, followed by isovaleryl-shikonin. The latter 2 A/S esters were identified as the most abundant constituents in the mixture of A/S derivatives isolated from Alkanna tinctoria (L.) Tausch. Taken together, the findings show that the structural variations in the moiety of A/S compounds significantly impact the modulation of their biological activities in both model systems investigated in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athanasios S Arampatzis
- Organic Chemistry Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Natural Products Research Centre of Excellence (NatPro-AUTH), Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation of AUTh (CIRI-AUTh), Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Olga Tsave
- Organic Chemistry Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Natural Products Research Centre of Excellence (NatPro-AUTH), Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation of AUTh (CIRI-AUTh), Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Benjamin Kirchweger
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Zwirchmayr
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Vassilios P Papageorgiou
- Organic Chemistry Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Natural Products Research Centre of Excellence (NatPro-AUTH), Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation of AUTh (CIRI-AUTh), Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Judith M Rollinger
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreana N Assimopoulou
- Organic Chemistry Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Natural Products Research Centre of Excellence (NatPro-AUTH), Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation of AUTh (CIRI-AUTh), Thessaloniki, Greece
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15
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Kirchweger B, Klein-Junior LC, Pretsch D, Chen Y, Cretton S, Gasper AL, Heyden YV, Christen P, Kirchmair J, Henriques AT, Rollinger JM. Azepine-Indole Alkaloids From Psychotria nemorosa Modulate 5-HT 2A Receptors and Prevent in vivo Protein Toxicity in Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:826289. [PMID: 35360162 PMCID: PMC8963987 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.826289] [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: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Nemorosine A (1) and fargesine (2), the main azepine-indole alkaloids of Psychotria nemorosa, were explored for their pharmacological profile on neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) applying a combined in silico–in vitro–in vivo approach. By using 1 and 2 as queries for similarity-based searches of the ChEMBL database, structurally related compounds were identified to modulate the 5-HT2A receptor; in vitro experiments confirmed an agonistic effect for 1 and 2 (24 and 36% at 10 μM, respectively), which might be linked to cognition-enhancing properties. This and the previously reported target profile of 1 and 2, which also includes BuChE and MAO-A inhibition, prompted the evaluation of these compounds in several Caenorhabditis elegans models linked to 5-HT modulation and proteotoxicity. On C. elegans transgenic strain CL4659, which expresses amyloid beta (Aβ) in muscle cells leading to a phenotypic paralysis, 1 and 2 reduced Aβ proteotoxicity by reducing the percentage of paralyzed worms to 51%. Treatment of the NL5901 strain, in which α-synuclein is yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-tagged, with 1 and 2 (10 μM) significantly reduced the α-synuclein expression. Both alkaloids were further able to significantly extend the time of metallothionein induction, which is associated with reduced neurodegeneration of aged brain tissue. These results add to the multitarget profiles of 1 and 2 and corroborate their potential in the treatment of NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Kirchweger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Luiz C Klein-Junior
- School of Health Sciences, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Brazil.,Laboratory of Pharmacognosy and Quality Control of Phytomedicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Dagmar Pretsch
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ya Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sylvian Cretton
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - André L Gasper
- Herbarium Dr. Roberto Miguel Klein, Department of Natural Sciences, Universidade Regional de Blumenau (FURB), Blumenau, Brazil
| | - Yvan Vander Heyden
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Applied Chemometrics and Molecular Modeling, Center for Pharmaceutical Research (CePhaR), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Philippe Christen
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Johannes Kirchmair
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Amélia T Henriques
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy and Quality Control of Phytomedicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Judith M Rollinger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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16
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Workflow for Segmentation of Caenorhabditis elegans from Fluorescence Images for the Quantitation of Lipids. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app112311420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The small and transparent nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is increasingly employed for phenotypic in vivo chemical screens. The influence of compounds on worm body fat stores can be assayed with Nile red staining and imaging. Segmentation of C. elegans from fluorescence images is hereby a primary task. In this paper, we present an image-processing workflow that includes machine-learning-based segmentation of C. elegans directly from fluorescence images and quantifies their Nile red lipid-derived fluorescence. The segmentation is based on a J48 classifier using pixel entropies and is refined by size-thresholding. The accuracy of segmentation was >90% in our external validation. Binarization with a global threshold set to the brightness of the vehicle control group worms of each experiment allows a robust and reproducible quantification of worm fluorescence. The workflow is available as a script written in the macro language of imageJ, allowing the user additional manual control of classification results and custom specification settings for binarization. Our approach can be easily adapted to the requirements of other fluorescence image-based experiments with C. elegans.
