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Zabegalov KN, Costa FV, Kolesnikova TO, de Abreu MS, Petersen EV, Yenkoyan KB, Kalueff AV. Can we gain translational insights into the functional roles of cerebral cortex from acortical rodent and naturally acortical zebrafish models? Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 132:110964. [PMID: 38354895 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.110964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Cerebral cortex is found only in mammals and is particularly prominent and developed in humans. Various rodent models with fully or partially ablated cortex are commonly used to probe the role of cortex in brain functions and its multiple subcortical projections, including pallium, thalamus and the limbic system. Various rodent models are traditionally used to study the role of cortex in brain functions. A small teleost fish, the zebrafish (Danio rerio), has gained popularity in neuroscience research, and albeit (like other fishes) lacking cortex, its brain performs well some key functions (e.g., memory, consciousness and motivation) with complex, context-specific and well-defined behaviors. Can rodent and zebrafish models help generate insights into the role of cortex in brain functions, and dissect its cortex-specific (vs. non-cortical) functions? To address this conceptual question, here we evaluate brain functionality in intact vs. decorticated rodents and further compare it in the zebrafish, a naturally occurring acortical species. Overall, comparing cortical and acortical rodent models with naturally acortical zebrafish reveals both distinct and overlapping contributions of neocortex and 'precortical' zebrafish telencephalic regions to higher brain functions. Albeit morphologically different, mammalian neocortex and fish pallium may possess more functional similarities than it is presently recognized, calling for further integrative research utilizing both cortical and decorticated/acortical vertebrate model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin N Zabegalov
- Neurobiology Program, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, Russia; National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan; Life Improvement by Future Technologies (LIFT) Center, LLC, Moscow, Russia
| | - Fabiano V Costa
- Neurobiology Program, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, Russia
| | | | | | | | - Konstantin B Yenkoyan
- Neuroscience Laboratory, COBRAIN Center, Yerevan State Medical University named after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia; Department of Biochemistry, Yerevan State Medical University named after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia.
| | - Allan V Kalueff
- Neurobiology Program, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, Russia; Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia.
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2
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Daneshmand M, SalarAmoli J, BaghbanZadeh N. A QSAR study for predicting malformation in zebrafish embryo. Toxicol Mech Methods 2024:1-7. [PMID: 38586962 DOI: 10.1080/15376516.2024.2338907] [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: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Developmental toxicity tests are extremely expensive, require a large number of animals, and are time-consuming. It is necessary to develop a new approach to simplify the analysis of developmental endpoints. One of these endpoints is malformation, and one group of ongoing methods for simplifying is in silico models. In this study, we aim to develop a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model and identify the best algorithm for predicting malformations, as well as the most important and effective physicochemical properties associated with malformation. METHODS The dataset was extracted from a reliable database called COMPTOX. Physicochemical properties (descriptors) were calculated using Mordred and RDKit chemoinformatics software. The data were cleaned, preprocessed, and then split into training and testing sets. Machine learning algorithms, such as gradient boosting model (GBM) and logistic regression (LR), as well as deep learning models, including multilayer perceptron (MLP) and neural networks (NNs) trained with train set data and different sets of descriptors. The models were then validated with test set and various statistical parameters, such as Matthew's correlation coefficient (MCC) and balanced accuracy (BAC) score, were used to compare the models. RESULTS A set of descriptors containing with 78% AUC was identified as the best set of descriptors. Gradient boosting was determined to be the best algorithm with 78% predictive power. CONCLUSIONS The descriptors that were the most effective for developing models directly impact the mechanism of malformation, and GBM is the best model due to its MCC and BAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Daneshmand
- Department of Comparative Bioscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jamileh SalarAmoli
