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A High-throughput Assay for the Prediction of Chemical Toxicity by Automated Phenotypic Profiling of Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: March 14, 2019
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Curcumin mitigates sodium fluoride toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans
Jianing Xu1, Boning Zhang2, Xiaoyu Liu2
1School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China; Department of Rehabilitation, First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
|November 27, 2024
Summary
Excessive fluoride causes health issues, but curcumin may protect against this toxicity. This study in C. elegans shows curcumin mitigates fluoride
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Fluoride is a naturally occurring element with potential health risks, including fluorosis, when consumed excessively.
- The precise mechanisms underlying fluoride-induced toxicity and its associated health issues remain incompletely understood.
- Caenorhabditis elegans serves as a valuable model organism for investigating complex biological processes and toxicological effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the toxicological effects of sodium fluoride (NaF) exposure on biological systems using Caenorhabditis elegans.
- To explore the protective mechanisms of curcumin against fluoride-induced toxicity at physiological and molecular levels.
- To elucidate the role of oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and signaling pathways in fluoride toxicity and curcumin's mitigation.
Main Methods:
- Exposure of Caenorhabditis elegans to sodium fluoride (5 mmol/L) and curcumin (25 μmol/L).
- Assessment of physiological parameters, lipofuscin accumulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, and mitochondrial copy number.
- Transcriptomic analysis using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to identify molecular pathways.
Main Results:
- Fluoride exposure induced physiological abnormalities, increased ROS production, elevated lipofuscin levels, and altered mitochondrial parameters in nematodes.
- Fluoride-induced toxicity was associated with the activation of MAPK signaling pathway genes.
- Curcumin treatment demonstrated protective effects, ameliorating fluoride-induced oxidative stress and preserving mitochondrial function.
Conclusions:
- Fluoride exposure causes significant physiological and molecular damage in Caenorhabditis elegans, involving oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction.
- Curcumin exhibits potent protective effects against fluoride toxicity by modulating oxidative stress and maintaining mitochondrial integrity.
- This study provides insights into fluoride toxicity mechanisms and highlights curcumin's potential as a therapeutic agent for mitigating fluoride-induced harm.
