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Chung T, Chang I, Kim S. Development of equation of motion deciphering locomotion including omega turns of Caenorhabditis elegans. eLife 2024; 12:RP92562. [PMID: 38682888 PMCID: PMC11057871 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92562] [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] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Locomotion is a fundamental behavior of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Previous works on kinetic simulations of animals helped researchers understand the physical mechanisms of locomotion and the muscle-controlling principles of neuronal circuits as an actuator part. It has yet to be understood how C. elegans utilizes the frictional forces caused by the tension of its muscles to perform sequenced locomotive behaviors. Here, we present a two-dimensional rigid body chain model for the locomotion of C. elegans by developing Newtonian equations of motion for each body segment of C. elegans. Having accounted for friction-coefficients of the surrounding environment, elastic constants of C. elegans, and its kymogram from experiments, our kinetic model (ElegansBot) reproduced various locomotion of C. elegans such as, but not limited to, forward-backward-(omega turn)-forward locomotion constituting escaping behavior and delta-turn navigation. Additionally, ElegansBot precisely quantified the forces acting on each body segment of C. elegans to allow investigation of the force distribution. This model will facilitate our understanding of the detailed mechanism of various locomotive behaviors at any given friction-coefficients of the surrounding environment. Furthermore, as the model ensures the performance of realistic behavior, it can be used to research actuator-controller interaction between muscles and neuronal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taegon Chung
- Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and TechnologyDaeguRepublic of Korea
| | - Iksoo Chang
- Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and TechnologyDaeguRepublic of Korea
| | - Sangyeol Kim
- Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and TechnologyDaeguRepublic of Korea
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Clark AS, Huayta J, Morton KS, Meyer JN, San-Miguel A. Morphological hallmarks of dopaminergic neurodegeneration are associated with altered neuron function in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neurotoxicology 2024; 100:100-106. [PMID: 38070655 PMCID: PMC10872346 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.12.005] [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: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is an excellent model system to study neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, as it enables analysis of both neuron morphology and function in live animals. Multiple structural changes in neurons, such as cephalic dendrite morphological abnormalities, have been considered hallmarks of neurodegeneration in this model, but their relevance to changes in neuron function are not entirely clear. We sought to test whether hallmark morphological changes associated with chemically induced dopaminergic neuron degeneration, such as dendrite blebbing, breakage, and loss, are indicative of neuronal malfunction and result in changes in behavior. We adapted an established dopaminergic neuronal function assay by measuring paralysis in the presence of exogenous dopamine, which revealed clear differences between cat-2 dopamine deficient mutants, wildtype worms, and dat-1 dopamine abundant mutants. Next, we integrated an automated image processing algorithm and a microfluidic device to segregate worm populations by their cephalic dendrite morphologies. We show that nematodes with dopaminergic dendrite degeneration markers, such as blebbing or breakage, paralyze at higher rates in a dopamine solution, providing evidence that dopaminergic neurodegeneration morphologies are correlated with functional neuronal outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S Clark
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Javier Huayta
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Joel N Meyer
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Adriana San-Miguel
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
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Abstract
Foraging animals optimize feeding decisions by adjusting both common and rare behavioral patterns. Here, we characterize the relationship between an animal's arousal state and a rare decision to leave a patch of bacterial food. Using long-term tracking and behavioral state classification, we find that food leaving decisions in Caenorhabditis elegans are coupled to arousal states across multiple timescales. Leaving emerges probabilistically over minutes from the high arousal roaming state, but is suppressed during the low arousal dwelling state. Immediately before leaving, animals have a brief acceleration in speed that appears as a characteristic signature of this behavioral motif. Neuromodulatory mutants and optogenetic manipulations that increase roaming have a coupled increase in leaving rates, and similarly acute manipulations that inhibit feeding induce both roaming and leaving. By contrast, inactivating a set of chemosensory neurons that depend on the cGMP-gated transduction channel TAX-4 uncouples roaming and leaving dynamics. In addition, tax-4-expressing sensory neurons promote lawn-leaving behaviors that are elicited by feeding inhibition. Our results indicate that sensory neurons responsive to both internal and external cues play an integrative role in arousal and foraging decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias Scheer
- Lulu and Anthony Wang Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behavior, The Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Cornelia I Bargmann
- Lulu and Anthony Wang Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behavior, The Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
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Kwon S, Park KS, Yoon KH. Dissecting the Neuronal Contributions of the Lipid Regulator NHR-49 Function in Lifespan and Behavior in C. elegans. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2346. [PMID: 38137948 PMCID: PMC10744624 DOI: 10.3390/life13122346] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the importance of lipid homeostasis in neuronal function is undisputed, how they are regulated within neurons to support their unique function is an area of active study. NHR-49 is a nuclear hormone receptor functionally similar to PPARα, and a major lipid regulator in C. elegans. Although expressed in most tissues, little is known about its roles outside the intestine, the main metabolic organ of C. elegans. Here, using tissue- and neuron-type-specific transgenic strains, we examined the contribution of neuronal NHR-49 to cell-autonomous and non-autonomous nhr-49 mutant phenotypes. We examined lifespan, brood size, early egg-laying, and reduced locomotion on food. We found that lifespan and brood size could be rescued by neuronal NHR-49, and that NHR-49 in cholinergic and serotonergic neurons is sufficient to restore lifespan. For behavioral phenotypes, NHR-49 in serotonergic neurons was sufficient to control egg-laying, whereas no single tissue or neuron type was able to rescue the enhanced on-food slowing behavior. Our study shows that NHR-49 can function in single neuron types to regulate C. elegans physiology and behavior, and provides a platform to further investigate how lipid metabolism in neurons impact neuronal function and overall health of the organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saebom Kwon
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea;
- Mitohormesis Research Center, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea
- Department of Global Medical Science, Yonsei University of Wonju College of Medicine, 20 Ilsan-ro, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu-Sang Park
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea;
- Mitohormesis Research Center, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea
- Department of Global Medical Science, Yonsei University of Wonju College of Medicine, 20 Ilsan-ro, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung-hye Yoon
- Mitohormesis Research Center, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea
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Yu Y, Tan S, Xie D, Li H, Chen H, Dang Y, Xiang M. Photoaged microplastics induce neurotoxicity associated with damage to serotonergic, glutamatergic, dopaminergic, and GABAergic neuronal systems in Caenorhabditis elegans. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:165874. [PMID: 37517734 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants that cause neurotoxicity in various organisms. MPs are typically affected by light irradiation and undergo photoaging. However, the neurotoxic effects of photoaged polystyrene (P-PS) and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, locomotion behaviors, neuronal development, neurotransmitter levels, and the expression of neurotransmission-related genes were investigated in Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to P-PS at environment-relevant concentrations (0.1-100 μg/L). The characterization results showed that photoaging accelerated the aging process and changed the physicochemical properties of the MPs. The toxicity results suggested that exposure to 1-100 μg/L P-PS caused more severe neurotoxicity than virgin polystyrene (V-PS) with endpoints of head thrashes, body bends, wavelength, and mean amplitude. Exposure to P-PS also altered the fluorescence intensity and neurodegeneration percentage of serotonergic, glutamatergic, dopaminergic, and aminobutyric acid (GABA) in transgenic nematodes. Similarly, significant reductions in the levels of these neurotransmitters were also observed. Based on Pearson's correlation, locomotion behaviors were negatively correlated with the neurotransmission of serotonin, glutamate, dopamine, and GABA. Further investigation suggested that the expression of neurotransmitter-related genes (e.g., tph-1, eat-4, and unc-46) was significantly altered in the nematodes. Collectively, the neurotoxic effects of P-PS were attributed to abnormal neurotransmission. This study highlights the potential toxicity of MPs photoaged under environmentally relevant conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjiang Yu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China.
| | - Shihui Tan
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China; School of Public Health, China Medical University, Liaoning 110122, China
| | - Dongli Xie
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China; College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Wanzhou 404100, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Haibo Chen
- Institute for Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, PR China.
