Zuckerman BM et al. (1983) Age "Effects of vitamin E on the nematode C. elegans."

Zuckerman BM, Geist MA

[Age, 1983]

Vitamin E at 200 ug/ml significantly extended the mean lifespan and extended maximum lifespan of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans when supplied early in the prereproductive stage. At this concentration, vitamin E increased growth, but did not affect fecundity or the length of the reproductive period. The vitamin E effect was not passed from the parents to the progeny. Evaluations of the effects of vitamin E on lipofuscin accumulation were inconclusive. The results are compared to previous studies on C. briggsae and Turbatrix aceti.

Zuckerman BM et al. (1972) Journal of Nematology "Specific gravity increase of C. briggsae with age."

Kisiel MJ, Zuckerman BM, Nelson B

[Journal of Nematology, 1972]

The specific gravity of old Caenorhabditis briggsae was shown to be greater than that of young nematodes. The possible explanations for this age-associated change are discussed.

Zuckerman BM et al. (1983) J Nematol "Caenorhabditis elegans: Stage Specific Differences in Cuticle Surface Carbohydrates."

Kahane I, Zuckerman BM

[J Nematol, 1983]

Stage-specific differences in wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) binding saccharides were demonstrated between the surfaces of the eggs, L1 larvae, young aduhs, and old adults of Caenorhabditis elegans. The WGA binding was to n-acetylglucosamine groups but not to terminally linked n-acetylneuraminic acids. An age-related decrease in WGA binding occurred in adults, supporting previous findings of a decrease in net negative cuticle surface charge during aging.

Zuckerman BM et al. (1978) Exp Aging Res "Effects of PCA and DMAE on the namatode Caenorhabditis briggsae."

Barrett KA, Zuckerman BM

[Exp Aging Res, 1978]

Concentrations of 6.8 mM DMAe did not retard age pigment accumulation in Caenorhabditis briggsae. However, when the nematodes were exposed to 6.8 mM PCA + 6.8 mM DMAE combined, the accumulation of age pigment was significantly retarded. A combination of 3.4 mM DMAE + 3.4 mM PCA had no effect on age pigment. It is concluded from this study that PCA and DMAE act in concert to produce the observed effect on age pigment. In respect to this parameter neither molecule was effective alone. The results indicate that the effect of centrophenoxine on age pigment might be enhanced by retarding the hydrolysis of centrophenoxine. The accumulation of electron dense aggregates, thought to be aggregates of cross-linked molecules, was reduced by 6.8 PCA + 6.8 DMAE. It is suggested that centrophenoxine be tested for its ability to remove random, unwanted cross-linkages in higher animals.

Zuckerman BM et al. (1973) Nematologica "Fine structure changes in the cuticle of adult C. briggsae with age."

Kisiel MJ, Himmelhoch S, Zuckerman BM

[Nematologica, 1973]

The cuticle of young, adult Caenorhabditis briggsae contains seven layers. In old nematodes fine structure changes related to aging were observed in two layers. The outer osmiophilic membrane became more defined and in a few cases separated from the external cortical layer. Also, an electron-dense material and electron-dense balls occurred within the fluid-filled layer. The possible significance of these observations is discussed.

Zuckerman BM et al. (1969) Nematologica "Studies on a growth supplement for C. briggsae from freeze-dried bacteria."

Zuckerman BM, Castillo JM, Deubert KH, Gunner HB

[Nematologica, 1969]

Freeze-dried bacteria isolated from Panagrellus redivivus, contained a growth supplement that initially supported rapid growth and reproduction of Caenorhabditis briggsae. However, after four serial subcultures, the nematodes became sluggish and eventually died. Evidence is given that C. briggsae utilizes the bacterial cell as a food source, thereby showing that the bacterium-nematode relation is not one of mutualism.

Zuckerman BM et al. (1989) Journal of Chemical Ecology "Suppression of plant parasitic nematodes in the chinampa agricultural soils."

Zuckerman BM, Coles GC, Marban-Mendoza N, Garcia-E R, Dicklow MB

[Journal of Chemical Ecology, 1989]

Soil from the chinampa agricultrual system in the Valley of Mexico suppressed damage by plant-parasitic nematodes to tomatoes and beans in greenhouse and growth chamber trials. Sterilization of the chinampa soil resulted in a loss of the suppressible effect, thereby indicating that one or more biotic factors were responsible for the low incidence of nematode damage. Nine organisms were isolated from chinampa soil, which showed antinematodal properties in culture. Naturally occurring populations of plant-parasitic nematodes were of lower incidence in chinampa soil than in Chapingo soil.

