title: Neuroprotective effects of the cultivated Chondrus crispus in a C. elegans model of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly people, currently with no cure. Its mechanisms are not well understood, thus studies targeting cause-directed therapy or prevention are needed. This study uses the transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans PD model. We demonstrated that dietary supplementation of the worms with an extract from the cultivated red seaweed Chondrus crispus decreased the accumulation of α-synulein and protected the worms from the neuronal toxin-, 6-OHDA, induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration. These effects were associated with a corrected slowness of movement. We also showed that the enhancement of oxidative stress tolerance and an up-regulation of the stress response genes, sod-3 and skn-1, may have served as the molecular mechanism for the C. crispus-extract-mediated protection against PD pathology. Altogether, apart from its potential as a functional food, the tested red seaweed, C. crispus, might find promising pharmaceutical applications for the development of potential novel anti-neurodegenerative drugs for humans.
authors: Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, P.O. Box 550, Truro, NS B2N 5E3, Canada. j.liu@dal.ca.
authors: Jinghua
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Aquatic and Crop Resource Development, National Research Council Canada, 1411 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS B3H 3Z1, Canada. Arjun.Banskota@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.
authors: Arjun H
authors: AH
authors: Banskota
authors: Acadian Seaplants Limited, 30 Brown Avenue, Dartmouth, NS B3B 1X8, Canada. Alan.Critchley@acadian.ca.
authors: Alan T
authors: AT
authors: Critchley
authors: Acadian Seaplants Limited, 30 Brown Avenue, Dartmouth, NS B3B 1X8, Canada. jhafting@acadian.ca.
authors: Jeff
authors: J
authors: Hafting
authors: Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, P.O. Box 550, Truro, NS B2N 5E3, Canada. bprithiviraj@dal.ca.
authors: Balakrishnan
authors: B
authors: Prithiviraj
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D017756:Aquaculture; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D044723:Chondrus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012624:Seaweed / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C497604:SNCA protein, human; D051844:alpha-Synuclein; C054562:yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria