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Wang Z, Arnold JC. Cannabinoids and healthy ageing: the potential for extending healthspan and lifespan in preclinical models with an emphasis on Caenorhabditis elegans. GeroScience 2024; 46:5643-5661. [PMID: 38696056 PMCID: PMC11493940 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01162-8] [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: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 10/23/2024] Open
Abstract
There is a significant global upsurge in the number and proportion of older persons in the population. With this comes an increasing prevalence of age-related conditions which pose a major challenge to healthcare systems. The development of anti-ageing treatments may help meet this challenge by targeting the ageing process which is a common denominator to many health problems. Cannabis-like compounds (cannabinoids) are reported to improve quality of life and general well-being in human trials, and there is increasing preclinical research highlighting that they have anti-ageing activity. Moreover, preclinical evidence suggests that endogenous cannabinoids regulate ageing processes. Here, we review the anti-ageing effects of the cannabinoids in various model systems, including the most extensively studied nematode model, Caenorhabditis elegans. These studies highlight that the cannabinoids lengthen healthspan and lifespan, with emerging evidence that they may also hinder the development of cellular senescence. The non-psychoactive cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) shows particular promise, with mechanistic studies demonstrating it may work through autophagy induction and activation of antioxidative systems. Furthermore, CBD improves healthspan parameters such as diminishing age-related behavioural dysfunction in models of both healthy and accelerated ageing. Translation into mammalian systems provides an important next step. Moreover, looking beyond CBD, future studies could probe the multitude of other cannabis constituents for their anti-ageing activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhizhen Wang
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jonathon C Arnold
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Discipline of Pharmacology, Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Itkin T, Unger K, Barak Y, Yovel A, Stekolshchik L, Ego L, Aydinov Y, Gerchman Y, Sapir A. Exploiting the Unique Biology of Caenorhabditis elegans to Launch Neurodegeneration Studies in Space. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:579-589. [PMID: 38917419 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2023.0096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
The 21st century is likely to be the first century in which large-scale short- and long-term space missions become common. Accordingly, an ever-increasing body of research is focusing on understanding the effects of current and future space expeditions on human physiology in health and disease. Yet the complex experimental environment, the small number of participants, and the high cost of space missions are among the primary factors that hinder a better understanding of the impact of space missions on human physiology. The goal of our research was to develop a cost-effective, compact, and easy-to-manipulate system to address questions related to human health and disease in space. This initiative was part of the Ramon SpaceLab program, an annual research-based learning program designed to cultivate high school students' involvement in space exploration by facilitating experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS). In the present study, we used the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a well-suited model organism, to investigate the effect of space missions on neurodegeneration-related processes. Our study specifically focused on the level of aggregation of Huntington's disease-causing polyglutamine stretch-containing (PolyQ) proteins in C. elegans muscles, the canonical system for studying neurodegeneration in this organism. We compared animals expressing PolyQ proteins grown onboard the ISS with their genetically identical siblings grown on Earth and observed a significant difference in the number of aggregates between the two populations. Currently, it is challenging to determine whether this effect stems from developmental or morphological differences between the cultures or is a result of life in space. Nevertheless, our results serve as a proof of concept and open a new avenue for utilizing C. elegans to address various open questions in space studies, including the effects of space conditions on the onset and development of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatyana Itkin
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program, Shakim High School, Nahariya, Israel
| | - Ksenia Unger
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program, Shakim High School, Nahariya, Israel
| | - Yair Barak
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program, Shakim High School, Nahariya, Israel
| | - Amit Yovel
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program, Shakim High School, Nahariya, Israel
| | - Liya Stekolshchik
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program, Shakim High School, Nahariya, Israel
