scholarly journals Cranial manipulation affects cholinergic pathway gene expression in aged rats

2022 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramu Anandakrishnan ◽  
Hope Tobey ◽  
Steven Nguyen ◽  
Osscar Sandoval ◽  
Bradley G. Klein ◽  
...  

Abstract Context Age-dependent dementia is a devastating disorder afflicting a growing older population. Although pharmacological agents improve symptoms of dementia, age-related comorbidities combined with adverse effects often outweigh their clinical benefits. Therefore, nonpharmacological therapies are being investigated as an alternative. In a previous pilot study, aged rats demonstrated improved spatial memory after osteopathic cranial manipulative medicine (OCMM) treatment. Objectives In this continuation of the pilot study, we examine the effect of OCMM on gene expression to elicit possible explanations for the improvement in spatial memory. Methods OCMM was performed on six of 12 elderly rats every day for 7 days. Rats were then euthanized to obtain the brain tissue, from which RNA samples were extracted. RNA from three treated and three controls were of sufficient quality for sequencing. These samples were sequenced utilizing next-generation sequencing from Illumina NextSeq. The Cufflinks software suite was utilized to assemble transcriptomes and quantify the RNA expression level for each sample. Results Transcriptome analysis revealed that OCMM significantly affected the expression of 36 genes in the neuronal pathway (false discovery rate [FDR] <0.004). The top five neuronal genes with the largest-fold change were part of the cholinergic neurotransmission mechanism, which is known to affect cognitive function. In addition, 39.9% of 426 significant differentially expressed (SDE) genes (FDR<0.004) have been previously implicated in neurological disorders. Overall, changes in SDE genes combined with their role in central nervous system signaling pathways suggest a connection to previously reported OCMM-induced behavioral and biochemical changes in aged rats. Conclusions Results from this pilot study provide sufficient evidence to support a more extensive study with a larger sample size. Further investigation in this direction will provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of OCMM and its potential in clinical applications. With clinical validation, OCMM could represent a much-needed low-risk adjunct treatment for age-related dementia including Alzheimer’s disease.

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 218
Author(s):  
Yao Zhang ◽  
Qiao-Lu Zang ◽  
Li-Wang Qi ◽  
Su-Ying Han ◽  
Wan-Feng Li

Grafting, cutting, and pruning are important horticultural techniques widely used in the establishment of clonal forestry. After the application of these techniques, some properties of the plants change, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear. In our previous study, 27 age-related transcripts were found to be expressed differentially between the juvenile vegetative (1- and 2-year-old) and adult reproductive (25- and 50-year-old) phases of Larix kaempferi. Here, we re-analyzed the 27 age-related transcripts, cloned their full-length cDNA sequences, and measured their responses to grafting, cutting, and pruning. After sequence analysis and cloning, 20 transcription factors were obtained and annotated, most of which were associated with reproductive development, and six (LaAGL2-1, LaAGL2-2, LaAGL2-3, LaSOC1-1, LaAGL11, and LaAP2-2) showed regular expression patterns with L. kaempferi aging. Based on the expression patterns of these transcription factors in L. kaempferi trees subjected to grafting, cutting, and pruning, we concluded that (1) cutting and pruning rejuvenate the plants and change their expression, and the effects of cutting on gene expression are detectable within 14 years, although the cutting seedlings are still maturing during these years; (2) within three months after grafting, the rootstock is more sensitive to grafting than the scion and readily becomes mature with the effect of the scion, while the scion is not readily rejuvenated by the effect of the rootstock; and (3) LaAGL2-2 and LaAGL2-3 are more sensitive to grafting, while LaAP2-2 is impervious to it. These findings not only provide potential molecular markers to assess the state of plants but also aid in studies of the molecular mechanisms of rejuvenation.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trevor Martin ◽  
Hunter B. Fraser

AbstractAge is the primary risk factor for many of the most common human diseases—particularly neurodegenerative diseases—yet we currently have a very limited understanding of how each individual’s genome affects the aging process. Here we introduce a method to map genetic variants associated with age-related gene expression patterns, which we call temporal expression quantitative trait loci (teQTL). We found that these loci are markedly enriched in the human brain and are associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Examining potential molecular mechanisms, we found that age-related changes in DNA methylation can explain some cis-acting teQTLs, and that trans-acting teQTLs can be mediated by microRNAs. Our results suggest that genetic variants modifying age-related patterns of gene expression, acting through both cis- and trans-acting molecular mechanisms, could play a role in the pathogenesis of diverse neurological diseases.