| | - Yao Dang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Mingdeng Xiang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China
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Lee I, Knickerbocker AC, Depew CR, Martin E, Dicent J, Miller GW, Bucher ML. Effect of altered production and storage of dopamine on development and behavior in C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.07.561350. [PMID: 37873331 PMCID: PMC10592695 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.07.561350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
The nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, is an advantageous model for studying developmental toxicology due to its homology to humans and well-defined developmental stages. Similarly to humans, C. elegans utilize dopamine as a neurotransmitter to regulate motor behavior. We have previously reported behavioral deficits in a genetic model of C. elegans (OK411) that lack the neurotransmitter transporter necessary for packaging dopamine into synaptic vesicles. Anecdotally, we observed these C. elegans appeared to have a smaller body size, which is supported by prior studies that observed a larger body size in C. elegans that lack the enzyme that catalyzes dopamine synthesis, suggesting a complex regulatory system in which dopamine mediates body size in C. elegans. However, the question of whether body size abnormalities apparent in C. elegans with disruptions to their dopamine system are developmental or purely based on body size remains unanswered. Here, we present data characterizing the effect of gene mutations in dopamine-related proteins on body size, development, and behavior. We analyzed C. elegans that lack the ability to sequester dopamine (OK411), that overproduce dopamine (UA57), and a novel strain (MBIA) generated through crossing OK411 and UA57, which lacks the ability to sequester dopamine into vesicles and additionally endogenously overproduces dopamine. This novel strain was generated to address the hypothesis that an endogenous increase in production of dopamine can rescue deficits caused by a lack of vesicular dopamine sequestration. Compared to wild type, OK411 have shorter body lengths and behavioral deficits in early life stages. In contrast, the MBIA strain have similar body lengths to wild-type by early adulthood and display similar behavior to wild-type by early adulthood. Our data suggests that endogenously increasing the production of dopamine is able to mitigate deficits in C. elegans lacking the ability to package dopamine into synaptic vesicles. These results provide evidence that the dopamine system impacts development, growth, and reproduction in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Lee
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ava C Knickerbocker
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Charlotte Rose Depew
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Elizabeth Martin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Jocelyn Dicent
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Gary W Miller
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Meghan L Bucher
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
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Clark AS, Huayta J, Morton KS, Meyer JN, San-Miguel A. Morphological hallmarks of dopaminergic neurodegeneration are associated with altered neuron function in Caenorhabditis elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.22.554364. [PMID: 37662210 PMCID: PMC10473754 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.22.554364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is an excellent model system to study neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, as it enables analysis of both neuron morphology and function in live animals. Multiple structural changes in neurons, such as cephalic dendrite morphological abnormalities, have been considered hallmarks of neurodegeneration in this model, but their relevance to changes in neuron function are not entirely clear. We sought to test whether hallmark morphological changes associated with chemically induced dopaminergic neuron degeneration, such as dendrite blebbing, breakage, and loss, are indicative of neuronal malfunction and result in changes in behavior. We adapted an established dopaminergic neuronal function assay by measuring paralysis in the presence of exogenous dopamine, which revealed clear differences between cat-2 dopamine deficient mutants, wildtype worms, and dat-1 dopamine abundant mutants. Next, we integrated an automated image processing algorithm and a microfluidic device to segregate worm populations by their cephalic dendrite morphologies. We show that nematodes with dopaminergic dendrite degeneration markers, such as blebbing or breakage, paralyze at higher rates in a dopamine solution, providing evidence that dopaminergic neurodegeneration morphologies are correlated with functional neuronal outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S Clark
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Javier Huayta
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Katherine S Morton
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Joel N Meyer
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Adriana San-Miguel
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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Krama T, Munkevics M, Krams R, Grigorjeva T, Trakimas G, Jõers P, Popovs S, Zants K, Elferts D, Rantala MJ, Sledevskis E, Contreras-Garduño J, de Bivort BL, Krams IA. Development under predation risk increases serotonin-signaling, variability of turning behavior and survival in adult fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1189301. [PMID: 37304760 PMCID: PMC10248140 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1189301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of high-throughput behavioral assays, where numerous individual animals can be analyzed in various experimental conditions, has facilitated the study of animal personality. Previous research showed that isogenic Drosophila melanogaster flies exhibit striking individual non-heritable locomotor handedness. The variability of this trait, i.e., the predictability of left-right turn biases, varies across genotypes and under the influence of neural activity in specific circuits. This suggests that the brain can dynamically regulate the extent of animal personality. It has been recently shown that predators can induce changes in prey phenotypes via lethal or non-lethal effects affecting the serotonergic signaling system. In this study, we tested whether fruit flies grown with predators exhibit higher variability/lower predictability in their turning behavior and higher survival than those grown with no predators in their environment. We confirmed these predictions and found that both effects were blocked when flies were fed an inhibitor (αMW) of serotonin synthesis. The results of this study demonstrate a negative association between the unpredictability of turning behavior of fruit flies and the hunting success of their predators. We also show that the neurotransmitter serotonin controls predator-induced changes in the turning variability of fruit flies, regulating the dynamic control of behavioral predictability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Krama
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
- Chair of Plant Health, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Māris Munkevics
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
- Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
| | - Ronalds Krams
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
- Chair of Plant Health, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Tatjana Grigorjeva
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
| | - Giedrius Trakimas
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
- Institute of Biosciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Priit Jõers
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Sergejs Popovs
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
| | - Krists Zants
- Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
| | - Didzis Elferts
- Department of Botany and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
| | - Markus J. Rantala
- Department of Biology, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Eriks Sledevskis
- Department of Technology, Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
| | - Jorge Contreras-Garduño
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, Mexico
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Benjamin L. de Bivort
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Indrikis A. Krams
- Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
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Parrales-Macias V, Michel PP, Tourville A, Raisman-Vozari R, Haïk S, Hunot S, Bizat N, Lannuzel A. The Pesticide Chlordecone Promotes Parkinsonism-like Neurodegeneration with Tau Lesions in Midbrain Cultures and C. elegans Worms. Cells 2023; 12:cells12091336. [PMID: 37174736 PMCID: PMC10177284 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091336] [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: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlordecone (CLD) is an organochlorine pesticide (OCP) that is currently banned but still contaminates ecosystems in the French Caribbean. Because OCPs are known to increase the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD), we tested whether chronic low-level intoxication with CLD could reproduce certain key characteristics of Parkinsonism-like neurodegeneration. For that, we used culture systems of mouse midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons and glial cells, together with the nematode C. elegans as an in vivo model organism. We established that CLD kills cultured DA neurons in a concentration- and time-dependent manner while exerting no direct proinflammatory effects on glial cells. DA cell loss was not impacted by the degree of maturation of the culture. The use of fluorogenic probes revealed that CLD neurotoxicity was the consequence of oxidative stress-mediated insults and mitochondrial disturbances. In C. elegans worms, CLD exposure caused a progressive loss of DA neurons associated with locomotor deficits secondary to alterations in food perception. L-DOPA, a molecule used for PD treatment, corrected these deficits. Cholinergic and serotoninergic neuronal cells were also affected by CLD in C. elegans, although to a lesser extent than DA neurons. Noticeably, CLD also promoted the phosphorylation of the aggregation-prone protein tau (but not of α-synuclein) both in midbrain cell cultures and in a transgenic C. elegans strain expressing a human form of tau in neurons. In summary, our data suggest that CLD is more likely to promote atypical forms of Parkinsonism characterized by tau pathology than classical synucleinopathy-associated PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Parrales-Macias
- Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Patrick P Michel
- Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Aurore Tourville
- Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Rita Raisman-Vozari
- Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Haïk
- Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Hunot
- Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Bizat
- Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
- Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université de Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Annie Lannuzel
- Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de la Guadeloupe, Service de Neurologie, Faculté de Médecine de l'Université des Antilles, Centre d'Investigation Clinique (CIC) 1424, 97159 Pointe-à-Pitre, France
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da Silva TC, da Silveira TL, Dos Santos LV, Arantes LP, Martins RP, Soares FAA, Dalla Corte CL. Exogenous Adenosine Modulates Behaviors and Stress Response in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neurochem Res 2023; 48:117-130. [PMID: 36018438 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03727-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Adenosine, a purine nucleoside with neuromodulatory actions, is part of the purinergic signaling system (PSS). Caenorhabditis elegans is a free-living nematode found in soil, used in biological research for its advantages as an alternative experimental model. Since there is a lack of evidence of adenosine's direct actions and the PSS's participation in this animal, such an investigation is necessary. In this research, we aimed to test the effects of acute and chronic adenosine at 1, 5, and 10 mM on nematode's behaviors, morphology, survival after stress conditions, and on pathways related to the response to oxidative stress (DAF-16/FOXO and SKN-1) and genes products downstream these pathways (SOD-3, HSP-16.2, and GCS-1). Acute or chronic adenosine did not alter the worms' morphology analyzed by the worms' length, width, and area, nor interfered with reproductive behavior. On the other hand, acute and chronic adenosine modulated the defecation rate, pharyngeal pumping rate, and locomotion, in addition, to interacting with stress response pathways in C. elegans. Adenosine interfered in the speed and mobility of the worms analyzed. In addition, both acute and chronic adenosine presented modulatory effects on oxidative stress response signaling. Acute adenosine prevented the heat-induced-increase of DAF-16 activation and SOD-3 levels, while chronic adenosine per se induced DAF-16 activation and prevented heat-induced-increase of HSP-16.2 and SKN-1 levels. Together, these results indicate that exogenous adenosine has physiological and biochemical effects on C. elegans and describes possible purinergic signaling in worms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thayanara Cruz da Silva
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima nº 1000, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Tássia Limana da Silveira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima nº 1000, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Luiza Venturini Dos Santos
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima nº 1000, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Leticia Priscila Arantes
- Instituto Latino-Americano de Ciências da Vida e da Natureza, Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana, Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, 85866-000, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Pereira Martins
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima nº 1000, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Félix Alexandre Antunes Soares
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima nº 1000, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Lenz Dalla Corte
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima nº 1000, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil.
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Rosikon KD, Bone MC, Lawal HO. Regulation and modulation of biogenic amine neurotransmission in Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans. Front Physiol 2023; 14:970405. [PMID: 36875033 PMCID: PMC9978017 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.970405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotransmitters are crucial for the relay of signals between neurons and their target. Monoamine neurotransmitters dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), and histamine are found in both invertebrates and mammals and are known to control key physiological aspects in health and disease. Others, such as octopamine (OA) and tyramine (TA), are abundant in invertebrates. TA is expressed in both Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster and plays important roles in the regulation of essential life functions in each organism. OA and TA are thought to act as the mammalian homologs of epinephrine and norepinephrine respectively, and when triggered, they act in response to the various stressors in the fight-or-flight response. 5-HT regulates a wide range of behaviors in C. elegans including egg-laying, male mating, locomotion, and pharyngeal pumping. 5-HT acts predominantly through its receptors, of which various classes have been described in both flies and worms. The adult brain of Drosophila is composed of approximately 80 serotonergic neurons, which are involved in modulation of circadian rhythm, feeding, aggression, and long-term memory formation. DA is a major monoamine neurotransmitter that mediates a variety of critical organismal functions and is essential for synaptic transmission in invertebrates as it is in mammals, in which it is also a precursor for the synthesis of adrenaline and noradrenaline. In C. elegans and Drosophila as in mammals, DA receptors play critical roles and are generally grouped into two classes, D1-like and D2-like based on their predicted coupling to downstream G proteins. Drosophila uses histamine as a neurotransmitter in photoreceptors as well as a small number of neurons in the CNS. C. elegans does not use histamine as a neurotransmitter. Here, we review the comprehensive set of known amine neurotransmitters found in invertebrates, and discuss their biological and modulatory functions using the vast literature on both Drosophila and C. elegans. We also suggest the potential interactions between aminergic neurotransmitters systems in the modulation of neurophysiological activity and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna D Rosikon
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, United States
| | - Megan C Bone
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, United States
| | - Hakeem O Lawal
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, United States
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12
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Long HQ, Gao J, He SQ, Han JF, Tu Y, Chen N. The role of crm-1 in ionizing radiation-induced nervous system dysfunction in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neural Regen Res 2022; 18:1386-1392. [PMID: 36453427 PMCID: PMC9838165 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.357908] [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] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Ionizing radiation can cause changes in nervous system function. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) was irradiated with 75 Gy of 60Co whole-body γ radiation. Behavioral indicators (head thrashes, touch avoidance, and foraging), and the development of dopaminergic neurons related to behavioral function, were evaluated to assess the effects of ionizing radiation on nervous system function in C. elegans. Various behaviors were impaired after whole-body irradiation and degeneration of dopamine neurons was observed. This suggests that 75 Gy of γ radiation is sufficient to induce nervous system dysfunction. The genes nhr-76 and crm-1, which are reported to be related to nervous system function in human and mouse, were screened by transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis after irradiation or sham irradiation. The expression levels of these two genes were increased after radiation. Next, RNAi technology was used to inhibit the expression of crm-1, a gene whose homologs are associated with motor neuron development in other species. Downregulation of crm-1 expression effectively alleviated the deleterious effects of ionizing radiation on head thrashes and touch avoidance. It was also found that the expression level of crm-1 was regulated by the nuclear receptor gene nhr-76. The results of this study suggest that knocking down the expression level of nhr-76 can reduce the expression level of crm-1, while down-regulating the expression level of crm-1 can alleviate behavioral disorders induced by ionizing radiation. Therefore, inhibition of crm-1 may be of interest as a potential therapeutic target for ionizing radiation-induced neurological dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Qiang Long
- Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China,State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China,Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jin Gao
- Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China,State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China,Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Shu-Qing He
- Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jian-Fang Han
- Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China,State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China,Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yu Tu
- Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China,State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China,Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China,Correspondence to: Yu Tu, ; Na Chen, .
