Article
Biology
Yizhou Jiang, Uma Gaur, Zhibai Cao, Sheng-Tao Hou, Wenhua Zheng
Summary: This study reveals the role of dopamine receptors in regulating lifespan in C. elegans, where activation of D2R extends lifespan and healthspan while inhibition of D2R shortens lifespan. D2R signaling regulates lifespan through a dietary restriction mechanism.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lucas R. Mergan, Brecht R. Driesschaert, Liesbet R. Temmerman
Summary: Axenic dietary restriction (ADR), where animals feed on (semi-)defined culture medium in the absence of any other lifeform, is a peculiar but potent means of achieving longevity. ADR has been shown to more than double the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear and seems distinct from other forms of dietary restriction. Our study focuses on the role of the protein CUP-4 and the coelomocytes, suggesting their involvement in ADR-mediated longevity. However, further investigation is needed to understand the immune function and endocytosis-related processes of the coelomocytes in the context of longevity.
Article
Cell Biology
Chayki Charar, Sally Metsuyanim-Cohen, Daniel Z. Bar
Summary: Dietary restriction in animals is regulated by lamin, affecting body size and fat content. The LMN-1 protein plays a crucial role in the mTOR pathway.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biology
Javier Huayta, Joseph P. Crapster, Adriana San-Miguel
Summary: Dietary restriction (DR) activates the DAF-16 transcription factor in C. elegans, leading to lifespan extension. However, the extent of this activation and its impact on lifespan has not been quantitatively determined. In this study, we used CRISPR/Cas9-enabled fluorescent tagging, quantitative image analysis, and machine learning to assess the endogenous activity of DAF-16 under different DR regimes. Our results show strong endogenous DAF-16 activity induced by DR, with the activity being less responsive in aged individuals. DAF-16 activity is a robust predictor of lifespan, accounting for 78% of its variability under DR.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Huaihan Cai, Ping Wu, Lieselot Vandemeulebroucke, Ineke Dhondt, Madina Rasulova, Andy Vierstraete, Bart P. Braeckman
Summary: Axenically cultured C. elegans under dietary restriction exhibit molecular and physiological changes associated with longevity, such as increased amino acid catabolism, relocation of protein breakdown to lysosomes, and maintenance of muscle integrity. These changes may be coordinated by peptidergic signaling.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Jeong-Hoon Hahm, Farida S. Nirmala, Pyeong Geun Choi, Hyo-Deok Seo, Tae Youl Ha, Chang Hwa Jung, Jiyun Ahn
Summary: Dietary restriction (DR) is an effective intervention for prolonging longevity in many organisms, but the molecular mechanisms by which DR influences aging and immunity are not fully understood. Through studying Caenorhabditis elegans, researchers discovered that the F-box gene fbxc-58 mediates the beneficial effects of DR on extending the health span of the worm and preventing mitochondrial deterioration during aging.
Article
Cell Biology
Fereshteh Moradi, Marco Fiocchetti, Maria Marino, Christopher Moffatt, Jeffrey A. Stuart
Summary: Studies have shown that the effects of E-2 and SERMs on cell physiology are strongly influenced by culture conditions, affecting mitochondrial abundance, network characteristics, and H2O2 production.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fabian Schmitt, Gunter P. Eckert
Summary: The study of aging is an important topic, and choosing the right model is crucial. The nematode C. elegans is a well-established model in aging research and has significant advantages in studying bioenergetics and secondary plant metabolites.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alvar J. Alonso-Lavin, Djordje Bajic, Juan F. Poyatos
Summary: This research focuses on the impact of redox couple imbalances on cellular function, particularly in yeast. By using a computational model of metabolism, the study shows that redox disequilibrium can lead to metabolic syndromes similar to those seen in cancer cells. The findings also highlight the importance of certain metabolites in helping to regulate redox imbalances, which can in turn influence lifespan and potential anti-aging interventions.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fabian Schmitt, Lukas Babylon, Fabian Dieter, Gunter P. Eckert
Summary: This study investigated the impact of environmentally hazardous substances on the healthspan and mitochondrial functions of invertebrates, finding that pesticides can decrease heat stress resistance but can be improved by polyphenolic metabolites.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jianing Xu, Pengyun Du, Xiaoyu Liu, Xiao Xu, Yuting Ge, Chenggang Zhang
Summary: In this study, the molecular mechanism of curcumin in prolonging the lifespan of C. elegans was investigated. It was found that curcumin can significantly improve the survival capacity of nematodes, decrease ROS levels, and increase mitochondrial DNA replication. The study revealed that curcumin extends the lifespan of C. elegans through enhancing oxidative stress resistance and downregulating the MAPK signaling pathway.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Manish Pandey, Sakshi Bansal, Sudipta Bar, Amit Kumar Yadav, Nicholas S. Sokol, Jason M. Tennessen, Pankaj Kapahi, Geetanjali Chawla
