RESUMO
Adhesion G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are an underrepresented class of GPCRs in drug discovery. We previously developed an in vivo drug screening pipeline to identify compounds with agonist activity for Adgrg6 (Gpr126), an adhesion GPCR required for myelination of the peripheral nervous system in vertebrates. The screening assay tests for rescue of an ear defect found in adgrg6tb233c-/- hypomorphic homozygous mutant zebrafish, using the expression of versican b (vcanb) mRNA as an easily identifiable phenotype. In the current study, we used the same assay to screen a commercially available library of 1280 diverse bioactive compounds (Sigma LOPAC). Comparison with published hits from two partially overlapping compound collections (Spectrum, Tocris) confirms that the screening assay is robust and reproducible. Using a modified counter screen for myelin basic protein (mbp) gene expression, we have identified 17 LOPAC compounds that can rescue both inner ear and myelination defects in adgrg6tb233c-/- hypomorphic mutants, three of which (ebastine, S-methylisothiourea hemisulfate, and thapsigargin) are new hits. A further 25 LOPAC hit compounds were effective at rescuing the otic vcanb expression but not mbp. Together, these and previously identified hits provide a wealth of starting material for the development of novel and specific pharmacological modulators of Adgrg6 receptor activity.
Assuntos
Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G , Peixe-Zebra , Animais , Peixe-Zebra/genética , Peixe-Zebra/metabolismo , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/genética , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/genética , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/metabolismoRESUMO
Senescence drives the onset and severity of multiple ageing-associated diseases and frailty. As a result, there has been an increased interest in mechanistic studies and in the search for compounds targeting senescent cells, known as senolytics. Mammalian models are commonly used to test senolytics and generate functional and toxicity data at the level of organs and systems, yet this is expensive and time consuming. Zebrafish share high homology in genes associated with human ageing and disease. They can be genetically modified relatively easily. In larvae, most organs develop within 5 days of fertilisation and are transparent, which allows tracking of fluorescent cells in vivo in real time, testing drug off-target toxicity and assessment of cellular and phenotypic changes. Here, we have generated a transgenic zebrafish line that expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the promoter of a key senescence marker, p21. We show an increase in p21:GFP+ cells in larvae following exposure to ionising radiation and with natural ageing. p21:GFP+ cells display other markers of senescence, including senescence-associated ß-galactosidase and IL6. The observed increase in senescent cells following irradiation is associated with a reduction in the thickness of muscle fibres and mobility, two important ageing phenotypes. We also show that quercetin and dasatinib, two senolytics currently in clinical trials, reduce the number of p21:GFP+ cells, in a rapid 5-day assay. This model provides an important tool to study senescence in a living organism, allowing the rapid selection of senolytics before moving to more expensive and time-consuming mammalian systems.
Assuntos
Senescência Celular , Peixe-Zebra , Animais , Envelhecimento/genética , Proteínas de Fluorescência Verde/genética , Mamíferos , Senoterapia , Peixe-Zebra/genéticaRESUMO
Live imaging in the zebrafish embryo using tissue-specific expression of fluorescent proteins can yield important insights into the mechanisms that drive sensory organ morphogenesis and cell differentiation. Morphogenesis of the semicircular canal ducts of the vertebrate inner ear requires a complex rearrangement of epithelial cells, including outgrowth, adhesion, fusion and perforation of epithelial projections to generate pillars of tissue that form the hubs of each canal. We report the insertion sites and expression patterns of two enhancer trap lines in the developing zebrafish embryo, each of which highlight different aspects of epithelial cell morphogenesis in the inner ear. A membrane-linked EGFP driven by smad6b regulatory sequences is expressed throughout the otic epithelium, most strongly on the lateral side of the ear and in the sensory cristae. A second enhancer trap line, with cytoplasmic EGFP driven by frizzled1 (fzd1) regulatory sequences, specifically marks cells of the ventral projection and pillar in the developing ear, and marginal cells in the sensory cristae, together with variable expression in the retina and epiphysis, and neurons elsewhere in the developing central nervous system. We have used a combination of methods to identify the insertion sites of these two transgenes, which were generated through random insertion, and show that Targeted Locus Amplification is a rapid and reliable method for the identification of insertion sites of randomly inserted transgenes.