| | - Na Chen
- Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China,State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China,Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China,Correspondence to: Yu Tu, ; Na Chen, .
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13
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The Human LRRK2 Modulates the Age-Dependent Effects of Developmental Methylmercury Exposure in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neurotox Res 2022; 40:1235-1247. [PMID: 35838907 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-022-00547-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) neurotoxicity exhibits age-dependent effects with a latent and/or persistent neurotoxic effect on aged animals. Individual susceptibility to MeHg neurotoxicity is governed by both exposure duration and genetic factors that can magnify or mitigate the pathologic processes associated with this exposure. We previously showed the G2019S mutation of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) modulates the response of worms to high levels of MeHg, mitigating its effect on neuronal morphology in pre-vesicles in cephalic (CEP) dopaminergic neurons. Here we sought to better understand the long-term effects of MeHg exposure at low levels (100-fold lower than that in our previous report) and the modulatory role of the LRRK2 mutation. Worms exposed to MeHg (10 or 50 nM) at the larval stage (L1 stage) were compared at adult stages (young age: day 1 adult; middle age: day 5 adult; old age: day 10 adult) for the swimming speeds in M9 buffer, moving speeds during locomotion on an OP50-seeded plate, and the numbers of CEP dopaminergic pre-vesicles, vesicular structures originating from the dendrites of CEP for exportation of cellular content. In addition, the expression levels of Caenorhabditis elegans homologs of dopamine transporter (dat-1) and tyrosine hydroxylase (cat-2) were also analyzed at these adult stages. Our data showed that swimming speeds were reduced in wild-type worms at the day 10 adult stage at 50 nM MeHg level; yet, reduced swimming speeds were noted in the G2019S LRRK2 transgenic line upon MeHg exposures as low as 10 nM. Compared to locomotor speeds, swimming speeds appear to be more sensitive to the behavioral effects of developmental MeHg exposures, as the locomotor speeds were largely intact and indistinguishable from controls following MeHg exposures. Furthermore, we showed an age-dependent modulation of dat-1 and cat-2 expressions, which could also be modified by the LRRK2 mutation. Although MeHg exposures did not change the number of pre-vesicles, the LRRK2 mutation was associated with increased numbers of pre-vesicles in aged worms. Our data suggest that the latent behavioral effects of MeHg are sensitized by the G2019S LRRK2 mutation, and the underlying mechanism likely involves age-dependent changes in dopaminergic signaling.
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14
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Zhang W, Zhang N, Zheng S, Zhang W, Liu J, He L, Ezemaduka AN, Li G, Ning J, Xian B, Gao S. Effects of commercial beverages on the neurobehavioral motility of Caenorhabditis elegans. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13563. [PMID: 35855427 PMCID: PMC9288823 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
To study the effects of different types of commercially available drinks/beverages on neurobehavior using the model organism C. elegans, and critically review their potential health hazards. Eighteen kinds of beverages from the supermarket were randomly selected and grouped into seven categories namely functional beverage, tea beverage, plant protein beverage, fruit juice beverage, dairy beverage, carbonated beverage and coffee beverage. The pH value, specific gravity and osmotic pressure were also examined. The L4 stage N2 worms were exposed to different concentration of tested beverages (0, 62.5, 125, 250 and 500 µL/mL) for 24 h to measure the survival rate and locomotory behavior such as head thrashing, body bending as well as pharyngeal pumping. All the 18 beverages tested did not induce any visible lethal effects in the nematodes. However, exposure to different types of tested beverages exhibited different effects on the behavioral ability of C. elegans: (1) sports functional beverage and herbal tea drink accelerated the head thrashing and body bending of nematodes when compared to the control group (P < 0.05). (2) The vibration frequency of the pharyngeal pump of nematodes was significantly accelerated after treated with three plant protein beverages (almond milk, coconut milk and milk tea) and dairy products A and B (P < 0.05), and decelerated after treatment with other tested beverages. (3) Carbonated beverage significantly inhibits the head thrashing, body bending and pharyngeal pumping vibration (P < 0.05). Our results indicate that 18 kinds of popular beverages in the market have different influence on the neurobehavior in C. elegans, which may be related to their different components or properties. Further research would be required to conduct a systematic analysis of the effect of beverages by appropriate kinds, taking into consideration other endpoints such as reproduction, lifespan and molecular stress response, etc., and to elucidate the mechanism for its potential health hazards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Zhang
- Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing, China
| | - Shan Zheng
- Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing, China
| | - Jingjing Liu
- Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing, China
| | - Liwei He
- Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing, China
| | - Anastasia Ngozi Ezemaduka
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Guojun Li
- Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing, China,School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Junyu Ning
- Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing, China,School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Xian
- School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Shan Gao
- Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing, China
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15
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Invited review: Unearthing the mechanisms of age-related neurodegenerative disease using Caenorhabditis elegans. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2022; 267:111166. [PMID: 35176489 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
As human life expectancy increases, neurodegenerative diseases present a growing public health threat, for which there are currently few effective treatments. There is an urgent need to understand the molecular and genetic underpinnings of these disorders so new therapeutic targets can be identified. Here we present the argument that the simple nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful tool to rapidly study neurodegenerative disorders due to their short lifespan and vast array of genetic tools, which can be combined with characterization of conserved neuronal processes and behavior orthologous to those disrupted in human disease. We review how pre-existing C. elegans models provide insight into human neurological disease as well as an overview of current tools available to study neurodegenerative diseases in the worm, with an emphasis on genetics and behavior. We also discuss open questions that C. elegans may be particularly well suited for in future studies and how worms will be a valuable preclinical model to better understand these devastating neurological disorders.
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16
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Vozdek R, Pramstaller PP, Hicks AA. Functional Screening of Parkinson's Disease Susceptibility Genes to Identify Novel Modulators of α-Synuclein Neurotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:806000. [PMID: 35572147 PMCID: PMC9093606 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.806000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons during aging. The pathological hallmark of PD is the Lewy body detected in postmortem brain tissue, which is mainly composed of aggregated α-Synuclein (αSyn). However, it is estimated that 90% of PD cases have unknown pathogenetic triggers. Here, we generated a new transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans PD model eraIs1 expressing green fluorescent protein- (GFP-) based reporter of human αSyn in DA neurons, and exhibited a nice readout of the developed αSyn inclusions in DA neurons, leading to their degeneration during aging. Using these animals in a preliminary reverse genetic screening of >100-PD genome-wide association study- (GWAS-) based susceptibility genes, we identified 28 orthologs of C. elegans and their inactivation altered the phenotype of eraIs1; 10 knockdowns exhibited reduced penetrance of αSyn:Venus inclusions formed in the axons of cephalic (CEP) DA neurons, 18 knockdowns exhibited increased penetrance of disrupted CEP dendrite integrity among which nine knockdowns also exhibited disrupted neuronal morphology independent of the expressed αSyn reporter. Loss-of-function alleles of the five identified genes, such as sac-2, rig-6 or lfe-2, unc-43, and nsf-1, modulated the corresponding eraIs1 phenotype, respectively, and supported the RNA interference (RNAi) data. The Western blot analysis showed that the levels of insoluble αSyn:Venus were not correlated with the observed phenotypes in these mutants. However, RNAi of 12 identified modulators reduced the formation of pro-aggregating polyglutamine Q40:YFP foci in muscle cells, suggesting the possible role of these genes in cellular proteotoxicity. Therefore, modulators identified by their associated biological pathways, such as calcium signaling or vesicular trafficking, represent new potential therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative proteopathies and other diseases associated with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Vozdek
- Institute for Biomedicine, Eurac Research, Affiliated Institute of the University of Lübeck, Bolzano, Italy
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17
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Jeong H, Park JY, Lee JH, Baik JH, Kim CY, Cho JY, Driscoll M, Paik YK. Deficiency in RCAT-1 Function Causes Dopamine Metabolism Related Behavioral Disorders in Caenorhabditis elegans. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23042393. [PMID: 35216508 PMCID: PMC8879058 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
When animals are faced with food depletion, food search-associated locomotion is crucial for their survival. Although food search-associated locomotion is known to be regulated by dopamine, it has yet to investigate the potential molecular mechanisms governing the regulation of genes involved in dopamine metabolism (e.g., cat-1, cat-2) and related behavioral disorders. During the studies of the pheromone ascaroside, a signal of starvation stress in C. elegans, we identified R02D3.7, renamed rcat-1 (regulator of cat genes-1), which had previously been shown to bind to regulatory sequences of both cat-1 and cat-2 genes. It was found that RCAT-1 (R02D3.7) is expressed in dopaminergic neurons and functions as a novel negative transcriptional regulator for cat-1 and cat-2 genes. When a food source becomes depleted, the null mutant, rcat-1(ok1745), exhibited an increased frequency of high-angled turns and intensified area restricted search behavior compared to the wild-type animals. Moreover, rcat-1(ok1745) also showed defects in state-dependent olfactory adaptation and basal slowing response, suggesting that the mutants are deficient in either sensing food or locomotion toward food. However, rcat-1(ok1745) has normal cuticular structures and locomotion genes. The discovery of rcat-1 not only identifies a new subtype of dopamine-related behaviors but also provides a potential therapeutic target in Parkinson’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haelim Jeong
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea; (H.J.); (J.-H.L.)