| | - Linoy Ego
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program, Shakim High School, Nahariya, Israel
| | - Yana Aydinov
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program, Shakim High School, Nahariya, Israel
| | - Yoram Gerchman
- Department of Biology and the Environment, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Institute of Evolution, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Oranim Academic College, Kiryat Tivon, Israel
| | - Amir Sapir
- Department of Biology and the Environment, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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Identification of a Hydroxygallic Acid Derivative, Zingibroside R1 and a Sterol Lipid as Potential Active Ingredients of Cuscuta chinensis Extract That Has Neuroprotective and Antioxidant Effects in Aged Caenorhabditis elegans. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14194199. [PMID: 36235851 PMCID: PMC9570774 DOI: 10.3390/nu14194199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined the effects of the extracts from two traditional Chinese medicine plants, Cuscuta chinensis and Eucommia ulmoides, on the healthspan of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. C. chinensis increased the short-term memory and the mechanosensory response of aged C. elegans. Furthermore, both extracts improved the resistance towards oxidative stress, and decreased the intracellular level of reactive oxygen species. Chemical analyses of the extracts revealed the presence of several bioactive compounds such as chlorogenic acid, cinnamic acid, and quercetin. A fraction from the C. chinensis extract enriched in zingibroside R1 improved the lifespan, the survival after heat stress, and the locomotion in a manner similar to the full C. chinensis extract. Thus, zingibroside R1 could be (partly) responsible for the observed health benefits of C. chinensis. Furthermore, a hydroxygallic acid derivative and the sterol lipid 4-alpha-formyl-stigmasta-7,24(241)-dien-3-beta-ol are abundantly present in the C. chinensis extract and its most bioactive fraction, but hardly in E. ulmoides, making them good candidates to explain the overall healthspan benefits of C. chinensis compared to the specific positive effects on stress resistance by E. ulmoides. Our findings highlight the overall anti-aging effects of C. chinensis in C. elegans and provide first hints about the components responsible for these effects.
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Lee GY, Sohn J, Lee SJV. Combinatorial Approach Using Caenorhabditis elegans and Mammalian Systems for Aging Research. Mol Cells 2021; 44:425-432. [PMID: 34248055 PMCID: PMC8334350 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2021.0080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with functional and structural declines in organisms over time. Organisms as diverse as the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and mammals share signaling pathways that regulate aging and lifespan. In this review, we discuss recent combinatorial approach to aging research employing C. elegans and mammalian systems that have contributed to our understanding of evolutionarily conserved aging-regulating pathways. The topics covered here include insulin/IGF-1, mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), and sirtuin signaling pathways; dietary restriction; autophagy; mitochondria; and the nervous system. A combinatorial approach employing high-throughput, rapid C. elegans systems, and human model mammalian systems is likely to continue providing mechanistic insights into aging biology and will help develop therapeutics against age-associated disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gee-Yoon Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Jooyeon Sohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Seung-Jae V. Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
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Network analysis in aged C. elegans reveals candidate regulatory genes of ageing. Biogerontology 2021; 22:345-367. [PMID: 33871732 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-021-09920-3] [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: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Ageing is a biological process guided by genetic and environmental factors that ultimately lead to adverse outcomes for organismal lifespan and healthspan. Determination of molecular pathways that are affected with age and increase disease susceptibility is crucial. The gene expression profile of the ideal ageing model, namely the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans mapped with the microarray technology initially led to the identification of age-dependent gene expression alterations that characterize the nematode's ageing process. The list of differentially expressed genes was then utilized to construct a network of molecular interactions with their first neighbors/interactors using the interactions listed in the WormBase database. The subsequent network analysis resulted in the unbiased selection of 110 candidate genes, among which well-known ageing regulators appeared. More importantly, our approach revealed candidates that have never been linked to ageing before, thus suggesting promising potential targets/ageing regulators.