Assuntos
Canais Semicirculares , Peixe-Zebra , Animais , Peixe-Zebra/metabolismo , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/genética , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/metabolismo , Epitélio/metabolismo , Morfogênese/fisiologia , Regulação da Expressão Gênica no DesenvolvimentoRESUMO
Epithelial morphogenesis to form the semicircular canal ducts of the zebrafish inner ear depends on the production of the large glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan, which is thought to contribute to the driving force that pushes projections of epithelium into the lumen of the otic vesicle. Proteoglycans are also implicated in otic morphogenesis: several of the genes coding for proteoglycan core proteins, together with enzymes that synthesise and modify their polysaccharide chains, are expressed in the developing zebrafish inner ear. In this study, we demonstrate the highly specific localisation of chondroitin sulphate to the sites of epithelial projection outgrowth in the ear, present before any morphological deformation of the epithelium. Staining for chondroitin sulphate is also present in the otolithic membrane, whereas the otoliths are strongly positive for keratan sulphate. We show that heparan sulphate biosynthesis is critical for normal epithelial projection outgrowth, otolith growth and tethering. In the ext2 mutant ear, which has reduced heparan sulphate levels, but continues to produce hyaluronan, epithelial projections are rudimentary, and do not grow sufficiently to meet and fuse to form the pillars of tissue that normally span the otic lumen. Staining for chondroitin sulphate and expression of versican b, a chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan core protein gene, persist abnormally at high levels in the unfused projections of the ext2 mutant ear. We propose a model for wild-type epithelial projection outgrowth in which hyaluronan and proteoglycans are linked to form a hydrated gel that fills the projection core, with both classes of molecule playing essential roles in zebrafish semicircular canal morphogenesis.
RESUMO
Wolfram syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disease characterized by diabetes, optic atrophy and deafness. Patients die at 35 years of age, mainly from respiratory failure or dysphagia. Unfortunately, there is no treatment to block the progression of symptoms and there is an urgent need for adequate research models. Here, we report on the phenotypical characterization of two loss-of-function zebrafish mutant lines: wfs1aC825X and wfs1bW493X. We observed that wfs1a deficiency altered the size of the ear and the retina of the fish. We also documented a decrease in the expression level of unfolded protein response (UPR) genes in basal condition and in stress condition, i.e. after tunicamycin treatment. Interestingly, both mutants lead to a decrease in their visual function measured behaviorally. These deficits were associated with a decrease in the expression level of UPR genes in basal and stress conditions. Interestingly, basal, ATP-linked and maximal mitochondrial respirations were transiently decreased in the wfs1b mutant. Taken together, these zebrafish lines highlight the critical role of wfs1a and wfs1b in UPR, mitochondrial function and visual physiology. These models will be useful tools to better understand the cellular function of Wfs1 and to develop novel therapeutic approaches for WS.
Assuntos
Atrofia Óptica , Síndrome de Wolfram , Animais , Proteínas de Membrana/genética , Proteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Mutação , Atrofia Óptica/genética , Fenótipo , Síndrome de Wolfram/genética , Síndrome de Wolfram/metabolismo , Peixe-Zebra/genética , Peixe-Zebra/metabolismoRESUMO
A common feature of morphogenesis is the formation of three-dimensional structures from the folding of two-dimensional epithelial sheets, aided by cell shape changes at the cellular-level. Changes in cell shape must be studied in the context of cell-polarised biomechanical processes within the epithelial sheet. In epithelia with highly curved surfaces, finding single-cell alignment along a biological axis can be difficult to automate in silico. We present 'Origami', a MATLAB-based image analysis pipeline to compute direction-variant cell shape features along the epithelial apico-basal axis. Our automated method accurately computed direction vectors denoting the apico-basal axis in regions with opposing curvature in synthetic epithelia and fluorescence images of zebrafish embryos. As proof of concept, we identified different cell shape signatures in the developing zebrafish inner ear, where the epithelium deforms in opposite orientations to form different structures. Origami is designed to be user-friendly and is generally applicable to fluorescence images of curved epithelia.
