A common fungal volatile organic compound induces a nitric oxide mediated inflammatory response in Drosophila melanogaster

Sci Rep. 2014 Feb 10:4:3833. doi: 10.1038/srep03833.

Abstract

Using a Drosophila model, we previously demonstrated truncated life span and neurotoxicity with exposure to 1-octen-3-ol, the volatile organic compound (VOC) responsible for much of the musty odor found in mold-contaminated indoor spaces. In this report, using biochemical and immunological assays, we show that exposure to 0.5 ppm 1-octen-3-ol induces a nitric oxide (NO) mediated inflammatory response in hemocytes, Drosophila innate immune cells. Moreover, exposed Drosophila brains show increased peroxynitrite expression. An increase in nitrite levels is observed with toluene and 1-octen-3-ol but not with 1-butanol. Pharmacological inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) namely, L-NAME, D-NAME and minocycline, and NOS mutants show improvements of life span among 1-octen-3-ol exposed flies. Exposure to 1-octen-3-ol also induces NOS expression in larval tracheal tissues and remodels tracheal epithelial lining. These findings suggest a possible mechanistic basis for some of the reported adverse health effects attributed to mold exposure and demonstrates the utility of this in vivo Drosophila model to complement existing model systems for understanding the role of inflammation in VOC-mediated toxicity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified / growth & development
  • Animals, Genetically Modified / immunology*
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / immunology
  • Brain / pathology
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Drosophila melanogaster / drug effects
  • Drosophila melanogaster / growth & development
  • Drosophila melanogaster / immunology*
  • Fungi / chemistry*
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Inflammation / chemically induced
  • Inflammation / immunology*
  • Larva / drug effects
  • Larva / growth & development
  • Larva / immunology*
  • NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / pharmacology
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Volatile Organic Compounds / pharmacology*

Substances

  • RNA, Messenger
  • Volatile Organic Compounds
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester