Health and longevity studies in C. elegans: the “healthy worm database” reveals strengths, weaknesses and gaps of test compound-based studies

AbstractSeveral biogerontology databases exist that focus on genetic or gene expression data linked to health as well as survival, subsequent to compound treatments or genetic manipulations in animal models. However, none of these has yet collected experimental results of compound-related health changes. Since quality of life is often regarded as more valuable than length of life, we aim to fill this gap with the “Healthy Worm Database” (http://healthy-worm-database.eu). Literature describing health-related compound studies in the aging model Caenorhabditis elegans was screened, and data for 440 compounds collected. The database considers 189 publications describing 89 different phenotypes measured in 2995 different conditions. Besides enabling a targeted search for promising compounds for further investigations, this database also offers insights into the research field of studies on healthy aging based on a frequently used model organism. Some weaknesses of C. elegans-based aging studies, like underrepresented phenotypes, especially concerning cognitive functions, as well as the convenience-based use of young worms as the starting point for compound treatment or phenotype measurement are discussed. In conclusion, the database provides an anchor for the search for compounds affecting health, with a link to public databases, and it further highlights some potential shortcomings in current aging research.

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Pollutants corrupt resilience pathways of aging in the nematode C. elegans

10.1101/2021.09.28.461818 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andrea Scharf ◽

Annette Limke ◽

Karl-Heinz Guehrs ◽

Anna von Mikecz

Keyword(s):

Healthy Aging ◽

Inorganic Mercury ◽

Model Organism ◽

Population Level ◽

Premature Aging ◽

Aging Research ◽

Positive Interventions ◽

C Elegans ◽

Age Related ◽

Genetic Interventions

AbstractDelaying aging while prolonging health and lifespan is a major goal in aging research. While many resources have been allocated to find positive interventions with promising results, negative interventions such as pollution and their accelerating effect on age-related degeneration and disease have been mostly neglected. Here, we used the short-lived model organism C. elegans to analyze whether two candidate pollutants interfere with positive interventions by corrupting general aging pathways. We took advantage of the immense data sets describing the age-related remodeling of the proteome including increased protein insolubilities to complement our analysis. We show that the emergent pollutant silica nanoparticles (NP) and the classic xenobiotic inorganic mercury reduce lifespan and cause a premature protein aggregation phenotype. Silica NPs rescaled the longevity effect of genetic interventions targeting the IGF-1/insulin-like signaling pathway. Comparative mass spectrometry revealed that increased insolubility of proteins with important functions in proteostasis is a shared phenotype of intrinsic- and pollution-induced aging supporting the hypothesis that proteostasis is a central resilience pathway controlling lifespan and aging. The presented data demonstrate that pollutants corrupt intrinsic aging pathways, which results in premature aging phenotypes. Reducing pollution is therefore an important step to increase healthy aging and prolong life expectancies on a population level in humans and animals.

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HeALTH: An Automated Platform for Long-term Longitudinal Studies of Whole Organisms under Precise Environmental Control

10.1101/863985 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kim N. Le ◽

Mei Zhan ◽

Yongmin Cho ◽

Jason Wan ◽

Dhaval S. Patel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aging Process ◽

Large Scale ◽

Environmental Control ◽

Model Organism ◽

Model Systems ◽

Aging Research ◽

C Elegans ◽

Environmental Perturbations ◽

Automated Platform

ABSTRACTHealth and longevity in all organisms are strongly influenced by the environment. To fully understand how environmental factors interact with genetic and stochastic factors to modulate the aging process, it is crucial to precisely control environmental conditions for long-term studies. In the commonly used model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, existing assays for healthspan and lifespan have inherent limitations, making it difficult to perform large-scale, longitudinal aging studies under precise environmental control. To address this constraint, we developed the Health and Lifespan Testing Hub (HeALTH), an automated, microfluidic-based system for robust, long-term, longitudinal behavioral monitoring. Our system provides spatiotemporal environmental control. We demonstrate health and lifespan studies under a variety of genetic and environmental perturbations while observing how individuality plays a role in the aging process. This system is generalizable beyond aging research for C. elegans, particularly for short- or long-term behavioral assays, and is also possible to be adapted for other model systems.