- Yonsei Proteome Research Center, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea; (J.Y.P.); (C.-Y.K.); (J.-Y.C.)
| | - Jun Young Park
- Yonsei Proteome Research Center, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea; (J.Y.P.); (C.-Y.K.); (J.-Y.C.)
| | - Ji-Hyun Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea; (H.J.); (J.-H.L.)
| | - Ja-Hyun Baik
- Department of Life Sciences, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea;
| | - Chae-Yeon Kim
- Yonsei Proteome Research Center, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea; (J.Y.P.); (C.-Y.K.); (J.-Y.C.)
- Interdisciplinary Program in Integrative Omics for Biomedical Science, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Jin-Young Cho
- Yonsei Proteome Research Center, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea; (J.Y.P.); (C.-Y.K.); (J.-Y.C.)
- Interdisciplinary Program in Integrative Omics for Biomedical Science, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Monica Driscoll
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08855, USA;
| | - Young-Ki Paik
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea; (H.J.); (J.-H.L.)
- Yonsei Proteome Research Center, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea; (J.Y.P.); (C.-Y.K.); (J.-Y.C.)
- Interdisciplinary Program in Integrative Omics for Biomedical Science, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-2-2123-4242
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18
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Aripiprazole Offsets Mutant ATXN3-Induced Motor Dysfunction by Targeting Dopamine D2 and Serotonin 1A and 2A Receptors in C. elegans. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10020370. [PMID: 35203579 PMCID: PMC8962381 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The atypical antipsychotic aripiprazole is a Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for the treatment of psychotic, mood, and other psychiatric disorders. Previous drug discovery efforts pinpointed aripiprazole as an effective suppressor of Machado–Joseph disease (MJD) pathogenesis, as its administration resulted in a reduced abundance and aggregation of mutant Ataxin-3 (ATXN3) proteins. Dopamine partial agonism and functional selectivity have been proposed as the main pharmacological mechanism of action of aripiprazole in the treatment of psychosis; however, this mechanism remains to be determined in the context of MJD. Here, we focus on confirming the efficacy of aripiprazole to reduce motor dysfunction in vivo, using a Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model of MJD, and on unveiling the drug targets required for its positive action against mutant ATXN3 pathogenesis. We employed pharmacogenetics and pharmacological approaches to identify which dopamine and serotonin receptors are critical for aripiprazole-mediated improvements in motor function. We demonstrated that dopamine D2-like and serotonin 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors play important roles in this process. Our findings strengthen the relevance of dopaminergic and serotoninergic signaling modulation against mutant ATXN3-mediated pathogenesis. The identification of aripiprazole’s cellular targets, relevant for MJD and perhaps other neurodegenerative diseases, may pave the way for prospective drug discovery and development campaigns aiming to improve the features of this prototypical compound and reduce side effects not negligible in the case of aripiprazole.
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19
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Zhang B, Lam KY, Ni WM, Signorelli R, Collins KM, Fu Z, Zhai L, Lou Y, DeAngelis DL, Hastings A. Directed movement changes coexistence outcomes in heterogeneous environments. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:366-377. [PMID: 34818698 PMCID: PMC8799502 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Understanding mechanisms of coexistence is a central topic in ecology. Mathematical analysis of models of competition between two identical species moving at different rates of symmetric diffusion in heterogeneous environments show that the slower mover excludes the faster one. The models have not been tested empirically and lack inclusions of a component of directed movement toward favourable areas. To address these gaps, we extended previous theory by explicitly including exploitable resource dynamics and directed movement. We tested the mathematical results experimentally using laboratory populations of the nematode worm, Caenorhabditis elegans. Our results not only support the previous theory that the species diffusing at a slower rate prevails in heterogeneous environments but also reveal that moderate levels of a directed movement component on top of the diffusive movement allow species to coexist. Our results broaden the theory of species coexistence in heterogeneous space and provide empirical confirmation of the mathematical predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhang
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, United States
| | - King-Yeung Lam
- Department of Mathematics, Ohio State University, United States
| | - Wei-Ming Ni
- Chinese University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen, China
| | | | | | - Zhiyuan Fu
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Restoration, Nanjing Forestry University, China
| | - Lu Zhai
- Department of Natural Ecology Resource and Management, Oklahoma State University, United States
| | - Yuan Lou
- Department of Mathematics, Ohio State University, United States
| | | | - Alan Hastings
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, United States; Santa Fe Institute, United States
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20
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Abstract
Within populations, individuals show a variety of behavioral preferences, even in the absence of genetic or environmental variability. Neuromodulators affect these idiosyncratic preferences in a wide range of systems, however, the mechanism(s) by which they do so is unclear. I review the evidence supporting three broad mechanisms by which neuromodulators might affect variability in idiosyncratic behavioral preference: by being a source of variability directly upstream of behavior, by affecting the behavioral output of a circuit in a way that masks or accentuates underlying variability in that circuit, and by driving plasticity in circuits leading to either homeostatic convergence toward a given behavior or divergence from a developmental setpoint. I find evidence for each of these mechanisms and propose future directions to further understand the complex interplay between individual variability and neuromodulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T Maloney
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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21
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Chen WL, Ko H, Chuang HS, Raizen DM, Bau HH. Caenorhabditis elegans exhibits positive gravitaxis. BMC Biol 2021; 19:186. [PMID: 34517863 PMCID: PMC8439010 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01119-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gravity plays an important role in most life forms on Earth. Yet, a complete molecular understanding of sensing and responding to gravity is lacking. While there are anatomical differences among animals, there is a remarkable conservation across phylogeny at the molecular level. Caenorhabditis elegans is suitable for gene discovery approaches that may help identify molecular mechanisms of gravity sensing. It is unknown whether C. elegans can sense the direction of gravity. RESULTS In aqueous solutions, motile C. elegans nematodes align their swimming direction with the gravity vector direction while immobile worms do not. The worms orient downward regardless of whether they are suspended in a solution less dense (downward sedimentation) or denser (upward sedimentation) than themselves. Gravitaxis is minimally affected by the animals' gait but requires sensory cilia and dopamine neurotransmission, as well as motility; it does not require genes that function in the body touch response. CONCLUSIONS Gravitaxis is not mediated by passive forces such as non-uniform mass distribution or hydrodynamic effects. Rather, it is mediated by active neural processes that involve sensory cilia and dopamine. C. elegans provides a genetically tractable system to study molecular and neural mechanisms of gravity sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Long Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Hungtang Ko
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
- Current Address: School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Han-Sheng Chuang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan
| | - David M. Raizen
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Haim H. Bau
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
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22
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Zhang W, Li W, Li J, Chang X, Niu S, Wu T, Kong L, Zhang T, Tang M, Xue Y. Neurobehavior and neuron damage following prolonged exposure of silver nanoparticles with/without polyvinylpyrrolidone coating in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Appl Toxicol 2021; 41:2055-2067. [PMID: 33993517 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have become widespread in the environment with increasing industrial applications. But the studies about their potential health risks are far from enough, especially in neurotoxic effects. This study aimed to investigate the neurotoxic effects of longer-term exposure (prolonged exposure for 48 h and chronic exposure for 6 days) of 20nm AgNPs with/without polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coating at low concentrations (0.01-10 mg·L-1 ) to Caenorhabditis elegans. The results suggested that exposure to AgNPs induced damage to nematode survival, with the longest and relative average life span reduced. Exposure to AgNPs caused neurotoxicity on locomotion behaviors (head thrashes, body bends, pharyngeal pumping frequency, and defecation interval) and sensory perception behaviors (chemotaxis assay and thermotaxis assay), as well as impaired dopaminergic, GABAergic, and cholinergic neurons, except for glutamatergic, based on the alters fluorescence intensity, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Further investigations suggested that the low-dose AgNPs (0.01-0.1 mg·L-1 ) exposure raises receptors of GABAergic and dopamine in C. elegans at the genetic level, whereas opposite results were observed at higher doses (1-10 mg·L-1 ), which implied that AgNPs could cause neurotoxicity by impairing neurotransmitter delivery. The PVP-AgNPs could cause a higher fatality rate and neurotoxicity at the same dose. Notably, AgNPs did not cause any deleterious effect on nematodes at the lowest dose of 0.01 mg·L-1 . In general, these results suggested that AgNPs possess the neurotoxic potential in C. elegans and provided useful information to understand the neurotoxicity of AgNPs, which would offer an inspiring perspective on the safe application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenli Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenhua Li
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiangyan Li
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoru Chang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuyan Niu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tianshu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lu Kong
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Meng Tang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuying Xue
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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Kirshenboim I, Aviner B, Itskovits E, Zaslaver A, Broday L. Dopamine-dependent biphasic behaviour under 'deep diving' conditions in Caenorhabditis elegans. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210128. [PMID: 33715430 PMCID: PMC7944115 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0128] [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] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Underwater divers are susceptible to neurological risks due to their exposure to increased pressure. Absorption of elevated partial pressure of inert gases such as helium and nitrogen may lead to nitrogen narcosis. Although the symptoms of nitrogen narcosis are known, the molecular mechanisms underlying these symptoms have not been elucidated. Here, we examined the behaviour of the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans under scuba diving conditions. We analysed wild-type animals and mutants in the dopamine pathway under hyperbaric conditions, using several gas compositions and under varying pressure levels. We found that the animals changed their speed on a flat bacterial surface in response to pressure in a biphasic mode that depended on dopamine. Dopamine-deficient cat-2 mutant animals did not exhibit a biphasic response in high pressure, while the extracellular accumulation of dopamine in dat-1 mutant animals mildly influenced this response. Our data demonstrate that in C. elegans, similarly to mammalian systems, dopamine signalling is involved in the response to high pressure. This study establishes C. elegans as a powerful system to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that underly nitrogen toxicity in response to high pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inbar Kirshenboim