- Department of Comparative Bioscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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Hotez PJ, Bottazzi ME, Islam NY, Lee J, Pollet J, Poveda C, Strych U, Thimmiraju SR, Uzcategui NL, Versteeg L, Gorelick D. The zebrafish as a potential model for vaccine and adjuvant development. Expert Rev Vaccines 2024; 23:535-545. [PMID: 38664959 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2024.2345685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/30/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Zebrafishes represent a proven model for human diseases and systems biology, exhibiting physiological and genetic similarities and having innate and adaptive immune systems. However, they are underexplored for human vaccinology, vaccine development, and testing. Here we summarize gaps and challenges. AREAS COVERED Zebrafish models have four potential applications: 1) Vaccine safety: The past successes in using zebrafishes to test xenobiotics could extend to vaccine and adjuvant formulations for general safety or target organs due to the zebrafish embryos' optical transparency. 2) Innate immunity: The zebrafish offers refined ways to examine vaccine effects through signaling via Toll-like or NOD-like receptors in zebrafish myeloid cells. 3) Adaptive immunity: Zebrafishes produce IgM, IgD,and two IgZ immunoglobulins, but these are understudied, due to a lack of immunological reagents for challenge studies. 4) Systems vaccinology: Due to the availability of a well-referenced zebrafish genome, transcriptome, proteome, and epigenome, this model offers potential here. EXPERT OPINION It remains unproven whether zebrafishes can be employed for testing and developing human vaccines. We are still at the hypothesis-generating stage, although it is possible to begin outlining experiments for this purpose. Through transgenic manipulation, zebrafish models could offer new paths for shaping animal models and systems vaccinology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Hotez
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nelufa Yesmin Islam
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jungsoon Lee
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Cristina Poveda
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ulrich Strych
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Syamala Rani Thimmiraju
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nestor L Uzcategui
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Leroy Versteeg
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Daniel Gorelick
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Kaszab E, Jiang D, Szabó I, Kriszt B, Urbányi B, Szoboszlay S, Sebők R, Bock I, Csenki-Bakos Z. Evaluating the In Vivo Virulence of Environmental Pseudomonas aeruginosa Using Microinjection Model of Zebrafish ( Danio rerio). Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1740. [PMID: 38136774 PMCID: PMC10740789 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12121740] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Microinjection of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos offers a promising model for studying the virulence and potential environmental risks associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. (2) Methods: This work aimed to develop a P. aeruginosa infection model using two parallel exposition pathways on zebrafish larvae with microinjection into the yolk and the perivitelline space to simultaneously detect the invasive and cytotoxic features of the examined strains. The microinjection infection model was validated with 15 environmental and clinical strains of P. aeruginosa of various origins, antibiotic resistance profiles, genotypes and phenotypes: both exposition pathways were optimized with a series of bacterial dilutions, different drop sizes (injection volumes) and incubation periods. Besides mortality, sublethal symptoms of the treated embryos were detected and analyzed. (3) Results: According to the statistical evaluation of our results, the optimal parameters (dilution, drop size and incubation period) were determined. (4) Conclusions: The tested zebrafish embryo microinjection infection model is now ready for use to determine the in vivo virulence and ecological risk of environmental P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edit Kaszab
- Department of Environmental Safety, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (E.K.); (D.J.); (S.S.); (R.S.)
| | - Dongze Jiang
- Department of Environmental Safety, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (E.K.); (D.J.); (S.S.); (R.S.)
| | - István Szabó
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (I.S.); (I.B.); (Z.C.-B.)
| | - Balázs Kriszt
- Department of Environmental Safety, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (E.K.); (D.J.); (S.S.); (R.S.)
| | - Béla Urbányi
- Department of Aquaculture, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary;
| | - Sándor Szoboszlay
- Department of Environmental Safety, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (E.K.); (D.J.); (S.S.); (R.S.)
| | - Rózsa Sebők
- Department of Environmental Safety, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (E.K.); (D.J.); (S.S.); (R.S.)
| | - Illés Bock
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (I.S.); (I.B.); (Z.C.-B.)
| | - Zsolt Csenki-Bakos
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (I.S.); (I.B.); (Z.C.-B.)