2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 9544-9544
Author(s):  
Christopher E. Pelloski ◽  
Rita Kaplon ◽  
Mersiha Hadziahmetovic ◽  
Kathryn Bondra ◽  
Lanchun Lu ◽  
...  

9544 Background: The Pediatric Preclinical Testing Program (PPTP) has been successfully utilized to determine the efficacy of novel agents by testing via its mouse-flank in vivo model. We report on the feasibility and biologic outcomes of a pilot study using rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) xenograft lines treated with radiotherapy (RT) alone and concurrently with the mTOR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, AZD8055, using the PPTP model. Methods: We developed a mouse flank irradiation device for daily delivery of RT in clinically relevant doses (2 Gy per fraction up to 40 Gy).Two RMS xenograft lines of the PPTP, Rh30 (alveolar) and Rh18 (embryonal), were implanted into SCID mice, grown to appropriate volumes and were subjected to fractionated RT. In a second study, daily co-administration of AZD8055 (5-20 mg/Kg, gavage) with RT was performed. Cure rates (durable complete response >12 weeks post-treatment) and RT dose densities (given dose / initial xenograft volume, Gy/cc) were compared between groups. Results: With RT alone at mean dose-densities of 59-60 Gy/cc, cure was achieved in only 4/18 (22%) of the Rh30-bearing mice and 9/12 (75%) of the Rh18-bearing mice (p=0.006). Profiling data revealed higher levels of Fanconi anemia pathway gene expression in Rh30 compared to the more sensitive Rh18. Since recent data showed conditional knockout of mTOR resulted in the loss of FANCD2 gene expression, we postulated that blockade of TORC1/TORC2 with AZD8055 would reduce FANCD2 and increase the RT-sensitivity of Rh30. The addition of AZD8055 to RT resulted in a selective sensitization of the Rh30 line. With a mean RT dose-density of 27 Gy/cc, the cure rate in Rh30-bearing mice improved to 11/15 (73%). For the Rh18 group, the cure rate was 7/15 (46%) at a mean dose density of 44 Gy/cc. Western blot analysis showed the co-administration of AZD8055 abrogated the brisk increase in mTOR signaling and FANCD2 expression after the first several 2 Gy fractions of RT; most strikingly in Rh30. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the feasibility of applying RT to the PPTP model. It recapitulated the expected clinical radiobiology and demonstrated its utility in preclinical testing and the discovery of novel mechanisms of RT resistance in pediatric tumors.


2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 1427-1442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oksana Yu. Naumova ◽  
Dean Palejev ◽  
Natalia V. Vlasova ◽  
Maria Lee ◽  
Sergei Yu. Rychkov ◽  
...  

AbstractThe study of gene expression (i.e., the study of the transcriptome) in different cells and tissues allows us to understand the molecular mechanisms of their differentiation, development and functioning. In this article, we describe some studies of gene-expression profiling for the purposes of understanding developmental (age-related) changes in the brain using different technologies (e.g., DNA-Microarray) and the new and increasingly popular RNA-Seq. We focus on advancements in studies of gene expression in the human brain, which have provided data on the structure and age-related variability of the transcriptome in the brain. We present data on RNA-Seq of the transcriptome in three distinct areas of the neocortex from different ages: mature and elderly individuals. We report that most age-related transcriptional changes affect cellular signaling systems, and, as a result, the transmission of nerve impulses. In general, the results demonstrate the high potential of RNA-Seq for the study of distinctive features of gene expression among cortical areas and the changes in expression through normal and atypical development of the central nervous system.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
CB Cunningham ◽  
L Ji ◽  
EC McKinney ◽  
KM Benowitz ◽  
RJ Schmitz ◽  
...  

