Queliconi BB et al. (2013) Free Radic Biol Med "Bicarbonate modulates oxidative and functional damage in ischemia-reperfusion."

Augusto O, Kowaltowski AJ, Vaz SM, Brookes PS, Marazzi TB, Queliconi BB, Nehrke K

[Free Radic Biol Med, 2013]

The carbon dioxide/bicarbonate (CO(2)/HCO(3)(-)) pair is the main biological pH buffer. However, its influence on biological processes, and in particular redox processes, is still poorly explored. Here we study the effect of CO(2)/HCO(3)(-) on ischemic injury in three distinct models (cardiac HL-1 cells, perfused rat heart, and Caenorhabditis elegans). We found that, although various concentrations of CO(2)/HCO(3)(-) do not affect function under basal conditions, ischemia-reperfusion or similar insults in the presence of higher CO(2)/HCO(3)(-) resulted in greater functional loss associated with higher oxidative damage in all models. Because the effect of CO(2)/HCO(3)(-) was observed in all models tested, we believe this buffer is an important determinant of oxidative damage after ischemia-reperfusion.

Vandenberg LN et al. (2013) Commun Integr Biol "It's never too early to get it Right: A conserved role for the cytoskeleton in left-right asymmetry."

Lemire JM, Vandenberg LN, Levin M

[Commun Integr Biol, 2013]

For centuries, scientists and physicians have been captivated by the consistent left-right (LR) asymmetry of the heart, viscera, and brain. A recent study implicated tubulin proteins in establishing laterality in several experimental models, including asymmetric chemosensory receptor expression in C. elegans neurons, polarization of HL-60 human neutrophil-like cells in culture, and asymmetric organ placement in Xenopus. The same mutations that randomized asymmetry in these diverse systems also affect chirality in Arabidopsis, revealing a remarkable conservation of symmetry-breaking mechanisms among kingdoms. In Xenopus, tubulin mutants only affected LR patterning very early, suggesting that this axis is established shortly after fertilization. This addendum summarizes and extends the knowledge of the cytoskeleton's role in the patterning of the LR axis. Results from many species suggest a conserved role for the cytoskeleton as the initiator of asymmetry, and indicate that symmetry is first broken during early embryogenesis by an intracellular process.

Filippidis, G et al. (2005) J Phys D Appl Phys "Imaging of Caenorhabditis elegans samples and sub-cellular localization of new generation photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy, using non-linear microscopy."

Filippidis, G, Papazoglou, TG, Voglis, G, Kapsokalyvas, D, Tavernarakis, N, Kouloumentas, C

[J Phys D Appl Phys, 2005]

Two-photon excitation fluorescence (TPEF) and second-harmonic generation (SHG) are relatively new promising tools for the imaging and mapping of biological structures and processes at the microscopic level. The combination of the two image-contrast modes in a single instrument can provide unique and complementary information concerning the structure and the function of tissues and individual cells. The extended application of this novel, innovative technique by the biological community is limited due to the high price of commercial multiphoton microscopes. In this study, a compact, inexpensive and reliable setup utilizing ferntosecond pulses for excitation was developed for the TPEF and SHG imaging of biological samples. Specific cell types of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans were imaged. Detection of the endogenous structural proteins of the worm, which are responsible for observation of SHG signals, was achieved. Additionally, the binding of different photosensitizers in the HL-60 cell line was investigated, using non-linear microscopy. The sub-cellular localization of photosensitizers of a new generation, very promising for photodynamic therapy (PDT), (Hypericum perforatum L. extracts) was achieved. The sub-cellular localization of these novel photosensitizers was linked with their photodynamic action during PDT, and the possible mechanisms for cell killing have been elucidated.

Byars CL et al. (1999) Development "The dorsal-open group gene raw is required for restricted DJNK signaling during closure."

Bates KL, Letsou A, Byars CL

[Development, 1999]

During dorsal closure in Drosophila melanogaster, cells of the lateral epidermis migrate over the amnioserosa to encase the embryo. At least three classes of dorsal-open group gene products are necessary for this morphogenetic movement. Class I genes code for structural proteins that effect changes in epidermal cell shape and motility. Class II and III genes code for regulatory components of closure: Class II genes encode Drosophila Jun amino (N)-terminal kinase (DJNK) signaling molecules and Class III genes encode Decapentaplegic-mediated signaling molecules. All characterized dorsal-open group gene products function in the epidermis. Here we report a molecular and genetic characterization of raw, a newly defined member of the Class II dorsal-open group genes. We show that the novel protein encoded by raw is required for restriction of DJNK signaling to leading edge epidermal cells as well as for proper development of the amnioserosa. Taken together, our results demonstrate a role for Raw in restriction of epidermal signaling during closure and suggest that this effect may be mediated via the amnioserosa.

