Geraniol delays locomotion decline in C. elegans Parkinson's disease models

Abstract

Due to the increase in life expectancy worldwide, age-related disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) have become more prevalent. Elevated levels of oxidative stress could modulate the progression of NDs. For example, in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) it has been shown that compromising the capacity to scavenge free radicals can exacerbate α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregation and proteotoxic damage. Geraniol (GL), a plant-derived essential oil, has recognized antioxidant properties. Considering that oxidative stress contributes to proteotoxic disease progression, compounds with antioxidant activity have been postulated as potential therapeutic agents. C. elegans is widely used in biomedical research. There is a high level of homology between C. elegans and mammalian genes (including proteins involved in cytoprotective mechanisms). In fact, several NDs can be recapitulated in this animal. In this work, we use C. elegans PD models to evaluate the in vivo effects of GL. We found that GL improves impaired locomotion in PD worms. Interestingly, GL also decreases α-syn aggregation. These preliminary results indicate a potential anti-proteotoxic effect in C. elegans models of PD. Therefore, we propose to combine genetic, microscopy and behavioral techniques to unravel GL effect in C. elegans ND models. These studies could provide a proof of concept of the potential of GL as a promising compound to retard proteotoxic diseases