AbstractBehaviour is often on the front line of plasticity in response to different environments. At the genetic level, behavioural changes are likely to be associated with changes of gene expression. Most studies to date have focused on gene expression differences associated with discrete behavioural states reflecting development or age-related changes, such as honey bee castes. However, more rapidly flexible behaviour is often observed in response to social context or simple individual variation. The differences in genetic influences for the different forms of plasticity are poorly understood. In this study we contrasted gene expression during male parental care of the burying beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides, in a factorial design. Male N. vespilloides males typically do not provide care when females are present. However, male care is inducible by the removing female and has parental effects equivalent to female care. We used this experimental manipulation to isolate gene expression and cytosine methylation associated with differences of behavioural state, differences of social context, or differences of individual flexibility for expressing care. The greatest number of differentially expressed genes was associated with behavioural state, followed by differences of social contexts, and lastly differences of individual variation. DNA methylation has been hypothesized to regulate the transcriptional architecture that regulates behavioural transitions. We tested this hypothesis by quantifying differences of cytosine methylation that were associated with differences of behavioural state and individual flexibility. Changes of cytosine methylation were not associated with changes of gene expression. Our results suggest a hierarchical association between gene expression and the different sources of variation that influence behaviour, but that this process is not controlled by DNA methylation despite reflecting levels of plasticity in behaviour. Our results further suggest that the extent that a behaviour is transient plays an underappreciated role in determining the molecular mechanisms that underpin the behaviour.


2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (5_suppl) ◽  
pp. 189-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Jesus Mendoza Magbanua ◽  
Erin L Richman ◽  
Eduardo V Sosa ◽  
Lee Jones ◽  
Jeffrey Simko ◽  
...  

189 Background: Physical activity (PA), in particular longer duration or higher intensity, may reduce the risk of PCa progression and PCa-specific mortality in men diagnosed with clinically localized PCa. However, the molecular mechanism(s) by which PA exerts its protective effect in the prostate remains unknown. We examined the correlation of PA and gene expression patterns in men with low risk prostate cancer who elected to undergo active surveillance. Methods: Morphologically normal prostate tissue was obtained from men who subsequently participated in a clinical trial focused on nutritional supplements (previously published microarray dataset #GSE27140). Of the original sample (n=84), 70 completed a brief PA questionnaire and were dichotomized based usual PA [e.g. any vigorous PA (yes/no), 3+ h/wk vigorous PA (yes/no)]. Differential expression and pathway (gene set) analyses between groups were performed using Significance Analysis of Microarrays. Genes and gene sets with a false discovery rate ≤0.10 and 0.20 were considered significant, respectively. Results: Gene expression analysis detected 184 significant genes that were differentially expressed between men who performed vigorous PA for 3+ h/wk (n=23) and those who did not (n= 47). Up-regulated genes included the known tumor suppressors, BRCA1 and BRCA2. Furthermore, pathway analysis revealed that cell cycle and DNA repair pathways were positively modulated in men who participated in 3+h/wk vigorous PA vs. not. Consistent with the data on vigorous PA and clinical outcomes in men with PCa, the duration of vigorous PA was important; there were no significant genes detected when comparing men who participated in any vigorous PA to men who did none. Conclusions: Prostate gene expression and pathway analyses revealed candidate genes and in vivo pathways that may be modulated by participating in 3+ h/wk of vigorous PA. These data provide mechanistic insight into how 3+ h/wk of vigorous PA may offer PCa-specific benefits. Furthermore, understanding the molecular mechanisms by which such PA affects normal prostate gene expression may aid the development of strategies to prevent or delay PCa progression.


1997 ◽  
Vol 352 (1362) ◽  
pp. 1711-1717 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Michela Gallagher

Memory impairment in the elderly resembles a mild temporal lobe dysfunction. Alterations in the hippocampal formation are also a probable basis for cognitive deficits in some animal models of ageing. For example, aged rats are impaired in hippocampal-dependent tests of spatial memory. Recent studies have revealed considerable structural integrity in the aged hippocampus, even in aged rats with the most impaired spatial memory. In contrast, atrophy/loss of cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain and deficiency in cholinergic transduction in hippocampus correlate with the severity of spatial memory impairment in aged rats. This evidence supports the longstanding view that age-related loss of memory has a cholinergic basis. In this context, it is somewhat surprising that the use of a selective cholinergic immunotoxin in young rats to further test this hypothesis has revealed normal spatial memory after removing septo-hippocampal cholinergic neurons. Young rats with immunotoxic lesions, however, have other behavioural impairments in tests of attentional processing. These lines of research have implications for understanding the neurobiological basis of memory deficits in ageing and for selecting an optimal behavioural setting in which to examine therapies aimed at restoring neurobiological function.


