0000000000069123
AUTHOR
Vu Thu Thuy Nguyen
The role of mycotoxins in neurodegenerative diseases: current state of the art and future perspectives of research
Abstract Mycotoxins are fungal metabolites that can cause various diseases in humans and animals. The adverse health effects of mycotoxins such as liver failure, immune deficiency, and cancer are well-described. However, growing evidence suggests an additional link between these fungal metabolites and neurodegenerative diseases. Despite the wealth of these initial reports, reliable conclusions are still constrained by limited access to human patients and availability of suitable cell or animal model systems. This review summarizes knowledge on mycotoxins associated with neurodegenerative diseases and the assumed underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. The limitations of the common in vivo…
Identification of Patulin from Penicillium coprobium as a Toxin for Enteric Neurons
The identification and characterization of fungal commensals of the human gut (the mycobiota) is ongoing, and the effects of their various secondary metabolites on the health and disease of the host is a matter of current research. While the neurons of the central nervous system might be affected indirectly by compounds from gut microorganisms, the largest peripheral neuronal network (the enteric nervous system) is located within the gut and is exposed directly to such metabolites. We analyzed 320 fungal extracts and their effect on the viability of a human neuronal cell line (SH-SY5Y), as well as their effects on the viability and functionality of the most effective compound on primary ent…
N6 -Methyladenosine Modification in Chronic Stress Response Due to Social Hierarchy Positioning of Mice
Appropriately responding to stressful events is essential for maintaining health and well-being of any organism. Concerning social stress, the response is not always as straightforward as reacting to physical stressors, e.g., extreme heat, and thus has to be balanced subtly. Particularly, regulatory mechanisms contributing to gaining resilience in the face of mild social stress are not fully deciphered yet. We employed an intrinsic social hierarchy stress paradigm in mice of both sexes to identify critical factors for potential coping strategies. While global transcriptomic changes could not be observed in male mice, several genes previously reported to be involved in synaptic plasticity, l…
A liquid-culture-based screening approach to study compounds affecting inflammatory processes in Caenorhabditis elegans
Abstract Discovery of biomedical drugs makes use of novel biological sources of limited availability and is often in need of fast, small-scale initial screening approaches. Here, we present a screening, based on the reporter Caenorhabditis elegans strain IG692, for identification of anti- and pro-inflammatory properties. The elaborated workflow is based on cultivation in fluid and by this, allows fast and reproducible seeding in 96 well plates. LPS and dexamethasone served as reliable controls, comparable to application in the human cell line THP-1. This in vivo approach offers a first step for selection of e.g. natural products or for repurposing of compounds from drug libraries and by thi…