@article{RuszkiewiczdeMacedoMirandaVizueteetal.2019, author = {Ruszkiewicz, Joanna A. and de Macedo, Gabriel Teixeira and Miranda-Vizuete, Antonio and Bowman, Aaron B. and Bornhorst, Julia and Schwerdtle, Tanja and Antunes Soares, Felix A. and Aschner, Michael}, title = {Sex-Specific response of caenorhabditis elegans to Methylmercury Toxicity}, series = {Neurotoxicity Research}, volume = {35}, journal = {Neurotoxicity Research}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {New York}, issn = {1029-8428}, doi = {10.1007/s12640-018-9949-4}, pages = {208 -- 216}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Methylmercury (MeHg), an abundant environmental pollutant, has long been known to adversely affect neurodevelopment in both animals and humans. Several reports from epidemiological studies, as well as experimental data indicate sex-specific susceptibility to this neurotoxicant; however, the molecular bases of this process are still not clear. In the present study, we used Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), to investigate sex differences in response to MeHg toxicity during development. Worms at different developmental stage (L1, L4, and adult) were treated with MeHg for 1h. Lethality assays revealed that male worms exhibited significantly higher resistance to MeHg than hermaphrodites, when at L4 stage or adults. However, the number of worms with degenerated neurons was unaffected by MeHg, both in males and hermaphrodites. Lower susceptibility of males was not related to changes in mercury (Hg) accumulation, which was analogous for both wild-type (wt) and male-rich him-8 strain. Total glutathione (GSH) levels decreased upon MeHg in him-8, but not in wt. Moreover, the sex-dependent response of the cytoplasmic thioredoxin system was observedmales exhibited significantly higher expression of thioredoxin TRX-1, and thioredoxin reductase TRXR-1 expression was downregulated upon MeHg treatment only in hermaphrodites. These outcomes indicate that the redox status is an important contributor to sex-specific sensitivity to MeHg in C. elegans.}, language = {en} } @article{NicolaiWeishauptBaesleretal.2021, author = {Nicolai, Merle Marie and Weishaupt, Ann-Kathrin and Baesler, Jessica and Brinkmann, Vanessa and Wellenberg, Anna and Winkelbeiner, Nicola Lisa and Gremme, Anna and Aschner, Michael and Fritz, Gerhard and Schwerdtle, Tanja and Bornhorst, Julia}, title = {Effects of manganese on genomic integrity in the multicellular model organism Caenorhabditis elegans}, series = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences}, volume = {22}, journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences}, number = {20}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel}, issn = {1422-0067}, doi = {10.3390/ijms222010905}, pages = {16}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Although manganese (Mn) is an essential trace element, overexposure is associated with Mn-induced toxicity and neurological dysfunction. Even though Mn-induced oxidative stress is discussed extensively, neither the underlying mechanisms of the potential consequences of Mn-induced oxidative stress on DNA damage and DNA repair, nor the possibly resulting toxicity are characterized yet. In this study, we use the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate the mode of action of Mn toxicity, focusing on genomic integrity by means of DNA damage and DNA damage response. Experiments were conducted to analyze Mn bioavailability, lethality, and induction of DNA damage. Different deletion mutant strains were then used to investigate the role of base excision repair (BER) and dePARylation (DNA damage response) proteins in Mn-induced toxicity. The results indicate a dose- and time-dependent uptake of Mn, resulting in increased lethality. Excessive exposure to Mn decreases genomic integrity and activates BER. Altogether, this study characterizes the consequences of Mn exposure on genomic integrity and therefore broadens the molecular understanding of pathways underlying Mn-induced toxicity. Additionally, studying the basal poly(ADP-ribosylation) (PARylation) of worms lacking poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) parg-1 or parg-2 (two orthologue of PARG), indicates that parg-1 accounts for most of the glycohydrolase activity in worms.