Assuntos
Forma Celular/fisiologia , Processamento de Imagem Assistida por Computador/estatística & dados numéricos , Modelos Biológicos , Animais , Fenômenos Biomecânicos , Polaridade Celular , Biologia Computacional , Simulação por Computador , Orelha Interna/embriologia , Epitélio/embriologia , Imageamento Tridimensional , Microscopia de Fluorescência , Morfogênese , Estudo de Prova de Conceito , Software , Peixe-Zebra/embriologiaRESUMO
To identify small molecules that shield mammalian sensory hair cells from the ototoxic side effects of aminoglycoside antibiotics, 10,240 compounds were initially screened in zebrafish larvae, selecting for those that protected lateral-line hair cells against neomycin and gentamicin. When the 64 hits from this screen were retested in mouse cochlear cultures, 8 protected outer hair cells (OHCs) from gentamicin in vitro without causing hair-bundle damage. These 8 hits shared structural features and blocked, to varying degrees, the OHC's mechano-electrical transducer (MET) channel, a route of aminoglycoside entry into hair cells. Further characterization of one of the strongest MET channel blockers, UoS-7692, revealed it additionally protected against kanamycin and tobramycin and did not abrogate the bactericidal activity of gentamicin. UoS-7692 behaved, like the aminoglycosides, as a permeant blocker of the MET channel; significantly reduced gentamicin-Texas red loading into OHCs; and preserved lateral-line function in neomycin-treated zebrafish. Transtympanic injection of UoS-7692 protected mouse OHCs from furosemide/kanamycin exposure in vivo and partially preserved hearing. The results confirmed the hair-cell MET channel as a viable target for the identification of compounds that protect the cochlea from aminoglycosides and provide a series of hit compounds that will inform the design of future otoprotectants.
Assuntos
Aminoglicosídeos/efeitos adversos , Cóclea/efeitos dos fármacos , Ototoxicidade/prevenção & controle , Animais , Cóclea/citologia , Avaliação Pré-Clínica de Medicamentos/métodos , Embrião não Mamífero/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Gentamicinas/efeitos adversos , Gentamicinas/farmacologia , Células Ciliadas Auditivas/efeitos dos fármacos , Masculino , Mecanotransdução Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Camundongos Endogâmicos , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Fator de Transcrição Associado à Microftalmia/genética , Neomicina/efeitos adversos , Técnicas de Cultura de Órgãos , Ototoxicidade/etiologia , Substâncias Protetoras/administração & dosagem , Substâncias Protetoras/farmacologia , Peixe-Zebra/embriologia , Peixe-Zebra/genética , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/genéticaRESUMO
We report the presence of a rare cell type, the olfactory rod cell, in the developing zebrafish olfactory epithelium. These cells each bear a single actin-rich rod-like apical projection extending 5-10 µm from the epithelial surface. Live imaging with a ubiquitous Lifeact-RFP label indicates that the olfactory rods can oscillate. Olfactory rods arise within a few hours of the olfactory pit opening, increase in numbers and size during larval stages, and can develop in the absence of olfactory cilia. Olfactory rod cells differ in morphology from the known classes of olfactory sensory neuron, but express reporters driven by neuronal promoters. A sub-population of olfactory rod cells expresses a Lifeact-mRFPruby transgene driven by the sox10 promoter. Mosaic expression of this transgene reveals that olfactory rod cells have rounded cell bodies located apically in the olfactory epithelium and have no detectable axon. We offer speculation on the possible function of these cells in the Discussion.
RESUMO
Adhesion GPCRs are important regulators of conserved developmental processes and represent an untapped pool of potential targets for drug discovery. The adhesion GPCR Adgrg6 (Gpr126) has critical developmental roles in Schwann cell maturation and inner ear morphogenesis in the zebrafish embryo. Mutations in the human ADGRG6 gene can result in severe deficits in peripheral myelination, and variants have been associated with many other disease conditions. Here, we review work on the zebrafish Adgrg6 signaling pathway and its potential as a disease model. Recent advances have been made in the analysis of the structure of the Adgrg6 receptor, demonstrating alternative structural conformations and the presence of a conserved calcium-binding site within the CUB domain of the extracellular region that is critical for receptor function. Homozygous zebrafish adgrg6 hypomorphic mutants have been used successfully as a whole-animal screening platform, identifying candidate molecules that can influence signaling activity and rescue mutant phenotypes. These compounds offer promise for further development as small molecule modulators of Adgrg6 pathway activity.
