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Rodrigues DT, Padilha HA, Soares ATG, de Souza MEO, Guerra MT, Ávila DS. The Caenorhabditis elegans neuroendocrine system and their modulators: An overview. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2024; 586:112191. [PMID: 38382589 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2024.112191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
In this review we seek to systematically bring what has been published in the literature about the nervous system, endocrine system, neuroendocrine relationships, neuroendocrine modulations and endocrine disruptors in the alternative model Caenorhabditis elegans. The serotonergic, dopaminergic, GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmitters are related to the modulation of the neuroendocrine axis, leading to the activation or inhibition of several processes that occur in the worm through distinct and interconnected pathways. Furthermore, this review addresses the gut-neuronal axis as it has been revealed in recent years that gut microbiota impacts on neuronal functions. This review also approaches xenobiotics that can positively or negatively impact the neuroendocrine system in C. elegans as in mammals, which allows the application of this nematode to screen new drugs and to identify toxicants that are endocrine disruptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Teixeira Rodrigues
- Graduation Program in Biological Sciences- Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Daiana Silva Ávila
- Graduation Program in Biological Sciences- Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Graduation Program in Biochemistry, Federal University of Pampa, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil.
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2
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Nandhini S, Ranjani M, Thiruppathi G, Jaithanya YM, Kalaiarasi G, Ravi M, Prabusankar G, Malecki JG, Sundararaj P, Prabhakaran R. Organoruthenium metallocycle induced mutation in gld-1 tumor suppression gene in JK1466 strain and appreciable lifespan expansion. J Inorg Biochem 2024; 257:112593. [PMID: 38754275 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2024.112593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Four Ru(II) complexes (A2-A5) were synthesized from the reaction of coumarin Schiff base ligands (7da2-tsc, 7da3-mtsc, 7da4-etsc and 7da5-ptsc) with [RuHCl(CO)(PPh3)3]. The compounds were characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis, 1H, 13C and 31P NMR, mass spectrometry and crystallographic analysis. Calf Thymus DNA (CT-DNA) binding studies revealed the intercalative mode of binding of the complexes with DNA. The results of Bovine serum albumin (BSA) binding studies established the interaction between BSA followed static quenching mechanism. The cytotoxic effects of the complexes and the ligands were evaluated against breast (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and lung carcinoma cell lines (A549 and NCI-H460) using MTT assay. Complex A4 demonstrated potent cytotoxic effects on both breast and lung cancer cells. Furthermore, morphological observations and FACS analysis showed the decrease in cell density by complex A4 by induced morphological changes and apoptotic body formation and cell death in both breast and lung cancer cells. Moreover, the invertebrate model Caenorhabditis elegans was employed to assess the in vivo anticancer activity of compound A4. The findings indicated that the treatment with A4 reduced tumor development and significantly extended organismal lifespan by 64 % in the tumoral strain JK1466 without adversely affecting essential physiological functions of the worm. Additionally, A4 demonstrated an upregulation of two crucial antioxidant defense genes. Overall, these results suggested that the compound A4 can be a potential candidate with novel chemotherapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Nandhini
- Department of Chemistry, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, India
| | - M Ranjani
- Department of Chemistry, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, India
| | - G Thiruppathi
- Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, India
| | - Y M Jaithanya
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600025, India
| | - G Kalaiarasi
- Department of Chemistry, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, India
| | - M Ravi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600025, India.
| | - G Prabusankar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad 502285, India
| | - J G Malecki
- Department of Crystallography, Silesia University, Szkolna 9, 40-006 Katowice, Poland
| | - P Sundararaj
- Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, India
| | - R Prabhakaran
- Department of Chemistry, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, India.
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de Oliveira GV, Soares MV, Cordeiro LM, da Silva AF, Venturini L, Ilha L, Baptista FBO, da Silveira TL, Soares FAA, Iglesias BA. Toxicological assessment of photoactivated tetra-cationic porphyrin molecules under white light exposure in a Caenorhabditis elegans model. Toxicology 2024; 504:153793. [PMID: 38574843 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2024.153793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) utilizes the potential of photosensitizing substances to absorb light energy and produce reactive oxygen species. Tetra-cationic porphyrins, which have organic or coordination compounds attached to their periphery, are heterocyclic derivatives with well-described antimicrobial and antitumoral properties. This is due to their ability to produce reactive oxygen species and their photobiological properties in solution. Consequently, these molecules are promising candidates as new and more effective photosensitizers with biomedical, environmental, and other biomedical applications. Prior to human exposure, it is essential to establish the toxicological profile of these molecules using in vivo models. In this study, we used Caenorhabditis elegans, a small free-living nematode, as a model for assessing toxic effects and predicting toxicity in preclinical research. We evaluated the toxic effects of porphyrins (neutral and tetra-cationic) on nematodes under dark/light conditions. Our findings demonstrate that tetra-methylated porphyrins (3TMeP and 4TMeP) at a concentration of 3.3 µg/mL (1.36 and 0.93 µM) exhibit high toxicity (as evidenced by reduced survival, development, and locomotion) under dark conditions. Moreover, photoactivated tetra-methylated porphyrins induce higher ROS levels compared to neutral (3TPyP and 4TPyP), tetra-palladated (3PdTPyP and 4PdTPyP), and tetra-platinated (3PtTPyP and 4PtTPyP) porphyrins, which may be responsible for the observed toxic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Vitória de Oliveira
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Marcell Valandro Soares
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Larissa Marafiga Cordeiro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Aline Franzen da Silva
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Luiza Venturini
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Larissa Ilha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Fabiane Bicca Obetine Baptista
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Tássia Limana da Silveira
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Félix Alexandre Antunes Soares
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Bernardo Almeida Iglesias
- Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Porphyrinic Materials, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
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Dua A, Saini P, Goyal S, Selvam P, Ashok Kumar SK, Thiruppathi G, Sundararaj P, Sharma HK, Kumar Ramasamy S. Chromene-chromene Schiff base as a fluorescent chemosensor for Th 4+ and its application in bioimaging of Caenorhabditis elegans. Methods 2024; 225:28-37. [PMID: 38485032 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2024.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The manuscript presents the synthesis of a new di-chromene Schiff base (COM-CH) by combining 7-(diethylamino)-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carbohydrazide and 4-oxo-4H-chromene-3-carbaldehyde, and its characterization using various analytical techniques. The probe COM-CH functional group contains a hard donor atom that selectively complexes with Th4+ ions. This report investigated COM-CH's sensing ability towards Th4+ chromogenic and fluorogenic methods in ACN: H2O (8:2, v/v) with Th4+ ions. The COM-CH-Th4+ complex was excited at 430 nm, resulting in a bright emission band at 475 nm with a 45 nm Stokes shift. The COM-CH probe demonstrated the highest performance at pH 4.0 to 8.0, with a sensitivity of 18.7 nM. The complex formation of COM-CH with Th4+ was investigated using NMR, FTIR spectrometry, and density functional theory calculations. The COM-CH and Th4+ are bound with 2:1 stoichiometry and an association constant of 1.92 × 108 M-2. The probe's performance enabled the analysis of monazite sand and water samples for Th4+ content. The probe successfully detected Th4+ content in Caenorhabditis elegans, marking the first Th4+ detection in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aastha Dua
- Department of Chemistry, M.M Engineering College, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala 133 207, Haryana, India
| | - Pratiksha Saini
- Department of Chemistry, M.M Engineering College, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala 133 207, Haryana, India
| | - Shiwani Goyal
- Department of Chemistry, M.M Engineering College, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala 133 207, Haryana, India
| | - Pravinkumar Selvam
- Department of Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632 014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - S K Ashok Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632 014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Govindhan Thiruppathi
- Unit of Nematology, Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Palanisamy Sundararaj
- Unit of Nematology, Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Harish K Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, M.M Engineering College, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala 133 207, Haryana, India
| | - Selva Kumar Ramasamy
- Department of Chemistry, M.M Engineering College, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala 133 207, Haryana, India.
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Nandhini S, Thiruppathi G, Ranjani M, Pushmann H, Ravi M, Sundararaj P, Prabhakaran R. Effect of ruthenium(II) complexes on MDA-MB-231 cells and lifespan/tumor growth in gld-1mutant, Daf-16 TF and stress productive genes: A perspective study. J Inorg Biochem 2024; 257:112580. [PMID: 38701694 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2024.112580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Pincer type coumarin based N-substituted semicarbazone ligands HL1-4 and their corresponding ruthenium(II) complexes (1-4) were synthesized, analyzed and confirmed by various spectro analytical techniques. The molecular structure of the ligand HL3 and complex 3 was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The stoichiometry of complexes 1, 2 and 4 was confirmed by high resolution mass spectroscopy (HRMS). The binding affinity of the compounds with CT-DNA (Calf Thymus DNA) and BSA (Bovine Serum Albumin) was established by absorption and emission titration methods. The results of In vitro cytotoxicity showed the significant cytotoxic potential of the complexes against MDA-MB-231 cells (TNBC- Triple-negative breast cancer). Among the complexes, 1 and 4 have shown appreciable results. Further, antimigratory activity against the MDA-MB-231 cells was studied for the complexes 1 and 4. The percentage cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and necrosis were explored by flow cytometry. The in vivo anti-tumor activity of the complexes 1 and 4 using C. elegans as model organism was established by using the tumoral C. elegans strain JK1466 (gld-1(q485)), which bears a mutation in the gld-1 tumor suppressor gene. We have determined the effect of our complexes on tumor gonad reduction and found to be non toxic to the JK1466 worms and they have prolonged their mean lifespan with potential antioxidant ability by overcoming stress responses. Overall, our study reported herein demonstrated that the complexes 1 and 4 could be established as potential metallo-drugs substantiating further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Nandhini
- Department of Chemistry, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, India
| | - G Thiruppathi
- Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, India
| | - M Ranjani
- Department of Chemistry, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, India
| | - H Pushmann
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - M Ravi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600025, India
| | - P Sundararaj
- Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, India
| | - R Prabhakaran
- Department of Chemistry, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, India.
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King DE, Sparling AC, Joyce AS, Ryde IT, DeSouza B, Ferguson PL, Murphy SK, Meyer JN. Lack of detectable sex differences in the mitochondrial function of Caenorhabditis elegans. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:55. [PMID: 38664688 PMCID: PMC11046947 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02238-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences in mitochondrial function have been reported in multiple tissue and cell types. Additionally, sex-variable responses to stressors including environmental pollutants and drugs that cause mitochondrial toxicity have been observed. The mechanisms that establish these differences are thought to include hormonal modulation, epigenetic regulation, double dosing of X-linked genes, and the maternal inheritance of mtDNA. Understanding the drivers of sex differences in mitochondrial function and being able to model them in vitro is important for identifying toxic compounds with sex-variable effects. Additionally, understanding how sex differences in mitochondrial function compare across species may permit insight into the drivers of these differences, which is important for basic biology research. This study explored whether Caenorhabditis elegans, a model organism commonly used to study stress biology and toxicology, exhibits sex differences in mitochondrial function and toxicant susceptibility. To assess sex differences in mitochondrial function, we utilized four male enriched populations (N2 wild-type male enriched, fog-2(q71), him-5(e1490), and him-8(e1498)). We performed whole worm respirometry and determined whole worm ATP levels and mtDNA copy number. To probe whether sex differences manifest only after stress and inform the growing use of C. elegans as a mitochondrial health and toxicologic model, we also assessed susceptibility to a classic mitochondrial toxicant, rotenone. RESULTS We detected few to no large differences in mitochondrial function between C. elegans sexes. Though we saw no sex differences in vulnerability to rotenone, we did observe sex differences in the uptake of this lipophilic compound, which may be of interest to those utilizing C. elegans as a model organism for toxicologic studies. Additionally, we observed altered non-mitochondrial respiration in two him strains, which may be of interest to other researchers utilizing these strains. CONCLUSIONS Basal mitochondrial parameters in male and hermaphrodite C. elegans are similar, at least at the whole-organism level, as is toxicity associated with a mitochondrial Complex I inhibitor, rotenone. Our data highlights the limitation of using C. elegans as a model to study sex-variable mitochondrial function and toxicological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillon E King
- Nicholas School of Environment, Duke University, 308 Research Drive, A304, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - A Clare Sparling
- Nicholas School of Environment, Duke University, 308 Research Drive, A304, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Abigail S Joyce
- Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ian T Ryde
- Nicholas School of Environment, Duke University, 308 Research Drive, A304, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Beverly DeSouza
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - P Lee Ferguson
- Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Susan K Murphy
- Nicholas School of Environment, Duke University, 308 Research Drive, A304, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Joel N Meyer
- Nicholas School of Environment, Duke University, 308 Research Drive, A304, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
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Zöngür A, Er Zeybekler S. Evaluation of the effects of zinc oxide (ZnO NPs) nanoparticles synthesized by green synthesis on Caenorhabditis elegans. Biol Futur 2024:10.1007/s42977-024-00217-3. [PMID: 38662325 DOI: 10.1007/s42977-024-00217-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, the rapid development of nanotechnology has caused the products obtained with this technology to be used more daily. Information on the effects of these products, which provide great advantages in every respect, on human health and the environment is insufficient. It has been suggested that these nanoparticles may have toxic effects on living things, mostly in animal experiments and cell cultures. In this paper, the organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), which contains a genome and biochemical ways highly similar to humans, is used to understand and reveal the metabolism of Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) toxicological effects. The toxicological effects of ZnO NPs on C. elegans organisms were investigated and the results were evaluated in terms of environment and human health. C. elegans was exposed to commercial ZnO NPs and green synthesized ZnO NPs from Olea europaea (olive tree, OLE). LC50 values were determined by probit analysis (green synthesized ZnO NP LC5024h = 84.97 mg/L, LC5072h = 33.27 mg/L, commercial ZnO NPs LC5024h = 5.75 mg/L, LC5072h = 1.91 mg/L). When the survival times of C. elegans were evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method, it was seen that commercial ZnO NPs were more toxic than green synthesized ZnO NPs. In MTT tests, it was clearly seen that commercial ZnO NPs and green synthesized ZnO NPs entered the cell and caused different cytotoxicity. While there was a difference between control and 0.5, 2.5, 5, 10, 25, and 50 mg/L doses in commercial ZnO NP applications, there were significant differences between control and 25, 50 mg/L concentrations in green synthesized ZnO NP applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alper Zöngür
- Gemerek Vocational School, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey.