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Israel Naval Medical Institute, Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ben Aviner
- Israel Naval Medical Institute, Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, Haifa, Israel
| | - Eyal Itskovits
- Department of Genetics, Silberman Institute of Life Science, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Alon Zaslaver
- Department of Genetics, Silberman Institute of Life Science, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Limor Broday
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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24
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Pandey P, Singh A, Kaur H, Ghosh-Roy A, Babu K. Increased dopaminergic neurotransmission results in ethanol dependent sedative behaviors in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009346. [PMID: 33524034 PMCID: PMC7877767 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ethanol is a widely used drug, excessive consumption of which could lead to medical conditions with diverse symptoms. Ethanol abuse causes dysfunction of memory, attention, speech and locomotion across species. Dopamine signaling plays an essential role in ethanol dependent behaviors in animals ranging from C. elegans to humans. We devised an ethanol dependent assay in which mutants in the dopamine autoreceptor, dop-2, displayed a unique sedative locomotory behavior causing the animals to move in circles while dragging the posterior half of their body. Here, we identify the posterior dopaminergic sensory neuron as being essential to modulate this behavior. We further demonstrate that in dop-2 mutants, ethanol exposure increases dopamine secretion and functions in a DVA interneuron dependent manner. DVA releases the neuropeptide NLP-12 that is known to function through cholinergic motor neurons and affect movement. Thus, DOP-2 modulates dopamine levels at the synapse and regulates alcohol induced movement through NLP-12.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratima Pandey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Mohali, India
| | - Anuradha Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Mohali, India
| | - Harjot Kaur
- National Brain Research Centre, Gurgaon, India
| | | | - Kavita Babu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Mohali, India
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, India
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25
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Krum BN, Martins AC, Queirós L, Ferrer B, Milne GL, Soares FAA, Fachinetto R, Aschner M. Haloperidol Interactions with the dop-3 Receptor in Caenorhabditis elegans. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 58:304-316. [PMID: 32935232 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02124-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Haloperidol is a typical antipsychotic drug commonly used to treat a broad range of psychiatric disorders related to dysregulations in the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA). DA modulates important physiologic functions and perturbations in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) and, its signaling have been associated with alterations in behavioral, molecular, and morphologic properties in C. elegans. Here, we evaluated the possible involvement of dopaminergic receptors in the onset of these alterations followed by haloperidol exposure. Haloperidol increased lifespan and decreased locomotor behavior (basal slowing response, BSR, and locomotion speed via forward speed) of the worms. Moreover, locomotion speed recovered to basal conditions upon haloperidol withdrawal. Haloperidol also decreased DA levels, but it did not alter neither dop-1, dop-2, and dop-3 gene expression, nor CEP dopaminergic neurons' morphology. These effects are likely due to haloperidol's antagonism of the D2-type DA receptor, dop-3. Furthermore, this antagonism appears to affect mechanistic pathways involved in the modulation and signaling of neurotransmitters such as octopamine, acetylcholine, and GABA, which may underlie at least in part haloperidol's effects. These pathways are conserved in vertebrates and have been implicated in a range of disorders. Our novel findings demonstrate that the dop-3 receptor plays an important role in the effects of haloperidol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Nunes Krum
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil.,Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Forccheimer 209, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Airton C Martins
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Forccheimer 209, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Libânia Queirós
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Forccheimer 209, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.,Department of Biology and CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Beatriz Ferrer
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Forccheimer 209, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Ginger L Milne
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Félix Alexandre Antunes Soares
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Forccheimer 209, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.,Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Roselei Fachinetto
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Forccheimer 209, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
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26
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Zhang X, Zhong HQ, Chu ZW, Zuo X, Wang L, Ren XL, Ma H, Du RY, Ju JJ, Ye XL, Huang CP, Zhu JH, Wu HM. Arsenic induces transgenerational behavior disorders in Caenorhabditis elegans and its underlying mechanisms. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 252:126510. [PMID: 32203783 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The present study aimed to identify the effects of arsenic on behaviors in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) and the transgenerational effects. The synchronized C. elegans (P generation) were exposed to 0, 0.2, 1.0, and 5.0 mM NaAsO2 and the subsequent generations (F1 and F2) were maintained on fresh nematode growth medium (NGM). The behaviors and growth were recorded at 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 h post synchronization. The results demonstrated that arsenic affected various indicators regarding the behavior (head thrash, body bend, movement speed, wavelength, amplitude and so on) and in general the effects started to accumulate from 24 h and lasted throughout the exposure. The behavior impairments were transgenerational with varying patterns, amongst the head thrash and body bend responded most sensitively though the responses gradually declined across generations. Arsenic exposure inhibited the growth (body length, body width, and body area) in P C. elegans from 24 h to 60 h, however there was no difference between treatments groups and the control at 72 h. Arsenic led to a dose-dependent degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in C. elegans, and inhibition of BAS-1 and CAT-2 expressions. The expressions of GCS-1, GSS-1, and SKN-1 were induced by arsenic exposure. Overall, chronic arsenic exposure impaired the behaviors and there were transgenerational effects. The head thrash and body bend responded most sensitively. Arsenic induced behavioral disorders might be attributed to degeneration of dopaminergic neurons which was associated with oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiong Zhang
- Department of Geriatrics and Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China; Department of Preventive Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Hai-Qing Zhong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Zhong-Wei Chu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Xiang Zuo
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Science, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, 014030, China
| | - Xiao-Li Ren
- Laboratory Animal Center, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Hao Ma
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Ruo-Yi Du
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Jing-Juan Ju
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Xiao-Lei Ye
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Chen-Ping Huang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Jian-Hong Zhu
- Department of Geriatrics and Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China; Department of Preventive Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China.
| | - Hong-Mei Wu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China.
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27
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Assessing motor-related phenotypes of Caenorhabditis elegans with the wide field-of-view nematode tracking platform. Nat Protoc 2020; 15:2071-2106. [PMID: 32433626 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-020-0321-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans is a valuable model organism in biomedical research that has led to major discoveries in the fields of neurodegeneration, cancer and aging. Because movement phenotypes are commonly used and represent strong indicators of C. elegans fitness, there is an increasing need to replace manual assessments of worm motility with automated measurements to increase throughput and minimize observer biases. Here, we provide a protocol for the implementation of the improved wide field-of-view nematode tracking platform (WF-NTP), which enables the simultaneous analysis of hundreds of worms with respect to multiple behavioral parameters. The protocol takes only a few hours to complete, excluding the time spent culturing C. elegans, and includes (i) experimental design and preparation of samples, (ii) data recording, (iii) software management with appropriate parameter choices and (iv) post-experimental data analysis. We compare the WF-NTP with other existing worm trackers, including those having high spatial resolution. The main benefits of WF-NTP relate to the high number of worms that can be assessed at the same time on a whole-plate basis and the number of phenotypes that can be screened for simultaneously.
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28
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29
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Murray SM, Waddell BM, Wu CW. Neuron-specific toxicity of chronic acrylamide exposure in C. elegans. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2019; 77:106848. [PMID: 31756371 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2019.106848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Acrylamide is a food-borne chemical with well-known neurotoxic properties. To date, the toxicity mechanisms of chronic acrylamide exposure are not fully understood. Using the genetic model Caenorhabditis elegans, we found that chronic acrylamide exposure induces a locomotor defect that is characterized by severe uncoordination of muscle movement that is distinct from an overall reduction in activity. C. elegans exhibiting chronic acrylamide-induced locomotor defects show significant degeneration to the dopaminergic and cholinergic, but not GABAergic motor neurons. Degeneration of the dopaminergic and cholinergic neurons are found in 58% to 67% of C. elegans after chronic acrylamide exposure, with the varying degrees of severity ranging from neuronal blebbing to complete dendrite loss. The observed pattern of neurotoxicity does not have a heritable effect, as parental exposure to chronic acrylamide does not lead to neurodegeneration in the developed offspring. Overall, these finding illustrate that chronic acrylamide exposure cause locomotor defects by inducing degeneration of specific neuron types in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney M Murray
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, SK S7N 5B4, Canada; Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Brandon M Waddell
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Cheng-Wei Wu
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, SK S7N 5B4, Canada; Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada.