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Granata S, Stallone G, Zaza G. mRNA as a medicine in nephrology: the future is now. Clin Kidney J 2023; 16:2349-2356. [PMID: 38046026 PMCID: PMC10689145 DOI: 10.1093/ckj/sfad196] [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: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The successful employment of messenger RNA (mRNA) as vaccine therapy for the prevention of COVID-19 infection has spotlighted the attention of scientific community onto the potential clinical application of these molecules as innovative and alternative therapeutic approaches in different fields of medicine. As therapy, mRNAs may be advantageous due to their unique biological properties of targeting almost any genetic component within the cell, many of which may be unreachable using other pharmacological/therapeutic approaches, and encoding any proteins and peptides without the need for their transport into the nuclei of the target cells. Additionally, these molecules may be rapidly designed/produced and clinically tested. Once the chemistry of the RNA and its delivery system are optimized, the cost of developing novel variants of these medications for new selected clinical disorders is significantly reduced. However, although potentially useful as new therapeutic weapons against several kidney diseases, the complex architecture of kidney and the inability of nanoparticles that accommodate oligonucleotides to cross the integral glomerular filtration barrier have largely decreased their potential employment in nephrology. However, in the next few years, the technical improvements in mRNA that increase translational efficiency, modulate innate and adaptive immunogenicity, and increase their delivery at the site of action will overcome these limitations. Therefore, this review has the scope of summarizing the key strengths of these RNA-based therapies and illustrating potential future directions and challenges of this promising technology for widespread therapeutic use in nephrology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Granata
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Stallone
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Zaza
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
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Bondue T, Berlingerio SP, Siegerist F, Sendino-Garví E, Schindler M, Baelde HJ, Cairoli S, Goffredo BM, Arcolino FO, Dieker J, Janssen MJ, Endlich N, Brock R, Gijsbers R, van den Heuvel L, Levtchenko E. Evaluation of the efficacy of cystinosin supplementation through CTNS mRNA delivery in experimental models for cystinosis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20961. [PMID: 38016974 PMCID: PMC10684520 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47085-w] [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: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) therapies are emerging in different disease areas, but have not yet reached the kidney field. Our aim was to study the feasibility to treat the genetic defect in cystinosis using synthetic mRNA in cell models and ctns-/- zebrafish embryos. Cystinosis is a prototype lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the CTNS gene, encoding the lysosomal cystine-H+ symporter cystinosin, and leading to cystine accumulation in all cells of the body. The kidneys are the first and the most severely affected organs, presenting glomerular and proximal tubular dysfunction, progressing to end-stage kidney failure. The current therapeutic standard cysteamine, reduces cystine levels, but has many side effects and does not restore kidney function. Here, we show that synthetic mRNA can restore lysosomal cystinosin expression following lipofection into CTNS-/- kidney cells and injection into ctns-/- zebrafish. A single CTNS mRNA administration decreases cellular cystine accumulation for up to 14 days in vitro. In the ctns-/- zebrafish, CTNS mRNA therapy improves proximal tubular reabsorption, reduces proteinuria, and restores brush border expression of the multi-ligand receptor megalin. Therefore, this proof-of-principle study takes the first steps in establishing an mRNA-based therapy to restore cystinosin expression, resulting in cystine reduction in vitro and in the ctns-/- larvae, and restoration of the zebrafish pronephros function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tjessa Bondue
- Laboratory of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Florian Siegerist
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Elena Sendino-Garví
- Division Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Maximilian Schindler
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Hans Jacobus Baelde
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Sara Cairoli
- Laboratory of Metabolic Biochemistry, Department of Pediatric Medicine, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Bianca Maria Goffredo
- Laboratory of Metabolic Biochemistry, Department of Pediatric Medicine, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Fanny Oliveira Arcolino
- Laboratory of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Emma Children's Hospital and Emma Center for Personalized Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Manoe Jacoba Janssen
- Division Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole Endlich
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Roland Brock
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
| | - Rik Gijsbers
- Laboratory for Molecular Virology and Gene Therapy, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Viral Vector Core (LVVC), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lambertus van den Heuvel
- Laboratory of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Elena Levtchenko
- Laboratory of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, H7-234, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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