2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (15) ◽  
pp. 4001-4014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingyao Li ◽  
Cheng Jia ◽  
Krista L. Kazmierkiewicz ◽  
Anita S. Bowman ◽  
Lifeng Tian ◽  
...  

Understanding the influence of gene expression on the molecular mechanisms underpinning human phenotypic diversity is fundamental to being able to predict health outcomes and treat disease. We have carried out whole transcriptome expression analysis on a series of eight normal human postmortem eyes by RNA sequencing. Here we present data showing that ∼80% of the transcriptome is expressed in the posterior layers of the eye and that there is significant differential expression not only between the layers of the posterior part of the eye but also between locations of a tissue layer. These differences in expression also extend to alternative splicing and splicing factors. Differentially expressed genes are enriched for genes associated with psychiatric, immune and cardiovascular disorders. Enrichment categories for gene ontology included ion transport, synaptic transmission and visual and sensory perception. Lastly, allele-specific expression was found to be significant forCFH,C3 andCFB, which are known risk genes for age-related macular degeneration. These expression differences should be useful in determining the underlying biology of associations with common diseases of the human retina, retinal pigment epithelium and choroid and in guiding the analysis of the genomic regions involved in the control of normal gene expression.


2003 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
James G. Dobson ◽  
John Fray ◽  
Jack L. Leonard ◽  
Richard E. Pratt

Myocardial aging leads to a reduction of β-adrenergic receptor-induced metabolic and contractile responsiveness. We hypothesize that a change in the patterns of gene expression is important in these age-related events. To test this, hearts were harvested from young and aged male rats (3–4 and 20–22 mo, respectively). Total mRNA was extracted and prepared for hybridization to Affymetrix U34A GeneChips. Filtering criteria, involving fold change and a statistical significance cutoff were employed, yielding 263 probe pairs exhibiting differential signals. Of the 163 annotated genes, at least 56 (34%) were classified as signaling/cell communication. Of these 56, approximately half were directly involved in G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathways. We next determined which of these changes might be involved in anti-adrenergic activity and identified 19 potentially important gene products. Importantly, we observed a decrease in β1-adrenergic receptor and adenylyl cyclase mRNAs, whereas the mRNA encoding β-arrestin increased. Furthermore, the results demonstrate an increase in mRNAs encoding the adenosine A1 receptor and phospholipase D, which could increase anti-adrenergic effects. Moreover, the mRNAs encoding the muscarinic M3 receptor, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor β3, and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-related protein were increased as was the mRNA encoding guanylate kinase-associated protein. Interestingly, we also observed eight mRNAs whose abundance changed three- to sixfold with aging that could be considered as being compensatory. Although these results do not prove causality, they demonstrate that cardiac aging is associated with changes in the profiles of gene expression and that many of these changes may contribute to reduced adrenergic signaling.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Eunice Lee ◽  
Noor A. Lokman ◽  
Martin K. Oehler ◽  
Carmela Ricciardelli ◽  
Frank Grutzner

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most lethal gynecological malignancies, yet molecular mechanisms underlying its origin and progression remain poorly understood. With increasing reports of piRNA pathway deregulation in various cancers, we aimed to better understand its role in OC through a comprehensive analysis of key genes: PIWIL1-4, DDX4, HENMT1, MAEL, PLD6, TDRD1,9 and mutants of PIWIL1 (P1∆17) and PIWIL2 (PL2L60). High-throughput qRT-PCR (n = 45) and CSIOVDB (n = 3431) showed differential gene expression when comparing benign ovarian tumors, low grade OC and high grade serous OC (HGSOC). Significant correlation of disparate piRNA pathway gene expression levels with better progression free, post-progression free and overall survival suggests a complex role of this pathway in OC. We discovered PIWIL3 expression in chemosensitive but not chemoresistant primary HGSOC cells, providing a potential target against chemoresistant disease. As a first, we revealed that follicle stimulating hormone increased PIWIL2 expression in OV-90 cells. PIWIL1, P1∆17, PIWIL2, PL2L60 and MAEL overexpression in vitro and in vivo decreased motility and invasion of OVCAR-3 and OV-90 cells. Interestingly, P1∆17 and PL2L60, induced increased motility and invasion compared to PIWIL1 and PIWIL2. Our results in HGSOC highlight the intricate role piRNA pathway genes play in the development of malignant neoplasms.


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