Assuntos
Artrogripose/genética , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/metabolismo , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/metabolismo , Animais , Artrogripose/metabolismo , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/genética , Transdução de Sinais , Peixe-Zebra , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/genéticaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Current medicines are ineffective in approximately one-third of people with epilepsy. Therefore, new antiseizure drugs are urgently needed to address this problem of pharmacoresistance. However, traditional rodent seizure and epilepsy models are poorly suited to high-throughput compound screening. Furthermore, testing in a single species increases the chance that therapeutic compounds act on molecular targets that may not be conserved in humans. To address these issues, we developed a pipeline approach using four different organisms. METHODS: We sequentially employed compound library screening in the zebrafish, Danio rerio, chemical genetics in the worm, Caenorhabditis elegans, electrophysiological analysis in mouse and human brain slices, and preclinical validation in mouse seizure models to identify novel antiseizure drugs and their molecular mechanism of action. RESULTS: Initially, a library of 1690 compounds was screened in an acute pentylenetetrazol seizure model using D rerio. From this screen, the compound chlorothymol was identified as an effective anticonvulsant not only in fish, but also in worms. A subsequent genetic screen in C elegans revealed the molecular target of chlorothymol to be LGC-37, a worm γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA ) receptor subunit. This GABAergic effect was confirmed using in vitro brain slice preparations from both mice and humans, as chlorothymol was shown to enhance tonic and phasic inhibition and this action was reversed by the GABAA receptor antagonist, bicuculline. Finally, chlorothymol exhibited in vivo anticonvulsant efficacy in several mouse seizure assays, including the 6-Hz 44-mA model of pharmacoresistant seizures. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings establish a multiorganism approach that can identify compounds with evolutionarily conserved molecular targets and translational potential, and so may be useful in drug discovery for epilepsy and possibly other conditions.
Assuntos
Anticonvulsivantes/química , Anticonvulsivantes/uso terapêutico , Descoberta de Drogas/métodos , Agonistas de Receptores de GABA-A/química , Agonistas de Receptores de GABA-A/uso terapêutico , Receptores de GABA-A/metabolismo , Convulsões/tratamento farmacológico , Animais , Anticonvulsivantes/farmacologia , Caenorhabditis elegans , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Descoberta de Drogas/tendências , Feminino , Agonistas de Receptores de GABA-A/farmacologia , Humanos , Masculino , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Técnicas de Cultura de Órgãos , Convulsões/genética , Convulsões/metabolismo , Especificidade da Espécie , Timol/química , Timol/farmacologia , Timol/uso terapêutico , Peixe-ZebraRESUMO
USH2A variants are the most common cause of Usher syndrome type 2, characterized by congenital sensorineural hearing loss and retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and also contribute to autosomal recessive non-syndromic RP. Several treatment strategies are under development; however, sensitive clinical trial endpoint metrics to determine therapeutic efficacy have not been identified. In the present study, we have performed longitudinal retrospective examination of the retinal and auditory symptoms in (i) 56 biallelic molecularly confirmed USH2A patients and (ii) ush2a mutant zebrafish to identify metrics for the evaluation of future clinical trials and rapid preclinical screening studies. The patient cohort showed a statistically significant correlation between age and both rate of constriction for the ellipsoid zone length and hyperautofluorescent outer retinal ring area. Visual acuity and pure tone audiograms are not suitable outcome measures. Retinal examination of the novel ush2au507 zebrafish mutant revealed a slowly progressive degeneration of predominantly rods, accompanied by rhodopsin and blue cone opsin mislocalization from 6 to 12 months of age with lysosome-like structures observed in the photoreceptors. This was further evaluated in the ush2armc zebrafish model, which revealed similar changes in photopigment mislocalization with elevated autophagy levels at 6 days post fertilization, indicating a more severe genotype-phenotype correlation and providing evidence of new insights into the pathophysiology underlying USH2A-retinal disease.
