A transcriptomic resource for glial GABA-associated ASH neuronal aging and candidate pathways

INTRODUCTION: Neuronal aging is tightly linked to neurodegeneration with dysregulation of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, contributing to age-associated neuronal impairment. Our prior work demonstrated that restoring the key GABA-synthesizing enzyme UNC-25 (glutamic acid decarboxylase, GAD) in Caenorhabditis elegans AMsh glia mitigates age-related neurodegeneration. This study aims to provide a transcriptomic resource and identify potential pathways associated with glial GABA modulation during neuronal aging. METHODS: ASH neurons from day 1 and day 7 nematodes were isolated and FACS-purified (Psra-6::RFP+/Pgpa-4::GFP-) from three distinct groups: Wild-type, unc-25 mutants, unc-25 mutants with AMsh glia-specific UNC-25 rescue. RNA-seq used Illumina NovaSeq (150 bp PE reads, aligned to WormBase WS293). DESeq2 identified DEGs (FDR < 0.05, fold-change ≥ 1); clusterProfiler performed GSEA and pathway enrichment. Comparisons also included AMsh glia vs. ASH neurons in wild young adults. RESULTS: Here, we present transcriptomic data of glutamatergic ASH sensory neurons (a critical target of aging-related neurodegeneration) from three aging groups: wild-type worms, unc-25 (GABA-deficient) mutants, and unc-25 mutants with AMsh glia-specific UNC-25 rescue. Transcriptomic analyses revealed distinct transcriptional profiles across groups. Notably, the Hedgehog signaling pathway and its transcriptional effector TRA-1/GLI, the C. elegans GLI ortholog, were specifically upregulated in the glial rescue group, while the neuroprotective transcription factor HSF-1 was downregulated, suggesting these pathways as potential mediators of glial GABA-associated neuroprotection. We also provide transcriptomic comparisons between AMsh glia and ASH neurons in young worms, laying a foundation for understanding glia-neuron crosstalk. CONCLUSIONS: This work establishes a valuable transcriptomic resource for glial GABA-associated ASH neuronal aging and identifies candidate pathways, offering critical molecular insights to dissect age-related neurodegeneration mechanisms and inform potential therapeutic targets.