| | - Simge Er Zeybekler
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Ege University, 35100, Bornova-Izmir, Turkey
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Carvalho L, de Lima FP, Cerqueira M, Silva A, Pontes O, Oliveira-Pinto S, Guerreiro S, Costa MD, Granja S, Maciel P, Longatto-Filho A, Baltazar F, Proença F, Costa M. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of novel chromeno[2,3- d]pyrimidinones as therapeutic agents for triple negative breast cancer. RSC Med Chem 2024; 15:1362-1380. [PMID: 38665823 PMCID: PMC11042168 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00682d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer, and the limited therapeutic options show poor efficacy in patients, associated to severe side effects and development of resistance. Considering that chromene-based scaffolds proved to be attractive candidates for cancer therapy, herein we prepared new chromeno[2,3-d]pyrimidinone derivatives by a simple two step procedure, starting from the reaction of cyanoacetamide and a salicylaldehyde. A cell viability screening in several breast cancer cell lines allowed to identify two promising compounds with IC50 values in the low micromolar range for TNBC cells. These chromenes inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest and triggered cell death through apoptosis. In vivo studies revealed a safe profile in invertebrate and vertebrate animal models and confirmed their capacity to inhibit tumor growth in the CAM model, inducing significant tumor regression after 4 days of treatment. The two compounds identified in this study are promising drug candidates for TNBC treatment and valuable hits for future optimization, using the versatile synthetic platform that was developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luísa Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho Campus of Gualtar Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | | | - Mónica Cerqueira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho Campus of Gualtar Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | - Ana Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho Campus of Gualtar Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | - Olívia Pontes
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho Campus of Gualtar Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | - Sofia Oliveira-Pinto
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho Campus of Gualtar Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | - Sara Guerreiro
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho Campus of Gualtar Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory Braga/Guimarães Portugal
- Department of Pathological, Cytological and Thanatological Anatomy, School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Porto 4200-072 Porto Portugal
| | - Marta D Costa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho Campus of Gualtar Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | - Sara Granja
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho Campus of Gualtar Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory Braga/Guimarães Portugal
- Department of Pathological, Cytological and Thanatological Anatomy, School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Porto 4200-072 Porto Portugal
| | - Patrícia Maciel
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho Campus of Gualtar Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | - Adhemar Longatto-Filho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho Campus of Gualtar Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory Braga/Guimarães Portugal
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital São Paulo Brazil
- Medical Laboratory of Medical Investigation (LIM) 14, Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of São Paulo São Paulo Brazil
| | - Fátima Baltazar
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho Campus of Gualtar Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | - Fernanda Proença
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minho Campus of Gualtar Braga Portugal
| | - Marta Costa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho Campus of Gualtar Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory Braga/Guimarães Portugal
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Rivenbark KJ, Fawkes LS, Nikkhah H, Wang M, Sansom GT, Beykal B, Wade TL, Phillips TD. Using L. minor and C. elegans to assess the ecotoxicity of real-life contaminated soil samples and their remediation by clay- and carbon-based sorbents. Environ Pollut 2024; 347:123762. [PMID: 38479705 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Toxic substances, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals, can accumulate in soil, posing a risk to human health and the environment. To reduce the risk of exposure, rapid identification and remediation of potentially hazardous soils is necessary. Adsorption of contaminants by activated carbons and clay materials is commonly utilized to decrease the bioavailability of chemicals in soil and environmental toxicity in vitro, and this study aims to determine their efficacy in real-life soil samples. Two ecotoxicological models (Lemna minor and Caenorhabditis elegans) were used to test residential soil samples, known to contain an average of 5.3, 262, and 9.6 ppm of PAHs, lead, and mercury, for potential toxicity. Toxicity testing of these soils indicated that 86% and 58% of soils caused ≤50% inhibition of growth and survival of L. minor and C. elegans, respectively. Importantly, 3 soil samples caused ≥90% inhibition of growth in both models, and the toxicity was positively correlated with levels of heavy metals. These toxic soil samples were prioritized for remediation using activated carbon and SM-Tyrosine sorbents, which have been shown to immobilize PAHs and heavy metals, respectively. The inclusion of low levels of SM-Tyrosine protected the growth and survival of L. minor and C. elegans by 83% and 78%, respectively from the polluted soil samples while activated carbon offered no significant protection. These results also indicated that heavy metals were the driver of toxicity in the samples. Results from this study demonstrate that adsorption technologies are effective strategies for remediating complex, real-life soil samples contaminated with hazardous pollutants and protecting natural soil and groundwater resources and habitats. The results highlight the applicability of these ecotoxicological models as rapid screening tools for monitoring soil quality and verifying the efficacy of remediation practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J Rivenbark
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Leanne S Fawkes
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Texas School of Public Health San Antonio at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Hasan Nikkhah
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA; Center for Clean Energy Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Meichen Wang
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Garett T Sansom
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Burcu Beykal
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA; Center for Clean Energy Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Terry L Wade
- Geochemical & Environmental Research Group, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Timothy D Phillips
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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10
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Axioti E, Dixon EG, Reynolds-Green M, Alexander ECH, Brugnoli B, Keddie DJ, Couturaud B, Suksiriworapong J, Swainson SME, Francolini I, Howdle SM, Jacob PL, Cavanagh RJ, Chauhan VM, Taresco V. Glycerol- and diglycerol-based polyesters: Evaluation of backbone alterations upon nano-formulation performance. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2024; 236:113828. [PMID: 38452625 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.113828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Despite the success of polyethylene glycol-based (PEGylated) polyesters in the drug delivery and biomedical fields, concerns have arisen regarding PEG's immunogenicity and limited biodegradability. In addition, inherent limitations, including limited chemical handles as well as highly hydrophobic nature, can restrict their effectiveness in physiological conditions of the polyester counterpart. To address these matters, an increasing amount of research has been focused towards identifying alternatives to PEG. One promising strategy involves the use of bio-derived polyols, such as glycerol. In particular, glycerol is a hydrophilic, non-toxic, untapped waste resource and as other polyols, can be incorporated into polyesters via enzymatic catalysis routes. In the present study, a systematic screening is conducted focusing on the incorporation of 1,6-hexanediol (Hex) (hydrophobic diol) into both poly(glycerol adipate) (PGA) and poly(diglycerol adipate) (PDGA) at different (di)glycerol:hex ratios (30:70; 50:50 and 70:30 mol/mol) and its effect on purification upon NPs formation. By varying the amphiphilicity of the backbone, we demonstrated that minor adjustments influence the NPs formation, NPs stability, drug encapsulation, and degradation of these polymers, despite the high chemical similarity. Moreover, the best performing materials have shown good biocompatibility in both in vitro and in vivo (whole organism) tests. As preliminary result, the sample containing diglycerol and Hex in a 70:30 ratio, named as PDGA-Hex 30%, has shown to be the most promising candidate in this small library analysed. It demonstrated comparable stability to the glycerol-based samples in various media but exhibited superior encapsulation efficiency of a model hydrophobic dye. This in-depth investigation provides new insights into the design and modification of biodegradable (di)glycerol-based polyesters, potentially paving the way for more effective and sustainable PEG-free drug delivery nano-systems in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Axioti
- School of Chemistry, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Emily G Dixon
- School of Chemistry, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Benedetta Brugnoli
- Dept. of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Daniel J Keddie
- School of Chemistry, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Benoit Couturaud
- Institut de Chimie et des Matériaux Paris-Est (ICMPE), CNRS, University Paris Est Créteil, UMR 7182, 2 Rue Henri Dunant, Thiais 94320, France
| | | | - Sadie M E Swainson
- Oral Product Development, Pharmaceutical Technology & Development, Operations, AstraZeneca, Macclesfield SK10 2NA, United Kingdom
| | - Iolanda Francolini
- Dept. of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Steven M Howdle
- School of Chemistry, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Philippa L Jacob
- School of Chemistry, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
| | - Robert J Cavanagh
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Boots Sciences Building, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
| | - Veeren M Chauhan
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Boots Sciences Building, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
| | - Vincenzo Taresco
- School of Chemistry, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
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11
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Anwar A, De Ayreflor Reyes SR, John AA, Breiling E, O’Connor AM, Reis S, Shim JH, Shah AA, Srinivasan J, Farny NG. Nucleic Acid Aptamers Protect Against Lead (Pb(II)) Toxicity. bioRxiv 2024:2024.03.28.587288. [PMID: 38585880 PMCID: PMC10996642 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.28.587288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Lead (Pb(II)) is a pervasive heavy metal toxin with many well-established negative effects on human health. Lead toxicity arises from cumulative, repeated environmental exposures. Thus, prophylactic strategies to protect against the bioaccumulation of lead could reduce lead-associated human pathologies. Here we show that DNA and RNA aptamers protect C. elegans from toxic phenotypes caused by lead. Reproductive toxicity, as measured by brood size assays, is prevented by co-feeding of animals with DNA or RNA aptamers. Similarly, lead-induced behavioral anomalies are also normalized by aptamer feeding. Further, cultured human HEK293 and primary murine osteoblasts are protected from lead toxicity by transfection with DNA aptamers. The osteogenic development, which is decreased by lead exposure, is maintained by prior transfection of lead-binding DNA aptamers. Aptamers may be an effective strategy for the protection of human health in the face of increasing environmental toxicants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afreen Anwar
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
- Department of Biotechnology, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri (J&K), India
| | | | - Aijaz Ahmad John
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Erik Breiling
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Abigail M. O’Connor
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Stephanie Reis
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Jae-Hyuck Shim
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ali Asghar Shah
- Department of Biotechnology, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri (J&K), India
| | - Jagan Srinivasan
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Natalie G. Farny
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
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12
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Collins EMS, Hessel EVS, Hughes S. How neurobehavior and brain development in alternative whole-organism models can contribute to prediction of developmental neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicology 2024; 102:48-57. [PMID: 38552718 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2024.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) is not routinely evaluated in chemical risk assessment because current test paradigms for DNT require the use of mammalian models which are ethically controversial, expensive, and resource demanding. Consequently, efforts have focused on revolutionizing DNT testing through affordable novel alternative methods for risk assessment. The goal is to develop a DNT in vitro test battery amenable to high-throughput screening (HTS). Currently, the DNT in vitro test battery consists primarily of human cell-based assays because of their immediate relevance to human health. However, such cell-based assays alone are unable to capture the complexity of a developing nervous system. Whole organismal systems that qualify as 3 R (Replace, Reduce and Refine) models are urgently needed to complement cell-based DNT testing. These models can provide the necessary organismal context and be used to explore the impact of chemicals on brain function by linking molecular and/or cellular changes to behavioural readouts. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the planarian Dugesia japonica, and embryos of the zebrafish Danio rerio are all suited to low-cost HTS and each has unique strengths for DNT testing. Here, we review the strengths and the complementarity of these organisms in a novel, integrative context and highlight how they can augment current cell-based assays for more comprehensive and robust DNT screening of chemicals. Considering the limitations of all in vitro test systems, we discuss how a smart combinatory use of these systems will contribute to a better human relevant risk assessment of chemicals that considers the complexity of the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva-Maria S Collins
- Swarthmore College, Biology, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Ellen V S Hessel
- Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, Bilthoven, 3721 MA, the Netherlands
| | - Samantha Hughes
- Department of Environmental Health and Toxicology, A-LIFE, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, the Netherlands.