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Phosphoglycolate phosphatase homologs act as glycerol-3-phosphate phosphatase to control stress and healthspan in C. elegans

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-27803-6 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Elite Possik ◽

Clémence Schmitt ◽

Anfal Al-Mass ◽

Ying Bai ◽

Laurence Côté ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Calorie Restriction ◽

Mammalian Cells ◽

Healthy Aging ◽

Model Organism ◽

Metabolic Stress ◽

Clinical Importance ◽

C Elegans ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Age Related

AbstractMetabolic stress due to nutrient excess and lipid accumulation is at the root of many age-associated disorders and the identification of therapeutic targets that mimic the beneficial effects of calorie restriction has clinical importance. Here, using C. elegans as a model organism, we study the roles of a recently discovered enzyme at the heart of metabolism in mammalian cells, glycerol-3-phosphate phosphatase (G3PP) (gene name Pgp) that hydrolyzes glucose-derived glycerol-3-phosphate to glycerol. We identify three Pgp homologues in C. elegans (pgph) and demonstrate in vivo that their protein products have G3PP activity, essential for glycerol synthesis. We demonstrate that PGPH/G3PP regulates the adaptation to various stresses, in particular hyperosmolarity and glucotoxicity. Enhanced G3PP activity reduces fat accumulation, promotes healthy aging and acts as a calorie restriction mimetic at normal food intake without altering fertility. Thus, PGP/G3PP can be considered as a target for age-related metabolic disorders.

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The Review of Anti-aging Mechanism of Polyphenols on Caenorhabditis elegans

Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology ◽

10.3389/fbioe.2021.635768 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Limin Liu ◽

Peisen Guo ◽

Peixi Wang ◽

Shanqing Zheng ◽

Zhi Qu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Radical Scavenging ◽

Model Organism ◽

The Elderly ◽

Biological Synthesis ◽

Bioactive Substances ◽

Aging Research ◽

C Elegans ◽

Anti Oxidant

Micronutrients extracted from natural plants or made by biological synthesis are widely used in anti-aging research and applications. Among more than 30 effective anti-aging substances, employing polyphenol organic compounds for modification or delaying of the aging process attracts great interest because of their distinct contribution in the prevention of degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. There is a profound potential for polyphenol extracts in the research of aging and the related diseases of the elderly. Previous studies have mainly focused on the properties of polyphenols implicated in free radical scavenging; however, the anti-oxidant effect cannot fully elaborate its biological functions, such as neuroprotection, Aβ protein production, ion channel coupling, and signal transduction pathways. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has been considered as an ideal model organism for exploring the mechanism of anti-aging research and is broadly utilized in screening for natural bioactive substances. In this review, we have described the molecular mechanisms and pathways responsible for the slowdown of aging processes exerted by polyphenols. We also have discussed the possible mechanisms for their anti-oxidant and anti-aging properties in C. elegans from the perspective of different classifications of the specific polyphenols, such as flavonols, anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols, hydroxybenzoic acid, hydroxycinnamic acid, and stilbenes.

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Assessing Commensality in Research

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052632 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2632

Author(s):

Henrik Scander ◽

Agneta Yngve ◽

Maria Lennernäs Wiklund

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods Research ◽

Dietary Assessment ◽

Research Field ◽

Dietary Quality ◽

Quantitative Character ◽

Dietary Recall ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Dietary Surveys ◽

Health Related ◽

Empirical Material

This scoping review focuses on the assessment of commensality in research and attempts to identify used methods for performing research on commensality. It reflects a multidisciplinary research field and draws on findings from Web of Science Core Collection, up to April 2019. The empirical material consisted of 61 studies, whereof most were qualitative research, and some were of quantitative character, including very few dietary surveys. The findings show nine papers categorized as using quantitative approaches, 52 papers were categorized as qualitative. The results show a wide variety of different ways to try to find and understand how commensality can be understood and identified. There seems to be a shift in the very concept of commensality as well as some variations around the concept. This paper argues the need to further investigate the importance of commensality for health and wellbeing, as well as the need to gather data on health and health-related behaviors, living conditions and sociodemographic data in parallel. The review shows the broad-ranging areas where commensality is researched, from cultural and historical areas to ethnographic or anthropological areas over to dietary assessment. To complement large dietary surveys with methods of assessing who you are eating with in what environment should be a simple way to further our knowledge on the circumstances of meal intake and the importance of commensality. To add 24-h dietary recall to any study of commensality is another way of identifying the importance of commensality for dietary quality. The use of mixed methods research was encouraged by several authors as a good way forward in the assessment of commensality and its importance.

