Zebrafish as Versatile Model for Assessing Animal Venoms and Toxins: Current Applications and Future Prospects

Animal venoms and toxins hold promise as sources of novel drug candidates, therapeutic agents, and biomolecules. To fully harness their potential, it is crucial to develop reliable testing methods that provide a comprehensive understanding of their effects and mechanisms of action. However, traditional rodent assays encounter difficulties in mimicking venom-induced effects in human due to the impractical venom dosage levels. The search for reliable testing methods has led to the emergence of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a versatile model organism for evaluating animal venoms and toxins. Zebrafish possess genetic similarities to humans, rapid development, transparency, and amenability to high-throughput assays, making it ideal for assessing the effects of animal venoms and toxins. This review highlights unique attributes of zebrafish and explores their applications in studying venom- and toxin-induced effects from various species, including snakes, jellyfish, cuttlefish, anemones, spiders, and cone snails. Through zebrafish-based research, intricate physiological responses, developmental alterations, and potential therapeutic interventions induced by venoms are revealed. Novel techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, optogenetics, and high-throughput screening hold great promise for advancing venom research. As zebrafish-based insights converge with findings from other models, the comprehensive understanding of venom-induced effects continues to expand, guiding the development of targeted interventions and promoting both scientific knowledge and practical applications.

Phylogenetic and genetic variation of common mudskippers (Periophthalmus kalolo Lesson, 1831) from the southern coast of Java, Indonesia inferred from the COI mitochondrial gene

BACKGROUND

The common mudskipper (Periophthalmus kalolo Lesson, 1831) belongs to a group of fish species that exhibit amphibious lifestyles during specific daily periods. However, identifying this species poses a challenge due to its morphological similarities with other mudskipper species. These similarities have occasionally caused misidentifications of mudskippers. In Indonesia, previous studies have examined the genetic variation of common mudskippers, but these investigations have been limited to a few specific areas, particularly along the southern coast of Java. As a result, the available data remain fragmented, and no comprehensive genetic population analysis of common mudskippers on the southern coast of Java has been conducted. Therefore, our study aimed to establish DNA barcodes of COI mtDNA and explore the genetic variation and relationship among these common mudskipper populations from the southern coast of Java. We collected nine specimens from two populations, Cilacap Mangrove Forest and Kondang Bandung Beach, and supplemented our dataset with 38 previously collected COI sequences of common mudskippers from three different populations from the southern coast of Java (Pasir Mendit Beach, Bogowonto Lagoon, and Baros Beach).

RESULTS

The study revealed that 47 common mudskippers from five different populations are separated into three genetically distinct clades (A, B, and C). These clades display genetic divergences ranging from 0.97% to 1.91%. Each clade exhibits high levels of haplotype diversity but relatively low nucleotide diversity, suggesting a previous bottleneck in population followed by a fast expansion. However, the phylogeny, haplotype network, and principal coordinate analysis indicate overlapping populations with no geographic separation within these clades. This suggests the potential occurrence of gene flow among these populations, which might have been facilitated by past geological events.

CONCLUSIONS

These results enhance our understanding of common mudskipper biodiversity in Indonesia. Further studies involving common mudskipper populations from various geographical sites in Indonesia are required to further enrich our understanding of the variation and evolution of this species.

Bibliometric analysis of organoids in regenerative medicine-related research worldwide over two decades (2002-2022)

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the trends in organoid culture research within the field of regenerative medicine from 2002 to 2022. Methods: The worldwide distribution of organoid research in regenerative medicine articles indexed in the Scopus database was analyzed. Result: A total of 840 documents were analyzed, averaging 42 publications annually. The USA (n = 296) led in publications, followed by China (n = 127), Japan (n = 91) and the UK (n = 75). Since 2011, research has surged, particularly in China, which emerged as a prominent center. Conclusion: The findings highlight significant growth in organoid research, promising future organ transplantation. Research trends integrate tissue engineering, gene modification and induced pluripotent stem cell technologies, reflecting a move toward personalized medicine.

Global research trends in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to analyze the global profile of the literature in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) research.