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13
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Hernández-García S, Guerrero-Rubio MA, Henarejos-Escudero P, Martínez-Rodríguez P, Gandía-Herrero F. Exploring in the classroom the relationship between alcohol intake and behavioral disorders through an animal model. Biochem Mol Biol Educ 2024. [PMID: 38501696 DOI: 10.1002/bmb.21829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol consumption has profound effects on behavior, such as impaired judgment, addiction or even death. It is estimated that alcohol contributes to around three million deaths worldwide, 13.5% of them in young people with ages between 20 and 39 years. Consequently, it is necessary to raise awareness among college and high school students of the risk related to alcohol drinking. The small nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an animal widely used as a model organism to study nearly all aspects of Biochemistry. It is a powerful tool to test the potential bioactivity and molecular mechanisms of natural compounds and drugs in vivo. Therefore, it is an interesting topic to include in an undergraduate course of Biotechnology, Biochemistry or Biology students among other scientific vocations. C. elegans is also used as a neurobiological model to evaluate substances´ neurotoxicity and behavioral effects. The proposed experiment introduces students to the handling of this preclinical model and to the evaluation of behavioral alterations induced by chemicals in scientific research. The effects of different doses of ethanol on C. elegans behavior are studied using a versatile chemotaxis assay. This laboratory experiment is suitable for an undergraduate course. The practical session can be used in the global strategies of information and awareness of educational centres to mitigate the impact of alcohol abuse among students, both in formal courses or in Science fairs or exhibitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samanta Hernández-García
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular A, Unidad Docente de Biología, Facultad de Veterinaria. Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - M Alejandra Guerrero-Rubio
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular A, Unidad Docente de Biología, Facultad de Veterinaria. Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Paula Henarejos-Escudero
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular A, Unidad Docente de Biología, Facultad de Veterinaria. Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Pedro Martínez-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular A, Unidad Docente de Biología, Facultad de Veterinaria. Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Fernando Gandía-Herrero
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular A, Unidad Docente de Biología, Facultad de Veterinaria. Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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14
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Li L, Li Y, Zeng K, Wang Q. Mercuric sulfide nanoparticles suppress the neurobehavioral functions of Caenorhabditis elegans through a Skp1-dependent mechanism. Food Chem Toxicol 2024; 186:114576. [PMID: 38458533 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2024.114576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Cinnabar is the naturally occurring mercuric sulfide (HgS) and concerns about its safety have been grown. However, the molecular mechanism of HgS-related neurotoxicity remains unclear. S-phase kinase-associated protein 1 (Skp1), identified as the target protein of HgS, plays a crucial role in the development of neurological diseases. This study aims to investigate the neurotoxic effects and molecular mechanism of HgS based on Skp1 using the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model. We prepared the HgS nanoparticles and conducted a comparative analysis of neurobehavioral differences in both wild-type C. elegans (N2) and a transgenic strain of C. elegans (VC1241) with a knockout of the SKP1 homologous gene after exposure to HgS nanoparticles. Our results showed that HgS nanoparticles could suppress locomotion, defecation, egg-laying, and associative learning behaviors in N2 C. elegans, while no significant alterations were observed in the VC1241 C. elegans. Furthermore, we conducted a 4D label-free proteomics analysis and screened 504 key proteins significantly affected by HgS nanoparticles through Skp1. These proteins play pivotal roles in various pathways, including SNARE interactions in vesicular transport, TGF-beta signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway, FoxO signaling pathway, etc. In summary, HgS nanoparticles at high doses suppress the neurobehavioral functions of C. elegans through a Skp1-dependent mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludi Li
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Yingzi Li
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Kewu Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China; Key Laboratory of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Compatibility Toxicology, Beijing, 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Toxicological Research and Risk Assessment for Food Safety, Beijing, 100191, China.
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15
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Zhang Q, Zhang J, Zhang Y, Sui Y, Du Y, Yang L, Yin Y. Antifungal and anti-biofilm activities of patchouli alcohol against Candida albicans. Int J Med Microbiol 2024; 314:151596. [PMID: 38128407 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2023.151596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans could cause severe clinical outcomes which could be exacerbated by the scarcity of antifungals. The capacity of C. albicans to form biofilms on medical devices that are hard to eradicate, further deepen the need to develop antifungal agents. In this study, we, for the first time, showed that patchouli alcohol (PA) can inhibit the growth of multiple C. albicans strains, as well as four other Candida species, with MICs of 64 μg/mL and MFCs from 64 to 128 μg/mL. The biofilm formation and development, adhesion, yeast-to-hyphal transition and extracellular polysaccharide of C. albicans can be inhibited by PA in a concentration-dependent manner. Confocal microscopy analyses of cells treated with PA showed that PA can increase the membrane permeability and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In C. elegans, PA did not influence the survival below 64 μg/mL. In this study PA demonstrated antifungal and antibiofilm activity against C. albicans and our results showed the potential of developing PA to fight Candida infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiulei Zhang
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Jingxiao Zhang
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 218# Ziqiang Street, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Yujie Sui
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 265# Ziqiang Street, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Yang Du
- Eye Center, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, #4026 Yatai Street, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Longfei Yang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 265# Ziqiang Street, Changchun 130041, China.
| | - Yongjie Yin
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China.
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16
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How CM, Li YS, Huang WY, Wei CC. Early-life exposure to mycotoxin zearalenone exacerbates aberrant immune response, oxidative stress, and mortality of Caenorhabditis elegans under pathogen Bacillus thuringiensis infection. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2024; 272:116085. [PMID: 38342010 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Zearalenone (ZEN) is a prevalent mycotoxin that severely impacts human and animal health. However, the possible interactions between ZEN exposure, pathogen infection, immune system, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were rarely investigated. We studied the effects of early-life ZEN (50 µM) exposure on the immune response of Caenorhabditis elegans against Bacillus thuringiensis infection and the associated mechanisms. The transcriptomic responses of C. elegans after early-life ZEN exposure were investigated using RNA sequencing and followed by verification using quantitative PCR analysis. We also investigated the immune responses of the worms through B. thuringiensis killing assays and by measuring oxidative stress. The transcriptomics result showed that early-life exposure to ZEN resulted in 44 differentially expressed genes, 7 of which were protein-coding genes with unknown functions. The Gene Ontology analysis suggested that metabolic processes and immune response were among the most significantly enriched biological processes, and the KEGG analysis suggested that lysosomes and metabolic pathways were the most significantly enriched pathways. The ZEN-exposed worms exhibited significantly reduced survival after 24-h B. thuringiensis infection, reaching near 100% mortality compared to 60% of the controls. Using qRT-PCR assay, we found that ZEN further enhanced the expression of immunity genes lys-6, spp-1, and clec-60 after B. thuringiensis infection. A concurrently enhanced ROS accumulation was also observed for ZEN-exposed worms after B. thuringiensis infection, which was 1.2-fold compared with the controls. Moreover, ZEN exposure further enhanced mRNA expression of catalases (ctl-1 and ctl-2) and increased catalase protein activity after B. thuringiensis exposure compared with their non-exposed counterparts, suggesting an elevated oxidative stress. This study suggests that early-life exposure to mycotoxin zearalenone overstimulates immune responses involving spp-17, clec-52, and clec-56, resulting in excessive ROS production, enhanced oxidative stress as indicated by aggravated ctl expression and activity, and a decline in host resistance to pathogenic infection which ultimately leads to increased mortality under B. thuringiensis infection. Our findings provide evidence that could improve our understanding on the potential interactions between mycotoxin zearalenone and pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Ming How
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10055, Taiwan
| | - Yong-Shan Li
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10055, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Yun Huang
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10055, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Cheng Wei
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10055, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10055, Taiwan.
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17
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Rivenbark KJ, Nikkhah H, Wang M, Beykal B, Phillips TD. Toxicity of representative organophosphate, organochlorine, phenylurea, dinitroaniline, carbamate, and viologen pesticides to the growth and survival of H. vulgaris, L. minor, and C. elegans. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2024; 31:21781-21796. [PMID: 38396181 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32444-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Pesticides are commonly found in the environment and pose a risk to target and non-target species; therefore, employing a set of bioassays to rapidly assess the toxicity of these chemicals to diverse species is crucial. The toxicity of nine individual pesticides from organophosphate, organochlorine, phenylurea, dinitroaniline, carbamate, and viologen chemical classes and a mixture of all the compounds were tested in three bioassays (Hydra vulgaris, Lemna minor, and Caenorhabditis elegans) that represent plant, aquatic, and soil-dwelling species, respectively. Multiple endpoints related to growth and survival were measured for each model, and EC10 and EC50 values were derived for each endpoint to identify sensitivity patterns according to chemical classes and target organisms. L. minor had the lowest EC10 and EC50 values for seven and five of the individual pesticides, respectively. L. minor was also one to two orders of magnitude more sensitive to the mixture compared to H. vulgaris and C. elegans, where EC50 values were calculated to be 0.00042, 0.0014, and 0.038 mM, respectively. H. vulgaris was the most sensitive species to the remaining individual pesticides, and C. elegans consistently ranked the least sensitive to all tested compounds. When comparing the EC50 values across all pesticides, the endpoints of L. minor were correlated with each other while the endpoints measured in H. vulgaris and C. elegans were clustered together. While there was no apparent relationship between the chemical class of pesticide and toxicity, the compounds were more closely clustered based on target organisms (herbicide vs insecticide). The results of this study demonstrate that the combination of these plant, soil, and aquatic specie can serve as representative indicators of pesticide pollution in environmental samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J Rivenbark
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Hasan Nikkhah
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
- Center for Clean Energy Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Meichen Wang
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Burcu Beykal
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
- Center for Clean Energy Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Timothy D Phillips
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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18
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Sharma K, Sharma M. Invitro anti-biofilm activity and the artificial chaperone activity of quinoline-based ionic liquids. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2024; 235:113773. [PMID: 38350204 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.113773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
The maintenance of protein conformation under stressful conditions is one of the prevailing challenges. This has led to a rapid growth in the ingenious protein therapies, in the past few decades, prioritizing the investigation of the structure and function of proteins in novel environments. Ionic Liquids (ILs) are currently dominating the biomedical industry, by endowing great solubility and stability to bio-molecules, especially proteins. Recently, researchers have devoted their attention towards the artificial chaperone activity of several classes of ILs. Thus, comprehending the long-term as well as momentary stability of protein conformation in IL formulations is an absolute necessity. In this context, we present the activity of quinoline-based ionic liquids (ILs) as artificial cheperones against time-dependent, self induced fibril formation in Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA). Herein, a series of quinoline-based ILs were synthesized and characterized. The structural and morphological changes induced in BSA in the presence and absence of these ILs are corroborated using several spectroscopic measurements and in-silico studies. The anti-microbial and antibiofilm activity of these compounds demonstrating their medicinal properties is substantiated in this study. Furthermore, the present research also gives an account of the toxicity of these compounds under in vivo conditions, using C. elegans as the model organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kajal Sharma
- Molecular Genetics of Aging, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research (ACBR), University of Delhi (North Campus), Delhi 110007, India
| | - Meenakshi Sharma
- Molecular Genetics of Aging, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research (ACBR), University of Delhi (North Campus), Delhi 110007, India.