Verma SK et al. (2011) Asian Pac J Trop Med "Inflammatory mediator release by Brugia malayi from macrophages of susceptible host Mastomys coucha and THP-1 and RAW 264.7 cell lines."

Verma SK, Kushwaha V, Sharma A, Murthy PK, Dubey V, Saxena K

[Asian Pac J Trop Med, 2011]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate which life stage of the parasite has the ability to stimulate release of pro- or anti-inflammatory mediators from macrophages. METHODS: The human macrophage/monocyte cell line THP-1, the mouse macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 and naive peritoneal macrophages (PM) from the rodent host Mastomys coucha (M. coucha) were incubated at 37 C in 5% CO(2) atmosphere with extracts of microfilariae (Mf), third stage infective larvae (L(3)) and adult worms (Ad) of Brugia malayi. After 48 hr post exposure, IL-1, IL-6, TNF-, IL-10 and nitric oxide (NO) in cell-free supernatants were estimated. RESULTS: Extracts of all the life stages of the parasite were capable of stimulating pro- (IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines in both the cell lines and peritoneal macrophages of M. coucha. Mf was the strongest stimulator of pro-inflammatory cytokines followed by L(3) and Ad; however, Ad was a strong stimulator of IL-10 release. Mf was found to have potential to modulate LPS-induced NO release in RAW cells. Ad-induced NO release was concentration dependent with maximum at 20 g/mL in both RAW and PMs. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that parasites at all life stages were capable of stimulating pro- (IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines and NO release from macrophages of susceptible host M. coucha, human and mouse macrophage cell lines. Mf can suppress the LPS-induced NO release in RAW cells. The findings also show that the two cell lines may provide a convenient in vitro system for assaying parasite-induced inflammatory mediator release.

Chen Y et al. (2024) PeerJ "The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans enhances tolerance to landfill leachate stress by increasing trehalose synthesis."

Yu J, Chen Y, Wang Y, Wu L, Jin B, Tang B, Chen H

[PeerJ, 2024]

The burgeoning issue of landfill leachate, exacerbated by urbanization, necessitates evaluating its biological impact, traditionally overshadowed by physical and chemical assessments. This study harnesses <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>, a model organism, to elucidate the physiological toxicity of landfill leachate subjected to different treatment processes: nanofiltration reverse osmosis tail water (NFRO), membrane bioreactor (MBR), and raw leachate (RAW). Our investigation focuses on the modulation of sugar metabolism, particularly trehalose-a disaccharide serving dual functions as an energy source and an anti-adversity molecule in invertebrates. Upon exposure, <i>C. elegans</i> showcased a 60-70% reduction in glucose and glycogen levels alongside a significant trehalose increase, highlighting an adaptive response to environmental stress by augmenting trehalose synthesis. Notably, trehalose-related genes in the NFRO group were up-regulated, contrasting with the MBR and RAW groups, where trehalose synthesis genes outpaced decomposition genes by 20-30 times. These findings suggest that <i>C. elegans</i> predominantly counters landfill leachate-induced stress through trehalose accumulation. This research not only provides insights into the differential impact of leachate treatment methods on <i>C. elegans</i> but also proposes a molecular framework for assessing the environmental repercussions of landfill leachate, contributing to the development of novel strategies for pollution mitigation and environmental preservation.

Jushaj A et al. (2020) PLoS One "Optimized criteria for locomotion-based healthspan evaluation in C.elegans using the WorMotel system."

Temmerman L, Churgin M, Jushaj A, Fang-Yen C, Yao B, De La Torre M

[PLoS One, 2020]

Getting a grip on how we may age healthily is a central interest of biogerontological research. To this end, a number of academic teams developed platforms for life- and healthspan assessment in Caenorhabditis elegans. These are very appealing for medium- to high throughput screens, but a broader implementation is lacking due to many systems relying on custom scripts for data analysis that others struggle to adopt. Hence, user-friendly recommendations would help to translate raw data into interpretable results. The aim of this communication is to streamline the analysis of data obtained by the WorMotel, an economically and practically appealing screening platform, in order to facilitate the use of this system by interested researchers. We here detail recommendations for the stepwise conversion of raw image data into activity values and explain criteria for assessment of health in C. elegans based on locomotion. Our analysis protocol can easily be adopted by researchers, and all needed scripts and a tutorial are available in S1 and S2 Files.