BACKGROUND

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a clinically heterogeneous condition characterized by fat accumulation in the liver and the absence of significant alcohol consumption or underlying genetic disorders. These manifestations are associated with inflammation, steatosis, and fibrosis that can develop into cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma. However, a study about the research trend in NAFLD has never been reported before.

METHODS

The NAFLD bibliometric analysis was performed on articles indexed in the Scopus database from 1973 to 2022.

RESULTS

The total number of articles published worldwide is 28,673 documents, with an annual average of 561 documents. The United States generated the most articles (n = 6548), followed by China (n = 6180), Italy (n = 2434), and Japan (n = 2032). Since 2013, the number of publications on NAFLD has increased dramatically worldwide. The popular topics in the field include medicine, biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology, pharmacology, toxicology and pharmaceutics, and nursing.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a unique composite picture of NAFLD research worldwide and evaluates research productivity from 1973 to 2022. This finding suggests that the prospects for interventions in NAFLD remain promising (Tab. 5, Fig. 4, Ref. 57). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: bibliometric analysis, NAFLD, Scopus.

Growth in chikungunya virus-related research in ASEAN and South Asian countries from 1967 to 2022 following disease emergence: a bibliometric and graphical analysis

BACKGROUND

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is composed of ten Southeast Asian countries bound by socio-cultural ties that promote regional peace and stability. South Asia, located in the southern subregion of Asia, includes nine countries sharing similarities in geographical and ethno-cultural factors. Chikungunya is one of the most significant problems in Southeast and South Asian countries. Much of the current chikungunya epidemic in Southeast Asia is caused by the emergence of a virus strain that originated in Africa and spread to Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, in South Asia, three confirmed lineages are in circulation. Given the positive correlation between research activity and the improvement of the clinical framework of biomedical research, this article aimed to examine the growth of chikungunya virus-related research in ASEAN and South Asian countries.

METHODS

The Scopus database was used for this bibliometric analysis. The retrieved publications were subjected to a number of analyses, including those for the most prolific countries, journals, authors, institutions, and articles. Co-occurrence mapping of terms and keywords was used to determine the current state, emerging topics, and future prospects of chikungunya virus-related research. Bibliometrix and VOSviewer were used to analyze the data and visualize the collaboration network mapping.

RESULTS

The Scopus search engine identified 1280 chikungunya-related documents published by ASEAN and South Asian countries between 1967 and 2022. According to our findings, India was the most productive country in South Asia, and Thailand was the most productive country in Southeast Asia. In the early stages of the study, researchers investigated the vectors and outbreaks of the chikungunya virus. In recent years, the development of antivirus agents has emerged as a prominent topic.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study is the first to present the growth of chikungunya virus-related research in ASEAN and South Asian countries from 1967 to 2022. In this study, the evaluation of the comprehensive profile of research on chikungunya can serve as a guide for future studies. In addition, a bibliometric analysis may serve as a resource for healthcare policymakers.

Genetic Diversity of the Endangered Endemic Anoa (Bubalus spp): Implication for Conservation

Anoa is an endemic ungulate in Sulawesi and its status now is endangered because the population continues to decline. Conservation genetics is one of the crucial issues in the anoa conservation strategy and action plan 2013-2022 document, but this genetic data is not yet available. To investigate and provide valuable information for conservation genetics measures, thirteen polymorphic microsatellites were used to analyze 20 adult anoa. Anoa has relatively low genetic diversity within populations (HO = 0.58), and high genetic differentiation among populations (FST = 0157). Although the anoa population has a bottleneck signal (T.P.M: 0.019; P0.05), the bottleneck simulation results show that the loss of genetic diversity is being slow over the next 100 years (9.5%). We provide some recommendations for conservation genetics based on the findings in this paper, including monitoring and genetically mapping for other anoa populations due to bottleneck signals, establishing the founder of the ex-situ population by examining their genetic diversity status, maintaining and increasing the number of individuals in the ex-situ population to genetically safe population size, and managing anoa populations by avoiding inbreeding. In-situ and ex-situ conservation programs should be combined to maintain the genetic diversity of anoa.