Uso de Drosophila melanogaster como modelo de doenças neurodegenerativas: de análises transcricionais à avaliação comportamental

Abstract

The incidence of neurodegenerative diseases as Alzheimer's disease being one of the public priorities with the aged public due to the increase in life expectancy. In this context, alternatives that allow the understanding of dementias, such as Alzheimer's and Frontotemporal Dementia, are relevant. The biological model, in this study the Drosophila melanogaster, are excellent tools for the study and access of the brain. These two models used in our research were support for understanding alterations in molecular and behavioral level through crosses. The Frontotemporal Dementia model demonstrates intense motor activity when compared to its controls at the beginning of its life (from eclosion to the fifth day). Model Alzheimer's like showed a decrease activity motor around 10 days post eclosion, similar to that expected. Either models showed high index of neurodegeneration with the time. Due to relevant health public of Alzheimer's, we focus on from analysis this model for RNA-seq during an early stage of pathology progression. We obtained more than 1300 differentially expressed transcripts. When mapping the transcripts in PANTHER, KEGG and GO for identify interactions and processes of each group. The genes were validated in qPCR were similar to found regulated in RNA-seq. Of the three genes silenced by RNA interference in the eyes, only CG17754 showed morphological changes. Our work demonstrating the potential of Drosophila melanogaster as a model in investigation of possible treatment, with the purpose of further in screening of components and enlighten the functioning of neuropathologies.