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Comprehensive Assessment of Germline Chemical Toxicity Using the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: February 22, 2015
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Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System for Environmental Mitotoxicants
Akinleye Akinrinde1, Luis Andres Sanchez2, Silvia Maglioni2
1Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology
|November 21, 2025
Summary
Environmental pollutants harm health, but the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans offers a model to study pollutant effects on mitochondria. This review highlights its use in environmental toxicology research.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Toxicology
- Mitochondrial Toxicology
- In Vivo Assays
Background:
- Environmental pollutants (heavy metals, pesticides, plastic nanoparticles) present significant health risks.
- New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) adhering to the 3R principles are crucial for understanding toxicity.
- Mitochondria are key cellular components vulnerable to pollutant-induced stress and disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the utility of *Caenorhabditis elegans* as a model organism for studying environmental pollutant-induced mitochondrial toxicity.
- To review endpoints in *C. elegans* relevant to mitotoxicology.
- To highlight the advantages and limitations of *C. elegans* in environmental toxicology research.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing *Caenorhabditis elegans* as a multicellular model organism.
- Focusing on mitochondrial endpoints and stress responses.
- Reviewing existing literature on environmental stressors and their effects.
Main Results:
- *C. elegans* possesses conserved mitochondrial systems and quantifiable endpoints suitable for toxicology studies.
- The model is particularly useful for studying pollutant effects beyond DNA damage, focusing on mitochondrial health.
- Identified advantages and limitations of using *C. elegans* for in vivo mitotoxicology.
Conclusions:
- *Caenorhabditis elegans* is a valuable alternative model for studying in vivo environmental-induced mitochondrial toxicology.
- The model aids in advancing the molecular understanding of pollutant toxicity, disease prevention, and risk assessment.
- Further research using *C. elegans* can support the development of safer environmental practices and therapies.
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