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30
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Smith LL, Ryde IT, Hartman JH, Romersi RF, Markovich Z, Meyer JN. Strengths and limitations of morphological and behavioral analyses in detecting dopaminergic deficiency in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neurotoxicology 2019; 74:209-220. [PMID: 31323240 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In order to develop a better understanding of the role environmental toxicants may play in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, it has become increasingly important to optimize sensitive methods for quickly screening toxicants to determine their ability to disrupt neuronal function. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans can help with this effort. This species has an integrated nervous system producing behavioral function, provides easy access for molecular studies, has a rapid lifespan, and is an inexpensive model. This study focuses on methods of measuring neurodegeneration involving the dopaminergic system and the identification of compounds with actions that disrupt dopamine function in the model organism C. elegans. Several dopamine-mediated locomotory behaviors, Area Exploration, Body Bends, and Reversals, as well as Swimming-Induced Paralysis and Learned 2-Nonanone Avoidance, were compared to determine the best behavioral method for screening purposes. These behavioral endpoints were also compared to morphological scoring of neurodegeneration in the dopamine neurons. We found that in adult worms, Area Exploration is more advantageous than the other behavioral methods for identifying DA-deficient locomotion and is comparable to neuromorphological scoring outputs. For larval stage worms, locomotion was an unreliable endpoint, and neuronal scoring appeared to be the best method. We compared the wild-type N2 strain to the commonly used dat-1p::GFP reporter strains BY200 and BZ555, and we further characterized the dopamine-deficient strains, cat-2 e1112 and cat-2 n4547. In contrast to published results, we found that the cat-2 strains slowed on food almost as much as N2s. Both showed decreased levels of cat-2 mRNA and DA content, rather than none, with cat-2 e1112 having the greatest reduction in DA content in comparison to N2. Finally, we compared and contrasted strengths, limitations, cost, and equipment needs for all primary methods for analysis of the dopamine system in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Latasha L Smith
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States; Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
| | - Ian T Ryde
- Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States; Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
| | - Jessica H Hartman
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
| | - Riccardo F Romersi
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
| | - Zachary Markovich
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
| | - Joel N Meyer
- Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States; Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
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31
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Ashida K, Kato T, Hotta K, Oka K. Multiple tracking and machine learning reveal dopamine modulation for area-restricted foraging behaviors via velocity change in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neurosci Lett 2019; 706:68-74. [PMID: 31082452 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Food exploration is an essential survival behavior in organisms. To find food efficiently, many organisms use a foraging strategy called area-restricted search (ARS) wherein individuals first turn more frequently, restricting their search to one area, then turn less frequently, moving along a straight path to widen the search area. Previous research suggests that the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans shows ARS behavior by changing turn frequency, and that dopamine is a crucial determinant. However, the effects of dopamine on multiple behavioral parameters have remained unknown. Here, we evaluated turn (pirouette) frequency, moving velocity, and specific area occupancy (cell occupancy) over time by using a multiple-worms tracking system. In the control (mock) experiments, all parameters changed over time, but no changes were observed in experiments with dopamine pre-exposed and dopamine-deficient animals. In inverse reinforcement learning analysis, the value function for specific velocity was found to modulate over time in mock animals only. These results demonstrate that dopamine regulates ARS via changes not only to pirouette frequency change but also to velocity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keita Ashida
- Department of Bioscience and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| | - Taiki Kato
- Department of Bioscience and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| | - Kohji Hotta
- Department of Bioscience and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| | - Kotaro Oka
- Department of Bioscience and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan; Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, 80708, Taiwan; Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan.
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32
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Koelle MR. Neurotransmitter signaling through heterotrimeric G proteins: insights from studies in C. elegans. WORMBOOK : THE ONLINE REVIEW OF C. ELEGANS BIOLOGY 2018; 2018:1-52. [PMID: 26937633 PMCID: PMC5010795 DOI: 10.1895/wormbook.1.75.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Neurotransmitters signal via G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) to modulate activity of neurons and muscles. C. elegans has ∼150 G protein coupled neuropeptide receptor homologs and 28 additional GPCRs for small-molecule neurotransmitters. Genetic studies in C. elegans demonstrate that neurotransmitters diffuse far from their release sites to activate GPCRs on distant cells. Individual receptor types are expressed on limited numbers of cells and thus can provide very specific regulation of an individual neural circuit and behavior. G protein coupled neurotransmitter receptors signal principally via the three types of heterotrimeric G proteins defined by the G alpha subunits Gαo, Gαq, and Gαs. Each of these G alpha proteins is found in all neurons plus some muscles. Gαo and Gαq signaling inhibit and activate neurotransmitter release, respectively. Gαs signaling, like Gαq signaling, promotes neurotransmitter release. Many details of the signaling mechanisms downstream of Gαq and Gαs have been delineated and are consistent with those of their mammalian orthologs. The details of the signaling mechanism downstream of Gαo remain a mystery. Forward genetic screens in C. elegans have identified new molecular components of neural G protein signaling mechanisms, including Regulators of G protein Signaling (RGS proteins) that inhibit signaling, a new Gαq effector (the Trio RhoGEF domain), and the RIC-8 protein that is required for neuronal Gα signaling. A model is presented in which G proteins sum up the variety of neuromodulator signals that impinge on a neuron to calculate its appropriate output level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Koelle
- Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven CT 06520 USA
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33
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Mohankumar A, Shanmugam G, Kalaiselvi D, Levenson C, Nivitha S, Thiruppathi G, Sundararaj P. East Indian sandalwood ( Santalum album L.) oil confers neuroprotection and geroprotection in Caenorhabditis elegans via activating SKN-1/Nrf2 signaling pathway. RSC Adv 2018; 8:33753-33774. [PMID: 30319772 PMCID: PMC6171454 DOI: 10.1039/c8ra05195j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
East Indian Sandalwood Oil (EISO) has diverse beneficial effects and has been used for thousands of years in traditional folk-medicine for treatment of different human ailments. However, there has been no in-depth scientific investigation to decipher the neuroprotective and geroprotective mechanism of EISO and its principle components, α- and β-santalol. Hence the current study was undertaken to assess the protective effects of EISO, and α- and β-santalol against neurotoxic (6-OHDA/6-hydroxydopamine) and proteotoxic (α-synuclein) stresses in a Caenorhabditis elegans model. Initially, we found that EISO and its principle components exerted an excellent antioxidant and antiapoptotic activity as it was able to extend the lifespan, and inhibit the ROS generation, and germline cell apoptosis in 6-OHDA-intoxicated C. elegans. Further, we showed that supplementation of EISO, and α- and β-santalol reduced the 6-OHDA and α-synuclein-induced Parkinson's disease associated pathologies and improved the physiological functions. The genetic and reporter gene expression analysis revealed that an EISO, or α- and β-santalol-mediated protective effect does not appear to rely on DAF-2/DAF-16, but selectively regulates SKN-1 and its downstream targets involved in antioxidant defense and geroprotective processes. Together, our findings indicated that EISO and its principle components are worth exploring further as a candidate redox-based neuroprotectant for the prevention and management of age-related neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Mohankumar
- Unit of Nematology, Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu-641046, India. ; ; ; Tel: +91-9943340405; Tel: +91-9677667720
| | - G Shanmugam
- Unit of Nematology, Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu-641046, India. ; ; ; Tel: +91-9943340405; Tel: +91-9677667720
| | - D Kalaiselvi
- Unit of Nematology, Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu-641046, India. ; ; ; Tel: +91-9943340405; Tel: +91-9677667720
| | - C Levenson
- Santalis Pharmaceuticals Inc., 18618 Tuscany Stone, Suite 100, San Antonio, Texas 78258, USA
| | - S Nivitha
- College of Science, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - G Thiruppathi
- Unit of Nematology, Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu-641046, India. ; ; ; Tel: +91-9943340405; Tel: +91-9677667720
| | - P Sundararaj
- Unit of Nematology, Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu-641046, India. ; ; ; Tel: +91-9943340405; Tel: +91-9677667720
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Izquierdo EJ, Beer RD. From head to tail: a neuromechanical model of forward locomotion in Caenorhabditis elegans. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:20170374. [PMID: 30201838 PMCID: PMC6158225 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
With 302 neurons and a near-complete reconstruction of the neural and muscle anatomy at the cellular level, Caenorhabditis elegans is an ideal candidate organism to study the neuromechanical basis of behaviour. Yet despite the breadth of knowledge about the neurobiology, anatomy and physics of C. elegans, there are still a number of unanswered questions about one of its most basic and fundamental behaviours: forward locomotion. How the rhythmic pattern is generated and propagated along the body is not yet well understood. We report on the development and analysis of a model of forward locomotion that integrates the neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and body mechanics of the worm. Our model is motivated by experimental analysis of the structure of the ventral cord circuitry and the effect of local body curvature on nearby motoneurons. We developed a neuroanatomically grounded model of the head motoneuron circuit and the ventral nerve cord circuit. We integrated the neural model with an existing biomechanical model of the worm's body, with updated musculature and stretch receptors. Unknown parameters were evolved using an evolutionary algorithm to match the speed of the worm on agar. We performed 100 evolutionary runs and consistently found electrophysiological configurations that reproduced realistic control of forward movement. The ensemble of successful solutions reproduced key experimental observations that they were not designed to fit, including the wavelength and frequency of the propagating wave. Analysis of the ensemble revealed that head motoneurons SMD and RMD are sufficient to drive dorsoventral undulations in the head and neck and that short-range posteriorly directed proprioceptive feedback is sufficient to propagate the wave along the rest of the body.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Connectome to behaviour: modelling C. elegans at cellular resolution'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo J Izquierdo
- Cognitive Science Program, School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Randall D Beer
- Cognitive Science Program, School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
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Schmeisser K, Parker JA. Nicotinamide-N-methyltransferase controls behavior, neurodegeneration and lifespan by regulating neuronal autophagy. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007561. [PMID: 30192747 PMCID: PMC6191153 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotinamide N-methyl-transferase (NNMT) is an essential contributor to various metabolic and epigenetic processes, including the regulating of aging, cellular stress response, and body weight gain. Epidemiological studies show that NNMT is a risk factor for psychiatric diseases like schizophrenia and neurodegeneration, especially Parkinson's disease (PD), but its neuronal mechanisms of action remain obscure. Here, we describe the role of neuronal NNMT using C. elegans. We discovered that ANMT-1, the nematode NNMT ortholog, competes with the methyltransferase LCMT-1 for methyl groups from S-adenosyl methionine. Thereby, it regulates the catalytic capacities of LCMT-1, targeting NPRL-2, a regulator of autophagy. Autophagy is a core cellular, catabolic process for degrading cytoplasmic material, but very little is known about the regulation of autophagy during aging. We report an important role for NNMT in regulation of autophagy during aging, where high neuronal ANMT-1 activity induces autophagy via NPRL-2, which maintains neuronal function in old wild type animals and various disease models, also affecting longevity. In younger animals, however, ANMT-1 activity disturbs neuronal homeostasis and dopamine signaling, causing abnormal behavior. In summary, we provide fundamental insights into neuronal NNMT/ANMT-1 as pivotal regulator of behavior, neurodegeneration, and lifespan by controlling neuronal autophagy, potentially influencing PD and schizophrenia risk in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Schmeisser
- Research Center of the Centre Hospitalier de l‘Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - J. Alex Parker
- Research Center of the Centre Hospitalier de l‘Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
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36
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Rourk CJ. Ferritin and neuromelanin "quantum dot" array structures in dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta and norepinephrine neurons of the locus coeruleus. Biosystems 2018; 171:48-58. [PMID: 30048795 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2018.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
In this review, the author shows that ferritin has documented quantum dot material properties that have been reported in numerous independent studies, and can enable quantum mechanical electron transport over substantial distances. In addition, neuromelanin is a pi-conjugated polymer, and quantum dot/pi-conjugated polymer combinations have been reported in numerous independent studies to facilitate electron transport for solar photovoltaic and other applications. Both ferritin and neuromelanin are present in large quantities in the dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra pars compactaand the norepinephrine neurons of the locus coeruleus. The unique structure of subgroups of these neurons that have a large number of axon branches and synapses may have evolved to take advantage of this electron transport mechanism, if it is present, such as to coordinate conscious action, or for other purposes. Independent clinical and laboratory studies are also reviewed that corroborate this theory of coordinated action in these neuron groups. Research to validate the theory using charge transport measurements, materials characterization, existing fluorescent probe material and reaction time testing is proposed.