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19
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da Fonseca CAR, Prado VC, Paltian JJ, Kazmierczak JC, Schumacher RF, Sari MHM, Cordeiro LM, da Silva AF, Soares FAA, Oliboni RDS, Luchese C, Cruz L, Wilhelm EA. 4-(Phenylselanyl)-2H-chromen-2-one-Loaded Nanocapsule Suspension-A Promising Breakthrough in Pain Management: Comprehensive Molecular Docking, Formulation Design, and Toxicological and Pharmacological Assessments in Mice. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:269. [PMID: 38399323 PMCID: PMC10892109 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16020269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Therapies for the treatment of pain and inflammation continue to pose a global challenge, emphasizing the significant impact of pain on patients' quality of life. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of 4-(Phenylselanyl)-2H-chromen-2-one (4-PSCO) on pain-associated proteins through computational molecular docking tests. A new pharmaceutical formulation based on polymeric nanocapsules was developed and characterized. The potential toxicity of 4-PSCO was assessed using Caenorhabditis elegans and Swiss mice, and its pharmacological actions through acute nociception and inflammation tests were also assessed. Our results demonstrated that 4-PSCO, in its free form, exhibited high affinity for the selected receptors, including p38 MAP kinase, peptidyl arginine deiminase type 4, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, Janus kinase 2, toll-like receptor 4, and nuclear factor-kappa β. Both free and nanoencapsulated 4-PSCO showed no toxicity in nematodes and mice. Parameters related to oxidative stress and plasma markers showed no significant change. Both treatments demonstrated antinociceptive and anti-edematogenic effects in the glutamate and hot plate tests. The nanoencapsulated form exhibited a more prolonged effect, reducing mechanical hypersensitivity in an inflammatory pain model. These findings underscore the promising potential of 4-PSCO as an alternative for the development of more effective and safer drugs for the treatment of pain and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caren Aline Ramson da Fonseca
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Bioprospecting, Biochemical Pharmacology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas CEP 96010-900, RS, Brazil; (C.A.R.d.F.); (J.J.P.); (C.L.)
| | - Vinicius Costa Prado
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Technology Laboratory, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria CEP 97105-900, RS, Brazil;
| | - Jaini Janke Paltian
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Bioprospecting, Biochemical Pharmacology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas CEP 96010-900, RS, Brazil; (C.A.R.d.F.); (J.J.P.); (C.L.)
| | - Jean Carlo Kazmierczak
- Graduate Program in Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria CEP 97105-900, RS, Brazil; (J.C.K.); (R.F.S.)
| | - Ricardo Frederico Schumacher
- Graduate Program in Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria CEP 97105-900, RS, Brazil; (J.C.K.); (R.F.S.)
| | | | - Larissa Marafiga Cordeiro
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria CEP 97105-900, RS, Brazil; (L.M.C.); (A.F.d.S.); (F.A.A.S.)
| | - Aline Franzen da Silva
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria CEP 97105-900, RS, Brazil; (L.M.C.); (A.F.d.S.); (F.A.A.S.)
| | - Felix Alexandre Antunes Soares
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria CEP 97105-900, RS, Brazil; (L.M.C.); (A.F.d.S.); (F.A.A.S.)
| | - Robson da Silva Oliboni
- Center for Chemical, Pharmaceutical, and Food Sciences, CCQFA, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas CEP 96010-900, RS, Brazil;
| | - Cristiane Luchese
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Bioprospecting, Biochemical Pharmacology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas CEP 96010-900, RS, Brazil; (C.A.R.d.F.); (J.J.P.); (C.L.)
| | - Letícia Cruz
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Technology Laboratory, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria CEP 97105-900, RS, Brazil;
| | - Ethel Antunes Wilhelm
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Bioprospecting, Biochemical Pharmacology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas CEP 96010-900, RS, Brazil; (C.A.R.d.F.); (J.J.P.); (C.L.)
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20
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van der Most MA, Bakker W, Wesseling S, van den Brink NW. Toxicokinetics of the Antidepressant Fluoxetine and Its Active Metabolite Norfluoxetine in Caenorhabditis elegans and Their Comparative Potency. Environ Sci Technol 2024. [PMID: 38343161 PMCID: PMC10882974 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a valuable model for ecotoxicological research, yet limited attention has been given to understanding how it absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and excretes chemicals. This is crucial for C. elegans because the organism is known to have strong uptake barriers that are known to be susceptible to potential confounding effects of the presence of Escherichia coli as a food source. One frequently studied compound in C. elegans is the antidepressant fluoxetine, which has an active metabolite norfluoxetine. In this study, we evaluated the toxicokinetics and relative potency of norfluoxetine and fluoxetine in chemotaxis and activity tests. Toxicokinetics experiments were conducted with varying times, concentrations of fluoxetine, and in the absence or presence of E. coli, simulated with a one-compartment model. Our findings demonstrate that C. elegans can take up fluoxetine and convert it into norfluoxetine. Norfluoxetine proved slightly more potent and had a longer elimination half-life. The bioconcentration factor, uptake, and elimination rate constants depended on exposure levels, duration, and the presence of E. coli in the exposure medium. These findings expand our understanding of toxicokinetic modeling in C. elegans for different exposure scenarios, underlining the importance of considering norfluoxetine formation in exposure and bioactivity assessments of fluoxetine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merel A van der Most
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen 6708 WE, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Bakker
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen 6708 WE, The Netherlands
| | - Sebastiaan Wesseling
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen 6708 WE, The Netherlands
| | - Nico W van den Brink
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen 6708 WE, The Netherlands
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21
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Essig YJ, Leszczyszyn OI, Almutairi N, Harrison-Smith A, Blease A, Zeitoun-Ghandour S, Webb SM, Blindauer CA, Stürzenbaum SR. Juggling cadmium detoxification and zinc homeostasis: A division of labour between the two C. elegans metallothioneins. Chemosphere 2024; 350:141021. [PMID: 38151062 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.141021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
The chemical properties of toxic cadmium and essential zinc are very similar, and organisms require intricate mechanisms that drive selective handling of metals. Previously regarded as unspecific "metal sponges", metallothioneins (MTLs) are emerging as metal selectivity filters. By utilizing C. elegans mtl-1 and mtl-2 knockout strains, metal accumulation in single worms, single copy fluorescent-tagged transgenes, isoform specific qPCR and lifespan studies it was possible to demonstrate that the handling of cadmium and zinc by the two C. elegans metallothioneins differs fundamentally: the MTL-2 protein can handle both zinc and cadmium, but when it becomes unavailable, either via a knockout or by elevated cadmium exposure, MTL-1 takes over zinc handling, leaving MTL-2 to sequester cadmium. This division of labour is reflected in the folding behaviour of the proteins: MTL-1 folded well in presence of zinc but not cadmium, the reverse was the case for MTL-2. These differences are in part mediated by a zinc-specific mononuclear His3Cys site in the C-terminal insertion of MTL-1; its removal affected the entire C-terminal domain and may shift its metal selectivity towards zinc. Overall, we uncover how metallothionein isoform-specific responses and protein properties allow C. elegans to differentiate between toxic cadmium and essential zinc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yona J Essig
- Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences Department, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Oksana I Leszczyszyn
- Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences Department, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Norah Almutairi
- Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences Department, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Alix Blease
- Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences Department, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Sam M Webb
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | | | - Stephen R Stürzenbaum
- Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences Department, King's College London, London, UK.
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22
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Richaud M, Rasasombat S, Cuq P, Galas S, Marti-Mestres G. Water in cosmetics and Caenorhabditis elegans as an alternative model for lifespan assessment. Int J Cosmet Sci 2024; 46:96-105. [PMID: 37704396 DOI: 10.1111/ics.12912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Water, often considered a fundamental component of life, is the most commonly used ingredient in the formulation of dermocosmetic products, with waterless products being the exception. Dermocosmetic products can contain anywhere from 50% to 85% water, which contributes to their texture and specific characteristics. The chemical composition of water varies depending on its origin and can be categorized as highly mineralized or low mineralized. These compositions could impact the water's efficacy in anti-aging applications. In this study, the objective is evaluating the anti-aging properties of highly and low mineralized water with the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. METHODS In this article, we employed the alternative model organism C. elegans to assess the impact of 5 branded waters, one physiological water and one ultra-pure water on the model's lifespan, using the survival medium conventionally used for C. elegans as a comparison. RESULTS Waters may have either a positive or a negative impact on the C. elegans lifespan expectancy. Our results indicate that only one of the water brands we assessed (Volvic®) had a significantly positive effect on worm longevity. In contrast, we found that two other brands (Hepar® and Contrex®) had a negative impact on the later stages of the worm's adulthood. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the impact of the brand water samples on lifespan expectancy varied depending on their physicochemical composition, in particular when ion concentrations were most extreme. CONCLUSION This study shows that the highly mineralized waters studied have a detrimental effect on the survival of C. elegans, and a preliminary test with ultra-pure water could not be completed due to its deleterious effect on the worms. This suggests the hypothesis that both highly mineralized and completely demineralized waters may not be the most suitable for skin formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Richaud
- IBMM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
| | - Sarah Rasasombat
- IBMM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
| | - Pierre Cuq
- IBMM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
| | - Simon Galas
- IBMM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
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23
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Mani R, Ezhumalai D, Muthusamy G, Namasivayam E. Neuroprotective effect of biogenically synthesized ZnO nanoparticles against oxidative stress and β-amyloid toxicity in transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans. Biotechnol Appl Biochem 2024; 71:132-146. [PMID: 37849075 DOI: 10.1002/bab.2527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid β (Aβ) plaque accumulation-mediated neuronal toxicity has been suggested to cause synaptic damage and consequent degeneration of brain cells in Alzheimer's disease (AD). With the increasing prerequisite of eco-friendly nanoparticles (NPs), research investigators are utilizing green approaches for the synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs for pharmaceutical applications. In this present study, ZnO NPs were synthesized from Acanthus ilicifolius to assess the neuroprotective properties in the AD model of transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans strains CL2006 and CL4176 expressing Aβ aggregation. Our findings revealed that the therapeutic effect of green-synthesized ZnO NPs is associated with antioxidant activity. We also found that ZnO NPs significantly enhance the C. elegan's lifespan, locomotion, pharyngeal pumping, chemotaxis behavior also diminish the ROS deposition and intracellular productionMoreover, thioflavin T staining demonstrated that ZnO NPs substantially attenuated the Aβ deposition in the C. elegans strain as compared to untreated worms. With their antioxidant properties, the greenly synthesized ZnO NPs had a significant neuroprotective efficiency on Aβ-induced toxicity by reducing Aβ aggregation and specifically reducing the progression of paralysis in the C. elegans AD model. Our findings suggested that the biosynthesized ZnO NPs could be thought-provoking candidates for age-associated neurodegenerative disorders accompanied by oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renuka Mani
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioscience, Periyar University, Salem, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Ganesan Muthusamy
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Elangovan Namasivayam
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioscience, Periyar University, Salem, Tamil Nadu, India
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24
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Durão P, Kis P, Chelo IM, Ventura MR, Martins LO. Environmentally Friendly Degradation and Detoxification of Rifampicin by a Bacterial Laccase and Hydrogen Peroxide. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202300627. [PMID: 37947295 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics are micropollutants accumulating in our rivers and wastewaters, potentially leading to bacterial antibiotic resistance, a worldwide problem to which there is no current solution. Here, we have developed an environmentally friendly two-step process to transform the antibiotic rifampicin (RIF) into non-antimicrobial compounds. The process involves an enzymatic oxidation step by the bacterial CotA-laccase and a hydrogen peroxide bleaching step. NMR identified rifampicin quinone as the main product of the enzymatic oxidation. Growth of Escherichia coli strains in the presence of final degradation products (FP) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) measurements confirmed that FP are non-anti-microbial compounds, and bioassays suggest that FP is not toxic to eukaryotic organisms. Moreover, competitive fitness assays between susceptible and RIF-resistant bacteria show that susceptible bacteria is strongly favoured in the presence of FP. Our results show that we have developed a robust and environmentally friendly process to effectively remediate rifampicin from antibiotic contaminated environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Durão
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av da República, 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Peter Kis
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av da República, 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ivo M Chelo
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M Rita Ventura
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av da República, 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Lígia O Martins
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av da República, 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
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25
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Jacobtorweihen J, Obaidi I, Sherlock L, Sheridan H, Spiegler V. A new lanosyl guanidine from Vertebrata lanosa with anti-inflammatory activity. Nat Prod Res 2024:1-7. [PMID: 38206887 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2024.2301759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
N-Lanosyl guanidine (1), a new bromophenol containing a guanidine moiety was isolated from the red alga Vertebrata lanosa (L.) T.A. Christensen, which is frequently used for cosmetic purposes. Structure elucidation was performed by means of mass spectrometry as well as 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Due to its structural features, 1 might share a common biosynthetic route with known bromophenolic ureido derivatives. Regarding potential bioactivities, 1 has shown clear anti-inflammatory properties, reducing cytokine release in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-differentiated THP-1 macrophages. No signs of toxicity were observed, in either the cell line nor in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. However, 1 was inactive against the gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Jacobtorweihen
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology and Phytochemistry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Ismael Obaidi
- NatPro Centre for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- College of Pharmacy, University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq
| | - Lee Sherlock
- NatPro Centre for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Helen Sheridan
- NatPro Centre for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Verena Spiegler
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology and Phytochemistry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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26
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Castro-Sierra I, Duran-Izquierdo M, Sierra-Marquez L, Ahumedo-Monterrosa M, Olivero-Verbel J. Toxicity of Three Optical Brighteners: Potential Pharmacological Targets and Effects on Caenorhabditis elegans. Toxics 2024; 12:51. [PMID: 38251007 PMCID: PMC10818959 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12010051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Optical brighteners (OBs) have become an integral part of our daily lives and culture, with a growing number of applications in various fields. Most industrially produced OBs are derived from stilbene, which has been found in environmental matrices. The main objectives for this work are as follows: first, to identify protein targets for DAST, FB-28, and FB-71, and second, to assess their effects in some behaviors physiologic of Caenorhabditis elegans. To achieve the first objective, each OB was tested against a total of 844 human proteins through molecular docking using AutoDock Vina, and affinities were employed as the main criteria to identify potential target proteins for the OB. Molecular dynamics simulations took and validated the best 25 docking results from two protein databases. The highest affinity was obtained for the Hsp70-1/DAST, CD40 ligand/FB-71, and CD40 ligand/FB-28 complexes. The possible toxic effects that OBs could cause were evaluated using the nematode C. elegans. The lethality, body length, locomotion, and reproduction were investigated in larval stage L1 or L4 of the wild-type strain N2. In addition, transgenic green fluorescent protein (GFP) strains were employed to estimate changes in relative gene expression. The effects on the inhibition of growth, locomotion, and reproduction of C. elegans nematodes exposed to DAST, FB-71, and FB-28 OBs were more noticeable with respect to lethality. Moreover, an interesting aspect in OB was increased the expression of gpx-4 and sod-4 genes associated with oxidative stress indicating a toxic response related to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In all cases, a clear concentration-response relationship was observed. It is of special attention that the use of OBs is increasing, and their different sources, such as detergents, textiles, plastics, and paper products, must also be investigated to characterize the primary emissions of OBs to the environment and to develop an adequate regulatory framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isel Castro-Sierra
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia; (I.C.-S.); (M.D.-I.); (L.S.-M.)