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Benefits of Using the Invertebrate Model Organism C. Elegans in an Inquiry-Based Laboratory Activity

Teaching of Psychology ◽

10.1177/00986283211029649 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 009862832110296

Author(s):

Angy J. Kallarackal

Keyword(s):

American Psychological Association ◽

Model Organism ◽

Learning Goals ◽

Research Skills ◽

Final Exam ◽

Laboratory Activity ◽

Writing Ability ◽

C Elegans ◽

Invertebrate Model ◽

Laboratory Experiences

Background: The goals of laboratory experiences include developing knowledge base, research skills, and scientific communication abilities. Objective: The aim was to assess an inquiry-based laboratory activity using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans in relation to learning goals. Method: Students in a Biopsychology laboratory course worked in groups to test the effect of various drugs (e.g., nicotine, ethanol, fluoxetine, and melatonin) on C. elegans behavior. The activity included literature review, experimental design, and a final lab report. A cumulative final exam included a synaptic communication question related to the content of the activity. Results: Students showed better retention of laboratory-related content compared to other topics from the course, as demonstrated through performance on the final exam and were able to replicate previous research demonstrating effects of drug on locomotion. However, students did not improve writing ability compared to performance on a previous American Psychological Association style lab report. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that using a student-designed, multi-week laboratory assignment in an undergraduate Biopsychology course supports the growth of psychology knowledge and the development of research skills. Teaching Implications: Instructors should consider using the described laboratory activity for biopsychology or behavioral neuroscience classes or consider similarly designed laboratory formats for other courses in Psychology.

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Wormicloud: a new text summarization tool based on word clouds to explore the C. elegans literature

Database ◽

10.1093/database/baab015 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

Author(s):

Valerio Arnaboldi ◽

Jaehyoung Cho ◽

Paul W Sternberg

Keyword(s):

Search Engines ◽

Complex Structure ◽

Model Organism ◽

Gene Interaction ◽

Relevant Information ◽

Biomedical Literature ◽

C Elegans ◽

Word Clouds ◽

Scientific Papers ◽

Model Organism Databases

Abstract Finding relevant information from newly published scientific papers is becoming increasingly difficult due to the pace at which articles are published every year as well as the increasing amount of information per paper. Biocuration and model organism databases provide a map for researchers to navigate through the complex structure of the biomedical literature by distilling knowledge into curated and standardized information. In addition, scientific search engines such as PubMed and text-mining tools such as Textpresso allow researchers to easily search for specific biological aspects from newly published papers, facilitating knowledge transfer. However, digesting the information returned by these systems—often a large number of documents—still requires considerable effort. In this paper, we present Wormicloud, a new tool that summarizes scientific articles in a graphical way through word clouds. This tool is aimed at facilitating the discovery of new experimental results not yet curated by model organism databases and is designed for both researchers and biocurators. Wormicloud is customized for the Caenorhabditis elegans literature and provides several advantages over existing solutions, including being able to perform full-text searches through Textpresso, which provides more accurate results than other existing literature search engines. Wormicloud is integrated through direct links from gene interaction pages in WormBase. Additionally, it allows analysis on the gene sets obtained from literature searches with other WormBase tools such as SimpleMine and Gene Set Enrichment. Database URL: https://wormicloud.textpressolab.com

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Sustainable Development Goals and Global burden of disease stakeholders

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.650 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

P Van Den Hazel

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Burden Of Disease ◽

Sustainable Development Goals ◽

Global Burden Of Disease ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Global Burden ◽

Starting Point ◽

Health Related ◽

Development Goals ◽

The Impact

Abstract The Global Burden of Disease is the most comprehensive effort to date to measure epidemiological levels and trends worldwide. It is the product of a global research collaborative and quantifies the impact of hundreds of diseases, injuries, and risk factors in countries around the world. The publication published in The Lancet on September 12, 2017, namely the study, “Measuring progress and projecting attainment on the basis of past trends of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals in 188 countries: an analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016,” is the starting point to discuss the health-related SDG indicators as develop by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and Global Burden of Disease collaborators. The projected increases in mortality are steep for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other chronic diseases. Non-communicable diseases are increasingly recognized as major causes of death and disability worldwide. The question is whether the targets in the SDGs are sufficiently addressing these increases. Or are demographic changes underlying the projected increases? Health related SDGs have been addressed in a tool made by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). Results on air pollution, smoking, unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene are presented by current and projected data in an interactive tool.