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Roll maneuvers are essential for active reorientation of Caenorhabditis elegans in 3D media. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E3616-E3625. [PMID: 29618610 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1706754115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Locomotion of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a key observable used in investigations ranging from behavior to neuroscience to aging. However, while the natural environment of this model organism is 3D, quantitative investigations of its locomotion have been mostly limited to 2D motion. Here, we present a quantitative analysis of how the nematode reorients itself in 3D media. We identify a unique behavioral state of C. elegans-a roll maneuver-which is an essential component of 3D locomotion in burrowing and swimming. The rolls, associated with nonzero torsion of the nematode body, result in rotation of the plane of dorsoventral body undulations about the symmetry axis of the trajectory. When combined with planar turns in a new undulation plane, the rolls allow the nematode to reorient its body in any direction, thus enabling complete exploration of 3D space. The rolls observed in swimming are much faster than the ones in burrowing; we show that this difference stems from a purely hydrodynamic enhancement mechanism and not from a gait change or an increase in the body torsion. This result demonstrates that hydrodynamic viscous forces can enhance 3D reorientation in undulatory locomotion, in contrast to known hydrodynamic hindrance of both forward motion and planar turns.
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Stern S, Kirst C, Bargmann CI. Neuromodulatory Control of Long-Term Behavioral Patterns and Individuality across Development. Cell 2017; 171:1649-1662.e10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.10.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2017] [Revised: 09/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Maulik M, Mitra S, Bult-Ito A, Taylor BE, Vayndorf EM. Behavioral Phenotyping and Pathological Indicators of Parkinson's Disease in C. elegans Models. Front Genet 2017; 8:77. [PMID: 28659967 PMCID: PMC5468440 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2017.00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with symptoms that progressively worsen with age. Pathologically, PD is characterized by the aggregation of α-synuclein in cells of the substantia nigra in the brain and loss of dopaminergic neurons. This pathology is associated with impaired movement and reduced cognitive function. The etiology of PD can be attributed to a combination of environmental and genetic factors. A popular animal model, the nematode roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, has been frequently used to study the role of genetic and environmental factors in the molecular pathology and behavioral phenotypes associated with PD. The current review summarizes cellular markers and behavioral phenotypes in transgenic and toxin-induced PD models of C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malabika Maulik
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska FairbanksFairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Swarup Mitra
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska FairbanksFairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Abel Bult-Ito
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska FairbanksFairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Barbara E Taylor
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Long BeachLong Beach, CA, United States
| | - Elena M Vayndorf
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska FairbanksFairbanks, AK, United States
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40
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Salim C, Rajini PS. Glucose-rich diet aggravates monocrotophos-induced dopaminergic neuronal dysfunction inCaenorhabditis elegans. J Appl Toxicol 2016; 37:772-780. [DOI: 10.1002/jat.3426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Revised: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chinnu Salim
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Anusandhan Bhawan, New Delhi, India; Food Protectants and Infestation Control Department; CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute; Mysore 570 020 India
| | - P. S. Rajini
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Anusandhan Bhawan, New Delhi, India; Food Protectants and Infestation Control Department; CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute; Mysore 570 020 India
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Sun Q, Yue Y, Shen P, Yang JJ, Park Y. Cranberry Product Decreases Fat Accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Med Food 2016; 19:427-33. [PMID: 26991055 DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2015.0133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cranberry phenolic compounds have been linked to many health benefits. A recent report suggested that cranberry bioactives inhibit adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Thus, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of the cranberry product (CP) on lipid metabolism using the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model. CP (0.016% and 0.08%) dose-dependently reduced overall fat accumulation in C. elegans (N2, wild type) by 43% and 74%, respectively, without affecting its pumping rates or locomotive activities. CP decreased fat accumulation in aak-2 (an ortholog of AMP-activated kinase α) and tub-1 (an ortholog of TUBBY) mutants significantly, but only minimal effects were observed in sbp-1 (an ortholog of sterol response element-binding protein-1) and nhr-49 (an ortholog of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α) mutant strains. We further confirmed that CP downregulated sbp-1, cebp, and hosl-1 (an ortholog of hormone-sensitive lipase homolog) expression, while increasing the expression of nhr-49 in wild-type C. elegans. These results suggest that CP could effectively reduce fat accumulation in C. elegans dependent on sbp-1, cebp, and nhr-49, but not aak-2 and tub-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quancai Sun
- 1 Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts , Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yiren Yue
- 1 Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts , Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Peiyi Shen
- 1 Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts , Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jeremy J Yang
- 2 Amherst Regional High School , Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yeonhwa Park
- 1 Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts , Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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Serotonin promotes exploitation in complex environments by accelerating decision-making. BMC Biol 2016; 14:9. [PMID: 26847342 PMCID: PMC4743430 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-016-0232-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Fast responses can provide a competitive advantage when resources are inhomogeneously distributed. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was shown to modulate locomotion on a lawn of bacterial food in serotonin (5-HT)-dependent manners. However, potential roles for serotonergic signaling in responding to food discovery are poorly understood. Results We found that 5-HT signaling in C. elegans facilitates efficient exploitation in complex environments by mediating a rapid response upon encountering food. Genetic or cellular manipulations leading to deficient serotonergic signaling resulted in gradual responses and defective exploitation of a patchy foraging landscape. Physiological imaging revealed that the NSM serotonergic neurons responded acutely upon encounter with newly discovered food and were key to rapid responses. In contrast, the onset of responses of ADF serotonergic neurons preceded the physical encounter with the food. The serotonin-gated chloride channel MOD-1 and the ortholog of mammalian 5-HT1 metabotropic serotonin receptors SER-4 acted in synergy to accelerate decision-making. The relevance of responding rapidly was demonstrated in patchy environments, where the absence of 5-HT signaling was detrimental to exploitation. Conclusions Our results implicate 5-HT in a novel form of decision-making, demonstrate its fitness consequences, suggest that NSM and ADF act in concert to modulate locomotion in complex environments, and identify the synergistic action of a channel and a metabotropic receptor in accelerating C. elegans decision-making. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-016-0232-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Bermingham DP, Hardaway JA, Snarrenberg CL, Robinson SB, Folkes OM, Salimando GJ, Jinnah H, Blakely RD. Acute blockade of the Caenorhabditis elegans dopamine transporter DAT-1 by the mammalian norepinephrine transporter inhibitor nisoxetine reveals the influence of genetic modifications of dopamine signaling in vivo. Neurochem Int 2016; 98:122-8. [PMID: 26850478 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2016.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Revised: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Modulation of neurotransmission by the catecholamine dopamine (DA) is conserved across phylogeny. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, excess DA signaling triggers Swimming-Induced Paralysis (Swip), a phenotype first described in animals with loss of function mutations in the presynaptic DA transporter (dat-1). Swip has proven to be a phenotype suitable for the identification of novel dat-1 mutations as well as the identification of novel genes that impact DA signaling. Pharmacological manipulations can also induce Swip, though the reagents employed to date lack specificity and potency, limiting their use in evaluation of dat-1 expression and function. Our lab previously established the mammalian norepinephrine transporter (NET) inhibitor nisoxetine to be a potent antagonist of DA uptake conferred by DAT-1 following heterologous expression. Here we demonstrate the ability of low (μM) concentrations of nisoxetine to trigger Swip within minutes of incubation, with paralysis dependent on DA release and signaling, and non-additive with Swip triggered by dat-1 deletion. Using nisoxetine in combination with genetic mutations that impact DA release, we further demonstrate the utility of the drug for demonstrating contributions of presynaptic DA receptors and ion channels to Swip. Together, these findings reveal nisoxetine as a powerful reagent for monitoring multiple dimensions of DA signaling in vivo, thus providing a new resource that can be used to evaluate contributions of dat-1 and other genes linked to DA signaling without the potential for compensations that attend constitutive genetic mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Bermingham
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37240-7933, USA
| | - J Andrew Hardaway
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37240-7933, USA
| | - Chelsea L Snarrenberg
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37240-7933, USA
| | - Sarah B Robinson
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37240-7933, USA
| | - Oakleigh M Folkes
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37240-7933, USA
| | - Greg J Salimando
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37240-7933, USA
| | - Hussain Jinnah
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37240-7933, USA
| | - Randy D Blakely
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37240-7933, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37240-7933, USA.