| | - Margareth Duran-Izquierdo
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia; (I.C.-S.); (M.D.-I.); (L.S.-M.)
| | - Lucellys Sierra-Marquez
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia; (I.C.-S.); (M.D.-I.); (L.S.-M.)
| | - Maicol Ahumedo-Monterrosa
- Natural Products Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia;
| | - Jesus Olivero-Verbel
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia; (I.C.-S.); (M.D.-I.); (L.S.-M.)
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27
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Wang J, Zhang K, Zhang Y, Ge S, Zhang S. Defense against oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans by dark tea. Front Vet Sci 2024; 10:1342747. [PMID: 38249557 PMCID: PMC10796627 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1342747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Dark tea, rich in nutricines including tea polyphenols and free amino acids, is a kind of post-fermented tea. The potential application of nutricines against oxidative damage and senescence, which drives animal health maintenance and disease prevention, has attracted considerable interest. In this study, the effect of dark tea and its effects on longevity and defense against oxidative stress was investigated in the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model. Under normal conditions, dark tea extended the lifespan without significant impairment of propagation. It also improved the motility, alleviated the fat accumulation and apoptosis. Additionally, orally administered dark tea could significantly decrease the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and resulted in a superior lifespan in H2O2-induced oxidative stressed C. elegans. In antioxidant assays in vitro, dark tea was found to be rich in strong hydroxyl, DPPH and ABTS+ free radical scavenging capacity. Interestingly, mRNA sequence analyses further revealed that dark tea may catalyze intracellular relevant oxidative substrates and synthesize antioxidants through synthetic and metabolic pathways. These results suggest that dark tea is worth further exploration as a potential dietary supplement for the maintenance of animal health and the prevention of related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxiu Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Kaiheng Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Yaya Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Shumin Ge
- School of Life Science and Technology, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Shuhua Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
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28
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Guerreiro Gomes E, Dorneles Caldeira Balboni M, Velasque Werhli A, Dos Santos Machado K, Monserrat JM. In silico simulation of benzo[a]pyrene toxicity in the worm Caenorhabditiselegans. Environ Pollut 2024; 340:122782. [PMID: 37865330 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to develop a toxicological screening tool using a virtual (in silico) population of Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to different concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene (BAP). The model used computational tools based on a previous study to simulate the life cycle and characteristics of C. elegans. The model was implemented in Python and adapted with fewer repetitions of simulations to reduce execution time. The toxicity function was based on in vivo data from previous studies, and the results of the model were compared with experimental results. The model showed good accuracy in reproducing the survival data of worms exposed to BAP since the lethal concentration for 50% (LC50) and the 95% confidence interval of exposed worms during 72 h was 77.92 μg/L (71.32-85.12 μg/L). The LC50 of the simulated data was 87.10 μg/L (76.13-99.85 μg/L). It was concluded that the in silico model can be a useful alternative to conventional in vivo testing methods, saving cost and time and addressing ethical concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Guerreiro Gomes
- Graduate Program in Physiological Science, Institute of Biological Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Rio Grande - FURG, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Adriano Velasque Werhli
- Computational Biology Laboratory - COMBI-Lab, Center for Computational Sciences (C3), FURG, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - Karina Dos Santos Machado
- Computational Biology Laboratory - COMBI-Lab, Center for Computational Sciences (C3), FURG, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - José María Monserrat
- Graduate Program in Physiological Science, Institute of Biological Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Rio Grande - FURG, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.
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29
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Alves-Pimenta S, Colaço B, Oliveira PA, Venâncio C. Development Features on the Selection of Animal Models for Teratogenic Testing. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2753:67-104. [PMID: 38285334 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3625-1_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Today, the use of animal models from different species continues to represent a fundamental step in teratogenic testing, despite the increase in alternative solutions that provide an important screening to the enormous quantity of new substances that aim to enter the market every year. The maintenance of these models is due to the sharing of similar development processes with humans, and in this way they represent an important contribution to the safety in the use of the compounds tested. Furthermore, the application of advances in embryology to teratology, although hampered by the complexity of reproductive processes, continues to prove the importance of sensitivity during embryonic and fetal development to detect potential toxicity, inducing mortality/abortion and malformations.In this chapter, essential periods of development in different models are outlined, highlighting the similarities and differences between species, the advantages and disadvantages of each group, and specific sensitivities for teratogenic testing. Models can be divided into invertebrate species such as earthworms of the species Eisenia fetida/Eisenia andrei, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Drosophila melanogaster, allowing for rapid results and minor ethical concerns. Vertebrate nonmammalian species Xenopus laevis and Danio rerio are important models to assess teratogenic potential later in development with fewer ethical requirements. Finally, the mammalian species Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, and Oryctolagus cuniculus, phylogenetically closer to humans, are essential for the assessment of complex specialized processes, occurring later in development.Regulations for the development of toxicology tests require the use of mammalian species. Although ethical concerns and costs limit their use in large-scale screening. On the other hand, invertebrate and vertebrate nonmammalian species are increasing as alternative animal models, as these organisms combine low cost, less ethical requirements, and culture conditions compatible with large-scale screening. Their main advantage is to allow high-throughput screening in a whole-animal context, in contrast to the in vitro techniques, not dependent on the prior identification of a target. Better knowledge of the development pathways of animal models will allow to maximize human translation and reduce the number of animals used, leading to a selection of compounds with an improved safety profile and reduced time to market for new drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Alves-Pimenta
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Bruno Colaço
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Paula A Oliveira
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-food Production (Inov4Agro), University of Trás-os Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Carlos Venâncio
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
- Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-food Production (Inov4Agro), University of Trás-os Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
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Wang Z. Caenorhabditis elegans as an In Vivo Model Organism to Elucidate Teratogenic Effects. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2753:283-306. [PMID: 38285345 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3625-1_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Exogenous teratogens contribute to approximately 10% of the human abnormality with exposure occurrence during the prenatal and fetal period. However, the assessment methods and underlying mechanism remain unclear. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been recognized as one of the ideal model animals for toxicologic research as convenient culture, low cost, and complete phenotypes and genomic profiling. This chapter describes the protocols about the estimations on the teratogenic effects using nematodes as model organisms, including the growth, development, behavior, reproduction, energy balance, and transgenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenglu Wang
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
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Alves-Pimenta S, Félix L, Colaço B, Oliveira PA, Venâncio C. Guidelines on Developmental Toxicity Tests: Brief Insights. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2753:39-65. [PMID: 38285333 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3625-1_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Developmental toxicology is a constantly evolving research field which needs to attend to a complex underlying regulatory network. In order to ensure human health and environmental safety, new substances have to be tested for toxic effects on reproduction and development, before being commercialized. Traditional in vivo mammalian models represent the intricacy of human development and provide more adequately an assessment of the interaction of chemical compounds with the reproductive system. However, in the last years, the directives are to reduce the use of vertebrate animals, promoting their use only as a last resort. Consequently, the interest on the development and validation of alternative tests, able to cover the various aspects of the reproductive cycle, has significantly increased. Reproductive toxicity is probably the most difficult endpoint to be replaced by alternative assays, since it should provide information on mechanism interactions essential for female and male fertility and also knowledge on the animal development during the first phases of its life cycle. This complexity explains the slow progress in implementing alternative models for reproductive toxicity safety assays. Alternative test models may be based on in vitro systems and nonmammalian animal models. Many biological processes have been successfully addressed using in vitro models, opening the possibility to study the interference of teratogenic compounds. Their validation and implementation have lagged behind, in part because of difficulties in establishing their predictability. Nevertheless, the advance toward the process of validation is crucial to replace and reduce the use of living animals. Based on the present state of the art, it is not probable that such testing strategies will completely replace the need to assess reproductive toxicity in vivo in the near future, but they will contribute to reduce animal tests and will provide important information. In this chapter, the approved guidelines for standard methods and alternative methods, according to their regulatory and scientific status, are enumerated and briefly described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Alves-Pimenta
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences (ECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Luís Félix
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-food Production (Inov4Agro), University of Trás-os Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Bruno Colaço
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences (ECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Paula A Oliveira
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-food Production (Inov4Agro), University of Trás-os Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences (ECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Carlos Venâncio
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences (ECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
- Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-food Production (Inov4Agro), University of Trás-os Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
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Yu CW, Yen PL, How CM, Kuo YH, Hsiu-Chuan Liao V. Early-life long-term ibuprofen exposure reduces reproductive capacity involved in spermatogenesis impairment and associated with the transcription factor DAF-5 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Chemosphere 2024; 347:140717. [PMID: 37979808 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are emerging environmental contaminants and have raised significant concern due to their potential adverse impact on the environment. Ibuprofen is one of the most extensively used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and is also considered an environmental contaminant. The negative impact of ibuprofen on non-target organisms has been documented; however, the molecular mechanisms behind its reproductive toxicity remain unclear. We investigated the impact of early-life long-term ibuprofen exposure on reproductive capacity and its involvement of spermiogenesis in the non-target model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. Hermaphrodites were exposed to various ibuprofen concentrations (0.1, 1, 10, and 100 mg/L), resulting in a dose-dependent inhibition of reproduction. In addition, the lowest observed adverse effect concentration (LOAEC) for ibuprofen exposure on the total brood size of C. elegans was 0.1 mg/L, a concentration that falls within the environmentally relevant range for ibuprofen. Outcross progeny assays revealed a significant 47% reduction in total brood size for larval males (him-5) exposed to ibuprofen, while females (fog-2) exhibited only a minor effect. We found that early-life long-term ibuprofen exposure impairs spermatogenesis. The number of mitotic cells significantly reduced by 31%. The rate of sperm malformation in exposed males was 63%, much higher than in unexposed males (11%). Additionally, the percentage of sperm activation decreased from 89% to 39% in ibuprofen-exposed worms. Mechanistic insights indicated that ibuprofen downregulated mRNA levels of genes related to spermatogenesis and DAF-7/TGF-β signaling. RNAi assays provided evidence for the crucial role of the transcription factor DAF-5 in mediating the spermatogenesis impairment by ibuprofen. Our study provides insight into the environmental impacts of pharmaceutical contaminants, such as ibuprofen, on both male and female reproductive systems to safeguard environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan-Wei Yu
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ling Yen
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Chun Ming How
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsuan Kuo
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Vivian Hsiu-Chuan Liao
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan.
