Impact of double-strand breaks induced by uv radiation on neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative disorders.

Exposure to UV affects the development and growth of a wide range of organisms. Nowadays, researchers are focusing on the impact of UV radiation and its underlying molecular mechanisms, as well as devising strategies to mitigate its harmful effects. Different forms of UV radiation, their typical exposure effects, the impact of UV on DNA integrity, and the deterioration of genetic material are discussed in this review; furthermore, we also review the effects of UV radiation that affect the biological functions of the organisms. Subsequently, we address the processes that aid organisms in navigating the damage in genetic material, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration brought on by UV-mediated double-strand breaks. To emphasize the molecular pathways, we conclude the review by going over the animal model studies that highlight the genes and proteins that are impacted by UV radiation.

Exploring the effect of UV-C radiation on earthworm and understanding its genomic integrity in the context of H2AX expression.

Maintaining genomic stability is inevitable for organism survival and it is challenged by mutagenic agents, which include ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Whenever DNA damage occurs, it is sensed by DNA-repairing proteins and thereby performing the DNA-repair mechanism. Specifically, in response to DNA damage, H2AX is a key protein involved in initiating the DNA-repair processes. In this present study, we investigate the effect of UV-C on earthworm, Perionyx excavatus and analyzed the DNA-damage response. Briefly, we expose the worms to different doses of UV-C and find that worms are highly sensitive to UV-C. As a primary response, earthworms produce coelomic fluid followed by autotomy. However, tissue inflammation followed by death is observed when we expose worm to increased doses of UV-C. In particular, UV-C promotes damages in skin layers and on the contrary, it mediates the chloragogen and epithelial outgrowth in intestinal tissues. Furthermore, UV-C promotes DNA damages followed by upregulation of H2AX on dose-dependent manner. Our finding confirms DNA damage caused by UV-C is directly proportional to the expression of H2AX. In short, we conclude that H2AX is present in the invertebrate earthworm, which plays an evolutionarily conserved role in DNA damage event as like that in higher animals.

Heat-inactivated coelomic fluid of the earthworm Perionyx excavatus is a possible alternative source for fetal bovine serum in animal cell culture.

Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) is used as a major supplement in culturing animal cells under in vitro conditions. Due to ethical concern, high cost, biosafety, and geographical as well as batchwise result variations, it is important to reduce or replace the use of FBS in animal cell culture. The major objective of this work is to evaluate the feasibility of heat-inactivated coelomic fluid (HI-CF) of the earthworm, Perionyx excavatus as a possible alternative for FBS in animal cell culture experiments. The coelomic fluid (CF) was extruded from the earthworm using electric shock method and used for the experiments. Electric shock method is a simple non-invasive technique, which has no harmful effect on earthworms. Mouse primary fibroblast and HeLa cell lines were used in this study. Among HI-CF, autoclaved CF and crude CF, the supplement of medium with HI-CF shows positive results. The processed HI-CF (90°C for 5 min) at 10% supplement in cell culture medium promote maximum cell growth but cells need the initial support of FBS for the attachment to the culture flask. Microscopic observation and immunofluorescence assay with actin and lamin A confirm that the cellular and molecular morphology of the cells is maintained intact. The HI-CF of earthworm, P. excavatus has shown better cellular viability when compared with FBS and making it possible as an alternative supplement to minimize the use of FBS.

Unique phenotypes in the sperm of the earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae for assessing radiation hazards.

The earthworm, Eudrilus eugeniae is a segmented worm. It has two pairs of testes whose cells are highly proliferative. It was found that the earthworm, which is irradiated with X-ray, shows the following phenotypic changes in its sperm: fragmented acrosome in the head, break in the tail, and the appearance of zigzag sperm tail. Sperm morphology can be used as a tool to study radiation hazards in local areas. These three phenotypes were not observed in the sperm of worms exposed to different concentration of toxic chemicals such as sodium arsenate, lead acetate, and mercuric chloride. In contrast, exposure of worms to ethidium bromide caused fragmented acrosome in the head of their sperm cells.