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In-Vivo Quantitative Image Analysis of Age-Related Morphological Changes of C. elegans Neurons Reveals a Correlation between Neurite Bending and Novel Neurite Outgrowths. eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO.0014-19.2019. [PMID: 31217194 PMCID: PMC6620389 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0014-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The aging of the human brain in the absence of diseases is accompanied by subtle changes of neuronal morphology, such as dendrite restructuring, neuronal sprouting, and synaptic deteriorations, rather than neurodegeneration or gross deterioration. Similarly, the nervous system of Caenorhabditis elegans does not show neurodegeneration or gross deterioration during normal aging, but displays subtle alterations in neuronal morphology. The occurrence of these age-dependent abnormalities is stochastic and dynamic, which poses a major challenge to fully capture them for quantitative comparison. Here, we developed a semi-automated pipeline for quantitative image analysis of these features during aging. We employed and evaluated this pipeline herein to reproduce findings from previous studies using visual inspection of neuronal morphology. Importantly, our approach can also quantify additional features, such as soma volume, the length of neurite outgrowths, and their location along the aged neuron. We found that, during aging, the soma of neurons decreases in volume, whereas the number and length of neurite outgrowths from the soma both increase. Long-lived animals showed less decrease in soma volume, fewer and shorter neurite outgrowths, and protection against abnormal sharp bends preferentially localized at the distal part of the dendrites during aging. We found a correlation of sharp bends with neurite outgrowth, suggesting the hypothesis that sharp bends might proceed neurite outgrowths. Thus, our semi-automated pipeline can help researchers to obtain and analyze quantitative datasets of this stochastic process for comparison across genotypes and to identify correlations to facilitate the generation of novel hypothesis.
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Son HG, Altintas O, Kim EJE, Kwon S, Lee SV. Age-dependent changes and biomarkers of aging in Caenorhabditis elegans. Aging Cell 2019; 18:e12853. [PMID: 30734981 PMCID: PMC6413654 DOI: 10.1111/acel.12853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans is an exceptionally valuable model for aging research because of many advantages, including its genetic tractability, short lifespan, and clear age‐dependent physiological changes. Aged C. elegans display a decline in their anatomical and functional features, including tissue integrity, motility, learning and memory, and immunity. Caenorhabditis elegans also exhibit many age‐associated changes in the expression of microRNAs and stress‐responsive genes and in RNA and protein quality control systems. Many of these age‐associated changes provide information on the health of the animals and serve as valuable biomarkers for aging research. Here, we review the age‐dependent changes in C. elegans and their utility as aging biomarkers indicative of the physiological status of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heehwa G. Son
- Department of Life Sciences Pohang University of Science and Technology Pohang South Korea
| | - Ozlem Altintas
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering Pohang University of Science and Technology Pohang South Korea
| | - Eun Ji E. Kim
- Department of Life Sciences Pohang University of Science and Technology Pohang South Korea
| | - Sujeong Kwon
- Department of Life Sciences Pohang University of Science and Technology Pohang South Korea
| | - Seung‐Jae V. Lee
- Department of Life Sciences Pohang University of Science and Technology Pohang South Korea
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering Pohang University of Science and Technology Pohang South Korea
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Bernardin Souibgui C, Zoropogui A, Voisin J, Ribun S, Vasselon V, Pujic P, Rodriguez-Nava V, Belly P, Cournoyer B, Blaha D. Virulence test using nematodes to prescreen Nocardia species capable of inducing neurodegeneration and behavioral disorders. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3823. [PMID: 29038748 PMCID: PMC5639870 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a disorder characterized by dopaminergic neuron programmed cell death. The etiology of PD remains uncertain—some cases are due to selected genes associated with familial heredity, others are due to environmental exposure to toxic components, but over 90% of cases have a sporadic origin. Nocardia are Actinobacteria that can cause human diseases like nocardiosis. This illness can lead to lung infection or central nervous system (CNS) invasion in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. The main species involved in CNS are N. farcinica, N. nova, N. brasiliensis and N. cyriacigeorgica. Some studies have highlighted the ability of N. cyriacigeorgica to induce Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms in animals. Actinobacteria are known to produce a large variety of secondary metabolites, some of which can be neurotoxic. We hypothesized that neurotoxic secondary metabolite production and the onset of PD-like symptoms in animals could be linked. Methods Here we used a method to screen bacteria that could induce dopaminergic neurodegeneration before performing mouse experiments. Results The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans allowed us to demonstrate that Nocardia strains belonging to N. cyriacigeorgica and N. farcinica species can induce dopaminergic neurodegeneration. Strains of interest involved with the nematodes in neurodegenerative disorders were then injected in mice. Infected mice had behavioral disorders that may be related to neuronal damage, thus confirming the ability of Nocardia strains to induce neurodegeneration. These behavioral disorders were induced by N. cyriacigeorgica species (N. cyriacigeorgica GUH-2 and N. cyriacigeorgica 44484) and N. farcinica 10152. Discussion We conclude that C. elegans is a good model for detecting Nocardia strains involved in neurodegeneration. This model allowed us to detect bacteria with high neurodegenerative effects and which should be studied in mice to characterize the induced behavioral disorders and bacterial dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Bernardin Souibgui
- UMR CNRS5557, INRA1418 Ecologie Microbienne, Université Lyon 1, VetAgro Sup, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Anthony Zoropogui
- UMR CNRS5557, INRA1418 Ecologie Microbienne, Université Lyon 1, VetAgro Sup, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Jeremy Voisin
- UMR CNRS5557, INRA1418 Ecologie Microbienne, Université Lyon 1, VetAgro Sup, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Sebastien Ribun
- UMR CNRS5557, INRA1418 Ecologie Microbienne, Université Lyon 1, VetAgro Sup, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Valentin Vasselon
- UMR CNRS5557, INRA1418 Ecologie Microbienne, Université Lyon 1, VetAgro Sup, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Petar Pujic
- UMR CNRS5557, INRA1418 Ecologie Microbienne, Université Lyon 1, VetAgro Sup, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Veronica Rodriguez-Nava
- UMR CNRS5557, INRA1418 Ecologie Microbienne, Université Lyon 1, VetAgro Sup, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Patrick Belly
- Department of Clinical and Morphological Pathology, Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon, Marcy L'Etoile, France, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), France.,Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), France
| | - Benoit Cournoyer
- UMR CNRS5557, INRA1418 Ecologie Microbienne, Université Lyon 1, VetAgro Sup, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Didier Blaha
- UMR CNRS5557, INRA1418 Ecologie Microbienne, Université Lyon 1, VetAgro Sup, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), Lyon, France
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Wu Q, Cao X, Yan D, Wang D, Aballay A. Genetic Screen Reveals Link between the Maternal Effect Sterile Gene mes-1 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced Neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:29231-9. [PMID: 26475858 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.674259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that immune responses to microbial infections may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we show that Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection of Caenorhabditis elegans causes a number of neural changes that are hallmarks of neurodegeneration. Using an unbiased genetic screen to identify genes involved in the control of P. aeruginosa-induced neurodegeneration, we identified mes-1, which encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase-like protein that is required for unequal cell divisions in the early embryonic germ line. We showed that sterile but not fertile mes-1 animals were resistant to neurodegeneration induced by P. aeruginosa infection. Similar results were observed using animals carrying a mutation in the maternal effect gene pgl-1, which is required for postembryonic germ line development, and the germ line-deficient strains glp-1 and glp-4. Additional studies indicated that the FOXO transcription factor DAF-16 is required for resistance to P. aeruginosa-induced neurodegeneration in germ line-deficient strains. Thus, our results demonstrate that P. aeruginosa infection results in neurodegeneration phenotypes in C. elegans that are controlled by the germ line in a cell-nonautonomous manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuli Wu
- From the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710 and the Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiou Cao
- From the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710 and
| | - Dong Yan
- From the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710 and
| | - Dayong Wang
- the Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Alejandro Aballay
- From the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710 and
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