Zuckerman BM et al. (1979) Exp Parasitol "Caenorhabditis briggsae and C. elegans: partial characterization of cuticle surface carbohydrates."

Kahane I, Zuckerman BM, Himmelhoch S

[Exp Parasitol, 1979]

The presence of galactose, glucose, mannose, and N-acetylglucosamine on the exposed surface of the nematodes Caenorhabditis briggsae and C. elegans was indicated by specific binding of three iodinated plant lectins. Proteolysis experiments suggested the absence of digestible glycoproteins on the exposed surfaces of the two nematode species. High resolution micrographs of cuticle surface preparations labeled with cationized ferritin indicated that the negative charge-bearing molecules are more densely packed on the nematode surface than on animal plasma membranes.

Arumugam S et al. (2016) PLoS Negl Trop Dis "Vaccination of Gerbils with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 Concurrently or as a Fusion Protein Confers Consistent and Improved Protection against Brugia malayi Infection."

Bottazzi ME, Klei TR, Wei J, Abraham D, Arumugam S, Liu Z, Lustigman S, Zhan B, Hotez PJ, Bell A

[PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2016]

BACKGROUND: The Brugia malayi Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 proteins are orthologous to Onchocerca volvulus Ov-103 and Ov-RAL-2, and which were selected as the best candidates for the development of an O. volvulus vaccine. The B. malayi gerbil model was used to confirm the efficacy of these Ov vaccine candidates on adult worms and to determine whether their combination is more efficacious. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPLE FINDINGS: Vaccine efficacy of recombinant Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 administered individually, concurrently or as a fusion protein were tested in gerbils using alum as adjuvant. Vaccination with Bm-103 resulted in worm reductions of 39%, 34% and 22% on 42, 120 and 150 days post infection (dpi), respectively, and vaccination with Bm-RAL-2 resulted in worm reductions of 42%, 22% and 46% on 42, 120 and 150 dpi, respectively. Vaccination with a fusion protein comprised of Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 resulted in improved efficacy with significant reduction of worm burden of 51% and 49% at 90 dpi, as did the concurrent vaccination with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2, with worm reduction of 61% and 56% at 90 dpi. Vaccination with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 as a fusion protein or concurrently not only induced a significant worm reduction of 61% and 42%, respectively, at 150 dpi, but also significantly reduced the fecundity of female worms as determined by embryograms. Elevated levels of antigen-specific IgG were observed in all vaccinated gerbils. Serum from gerbils vaccinated with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 individually, concurrently or as a fusion protein killed third stage larvae in vitro when combined with peritoneal exudate cells. CONCLUSION: Although vaccination with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 individually conferred protection against B. malayi infection in gerbils, a more consistent and enhanced protection was induced by vaccination with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 fusion protein and when they were used concurrently. Further characterization and optimization of these filarial vaccines are warranted.

McIntyre DC et al. (2023) Development "Niche cells regulate primordial germ cell quiescence in response to basement membrane signaling."

McIntyre DC, Nance J

[Development, 2023]

Stem cell quiescence, proliferation and differentiation are controlled by interactions with niche cells and a specialized extracellular matrix called basement membrane (BM). Direct interactions with adjacent BM are known to regulate stem cell quiescence; however, it is less clear how niche BM relays signals to stem cells that it does not contact. Here, we examine how niche BM regulates C. elegans primordial germ cells (PGCs). BM regulates PGC quiescence even though PGCs are enwrapped by somatic niche cells and do not contact the BM; this can be demonstrated by depleting laminin, which causes normally quiescent embryonic PGCs to proliferate. We show that following laminin depletion, niche cells relay proliferation-inducing signals from the gonadal BM to PGCs via integrin receptors. Disrupting the BM proteoglycan perlecan blocks PGC proliferation when laminin is depleted, indicating laminin functions to inhibit a proliferation-inducing signal originating from perlecan. Reducing perlecan levels in fed larvae hampers germ line growth, suggesting BM signals regulate germ cell proliferation under physiological conditions. Our results reveal how BM signals can regulate stem cell quiescence indirectly, by activating niche cell integrin receptors.