}, language = {en} } @misc{NicolaiWeishauptBaesleretal.2021, author = {Nicolai, Merle Marie and Weishaupt, Ann-Kathrin and Baesler, Jessica and Brinkmann, Vanessa and Wellenberg, Anna and Winkelbeiner, Nicola Lisa and Gremme, Anna and Aschner, Michael and Fritz, Gerhard and Schwerdtle, Tanja and Bornhorst, Julia}, title = {Effects of manganese on genomic integrity in the multicellular model organism Caenorhabditis elegans}, series = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe}, journal = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe}, number = {1173}, issn = {1866-8372}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-52327}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-523275}, pages = {18}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Although manganese (Mn) is an essential trace element, overexposure is associated with Mn-induced toxicity and neurological dysfunction. Even though Mn-induced oxidative stress is discussed extensively, neither the underlying mechanisms of the potential consequences of Mn-induced oxidative stress on DNA damage and DNA repair, nor the possibly resulting toxicity are characterized yet. In this study, we use the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate the mode of action of Mn toxicity, focusing on genomic integrity by means of DNA damage and DNA damage response. Experiments were conducted to analyze Mn bioavailability, lethality, and induction of DNA damage. Different deletion mutant strains were then used to investigate the role of base excision repair (BER) and dePARylation (DNA damage response) proteins in Mn-induced toxicity. The results indicate a dose- and time-dependent uptake of Mn, resulting in increased lethality. Excessive exposure to Mn decreases genomic integrity and activates BER. Altogether, this study characterizes the consequences of Mn exposure on genomic integrity and therefore broadens the molecular understanding of pathways underlying Mn-induced toxicity. Additionally, studying the basal poly(ADP-ribosylation) (PARylation) of worms lacking poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) parg-1 or parg-2 (two orthologue of PARG), indicates that parg-1 accounts for most of the glycohydrolase activity in worms.}, language = {en} } @article{FerrerPeresdosSantosetal.2018, author = {Ferrer, Beatriz and Peres, Tanara Vieira and dos Santos, Alessandra Antunes and Bornhorst, Julia and Morcillo, Patricia and Goncalves, Cinara Ludvig and Aschner, Michael}, title = {Methylmercury affects the expression of hypothalamic neuropeptides that control body weight in C57BL/6J mice}, series = {Toxicological sciences}, volume = {163}, journal = {Toxicological sciences}, number = {2}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {1096-6080}, doi = {10.1093/toxsci/kfy052}, pages = {557 -- 568}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Methylmercury (MeHg) is an environmental pollutant that affects primarily the central nervous system (CNS), causing neurological alterations. An early symptom of MeHg poisoning is the loss of body weight and appetite. Moreover, the CNS has an important role in controlling energy homeostasis. It is known that in the hypothalamus nutrient and hormonal signals converge to orchestrate control of body weight and food intake. In this study, we investigated if MeHg is able to induce changes in the expression of key hypothalamic neuropeptides that regulate energy homeostasis. Thus, hypothalamic neuronal mouse cell line GT 1-7 was treated with MeHg at different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, and 5 mu M). MeHg induced the expression of the anorexigenic neuropeptide pro-omiomelanocortin (Pomc) and the orexigenic peptide Agouti-related peptide (Agrp) in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting deregulation of mechanisms that control body weight. To confirm these in vitro observations, 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice (males and females) were exposed to MeHg in drinking water, modeling the most prevalent exposure route to this metal. After 30-day exposure, no changes in body weight were detected. However, MeHg treated males showed a significant decrease in fat depots. Moreover, MeHg affected the expression of hypothalamic neuropeptides that control food intake and body weight in a gender-and dose-dependent manner. Thus, MeHg increases Pomc mRNA only in males in a dose-dependent way, and it does not have effects on the expression of Agrp mRNA. The present study shows, for first time, that MeHg is able to induce changes in hypothalamic neuropeptides that regulate energy homeostasis, favoring an anorexigenic/catabolic profile.}, language = {en} }