Assuntos
Proteínas da Matriz Extracelular/genética , Perda Auditiva Neurossensorial/genética , Retina/fisiopatologia , Retinose Pigmentar/genética , Síndromes de Usher/genética , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Animais , Autofagia/genética , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Eletrorretinografia , Feminino , Estudos de Associação Genética , Genótipo , Perda Auditiva Neurossensorial/fisiopatologia , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Mutação/genética , Opsinas/genética , Retina/diagnóstico por imagem , Retina/metabolismo , Células Fotorreceptoras Retinianas Cones/metabolismo , Células Fotorreceptoras Retinianas Cones/patologia , Retinose Pigmentar/fisiopatologia , Rodopsina/genética , Opsinas de Bastonetes/genética , Síndromes de Usher/diagnóstico por imagem , Síndromes de Usher/patologia , Acuidade Visual/genética , Acuidade Visual/fisiologia , Adulto Jovem , Peixe-Zebra/genéticaRESUMO
Adgrg6 (Gpr126) is an adhesion class G protein-coupled receptor with a conserved role in myelination of the peripheral nervous system. In the zebrafish, mutation of adgrg6 also results in defects in the inner ear: otic tissue fails to down-regulate versican gene expression and morphogenesis is disrupted. We have designed a whole-animal screen that tests for rescue of both up- and down-regulated gene expression in mutant embryos, together with analysis of weak and strong alleles. From a screen of 3120 structurally diverse compounds, we have identified 68 that reduce versican b expression in the adgrg6 mutant ear, 41 of which also restore myelin basic protein gene expression in Schwann cells of mutant embryos. Nineteen compounds unable to rescue a strong adgrg6 allele provide candidates for molecules that may interact directly with the Adgrg6 receptor. Our pipeline provides a powerful approach for identifying compounds that modulate GPCR activity, with potential impact for future drug design.
Assuntos
Orelha Interna/metabolismo , Bainha de Mielina/metabolismo , Sistema Nervoso Periférico/metabolismo , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/metabolismo , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/metabolismo , Animais , Orelha Interna/efeitos dos fármacos , Orelha Interna/embriologia , Embrião não Mamífero/efeitos dos fármacos , Embrião não Mamífero/embriologia , Embrião não Mamífero/metabolismo , Regulação da Expressão Gênica no Desenvolvimento/efeitos dos fármacos , Estrutura Molecular , Mutação , Bainha de Mielina/efeitos dos fármacos , Sistema Nervoso Periférico/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteoglicanas/genética , Proteoglicanas/metabolismo , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/genética , Células de Schwann/efeitos dos fármacos , Células de Schwann/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Transdução de Sinais/genética , Bibliotecas de Moléculas Pequenas/química , Bibliotecas de Moléculas Pequenas/farmacologia , Peixe-Zebra , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/genéticaRESUMO
In the zebrafish, Fgf and Hh signalling assign anterior and posterior identity, respectively, to the poles of the developing ear. Mis-expression of fgf3 or inhibition of Hh signalling results in double-anterior ears, including ectopic expression of hmx3a. To understand how this double-anterior pattern is established, we characterised transcriptional responses in Fgf gain-of-signalling or Hh loss-of-signalling backgrounds. Mis-expression of fgf3 resulted in rapid expansion of anterior otic markers, refining over time to give the duplicated pattern. Response to Hh inhibition was very different: initial anteroposterior asymmetry was retained, with de novo duplicate expression domains appearing later. We show that Hmx3a is required for normal anterior otic patterning, and that otic patterning defects in hmx3a-/- mutants are a close phenocopy to those seen in fgf3-/- mutants. However, neither loss nor gain of hmx3a function was sufficient to generate full ear duplications. Using our data to infer a transcriptional regulatory network required for acquisition of otic anterior identity, we can recapitulate both the wild-type and the double-anterior pattern in a mathematical model.