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17
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Fruit of Gardenia jasminoides Induces Mitochondrial Activation and Non-Shivering Thermogenesis through Regulation of PPARγ. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10091418. [PMID: 34573050 PMCID: PMC8466082 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10091418] [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: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The extract of the Gardenia jasminoides fruit (GJFE) can been consumed as an herbal tea or used as a yellow dye. Recently, studies report that GFJE exerts inhibitory effects on lipid accumulation and adipogenesis in white adipocytes. We evaluated the thermogenic actions of GJFE by focusing on mitochondrial activation and studying the underlying mechanisms. To investigate the role of GJFE on thermogenesis in mice, we used an acute cold exposure model. After 2 weeks of feeding, the cold tolerance of GJFE-fed mice was notably increased compared to PBS-fed mice. This was due to an increase in thermogenic proteins in the inguinal white adipose tissue of the cold-exposed mice. Moreover, GJFE significantly increased thermogenic factors such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), and PPARγ coactivator 1 alpha (PGC1α) in vitro as well. Factors related to mitochondrial abundance and functions were also induced by GJFE in white and beige adipocytes. However, the treatment of PPARγ inhibitor abolished the GJFE-induced changes, indicating that activation of PPARγ is critical for the thermogenic effect of GJFE. In conclusion, GJFE induces thermogenic action by activating mitochondrial function via PPARγ activation. Through these findings, we suggest GJFE as a potential anti-obesity agent with a novel mechanism involving thermogenic action in white adipocytes.
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18
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Giunti S, Andersen N, Rayes D, De Rosa MJ. Drug discovery: Insights from the invertebrate Caenorhabditis elegans. Pharmacol Res Perspect 2021; 9:e00721. [PMID: 33641258 PMCID: PMC7916527 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic drug development is a long, expensive, and complex process that usually takes 12-15 years. In the early phases of drug discovery, in particular, there is a growing need for animal models that ensure the reduction in both cost and time. Caenorhabditis elegans has been traditionally used to address fundamental aspects of key biological processes, such as apoptosis, aging, and gene expression regulation. During the last decade, with the advent of large-scale platforms for screenings, this invertebrate has also emerged as an essential tool in the pharmaceutical research industry to identify novel drugs and drug targets. In this review, we discuss the reasons why C. elegans has been positioned as an outstanding cost-effective option for drug discovery, highlighting both the advantages and drawbacks of this model. Particular attention is paid to the suitability of this nematode in large-scale genetic and pharmacological screenings. High-throughput screenings in C. elegans have indeed contributed to the breakthrough of a wide variety of candidate compounds involved in extensive fields including neurodegeneration, pathogen infections and metabolic disorders. The versatility of this nematode, which enables its instrumentation as a model of human diseases, is another attribute also herein underscored. As illustrative examples, we discuss the utility of C. elegans models of both human neurodegenerative diseases and parasitic nematodes in the drug discovery industry. Summing up, this review aims to demonstrate the impact of C. elegans models on the drug discovery pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Giunti
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS‐CONICETBahía BlancaArgentina
- Dpto de Biología, Bioquímica y FarmaciaUniversidad Nacional del SurBahía BlancaArgentina
| | - Natalia Andersen
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS‐CONICETBahía BlancaArgentina
- Dpto de Biología, Bioquímica y FarmaciaUniversidad Nacional del SurBahía BlancaArgentina
| | - Diego Rayes
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS‐CONICETBahía BlancaArgentina
- Dpto de Biología, Bioquímica y FarmaciaUniversidad Nacional del SurBahía BlancaArgentina
| | - María José De Rosa
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (INIBIBB) CCT UNS‐CONICETBahía BlancaArgentina
- Dpto de Biología, Bioquímica y FarmaciaUniversidad Nacional del SurBahía BlancaArgentina
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Lammel C, Zwirchmayr J, Seigner J, Rollinger JM, de Martin R. Peucedanum ostruthium Inhibits E-Selectin and VCAM-1 Expression in Endothelial Cells through Interference with NF-κB Signaling. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E1215. [PMID: 32825714 PMCID: PMC7563923 DOI: 10.3390/biom10091215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Twenty natural remedies traditionally used against different inflammatory diseases were probed for their potential to suppress the expression of the inflammatory markers E-selectin and VCAM-1 in a model system of IL-1 stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). One third of the tested extracts showed in vitro inhibitory effects comparable to the positive control oxozeaenol, an inhibitor of TAK1. Among them, the extract derived from the roots and rhizomes of Peucedanum ostruthium (i.e., Radix Imperatoriae), also known as masterwort, showed a pronounced and dose-dependent inhibitory effect. Reporter gene analysis demonstrated that inhibition takes place on the transcriptional level and involves the transcription factor NF-κB. A more detailed analysis revealed that the P. ostruthium extract (PO) affected the phosphorylation, degradation, and resynthesis of IκBα, the activation of IKKs, and the nuclear translocation of the NF-κB subunit RelA. Strikingly, early effects on this pathway were less affected as compared to later ones, suggesting that PO may act on mechanism(s) that are downstream of nuclear translocation. As the majority of cognate NF-κB inhibitors affect upstream events such as IKK2, these findings could indicate the existence of targetable signaling events at later stages of NF-κB activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Lammel
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstaße 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (C.L.); (J.S.); (R.d.M.)
| | - Julia Zwirchmayr
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Jaqueline Seigner
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstaße 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (C.L.); (J.S.); (R.d.M.)
| | - Judith M. Rollinger
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Rainer de Martin
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstaße 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (C.L.); (J.S.); (R.d.M.)
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