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Tang B, More V. Recent Advances in Drug Discovery Toxicology. Int J Toxicol 2023; 42:535-550. [PMID: 37452761 DOI: 10.1177/10915818231189659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Major advances in scientific discovery and insights that stem from the development and use of new techniques and models can bring remarkable progress to conventional toxicology. Although animal testing is still considered as the "gold standard" in traditional toxicity testing, there is a necessity for shift from animal testing to alternative methods regarding the drug safety testing owing to the emerging state-of-art techniques and the proposal of 3Rs (replace, reduce, and refine) towards animal welfare. This review describes some recent research methods in drug discovery toxicology, including in vitro cell and organ-on-a-chip, imaging systems, model organisms (C. elegans, Danio rerio, and Drosophila melanogaster), and toxicogenomics in modern toxicology testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Tang
- PTC Therapeutics Inc, South Plainfield, NJ, USA
| | - Vijay More
- PTC Therapeutics Inc, South Plainfield, NJ, USA
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da Silva Prado L, Grivicich I, Miri JM, Charão MF, Bonfada A, Endres da Rocha G, Bondan da Silva J, Menezes Boaretto FB, Garcia ALH, da Silva J, Picada JN. Toxicological assessment of minoxidil: A drug with therapeutic potential besides alopecia. Food Chem Toxicol 2023; 182:114211. [PMID: 38007212 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.114211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Minoxidil is regularly prescribed for alopecia, and its therapeutic potential has expanded in recent times. However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate its toxicity, and controversial findings regarding its mutagenic activities remain unsolved. This study aimed to access cytotoxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic properties of minoxidil using the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, comet assay, and micronucleus test in mouse fibroblast (L929) cells and its point mutation induction potential in the Salmonella/microsome assay. Furthermore, an in vivo toxicity assessment was conducted in Caenorhabditis elegans. Minoxidil showed cytotoxicity at 2.0 mg/mL in MTT assay. Genotoxicity was observed after 3 h treatment in L929 cells using comet assay. No mutagenic effect was observed in both the micronucleus test and the Salmonella/microsome assay. The lethal dose 50 in C. elegans was determined to be 1.75 mg/mL, and a delay in body development was detected at all concentrations. In conclusion, minoxidil induces DNA damage only in early treatment, implying that this DNA damage may be repairable. This observation corroborates the absence of mutagenic activities observed in L929 cells and Salmonella typhimurium strains. However, the toxicity of minoxidil was evident in both C. elegans and L929 cells, underscoring the need for caution in its use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lismare da Silva Prado
- Toxicological Genetics Laboratory, Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology Applied to Health, Luteran University of Brazil (ULBRA), Av. Farroupilha, 8001, 92425-900, Canoas, RS, Brazil
| | - Ivana Grivicich
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology Applied to Health, Luteran University of Brazil (ULBRA), Av. Farroupilha 8001, 92425-900, Canoas, RS, Brazil
| | - Jessica Machado Miri
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology Applied to Health, Luteran University of Brazil (ULBRA), Av. Farroupilha 8001, 92425-900, Canoas, RS, Brazil
| | - Mariele Feiffer Charão
- Graduate Program in Toxicology and Analytical Toxicology, Feevale University, ERS-239, 93525-075, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil
| | - Amanda Bonfada
- Graduate Program in Toxicology and Analytical Toxicology, Feevale University, ERS-239, 93525-075, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Endres da Rocha
- Graduate Program in Toxicology and Analytical Toxicology, Feevale University, ERS-239, 93525-075, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil
| | - Juliana Bondan da Silva
- Toxicological Genetics Laboratory, Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology Applied to Health, Luteran University of Brazil (ULBRA), Av. Farroupilha, 8001, 92425-900, Canoas, RS, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Brião Menezes Boaretto
- Toxicological Genetics Laboratory, Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology Applied to Health, Luteran University of Brazil (ULBRA), Av. Farroupilha, 8001, 92425-900, Canoas, RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Letícia Hilario Garcia
- Toxicological Genetics Laboratory, Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology Applied to Health, Luteran University of Brazil (ULBRA), Av. Farroupilha, 8001, 92425-900, Canoas, RS, Brazil; Toxicological Genetics Laboratory, LaSalle University, Av. Victor Barreto, 2288, 92010-000, Canoas, RS, Brazil
| | - Juliana da Silva
- Toxicological Genetics Laboratory, Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology Applied to Health, Luteran University of Brazil (ULBRA), Av. Farroupilha, 8001, 92425-900, Canoas, RS, Brazil; Toxicological Genetics Laboratory, LaSalle University, Av. Victor Barreto, 2288, 92010-000, Canoas, RS, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline Nascimento Picada
- Toxicological Genetics Laboratory, Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology Applied to Health, Luteran University of Brazil (ULBRA), Av. Farroupilha, 8001, 92425-900, Canoas, RS, Brazil.
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Hunt PR, Welch B, Camacho J, Bushana PN, Rand H, Sprando RL, Ferguson M. The worm Adult Activity Test (wAAT): A de novo mathematical model for detecting acute chemical effects in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Appl Toxicol 2023; 43:1899-1915. [PMID: 37551865 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
We have adapted a semiautomated method for tracking Caenorhabditis elegans spontaneous locomotor activity into a quantifiable assay by developing a sophisticated method for analyzing the time course of measured activity. The 16-h worm Adult Activity Test (wAAT) can be used to measure C. elegans activity levels for efficient screening for pharmacological and toxicity-induced effects. As with any apical endpoint assay, the wAAT is mode of action agnostic, allowing for detection of effects from a broad spectrum of response pathways. With caffeine as a model mild stimulant, the wAAT showed transient hyperactivity followed by reversion to baseline. Mercury chloride (HgCl2 ) produced an early dose-response hyperactivity phase followed by pronounced hypoactivity, a behavior pattern we have termed a toxicant "escape response." Methylmercury chloride (meHgCl) produced a similar pattern to HgCl2 , but at much lower concentrations, a weaker hyperactivity response, and more pronounced hypoactivity. Sodium arsenite (NaAsO2 ) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) induced hypoactivity at high concentrations. Acute toxicity, as measured by hypoactivity in C. elegans adults, was ranked: meHgCl > HgCl2 > NaAsO2 = DMA. Caffeine was not toxic with the wAAT at tested concentrations. Methods for conducting the wAAT are described, along with instructions for preparing C. elegans Habitation Medium, a liquid nutrient medium that allows for developmental timing equivalent to that found with C. elegans grown on agar with OP50 Escherichia coli feeder cultures. A de novo mathematical parametric model for adult C. elegans activity and the application of this model in ranking exposure toxicity are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piper Reid Hunt
- Division of Toxicology, Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, United States Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Bonnie Welch
- Division of Toxicology, Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, United States Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Jessica Camacho
- Division of Toxicology, Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, United States Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Priyanka N Bushana
- Department of Translational Medicine and Physiology, Washington State University - Health Science Campus, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Hugh Rand
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Staff, Office of Analytics and Outreach, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, United States Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert L Sprando
- Division of Toxicology, Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, United States Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Martine Ferguson
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Staff, Office of Analytics and Outreach, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, United States Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland, USA
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Ruszkiewicz J, Endig L, Güver E, Bürkle A, Mangerich A. Life-Cycle-Dependent Toxicities of Mono- and Bifunctional Alkylating Agents in the 3R-Compliant Model Organism C. elegans. Cells 2023; 12:2728. [PMID: 38067156 PMCID: PMC10705807 DOI: 10.3390/cells12232728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is gaining recognition and importance as an organismic model for toxicity testing in line with the 3Rs principle (replace, reduce, refine). In this study, we explored the use of C. elegans to examine the toxicities of alkylating sulphur mustard analogues, specifically the monofunctional agent 2-chloroethyl-ethyl sulphide (CEES) and the bifunctional, crosslinking agent mechlorethamine (HN2). We exposed wild-type worms at different life cycle stages (from larvae L1 to adulthood day 10) to CEES or HN2 and scored their viability 24 h later. The susceptibility of C. elegans to CEES and HN2 paralleled that of human cells, with HN2 exhibiting higher toxicity than CEES, reflected in LC50 values in the high µM to low mM range. Importantly, the effects were dependent on the worms' developmental stage as well as organismic age: the highest susceptibility was observed in L1, whereas the lowest was observed in L4 worms. In adult worms, susceptibility to alkylating agents increased with advanced age, especially to HN2. To examine reproductive effects, L4 worms were exposed to CEES and HN2, and both the offspring and the percentage of unhatched eggs were assessed. Moreover, germline apoptosis was assessed by using ced-1p::GFP (MD701) worms. In contrast to concentrations that elicited low toxicities to L4 worms, CEES and HN2 were highly toxic to germline cells, manifesting as increased germline apoptosis as well as reduced offspring number and percentage of eggs hatched. Again, HN2 exhibited stronger effects than CEES. Compound specificity was also evident in toxicities to dopaminergic neurons-HN2 exposure affected expression of dopamine transporter DAT-1 (strain BY200) at lower concentrations than CEES, suggesting a higher neurotoxic effect. Mechanistically, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) has been linked to mustard agent toxicities. Therefore, the NAD+-dependent system was investigated in the response to CEES and HN2 treatment. Overall NAD+ levels in worm extracts were revealed to be largely resistant to mustard exposure except for high concentrations, which lowered the NAD+ levels in L4 worms 24 h post-treatment. Interestingly, however, mutant worms lacking components of NAD+-dependent pathways involved in genome maintenance, namely pme-2, parg-2, and sirt-2.1 showed a higher and compound-specific susceptibility, indicating an active role of NAD+ in genotoxic stress response. In conclusion, the present results demonstrate that C. elegans represents an attractive model to study the toxicology of alkylating agents, which supports its use in mechanistic as well as intervention studies with major strength in the possibility to analyze toxicities at different life cycle stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Ruszkiewicz
- Molecular Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany (A.B.)
| | - Lisa Endig
- Molecular Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany (A.B.)
| | - Ebru Güver
- Molecular Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany (A.B.)
| | - Alexander Bürkle
- Molecular Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany (A.B.)
| | - Aswin Mangerich
- Molecular Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany (A.B.)
- Nutritional Toxicology, Institute Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, 14469 Potsdam, Germany
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Pavani TFA, Cirino ME, Teixeira TR, de Moraes J, Rando DGG. Targeting the Schistosoma mansoni nutritional mechanisms to design new antischistosomal compounds. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19735. [PMID: 37957227 PMCID: PMC10643403 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46959-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The chemical classes of semicarbazones, thiosemicarbazones, and hydrazones are present in various compounds, each demonstrating diverse biological activities. Extensive studies have revealed their potential as schistosomicidal agents. Thiosemicarbazones, in particular, have shown inhibitory effects on Schistosoma mansoni's cathepsin B1 enzyme (SmCB1), which plays a crucial role in hemoglobin degradation within the worm's gut and its nutrition processes. Consequently, SmCB1 has emerged as a promising target for novel schistosomiasis therapies. Moreover, chloroquinoline exhibits characteristics in its aromatic structure that hold promise for developing SmCB1 inhibitors, along with its interaction with hemoglobin's heme group, potentially synergizing against the parasite's gut. In this context, we report the synthesis of 22 hybrid analogs combining hydrazones and quinolines, evaluated against S. mansoni. Five of these hybrids demonstrated schistosomicidal activity in vitro, with GPQF-8Q10 being the most effective, causing worm mortality within 24 h at a concentration of 25 µM. GPQF-8Q8 proved to be the most promising in vivo, significantly reducing egg presence in feces (by 52.8%) and immature eggs in intestines (by 45.8%). These compounds exhibited low cytotoxicity in Vero cells and an in in vivo animal model (Caenorhabditis elegans), indicating a favorable selectivity index. This suggests their potential for the development of new schistosomiasis therapies. Further studies are needed to uncover specific target mechanisms, but these findings offer a promising starting point.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís F A Pavani
- Grupo de Pesquisas Químico-Farmacêuticas, GPQFfesp, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua São Nicolau, 210, 2° Andar, Centro, Diadema, São Paulo, 09913-030, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Curso de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Química da Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria E Cirino
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Doenças Negligenciadas, NPDN, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Thainá R Teixeira
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Doenças Negligenciadas, NPDN, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Doenças Negligenciadas, NPDN, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniela G G Rando
- Grupo de Pesquisas Químico-Farmacêuticas, GPQFfesp, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua São Nicolau, 210, 2° Andar, Centro, Diadema, São Paulo, 09913-030, Brazil.