Assuntos
Padronização Corporal/genética , Orelha/embriologia , Fatores de Crescimento de Fibroblastos/metabolismo , Proteínas Hedgehog/metabolismo , Fatores de Transcrição/genética , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/genética , Peixe-Zebra/embriologia , Peixe-Zebra/fisiologia , Animais , Embrião não Mamífero , Regulação da Expressão Gênica no Desenvolvimento , Fenótipo , Transdução de SinaisRESUMO
Aminoglycoside antibiotics are used to treat life-threatening bacterial infections but can cause deafness due to hair cell death in the inner ear. Compounds have been described that protect zebrafish lateral line hair cells from aminoglycosides, but few are effective in the cochlea. As the aminoglycosides interact with several ion channels, including the mechanoelectrical transducer (MET) channels by which they can enter hair cells, we screened 160 ion-channel modulators, seeking compounds that protect cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs) from aminoglycoside-induced death in vitro. Using zebrafish, 72 compounds were identified that either reduced loading of the MET-channel blocker FM 1-43FX, decreased Texas red-conjugated neomycin labeling, or reduced neomycin-induced hair cell death. After testing these 72 compounds, and 6 structurally similar compounds that failed in zebrafish, 13 were found that protected against gentamicin-induced death of OHCs in mouse cochlear cultures, 6 of which are permeant blockers of the hair cell MET channel. None of these compounds abrogated aminoglycoside antibacterial efficacy. By selecting those without adverse effects at high concentrations, 5 emerged as leads for developing pharmaceutical otoprotectants to alleviate an increasing clinical problem.
Assuntos
Aminoglicosídeos/farmacologia , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Células Ciliadas Auditivas/efeitos dos fármacos , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/farmacologia , Aminoglicosídeos/antagonistas & inibidores , Animais , Morte Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Cóclea/efeitos dos fármacos , Avaliação Pré-Clínica de Medicamentos/métodos , Feminino , Gentamicinas/antagonistas & inibidores , Gentamicinas/farmacologia , Canais Iônicos/efeitos dos fármacos , Masculino , Camundongos , Técnicas de Cultura de Tecidos , Peixe-ZebraRESUMO
The goal of personalised medicine is to develop tailor-made therapies for patients in whom currently available therapeutics fail. This approach requires correlating individual patient genotype data to specific disease phenotype data and using these stratified data sets to identify bespoke therapeutics. Applications for personalised medicine include common complex diseases which may have multiple targets, as well as rare monogenic disorders, for which the target may be unknown. In both cases, whole genome sequence analysis (WGS) is discovering large numbers of disease associated mutations in new candidate genes and potential modifier genes. Currently, the main limiting factor is the determination of which mutated genes are important for disease progression and therefore represent potential targets for drug discovery. Zebrafish have gained popularity as a model organism for understanding developmental processes, disease mechanisms and more recently for drug discovery and toxicity testing. In this chapter, we will examine the diverse roles that zebrafish can make in the expanding field of personalised medicine, from generating humanised disease models to xenograft screening of different cancer cell lines, through to finding new drugs via in vivo phenotypic screens. We will discuss the tools available for zebrafish research and recent advances in techniques, highlighting the advantages and potential of using zebrafish for high throughput disease modeling and precision drug discovery.
Assuntos
Descoberta de Drogas/métodos , Medicina de Precisão , Peixe-Zebra , Animais , Repetições Palindrômicas Curtas Agrupadas e Regularmente Espaçadas , Ensaios de Triagem em Larga Escala , Humanos , Fenótipo , Testes de ToxicidadeRESUMO
Myosin 18B is an unconventional myosin that has been implicated in tumor progression in humans. In addition, loss-of-function mutations of the MYO18B gene have recently been identified in several patients exhibiting symptoms of nemaline myopathy. In mouse, mutation of Myo18B results in early developmental arrest associated with cardiomyopathy, precluding analysis of its effects on skeletal muscle development. The zebrafish, frozen (fro) mutant was identified as one of a group of immotile mutants in the 1996 Tübingen genetic screen. Mutant embryos display a loss of birefringency in their skeletal muscle, indicative of disrupted sarcomeric organization. Using meiotic mapping, we localized the fro locus to the previously unannotated zebrafish myo18b gene, the product of which shares close to 50% identity with its human ortholog. Transcription of myo18b is restricted to fast-twitch myocytes in the zebrafish embryo; consistent with this, fro mutant embryos exhibit defects specifically in their fast-twitch skeletal muscles. We show that sarcomeric assembly is blocked at an early stage in fro mutants, leading to the disorganized accumulation of actin, myosin, and α-actinin and a complete loss of myofibrillar organization in fast-twitch muscles.