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Reinforcement Learning Approaches in Social Robotics

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21041292 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 1292

Author(s):

Neziha Akalin ◽

Amy Loutfi

Keyword(s):

Reinforcement Learning ◽

Real World ◽

Social Robotics ◽

Research Field ◽

Social Robots ◽

Learning Approaches ◽

Reward Function ◽

Optimal Behavior ◽

Learning Challenges ◽

Starting Point

This article surveys reinforcement learning approaches in social robotics. Reinforcement learning is a framework for decision-making problems in which an agent interacts through trial-and-error with its environment to discover an optimal behavior. Since interaction is a key component in both reinforcement learning and social robotics, it can be a well-suited approach for real-world interactions with physically embodied social robots. The scope of the paper is focused particularly on studies that include social physical robots and real-world human-robot interactions with users. We present a thorough analysis of reinforcement learning approaches in social robotics. In addition to a survey, we categorize existent reinforcement learning approaches based on the used method and the design of the reward mechanisms. Moreover, since communication capability is a prominent feature of social robots, we discuss and group the papers based on the communication medium used for reward formulation. Considering the importance of designing the reward function, we also provide a categorization of the papers based on the nature of the reward. This categorization includes three major themes: interactive reinforcement learning, intrinsically motivated methods, and task performance-driven methods. The benefits and challenges of reinforcement learning in social robotics, evaluation methods of the papers regarding whether or not they use subjective and algorithmic measures, a discussion in the view of real-world reinforcement learning challenges and proposed solutions, the points that remain to be explored, including the approaches that have thus far received less attention is also given in the paper. Thus, this paper aims to become a starting point for researchers interested in using and applying reinforcement learning methods in this particular research field.

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Behavioral Effects of Volatile Anesthetics in Caenorhabditis elegans

Anesthesiology ◽

10.1097/00000542-199610000-00027 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 85 (4) ◽

pp. 901-912 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Michael C. Crowder ◽

Laynie D. Shebester ◽

Tim Schedl

Keyword(s):

Nervous System ◽

Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽

Time Course ◽

Model Organism ◽

Volatile Anesthetic ◽

Volatile Anesthetics ◽

Effective Concentration ◽

Forward Genetics ◽

C Elegans ◽

Median Effective Concentration

Background The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans offers many advantages as a model organism for studying volatile anesthetic actions. It has a simple, well-understood nervous system; it allows the researcher to do forward genetics; and its genome will soon be completely sequenced. C. elegans is immobilized by volatile anesthetics only at high concentrations and with an unusually slow time course. Here other behavioral dysfunctions are considered as anesthetic endpoints in C. elegans. Methods The potency of halothane for disrupting eight different behaviors was determined by logistic regression of concentration and response data. Other volatile anesthetics were also tested for some behaviors. Established protocols were used for behavioral endpoints that, except for pharyngeal pumping, were set as complete disruption of the behavior. Time courses were measured for rapid behaviors. Recovery from exposure to 1 or 4 vol% halothane was determined for mating, chemotaxis, and gross movement. All experiments were performed at 20 to 22 degrees C. Results The median effective concentration values for halothane inhibition of mating (0.30 vol%-0.21 mM), chemotaxis (0.34 vol%-0.24 mM), and coordinated movement (0.32 vol% - 0.23 mM) were similar to the human minimum alveolar concentration (MAC; 0.21 mM). In contrast, halothane produced immobility with a median effective concentration of 3.65 vol% (2.6 mM). Other behaviors had intermediate sensitivities. Halothane's effects reached steady-state in 10 min for all behaviors tested except immobility, which required 2 h. Recovery was complete after exposure to 1 vol% halothane but was significantly reduced after exposure to immobilizing concentrations. Conclusions Volatile anesthetics selectively disrupt C. elegans behavior. The potency, time course, and recovery characteristics of halothane's effects on three behaviors are similar to its anesthetic properties in vertebrates. The affected nervous system molecules may express structural motifs similar to those on vertebrate anesthetic targets.

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