Fibroblasts from long‐lived species of mammals and birds show delayed, but prolonged, phosphorylation of ERK

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106738/1/acel12172.pd

The development of a specific pathogen free (SPF) barrier colony of marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) for aging research

A specific pathogen free (SPF) barrier colony of breeding marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) was established at the Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies. Rodent and other animal models maintained as SPF barrier colonies have demonstrated improved health and lengthened lifespans enhancing the quality and repeatability of aging research. The marmosets were screened for two viruses and several bacterial pathogens prior to establishing the new SPF colony. Twelve founding animals successfully established a breeding colony with increased reproductive success, improved health parameters, and increased median lifespan when compared to a conventionally housed, open colony. The improved health and longevity of marmosets from the SPF barrier colony suggests that such management can be used to produce a unique resource for future studies of aging processes in a nonhuman primate model

The Mitochondrial Contribution to Animal Performance, Adaptation, and Life-History Variation

We thank the National Science Foundation (grant IOS1738378 to W.R.H. and K.S.), SICB’s division of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry and Comparative Endocrinology, the Company of Biologists, the Society of Experimental Biology, and the Canadian Society of Zoology for funding the symposium.  Peer reviewedPostprin

APPL1 Potentiates Insulin Sensitivity by Facilitating the Binding of IRS1/2 to the Insulin Receptor

SUMMARY Binding of insulin receptor substrate proteins 1 and 2 (IRS1/2) to the insulin receptor (IR) is essential for the regulation of insulin sensitivity and energy homeostasis. However, the mechanism of IRS1/2 recruitment to the IR remains elusive. Here, we identify adaptor protein APPL1 as a critical molecule that promotes IRS1/2-IR interaction. APPL1 forms a complex with IRS1/2 under basal conditions, and this complex is then recruited to the IR in response to insulin or adiponectin stimulation. The interaction between APPL1 and IR depends on insulin- or adiponectin-stimulated APPL1 phosphorylation, which is greatly reduced in insulin target tissues in obese mice. appl1 deletion in mice consistently leads to systemic insulin resistance and a significant reduction in insulin-stimulated IRS1/2, but not IR, tyrosine phosphorylation, indicating that APPL1 sensitizes insulin signaling by acting at a site downstream of the IR. Our study uncovers a mechanism regulating insulin signaling and crosstalk between the insulin and adiponectin pathways

GAPDH Activity with Increasing Urea Stress in Mammals.

<p>Lysates from each species were pre-stressed for twenty minutes in the noted urea concentrations. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate was then added, and the activity of endogenous GAPDH was monitored as ΔA₃₄₀/minute, corresponding to the reduction of NAD⁺ to NADH. Data is reported as the fold change from unstressed activity. Differences among species were assessed by two way analysis of variance indicating a significant main effect of species (F_3,60 = 222.5, p < 0.0001) stress (F_4,60 = 429.9, p < 0.0001), as well as the interaction between species and stress (F_12,60 = 26.1, p < 0.0001). Long-lived species maintain GAPDH function at all doses tested, while shorter-lived species were dramatically compromised. Asterisks indicate significant individual differences as assessed <i>post hoc</i> with Tukey's HSD, p < 0.05 (*), 0.001 (**), and 0.0001(***), respectively. Numbers in parenthesis are maximum species longevity in years.</p