Assuntos
Miopatias da Nemalina/genética , Miosinas/genética , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/genética , Peixe-Zebra/genética , Animais , Fibras Musculares de Contração Rápida/citologia , Fibras Musculares de Contração Rápida/metabolismo , Miosinas/metabolismo , Peixe-Zebra/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Peixe-Zebra/metabolismo , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/metabolismoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: People with neuromuscular disorders (NMD) exhibit weak coughs and are susceptible to recurrent chest infections and acute respiratory complications, the most frequent reasons for their unplanned hospital admissions. Mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MI-E) devices are a non-invasive method of increasing peak cough flow, improving cough efficacy, the clearance of secretion and overcoming atelectasis. There is limited published evidence on the impact of home use MI-E devices on health service utilisation. The aims of the study were: to assess the self-reported health and lifestyle benefits experienced as a result of home use of MI-E devices; and evaluate the effects of in-home use of MI-E devices on Emergency Department (ED) presentations, hospital admissions and inpatient length of stay (LOS). METHODS: Individuals with NMD who were accessing a home MI-E device provided through Muscular Dystrophy Western Australia were invited to participate in a quantitative survey to obtain information on their experiences and self-assessed changes in respiratory health. An ad-hoc record linkage was performed to extract hospital, ED and mortality data from the Western Australian Department of Health (DOHWA). The main outcome measures were ED presentations, hospital separations and LOS, before and after commencement of home use of an MI-E device. RESULTS: Thirty seven individuals with NMD using a MI-E device at home consented to participate in this study. The majority (73%) of participants reported using the MI-E device daily or weekly at home without medical assistance and 32% had used the machine to resolve a choking episode. The survey highlighted benefits to respiratory function maintenance and the ability to manage increased health care needs at home. Not using a home MI-E device was associated with an increased risk of ED presentations (RR = 1.76, 95% CI 1.1-2.84). The number of hospital separations and LOS reduced after the use of MI-E device, but not significantly. No deaths were observed in participants using the MI-E device at home. CONCLUSIONS: Home use of a MI-E device by people living with NMD may have a potential impact on reducing their health service utilisation and risk of death. Future research with greater subject numbers and longer follow-up periods is recommended to enhance this field of study.
Assuntos
Obstrução das Vias Respiratórias/etiologia , Obstrução das Vias Respiratórias/terapia , Insuflação/instrumentação , Estilo de Vida , Doenças Neuromusculares/complicações , Adolescente , Adulto , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Qualidade de Vida , Segurança , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Otoliths are biomineralised structures important for balance and hearing in fish. Their counterparts in the mammalian inner ear, otoconia, have a primarily vestibular function. Otoliths and otoconia form over sensory maculae and are attached to the otolithic membrane, a gelatinous extracellular matrix that provides a physical coupling between the otolith and the underlying sensory epithelium. In this study, we have identified two proteins required for otolith tethering in the zebrafish ear, and propose that there are at least two stages to this process: seeding and maintenance. The initial seeding step, in which otolith precursor particles tether directly to the tips of hair cell kinocilia, fails to occur in the einstein (eis) mutant. The gene disrupted in eis is otogelin (otog); mutations in the human OTOG gene have recently been identified as causative for deafness and vestibular dysfunction (DFNB18B). At later larval stages, maintenance of otolith tethering to the saccular macula is dependent on tectorin alpha (tecta) function, which is disrupted in the rolling stones (rst) mutant. α-Tectorin (Tecta) is a major constituent of the tectorial membrane in the mammalian cochlea. Mutations in the human TECTA gene can cause either dominant (DFNA8/12) or recessive (DFNB21) forms of deafness. Our findings indicate that the composition of extracellular otic membranes is highly conserved between mammals and fish, reinforcing the view that the zebrafish is an excellent model system for the study of deafness and vestibular disease.