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Canedo-Reis NAP, de Oliveira Pereira FS, Ávila DS, Guerra CC, Flores da Silva L, Junges CH, Ferrão MF, Bergold AM. Grape juice reduces the effects of amyloid β aggregation phenotype and extends the longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nutr Neurosci 2023; 26:1147-1158. [PMID: 36342065 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2022.2140394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of aggregated amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides. Several natural compounds have been proposed against this disease and grape products are among these. However, little is known about grape juice potential. Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) strains that express human Aβ have been used as an in vivo model for AD. METHODS In this study, we have exposed CL2006 worms to nine different juices obtained from different cultivars. RESULTS Cora, Bordo, Isabel, Isabel Precoce, BRS-Magna, BRS-Rubea and BRS-Violeta juices improved the behavioral phenotype (paralysis) that is caused by Aβ aggregation in the transgenic animals at the concentrations tested and no toxic effects were found. Some juices were also able to increase the worm's lifespan. We could not attribute lifespan increase and paralysis reduction with any specific compound found in the phytochemical analysis. DISCUSSION Our data indicate that the rich constitution of the juices is responsible for attenuating the phenotype caused by Aβ aggregation in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Flávia Suelen de Oliveira Pereira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Grupo de Pesquisa em Bioquímica e Toxicologia em Caenorhabditis elegans (GBToxCe), Universidade Federal do Pampa, Uruguaiana, Brazil
| | - Daiana Silva Ávila
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Grupo de Pesquisa em Bioquímica e Toxicologia em Caenorhabditis elegans (GBToxCe), Universidade Federal do Pampa, Uruguaiana, Brazil
| | - Celito Crivellaro Guerra
- LACEM - Laboratório de Cromatografia e Espectrometria de Massas, Embrapa Uva e Vinho, Bento Gonçalves, Brazil
| | - Letícia Flores da Silva
- LACEM - Laboratório de Cromatografia e Espectrometria de Massas, Embrapa Uva e Vinho, Bento Gonçalves, Brazil
| | - Carlos Henrique Junges
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marco Flôres Ferrão
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria Bergold
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Chen C, Chen J, Lin X, Yang J, Qu H, Li L, Zhang D, Wang W, Chang X, Guo Z, Cai P, Yu G, Shao W, Hu H, Wu S, Li H, Bornhorst J, Aschner M, Zheng F. Evaluation of neurotoxicity and the role of oxidative stress of cobalt nanoparticles, titanium dioxide nanoparticles, and multiwall carbon nanotubes in Caenorhabditis elegans. Toxicol Sci 2023; 196:85-98. [PMID: 37584706 PMCID: PMC10614054 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The widespread use of nanomaterials in daily life has led to increased concern about their potential neurotoxicity. Therefore, it is particularly important to establish a simple and reproducible assessment system. Representative nanomaterials, including cobalt nanoparticles (CoNPs), titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs), and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), were compared in terms of their neurotoxicity and underlying mechanisms. In 0, 25, 50, and 75 μg/ml of these nanomaterials, the survival, locomotion behaviors, acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity, reactive oxygen species production, and glutathione-S transferase 4 (Gst-4) activation in wildtype and transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) were evaluated. All nanomaterials induced an imbalance in oxidative stress, decreased the ratio of survival, impaired locomotion behaviors, as well as reduced the activity of AchE in C. elegans. Interestingly, CoNPs and MWCNTs activated Gst-4, but not TiO2-NPs. The reactive oxygen species scavenger, N-acetyl-l-cysteine, alleviated oxidative stress and Gst-4 upregulation upon exposure to CoNPs and MWCNTs, and rescued the locomotion behaviors. MWCNTs caused the most severe damage, followed by CoNPs and TiO2-NPs. Furthermore, oxidative stress and subsequent activation of Gst-4 were involved in nanomaterials-induced neurotoxicity. Our study provides a comprehensive comparison of the neurotoxicity and mechanisms of typical nanomaterials, which could serve as a model for hazard assessment of environmental pollutants using C. elegans as an experimental model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Chen
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- The Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Jingrong Chen
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Xinpei Lin
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Jiafu Yang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Huimin Qu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Lisong Li
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Duanyan Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- The Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Xiangyu Chang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- The Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Zhenkun Guo
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- The Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Ping Cai
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- The Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- Department of Health Inspection and Quarantine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Guangxia Yu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- The Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Wenya Shao
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- The Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Hong Hu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- The Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Siying Wu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- The Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Huangyuan Li
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- The Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
| | - Julia Bornhorst
- Food Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Wuppertal, 42119 Wuppertal, Germany
- TraceAge—DFG Research Unit FOR 2558, Berlin-Potsdam, Jena, 42119 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Fuli Zheng
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
- The Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350122, China
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Heydari F, Rodriguez-Crespo D, Wicky C. The New Nematicide Cyclobutrifluram Targets the Mitochondrial Succinate Dehydrogenase Complex in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Dev Biol 2023; 11:39. [PMID: 37873747 PMCID: PMC10594496 DOI: 10.3390/jdb11040039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Today, agriculture around the world is challenged by parasitic nematode infections. Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) can cause significant damage and crop loss and are a threat to food security. For a long time, the management of PPN infection has relied on nematicides that impact not only parasitic nematodes but also other organisms. More recently, new nematicides have been developed that appear to specifically target PPN. Cyclobutrifluram belongs to this new category of nematicides. Using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism, we show here that cyclobutrifluram strongly impacts the survival and fertility rates of the worm by decreasing the number of germ cells. Furthermore, using a genetic approach, we demonstrate that cyclobutrifluram functions by inhibiting the mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) complex. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a strong response to cyclobutrifluram exposure. Among the deregulated genes, we found genes coding for detoxifying proteins, such as cytochrome P450s and UDP-glucuronosyl transferases (UGTs). Overall, our study contributes to the understanding of the molecular mode of action of cyclobutrifluram, to the finding of new approaches against nematicide resistance, and to the discovery of novel nematicides. Furthermore, this study confirms that C. elegans is a suitable model organism to study the mode of action of nematicides.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chantal Wicky
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland; (F.H.); (D.R.-C.)
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Niu S, Wang J, Chang X, Shang M, Guo M, Sun Z, Li Y, Xue Y. Comparative oxidative damages induced by silver nanoparticles with different sizes and coatings in Caenorhabditis elegans. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2023; 12:833-842. [PMID: 37915475 PMCID: PMC10615808 DOI: 10.1093/toxres/tfad074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in many commercial and medical products. Serious concerns are paid on their adverse potentials to the environment and human health. In this study, toxic effects and oxidative stress induced by AgNPs with different sizes and coatings (20 nm AgNPs, 20 nm polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) -AgNPs and 50 nm AgNPs) in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) were investigated. The toxic effects including the shortened lifespan and decreased frequency of head thrashes and body bends of C. elegans were induced in a dose-dependent manner by AgNPs. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the oxidative stress-related indicators including malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) in nematodes were changed after exposure to three kinds of AgNPs. These effects were the most obvious in a 20 nm PVP-AgNPs exposure group. AgNPs could also induce the expression of genes related to oxidative stress in nematodes. In addition, the up-regulation of mtl-1 and mtl-2 in nematodes might reduce the oxidative damage caused by AgNPs, by using transgenic strains CF2222 and CL2120 nematodes. Metallothionein (MT), an antioxidant, could relieve the oxidative damage caused by AgNPs. These results suggested that 20 nm PVP-AgNPs with a smaller particle size and better dispersion have stronger toxic effects and the oxidative damage to nematodes. Mtl-1 and mtl-2 might be involved in alleviating the oxidative damage caused by AgNPs. Our findings provide clues for the safety evaluation and mechanism information of metal nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyan Niu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Junjun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiaoru Chang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Mengting Shang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Menghao Guo
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Zuoyi Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yunjing Li
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yuying Xue
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing 210009, China
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Hu C, Yang W. Alternatives to animal models to study bacterial infections. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2023; 68:703-739. [PMID: 37632640 DOI: 10.1007/s12223-023-01084-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Animal testing has made a significant and unequalled contribution to important discoveries and advancements in the fields of research, medicine, vaccine development, and drug discovery. Each year, millions of animals are sacrificed for various experiments, and this is an ongoing process. However, the debate on the ethical and sensible usage of animals in in vivo experimentation is equally important. The need to explore and adopt newer alternatives to animals so as to comply with the goal of reduce, refine, and replace needs attention. Besides the ever-increasing debate on ethical issues, animal research has additional drawbacks (need of trained labour, requirement of breeding area, lengthy protocols, high expenses, transport barriers, difficulty to extrapolate data from animals to humans, etc.). With this scenario, the present review has been framed to give a comprehensive insight into the possible alternative options worth exploring in this direction especially targeting replacements for animal models of bacterial infections. There have been some excellent reviews discussing on the alternate methods for replacing and reducing animals in drug research. However, reviews that discuss the replacements in the field of medical bacteriology with emphasis on animal bacterial infection models are purely limited. The present review discusses on the use of (a) non-mammalian models and (b) alternative systems such as microfluidic chip-based models and microdosing aiming to give a detailed insight into the prospects of these alternative platforms to reduce the number of animals being used in infection studies. This would enlighten the scientific community working in this direction to be well acquainted with the available new approaches and alternatives so that the 3R strategy can be successfully implemented in the field of antibacterial drug research and testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengming Hu
- Queen Mary College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Wenlong Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China.
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Fusco-Almeida AM, de Matos Silva S, dos Santos KS, de Lima Gualque MW, Vaso CO, Carvalho AR, Medina-Alarcón KP, Pires ACMDS, Belizario JA, de Souza Fernandes L, Moroz A, Martinez LR, Ruiz OH, González Á, Mendes-Giannini MJS. Alternative Non-Mammalian Animal and Cellular Methods for the Study of Host-Fungal Interactions. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:943. [PMID: 37755051 PMCID: PMC10533014 DOI: 10.3390/jof9090943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In the study of fungal pathogenesis, alternative methods have gained prominence due to recent global legislation restricting the use of mammalian animals in research. The principle of the 3 Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement) is integrated into regulations and guidelines governing animal experimentation in nearly all countries. This principle advocates substituting vertebrate animals with other invertebrate organisms, embryos, microorganisms, or cell cultures. This review addresses host-fungus interactions by employing three-dimensional (3D) cultures, which offer more faithful replication of the in vivo environment, and by utilizing alternative animal models to replace traditional mammals. Among these alternative models, species like Caenorhabditis elegans and Danio rerio share approximately 75% of their genes with humans. Furthermore, models such as Galleria mellonella and Tenebrio molitor demonstrate similarities in their innate immune systems as well as anatomical and physiological barriers, resembling those found in mammalian organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Marisa Fusco-Almeida
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Samanta de Matos Silva
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
- Basic and Applied Microbiology Group (MICROBA), School of Microbiology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin 050010, Colombia; (O.H.R.); (Á.G.)
| | - Kelvin Sousa dos Santos
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Marcos William de Lima Gualque
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Carolina Orlando Vaso
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Angélica Romão Carvalho
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Kaila Petrolina Medina-Alarcón
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Ana Carolina Moreira da Silva Pires
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Jenyffie Araújo Belizario
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Lígia de Souza Fernandes
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Andrei Moroz
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Luis R. Martinez
- Department of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA;
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Center for Immunology and Transplantation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Orville Hernandez Ruiz
- Basic and Applied Microbiology Group (MICROBA), School of Microbiology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin 050010, Colombia; (O.H.R.); (Á.G.)
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Group University of Antioquia, Corporation for Biological Research, Medellin 050010, Colombia
| | - Ángel González
- Basic and Applied Microbiology Group (MICROBA), School of Microbiology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin 050010, Colombia; (O.H.R.); (Á.G.)
| | - Maria José Soares Mendes-Giannini
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
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Cano-Vicent A, Tuñón-Molina A, Bakshi H, Alfagih IM, Tambuwala MM, Serrano-Aroca Á. Biocompatible Alginate Hydrogel Film Containing Acetic Acid Manifests Broad-Spectrum Antiviral and Anticancer Activities. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2549. [PMID: 37760990 PMCID: PMC10526879 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Acetic acid, a colourless liquid organic acid with a characteristic acrid smell, is obtained naturally and has applications in both the food and pharmaceutical industries. It has been reported to have beneficial uses for lifestyle-related diseases, and its efficient disinfectant properties are well known. In this study, an alginate crosslinked with Ca2+ hydrogel film was treated with acetic acid to explore its biological properties for biomedicine. The results showed that the novel calcium alginate/acetic acid film was biocompatible in vitro using human keratinocyte cells and in vivo with Caenorhabditis elegans. It also had antiviral properties against enveloped and non-enveloped viruses and anticancer properties against melanoma and colon cancer cells. This novel film thus showed promise for the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries, with applications for fabricating broad-spectrum antiviral and anticancer materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Cano-Vicent
- Biomaterials and Bioengineering Lab, Centro de Investigación Traslacional San Alberto Magno, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, Spain; (A.C.-V.); (A.T.-M.)
| | - Alberto Tuñón-Molina
- Biomaterials and Bioengineering Lab, Centro de Investigación Traslacional San Alberto Magno, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, Spain; (A.C.-V.); (A.T.-M.)
| | - Hamid Bakshi
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA;
| | - Iman M. Alfagih
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 4545, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Murtaza M. Tambuwala
- Brayford Pool Campus, Lincoln Medical School, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK
| | - Ángel Serrano-Aroca
- Biomaterials and Bioengineering Lab, Centro de Investigación Traslacional San Alberto Magno, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, Spain; (A.C.-V.); (A.T.-M.)