Lim D et al. (2011) J Biomed Opt "Optically sectioned in vivo imaging with speckle illumination HiLo microscopy."

Mertz J, Lim D, Ford TN, Chu KK

[J Biomed Opt, 2011]

We present a simple wide-field imaging technique, called HiLo microscopy, that is capable of producing optically sectioned images in real time, comparable in quality to confocal laser scanning microscopy. The technique is based on the fusion of two raw images, one acquired with speckle illumination and another with standard uniform illumination. The fusion can be numerically adjusted, using a single parameter, to produce optically sectioned images of varying thicknesses with the same raw data. Direct comparison between our HiLo microscope and a commercial confocal laser scanning microscope is made on the basis of sectioning strength and imaging performance. Specifically, we show that HiLo and confocal 3-D imaging of a GFP-labeled mouse brain hippocampus are comparable in quality. Moreover, HiLo microscopy is capable of faster, near video rate imaging over larger fields of view than attainable with standard confocal microscopes. The goal of this paper is to advertise the simplicity, robustness, and versatility of HiLo microscopy, which we highlight with in vivo imaging of common model organisms including planaria, C. elegans, and zebrafish.

Lee HK et al. (2015) Korean J Food Sci Anim Resour "Screening and Characterization of Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains with Anti-inflammatory Activities through in vitro and Caenorhabditis elegans Model Testing."

Lee HK, Kim GB, Lee CR, Lee MK, Lee SH, Park MR, Kim Y, Choi SH

[Korean J Food Sci Anim Resour, 2015]

The present study was conducted to screen candidate probiotic strains for anti-inflammatory activity. Initially, a nitric oxide (NO) assay was used to test selected candidate probiotic strains for anti-inflammatory activity in cultures of the murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7. Then, the in vitro probiotic properties of the strains, including bile tolerance, acid resistance, and growth in skim milk media, were investigated. We also performed an in vitro hydrophobicity test and an intestinal adhesion assay using Caenorhabditis elegans as a surrogate in vivo model. From our screening, we obtained 4 probiotic candidate lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains based on their anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cell cultures and the results of the in vitro and in vivo probiotic property assessments. Molecular characterization using 16S rDNA sequencing analysis identified the 4 LAB strains as Lactobacillus plantarum. The selected L. plantarum strains (CAU1054, CAU1055, CAU1064, and CAU1106) were found to possess desirable in vitro and in vivo probiotic properties, and these strains are good candidates for further investigations in animal models and human clinical studies to elucidate the mechanisms underlying their anti-inflammatory activities.

Hansen M et al. (2008) PLoS Genet "A role for autophagy in the extension of lifespan by dietary restriction in C. elegans."

Kenyon C, Hansen M, Chandra A, Onken B, Mitic LL, Driscoll M

[PLoS Genet, 2008]

In many organisms, dietary restriction appears to extend lifespan, at least in part, by down-regulating the nutrient-sensor TOR (Target Of Rapamycin). TOR inhibition elicits autophagy, the large-scale recycling of cytoplasmic macromolecules and organelles. In this study, we asked whether autophagy might contribute to the lifespan extension induced by dietary restriction in C. elegans. We find that dietary restriction and TOR inhibition produce an autophagic phenotype and that inhibiting genes required for autophagy prevents dietary restriction and TOR inhibition from extending lifespan. The longevity response to dietary restriction in C. elegans requires the PHA-4 transcription factor. We find that the autophagic response to dietary restriction also requires PHA-4 activity, indicating that autophagy is a transcriptionally regulated response to food limitation. In spite of the rejuvenating effect that autophagy is predicted to have on cells, our findings suggest that autophagy is not sufficient to extend lifespan. Long-lived daf-2 insulin/IGF-1 receptor mutants require both autophagy and the transcription factor DAF-16/FOXO for their longevity, but we find that autophagy takes place in the absence of DAF-16. Perhaps autophagy is not sufficient for lifespan extension because although it provides raw material for new macromolecular synthesis, DAF-16/FOXO must program the cells to recycle this raw material into cell-protective longevity proteins.