Assuntos
Surdez/genética , Proteínas da Matriz Extracelular/metabolismo , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Membrana dos Otólitos/embriologia , Membrana dos Otólitos/metabolismo , Doenças Vestibulares/genética , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/metabolismo , Animais , Clonagem Molecular , Proteínas da Matriz Extracelular/genética , Fluorescência , Humanos , Imuno-Histoquímica , Hibridização In Situ , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/genética , Microscopia Confocal , Faloidina , Peixe-Zebra , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/genéticaRESUMO
Morphogenesis of the semicircular canal ducts in the vertebrate inner ear is a dramatic example of epithelial remodelling in the embryo, and failure of normal canal development results in vestibular dysfunction. In zebrafish and Xenopus, semicircular canal ducts develop when projections of epithelium, driven by extracellular matrix production, push into the otic vesicle and fuse to form pillars. We show that in the zebrafish, extracellular matrix gene expression is high during projection outgrowth and then rapidly downregulated after fusion. Enzymatic disruption of hyaluronan in the projections leads to their collapse and a failure to form pillars: as a result, the ears swell. We have cloned a zebrafish mutant, lauscher (lau), identified by its swollen ear phenotype. The primary defect in the ear is abnormal projection outgrowth and a failure of fusion to form the semicircular canal pillars. Otic expression of extracellular matrix components is highly disrupted: several genes fail to become downregulated and remain expressed at abnormally high levels into late larval stages. The lau mutations disrupt gpr126, an adhesion class G protein-coupled receptor gene. Expression of gpr126 is similar to that of sox10, an ear and neural crest marker, and is partially dependent on sox10 activity. Fusion of canal projections and downregulation of otic versican expression in a hypomorphic lau allele can be restored by cAMP agonists. We propose that Gpr126 acts through a cAMP-mediated pathway to control the outgrowth and adhesion of canal projections in the zebrafish ear via the regulation of extracellular matrix gene expression.
Assuntos
Regulação da Expressão Gênica no Desenvolvimento/fisiologia , Morfogênese/fisiologia , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/metabolismo , Canais Semicirculares/embriologia , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/metabolismo , Peixe-Zebra/embriologia , Animais , AMP Cíclico/metabolismo , Matriz Extracelular/metabolismo , Genótipo , Processamento de Imagem Assistida por Computador , Imuno-Histoquímica , Hibridização In Situ , Repetições de Microssatélites/genética , Faloidina , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único/genética , Fatores de Transcrição SOXE/metabolismo , Canais Semicirculares/anormalidades , Análise de Sequência de DNA , Versicanas/metabolismoRESUMO
The availability of animal models of epileptic seizures provides opportunities to identify novel anticonvulsants for the treatment of people with epilepsy. We found that exposure of 2-day-old zebrafish embryos to the convulsant agent pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) rapidly induces the expression of synaptic-activity-regulated genes in the CNS, and elicited vigorous episodes of calcium (Ca(2+)) flux in muscle cells as well as intense locomotor activity. We then screened a library of â¼2000 known bioactive small molecules and identified 46 compounds that suppressed PTZ-inducedtranscription of the synaptic-activity-regulated gene fos in 2-day-old (2 dpf) zebrafish embryos. Further analysis of a subset of these compounds, which included compounds with known and newly identified anticonvulsant properties, revealed that they exhibited concentration-dependent inhibition of both locomotor activity and PTZ-induced fos transcription, confirming their anticonvulsant characteristics. We conclude that this in situ hybridisation assay for fos transcription in the zebrafish embryonic CNS is a robust, high-throughput in vivo indicator of the neural response to convulsant treatment and lends itself well to chemical screening applications. Moreover, our results demonstrate that suppression of PTZ-induced fos expression provides a sensitive means of identifying compounds with anticonvulsant activities.