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Catecholaminergic System of Invertebrates: Comparative and Evolutionary Aspects in Comparison With the Octopaminergic System. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 322:363-94. [PMID: 26940523 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2015.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In this review we examined the catecholaminergic system of invertebrates, starting from protists and getting to chordates. Different techniques used by numerous researchers revealed, in most examined phyla, the presence of catecholamines dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline or of the enzymes involved in their synthesis. The catecholamines are generally linked to the nervous system and they can act as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and hormones; moreover they play a very important role as regards the response to a large number of stress situations. Nevertheless, in some invertebrate phyla belonging to Protostoma, the monoamine octopamine is the main biogenic amine. The presence of catecholamines in some protists suggests a role as intracellular or interorganismal signaling molecules and an ancient origin of their synthetic pathways. The catecholamines appear also involved in the regulation of bioluminescence and in the control of larval development and metamorphosis in some marine invertebrate phyla.
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Schumacher F, Chakraborty S, Kleuser B, Gulbins E, Schwerdtle T, Aschner M, Bornhorst J. Highly sensitive isotope-dilution liquid-chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem-mass spectrometry approach to study the drug-mediated modulation of dopamine and serotonin levels in Caenorhabditis elegans. Talanta 2015; 144:71-9. [PMID: 26452793 PMCID: PMC4600537 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2015.05.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Revised: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) and serotonin (SRT) are monoamine neurotransmitters that play a key role in regulating the central and peripheral nervous system. Their impaired metabolism has been implicated in several neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and depression. Consequently, it is imperative to monitor changes in levels of these low-abundant neurotransmitters and their role in mediating disease. For the first time, a rapid, specific and sensitive isotope-dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the quantification of DA and SRT in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). This model organism offers a unique approach for studying the effect of various drugs and environmental conditions on neurotransmitter levels, given by the conserved DA and SRT biology, including synaptic release, trafficking and formation. We introduce a novel sample preparation protocol incorporating the usage of sodium thiosulfate in perchloric acid as extraction medium that assures high recovery of the relatively unstable neurotransmitters monitored. Moreover, the use of both deuterated internal standards and the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) technique allows for unequivocal quantification. Thereby, to the best of our knowledge, we achieve a detection sensitivity that clearly exceeds those of published DA and SRT quantification methods in various matrices. We are the first to show that exposure of C. elegans to the monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor selegiline or the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor tolcapone, in order to block DA and SRT degradation, resulted in accumulation of the respective neurotransmitter. Assessment of a behavioral output of the dopaminergic system (basal slowing response) corroborated the analytical LC-MS/MS data. Thus, utilization of the C. elegans model system in conjunction with our analytical method is well-suited to investigate drug-mediated modulation of the DA and SRT system in order to identify compounds with neuroprotective or regenerative properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Schumacher
- Department of Toxicology, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany; Department of Molecular Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstraße 55, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Sudipta Chakraborty
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Burkhard Kleuser
- Department of Toxicology, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Erich Gulbins
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstraße 55, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Tanja Schwerdtle
- Department of Food Chemistry, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Julia Bornhorst
- Department of Food Chemistry, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany.
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Barrozo ER, Fowler DA, Beckman ML. Exposure to D2-like dopamine receptor agonists inhibits swimming in Daphnia magna. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2015; 137:101-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2015.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2015] [Revised: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Rabets Y, Backholm M, Dalnoki-Veress K, Ryu WS. Direct measurements of drag forces in C. elegans crawling locomotion. Biophys J 2015; 107:1980-1987. [PMID: 25418179 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2014.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2014] [Revised: 09/02/2014] [Accepted: 09/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
With a simple and versatile microcantilever-based force measurement technique, we have probed the drag forces involved in Caenorhabditis elegans locomotion. As a worm crawls on an agar surface, we found that substrate viscoelasticity introduces nonlinearities in the force-velocity relationships, yielding nonconstant drag coefficients that are not captured by original resistive force theory. A major contributing factor to these nonlinearities is the formation of a shallow groove on the agar surface. We measured both the adhesion forces that cause the worm's body to settle into the agar and the resulting dynamics of groove formation. Furthermore, we quantified the locomotive forces produced by C. elegans undulatory motions on a wet viscoelastic agar surface. We show that an extension of resistive force theory is able to use the dynamics of a nematode's body shape along with the measured drag coefficients to predict the forces generated by a crawling nematode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yegor Rabets
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matilda Backholm
- Department of Physics & Astronomy and the Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kari Dalnoki-Veress
- Department of Physics & Astronomy and the Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie Théorique, UMR Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 7083 GULLIVER, ESPCI, Paris, France
| | - William S Ryu
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Li J, Li D, Yang Y, Xu T, Li P, He D. Acrylamide induces locomotor defects and degeneration of dopamine neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Appl Toxicol 2015; 36:60-7. [PMID: 25876170 DOI: 10.1002/jat.3144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Revised: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Acrylamide can form in foods during the cooking process and cause multiple adverse effects. However, the neurotoxicity and mechanisms of acrylamide have not been fully elucidated. In Caenorhabditis elegans, we showed that 48 h exposure to 10-625 mg l(-1) acrylamide resulted in a significant decline in locomotor frequency of body bending, head thrashing and pharynx pumping. In addition, acrylamide exposure reduced crawling speeds and changed angles of body bending. It indicates that acrylamide induces locomotor defects, along with parkinsonian-like movement impairment, including bradykinesia and hypokinesia. Acrylamide also affected chemotaxis plasticity and reduced learning ability. Using transgenic nematodes, we found that acrylamide induced downexpression of P(dat-1) and led to the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Moreover, the enhanced expression of unc-54, encoding a subunit of α-synuclein was found. It illustrates that acrylamide is efficient in inducing crucial parkinsonian pathology, including dopaminergic damage and α-synuclein aggregation. These findings suggest the acrylamide-induced locomotor defects and neurotoxicity are associated with Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Li
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Li
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongsheng Yang
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Tiantian Xu
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Li
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Defu He
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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Wang D, Yu Y, Li Y, Wang Y, Wang D. Dopamine receptors antagonistically regulate behavioral choice between conflicting alternatives in C. elegans. PLoS One 2014; 9:e115985. [PMID: 25536037 PMCID: PMC4275273 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans is a useful model to study the neuronal or molecular basis for behavioral choice, a specific form of decision-making. Although it has been implied that both D1-like and D2-like dopamine receptors may contribute to the control of decision-making in mammals, the genetic interactions between D1-like and D2-like dopamine receptors in regulating decision-making are still largely unclear. In the present study, we investigated the molecular control of behavioral choice between conflicting alternatives (diacetyl and Cu2+) by D1-like and D2-like dopamine receptors and their possible genetic interactions with C. elegans as the assay system. In the behavioral choice assay system, mutation of dop-1 gene encoding D1-like dopamine receptor resulted in the enhanced tendency to cross the Cu2+ barrier compared with wild-type. In contrast, mutations of dop-2 or dop-3 gene encoding D2-like dopamine receptor caused the weak tendency to cross the Cu2+ barrier compared with wild-type. During the control of behavioral choice, DOP-3 antagonistically regulated the function of DOP-1. The behavioral choice phenotype of dop-2; dop-1dop-3 triple mutant further confirmed the possible antagonistic function of D2-like dopamine receptor on D1-like dopamine receptor in regulating behavioral choice. The genetic assays further demonstrate that DOP-3 might act through Gαo signaling pathway encoded by GOA-1 and EGL-10, and DOP-1 might act through Gαq signaling pathway encoded by EGL-30 and EAT-16 to regulate the behavioral choice. DOP-1 might function in cholinergic neurons to regulate the behavioral choice, whereas DOP-3 might function in GABAergic neurons, RIC, and SIA neurons to regulate the behavioral choice. In this study, we provide the genetic evidence to indicate the antagonistic relationship between D1-like dopamine receptor and D2-like dopamine receptor in regulating the decision-making of animals. Our data will be useful for understanding the complex functions of dopamine receptors in regulating decision-making in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daoyong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease in Ministry of Education, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yonglin Yu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease in Ministry of Education, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yinxia Li
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease in Ministry of Education, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease in Ministry of Education, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Dayong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease in Ministry of Education, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
- * E-mail:
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Alessi AM, O'Connor V, Aonuma H, Newland PL. Dopaminergic modulation of phase reversal in desert locusts. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:371. [PMID: 25426037 PMCID: PMC4224070 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 10/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity allows animals to modify their behavior, physiology, and morphology to adapt to environmental change. The global pest, the desert locust, shows two extreme phenotypes; a solitarious phase that is relatively harmless and a gregarious phase that forms swarms and causes extensive agricultural and economic damage. In the field, environmental conditions can drive isolated animals into crowded populations and previous studies have identified the biogenic amine serotonin as a key determinant of this transition. Here we take an integrated approach to investigate the neurochemical, physiological, and behavioral correlates defined by a laboratory based paradigm that mimics facets of swarm break down as gregarious locusts become isolated. Following isolation there was an increased propensity of locusts to avoid conspecifics, and show a reduced locomotion. Changes in choice behavior occurred within 1 h of isolation although isolation-related changes progressed with increased isolation time. Isolation was accompanied by changes in the levels of the biogenic amines dopamine, octopamine, and serotonin within the CNS within 1 h. Dopamine levels were higher in isolated animals and we focused on the role played by this transmitter in synaptic changes that may underpin solitarization. Dopamine reduced synaptic efficacy at a key central synapse between campaniform sensilla (CS) and a fast extensor tibiae motor neuron that is involved in limb movement. We also show that dopamine injection into the haemocoel was sufficient to induce solitarious-like behavior in otherwise gregarious locusts. Further, injection of a dopamine antagonist, fluphenazine, into isolated locusts induced gregarious-like behavior. This highlights that dopaminergic modulation plays an important role in the plasticity underpinning phase transition and sets a context to deepen the understanding of the complementary role that distinct neuromodulators play in polyphenism in locusts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad M Alessi
- University College at Qunfudah, Umm al-Qura University Qunfudah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vincent O'Connor
- Centre for Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Southampton Southampton, UK
| | - Hitoshi Aonuma
- Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University Sapporo, Japan
| | - Philip L Newland
- Centre for Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Southampton Southampton, UK
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