Summary: In fruit flies, two neuronally enriched and highly conserved microRNAs, miR-125 and let-7, have been shown to mediate the response to dietary restriction (DR) that extends lifespan. MiR-125 functions in neurons, while its target gene chinmo modulates fat metabolism and longevity in both neurons and the fat body. Chinmo exerts its DR effects by regulating the expression of several proteins, indicating a potential avenue for miR-125 and its downstream effectors as drug candidates for late-onset diseases and biomarkers for healthy aging in humans.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Natasha Oswal, Olivier M. F. Martin, Sofia Stroustrup, Monika Anna Matusiak Bruckner, Nicholas Stroustrup
Summary: This study reveals the close relationship between vigorous movement cessation (VMC) and lifespan, with the timing of VMC inversely correlated with remaining lifespan. Through measurement and modeling, the researchers show that vigorous movement and lifespan are determined by the interplay of at least two distinct physical declines.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Kerry C. Ryan, Zahra Ashkavand, Shaarika Sarasija, Jocelyn T. Laboy, Rohan Samarakoon, Kenneth R. Norman
Summary: Metabolic dysfunction and protein aggregation are common characteristics in age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Mutations in presenilin genes can lead to familial Alzheimer's disease, while loss of SEL-12/presenilin results in hyperactivation of the mTORC1 pathway. This hyperactivation exacerbates proteostasis defects and neuronal dysfunction in sel-12 mutants, highlighting the critical role of presenilin in promoting neuronal health.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Patrick J. Hu
Summary: The study in C. elegans model showed that a conserved insulin-like signaling pathway plays an important role in shaping the phylogenetic composition of the gut microbiome.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sam Kint, Wim Van Criekinge, Linos Vandekerckhove, Winnok H. De Vos, Karol Bomsztyk, Diane S. Krause, Oleg Denisenko
Summary: Characterization of individual cells' epigenetic status remains challenging due to limited coverage of current sequencing approaches. A targeted microscopy-based epigenetic visualization assay (EVA) was developed to overcome these limitations, allowing for detection and quantification of epigenetic marks at genes of interest in single cells. By linking epigenetic marks to gene transcription, the efficacy of the method was validated.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jonas Van Lent, Peter Verstraelen, Bob Asselbergh, Elias Adriaenssens, Ligia Mateiu, Christophe Verbist, Vicky De Winter, Kristel Eggermont, Ludo Van den Bosch, Winnok H. De Vos, Vincent Timmerman
Summary: The study using iPSCs derived from CMT2 patients revealed shared hallmarks of axonal degeneration among different subtypes, suggesting that targeting these common pathomechanisms could lead to the development of a uniform treatment for CMT2.
Correction
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Michiel Van Dyck, Rajiv K. Mishra, Francisco Pestana, Peter Verstraelen, Hilde Lavreysen, Juan D. Pita-Almenar, Nachiket D. Kashikar, Winnok H. De Vos
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gaelle Houthaeve, Gerardo Garcia-Diaz Barriga, Stephan Stremersch, Herlinde De Keersmaecker, Juan Fraire, Jo Vandesompele, Pieter Mestdagh, Stefaan De Smedt, Kevin Braeckmans, Winnok H. De Vos
Summary: The study investigates the effects of VNB photoporation on cell homeostasis, finding that A-type lamins are upregulated after photoporation and contribute to the recovery of the nucleus. Selective depletion of A-type lamins reduces cell viability, while stimulation of LMNA transcription increases the survival rate of successfully transfected cells.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Gaelle Houthaeve, Stefaan C. De Smedt, Kevin Braeckmans, Winnok H. De Vos
Summary: Delivery of nanomaterials into cells by disrupting the plasma membrane (PM) can have various effects on cell viability and physiology, including permanent phenotypic alterations. Understanding this cellular response is crucial for optimizing nano-delivery conditions.
Review
Oncology
Sofia Zanotti, Bieke Decaesteker, Suzanne Vanhauwaert, Bram De Wilde, Winnok H. De Vos, Frank Speleman
Summary: Neuroblastoma, a common tumor in children under five, has poor treatment outcomes for high-risk cases and causes long-term side effects. Cellular senescence has been considered a barrier against tumorigenesis, but recent research suggests a more complex and reversible nature for this process, which may impact treatment strategies. Neuroblastoma cells in a senescent state may escape treatment and promote relapse, but senescence could also provide opportunities for new therapies.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Auchi Inalegwu, Bart Cuypers, Jurgen Claesen, Ann Janssen, Amelie Coolkens, Sarah Baatout, Kris Laukens, Winnok H. De Vos, Roel Quintens
Summary: Radiotherapy is the standard treatment for breast cancer, but surviving radioresistant cells can lead to relapse. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of radiation resistance can improve the treatment of radioresistant tumors. Emulating radiation therapy at the cellular level, researchers exposed breast cancer cells to daily radiation doses and found that radioresistant cells showed altered gene expression and similarities with resistance profiles seen in both radiation and endocrine therapy, suggesting potential combination therapies.
MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Elise Van Breedam, Aleksandra Nijak, Tamariche Buyle-Huybrecht, Julia Di Stefano, Marlies Boeren, Jonas Govaerts, Alessandra Quarta, Tine Swartenbroekx, Eva Z. Jacobs, Bjorn Menten, Rik Gijsbers, Peter Delputte, Maaike Alaerts, Behrouz Hassannia, Bart Loeys, Zwi Berneman, Jean-Pierre Timmermans, Philippe G. Jorens, Tom Vanden Berghe, Erik Fransen, An Wouters, Winnok H. De Vos, Peter Ponsaerts
Summary: The study presents a method using human iPSC-derived neurospheroid model for monitoring neural viability under ischemic conditions. The results show that 1-week-old neurospheroids can partially recover neural cells post-OGD, while 4-week-old neurospheroids cannot, highlighting the importance of more mature neurospheroids for better recapitulation of in vivo conditions.
Article
Biology
Aleksandra Nijak, Eline Simons, Bert Vandendriessche, Dieter Van de Sande, Erik Fransen, Ewa Sieliwonczyk, Ilse Van Gucht, Emeline Van Craenenbroeck, Johan Saenen, Hein Heidbuchel, Peter Ponsaerts, Alain J. Labro, Dirk Snyders, Winnok De Vos, Dorien Schepers, Maaike Alaerts, Bart L. Loeys
Summary: Cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-CMs) are a valuable tool for cardiovascular research. This study evaluated two protocols for differentiating iPSCs into cardiomyocytes and found that both protocols resulted in a high percentage of differentiated cells with typical cardiac characteristics. One protocol showed better accessibility for experiments and expressed more cardiac-specific markers.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Nadine Saul, Ineke Dhondt, Mikko Kuokkanen, Markus Perola, Clara Verschuuren, Brecht Wouters, Henrik von Chrzanowski, Winnok H. De Vos, Liesbet Temmerman, Walter Luyten, Aleksandra Zecic, Tim Loier, Christian Schmitz-Linneweber, Bart P. Braeckman
Summary: In this study, a GWAS was conducted to identify potential genetic factors associated with healthy ageing. Candidate genes were then verified using a model organism, C. elegans, and several genes were found to potentially play a role in maintaining health in the elderly.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Freya Molenberghs, Marlies Verschuuren, Michael Barbier, Johannes J. Bogers, Nathalie Cools, Peter Delputte, Mario Schelhaas, Winnok H. De Vos
Summary: In this study, high-content microscopy was used to investigate the early phase of HPV infection. Differences in infection between cell lines were measured using a fluorescent signal, which directly correlated with host cell proliferation rate. Nuclear organization and promyelocytic leukemia protein body content were altered by HPV infection, positioning these events at the early stage of HPV infection, upstream of viral replication.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Monica van den Berg, Mohit H. Adhikari, Marlies Verschuuren, Isabel Pintelon, Tamara Vasilkovska, Johan Van Audekerke, Stephan Missault, Loran Heymans, Peter Ponsaerts, Winnok H. De Vos, Annemie Van der Linden, Georgios A. Keliris, Marleen Verhoye
Summary: This study investigates how whole-brain networks are influenced in pre- and early-plaque stages of AD, revealing decreased activity of the basal forebrain and the default mode-like network in pre-plaque stage, and activation of compensatory mechanisms in the early-plaque stage. The findings suggest that modulating astrogliosis in the basal forebrain could be a promising therapeutic strategy to restore brain network function in AD.
ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Pathology
Cedric Peleman, Winnok H. De Vos, Isabel Pintelon, Ann Driessen, Annelies Van Eyck, Christophe Van Steenkiste, Luisa Vonghia, Joris De Man, Benedicte Y. De Winter, Tom Vanden Berghe, Sven M. Francque, Wilhelmus J. Kwanten
Summary: A new image analysis method was used to quantify the differences between liver lobule zones in NAFLD. The results showed that this method accurately measured the distribution of hypoxia markers in the steatotic liver and overcame the impact of steatosis on pathologists' interpretation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ilia Goemaere, Deep Punj, Aranit Harizaj, Jessica Woolston, Sofie Thys, Karen Sterck, Stefaan C. De Smedt, Winnok H. De Vos, Kevin Braeckmans
Summary: Photoporation is a gentle and efficient method for transfecting cells, and response surface methodology (RSM) proves to be a valuable approach for optimizing the photoporation procedure. By varying PDNP size, concentration, and laser fluence, the RSM designs successfully identified an optimal delivery yield and revealed a strong dependence on PDNP size.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Laurie Freire Boullosa, Jinthe Van Loenhout, Tal Flieswasser, Christophe Hermans, Celine Merlin, Ho Wa Lau, Elly Marcq, Marlies Verschuuren, Winnok H. De Vos, Filip Lardon, Evelien L. J. Smits, Christophe Deben
Summary: The study aims to enhance the efficacy of auranofin (AF) as a cancer treatment by combining it with the PARP inhibitor olaparib (referred to as 'aurola'). High concentrations of AF and olaparib synergistically induced cytotoxicity in NSCLC and PDAC cell lines with low levels of mutant p53 protein. The combination strategy of oxidative stress induction with PARP inhibition could be a promising treatment for mutant p53 cancers.