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45
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How CM, Cheng KC, Li YS, Pan MH, Wei CC. Tangeretin Supplementation Mitigates the Aging Toxicity Induced by Dietary Benzo[a]pyrene Exposure with Aberrant Proteostasis and Heat Shock Responses in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Agric Food Chem 2023; 71:13474-13482. [PMID: 37639537 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c02307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is a common food contaminant that can impair organismal aging. Tangeretin (TAN) may mitigate aging toxicities as a dietary supplement. This study used Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to BaP on aging and to determine whether TAN supplementation could alleviate BaP-induced toxicity. Early life exposure to BaP (10 μM) significantly inhibited growth by 5%, and exposure to 0.1 to 10 μM BaP impaired C. elegans motility, resulting in a 3.4-6.5% reduction in motility. Chronic exposure to BaP (10 μM) age-dependently aggravated aberrant protein aggregation (7% increase) and shortened the median lifespan of the worms from 20 to 16 days. In addition, BaP worsened the age-dependent decline in motility and pharyngeal pumping, as well as the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, exposure to BaP resulted in significantly higher relative transcript levels of approximately 1.8-2.0-fold for the hsp-16.1, hsp-16.2, hsp-16.49, and hsp-70 genes. Stressed worms exposed to BaP exhibited significantly lower survival under heat stress. Dietary TAN supplementation alleviated the BaP-induced decline in motility, pumping, and poly-Q accumulation and restored heat shock proteins' transcript levels. Our findings suggest that chronic BaP exposure adversely affects aging and that TAN exposure mitigates the BaP-induced aging toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Ming How
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10055, Taiwan
| | - Ko-Chun Cheng
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10055, Taiwan
| | - Yong-Shan Li
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10055, Taiwan
| | - Min-Hsiung Pan
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Bio-Resources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Cheng Wei
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10055, Taiwan
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10055, Taiwan
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46
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Höss S, Sanders D, van Egmond R. Determining the toxicity of organic compounds to the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans based on aqueous concentrations. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2023; 30:96290-96300. [PMID: 37567994 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29193-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans is used for assessing the toxicity of chemicals in aqueous medium. However, chemicals can absorb to the bacterial food, which reduces the freely dissolved concentrations of the tested compounds. Thus, based on total or nominal concentrations, toxicity is underestimated, resulting in misleading assumptions on toxicity mechanisms or comparisons to other test organisms. As the verification of freely dissolved exposure concentrations (Cfree) is challenging in small test systems, simple partitioning models might by a good option for estimating Cfree. Therefore, C. elegans was exposed to seven differently acting organic chemicals with varying hydrophobicities, thus also different affinities to bind to the food of C. elegans. Measured concentrations of the dissolved aqueous and the bacterial-bound fraction allowed the calculation of binding constants (Kb). Experimental Kb were comparable to literature data of hydrophobic chemicals and correlated well with their hydrophobicity, expressed as log KOW. The chronic toxicity of the various compounds on C. elegans' reproduction, based on their aqueous concentration, was weakly related to their log KOW. Toxicity expressed based on chemical activity and comparisons with a baseline toxicity model, nevertheless, suggested a narcotic mode of action for most hydrophobic compounds (except methylisothiazolinone and trichlorocarbanilide). Although revealing a similar toxicity ranking than Daphnia magna, C. elegans was less sensitive, probably due to its ability to reduce its internal concentrations by means of its very impermeable cuticle or by efficient detoxification mechanisms. It could be shown that measured aqueous concentrations in the nematode test system corresponded well with freely dissolved concentrations that were modeled using simple mass-balance models from nominal concentrations. This offers the possibility to estimate freely dissolved concentrations of chemicals from nominal concentrations, making routine testing of chemicals and their comparison to other species more accurate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Sanders
- Unilever, Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedford, MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Roger van Egmond
- Unilever, Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedford, MK44 1LQ, UK
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47
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Reddy N, Lynch B, Gujral J, Karnik K. Alternatives to animal testing in toxicity testing: Current status and future perspectives in food safety assessments. Food Chem Toxicol 2023; 179:113944. [PMID: 37453475 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.113944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The development of alternative methods to animal testing has gained great momentum since Russel and Burch introduced the "3Rs" concept of Reduction, Refinement, and Replacement of animals in safety testing in 1959. Several alternatives to animal testing have since been introduced, including but not limited to in vitro and in chemico test systems, in silico models, and computational models (e.g., [quantitative] structural activity relationship models, high-throughput screens, organ-on-chip models, and genomics or bioinformatics) to predict chemical toxicity. Furthermore, several agencies have developed robust integrated testing strategies to determine chemical toxicity. The cosmetics sector is pioneering the adoption of alternative methodologies for safety evaluations, and other sectors are aiming to completely abandon animal testing by 2035. However, beyond the use of in vitro genetic testing, agencies regulating the food industry have been slow to implement alternative methodologies into safety evaluations compared with other sectors; setting health-based guidance values for food ingredients requires data from systemic toxicity, and to date, no standalone validated alternative models to assess systemic toxicity exist. The abovementioned models show promise for assessing systemic toxicity with further research. In this paper, we review the current alternatives and their applicability and limitations in food safety evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navya Reddy
- Intertek Health Sciences Inc., 2233 Argentia Rd, Suite 201, Mississauga, ON, L5N 2X7, Canada
| | - Barry Lynch
- Intertek Health Sciences Inc., 2233 Argentia Rd, Suite 201, Mississauga, ON, L5N 2X7, Canada.
| | - Jaspreet Gujral
- Tate & Lyle, 5450 Prairie Stone Pkwy, Hoffman Estates, IL, 60192, USA
| | - Kavita Karnik
- Tate & Lyle PLC, 5 Marble Arch, London, W1H 7EJ, United Kingdom
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48
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Freires IA, Morelo DFC, Soares LFF, Costa IS, de Araújo LP, Breseghello I, Abdalla HB, Lazarini JG, Rosalen PL, Pigossi SC, Franchin M. Progress and promise of alternative animal and non-animal methods in biomedical research. Arch Toxicol 2023; 97:2329-2342. [PMID: 37394624 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03532-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Cell culture and invertebrate animal models reflect a significant evolution in scientific research by providing reliable evidence on the physiopathology of diseases, screening for new drugs, and toxicological tests while reducing the need for mammals. In this review, we discuss the progress and promise of alternative animal and non-animal methods in biomedical research, with a special focus on drug toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irlan Almeida Freires
- Department of Biosciences, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
| | - David Fernando Colon Morelo
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Henrique Ballassini Abdalla
- Laboratory of Neuroimmune Interface of Pain Research, São Leopoldo Mandic Institute and Research Center, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Josy Goldoni Lazarini
- Department of Biosciences, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Pedro Luiz Rosalen
- Department of Biosciences, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, Brazil
| | | | - Marcelo Franchin
- School of Dentistry, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, Brazil
- Bioactivity and Applications Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Natural Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
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49
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Uram Ł, Wróbel K, Walczak M, Szymaszek Ż, Twardowska M, Wołowiec S. Exploring the Potential of Lapatinib, Fulvestrant, and Paclitaxel Conjugated with Glycidylated PAMAM G4 Dendrimers for Cancer and Parasite Treatment. Molecules 2023; 28:6334. [PMID: 37687164 PMCID: PMC10489794 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28176334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Fulvestrant (F), lapatinib (L), and paclitaxel (P) are hydrophobic, anticancer drugs used in the treatment of estrogen receptor (ER) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive breast cancer. In this study, glycidylated PAMAM G4 dendrimers, substituted with F, L, and/or P and targeting tumor cells, were synthesized and characterized, and their antitumor activity against glioma U-118 MG and non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells was tested comparatively with human non-tumorogenic keratinocytes (HaCaT). All cell lines were ER+ and EGFR+. In addition, the described drugs were tested in the context of antinematode therapy on C. elegans. The results show that the water-soluble conjugates of G4P, G4F, G4L, and G4PFL actively entered the tested cells via endocytosis due to the positive zeta potential (between 13.57-40.29 mV) and the nanoparticle diameter of 99-138 nm. The conjugates of G4P and G4PFL at nanomolar concentrations were the most active, and the least active conjugate was G4F. The tested conjugates inhibited the proliferation of HaCaT and A549 cells; in glioma cells, cytotoxicity was associated mainly with cell damage (mitochondria and membrane transport). The toxicity of the conjugates was proportional to the number of drug residues attached, with the exception of G4L; its action was two- and eight-fold stronger against glioma and keratinocytes, respectively, than the equivalent of lapatinib alone. Unfortunately, non-cancer HaCaT cells were the most sensitive to the tested constructs, which forced a change in the approach to the use of ER and EGFR receptors as a goal in cancer therapy. In vivo studies on C. elegans have shown that all compounds, most notably G4PFL, may be potentially useful in anthelmintic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Uram
- Faculty of Chemistry, Rzeszów University of Technology, 6 Powstańcow Warszawy Ave., 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland; (Ł.U.); (M.W.); (Ż.S.); (M.T.)
| | - Konrad Wróbel
- Medical College, Rzeszów University, 1a Warzywna Street, 35-310 Rzeszów, Poland;
| | - Małgorzata Walczak
- Faculty of Chemistry, Rzeszów University of Technology, 6 Powstańcow Warszawy Ave., 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland; (Ł.U.); (M.W.); (Ż.S.); (M.T.)
| | - Żaneta Szymaszek
- Faculty of Chemistry, Rzeszów University of Technology, 6 Powstańcow Warszawy Ave., 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland; (Ł.U.); (M.W.); (Ż.S.); (M.T.)
| | - Magdalena Twardowska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Rzeszów University of Technology, 6 Powstańcow Warszawy Ave., 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland; (Ł.U.); (M.W.); (Ż.S.); (M.T.)
| | - Stanisław Wołowiec
- Medical College, Rzeszów University, 1a Warzywna Street, 35-310 Rzeszów, Poland;
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50
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Banerjee S, Bajire SK, Mithun HK, Shastry RP. 3-(Bromoacetyl) coumarin is a potential therapeutic agent against neonatal sepsis-associated Pseudomonas extremorientalis. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:312. [PMID: 37603073 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03653-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Neonatal sepsis is a severe bacterial infection that can lead to life-threatening complications in newborns. Pseudomonas extremorientalis is a Gram-negative bacterium and these Gram-negative organisms have been identified as a major cause of neonatal sepsis. The virulence factors produced by this bacterium play a crucial role in its pathogenicity. Therefore, targeting these virulence factors could be a potential strategy to treat neonatal sepsis caused by P. extremorientalis. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of 3-(bromoacetyl) coumarin (3-BC) in reducing the virulence factors of P. extremorientalis strains isolated from neonatal sepsis. Our results showed that 3-BC effectively reduced the production of various virulence factors, including protease, elastase, siderophore, and exopolysaccharide in these strains. Furthermore, at a concentration of 125 µg/ml, 3-BC also inhibited the biofilm formation ability of these strains in combination with ciprofloxacin. It was discovered that 3-BC was functionally effective in protecting C. elegans against bacterial infection. Moreover, the in vitro and in vivo outcomes were strongly correlated with docking studies of various activator proteins. Overall, our findings suggest that 3-BC could be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of neonatal sepsis caused by P. extremorientalis. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanism of action of 3-BC and its potential use in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shukla Banerjee
- Division of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), University Road, Deralakatte, Mangaluru, 575018, India
| | - Sukesh Kumar Bajire
- Division of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), University Road, Deralakatte, Mangaluru, 575018, India
| | - H K Mithun
- Department of Pediatrics, Yenepoya Medical College Hospital, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangaluru, 575018, India
| | - Rajesh P Shastry
- Division of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), University Road, Deralakatte, Mangaluru, 575018, India.
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