CD4+ T cell surface alpha enolase is lower in older adults

To identify novel cell ageing markers in order to gain insight into ageing mechanisms, we adopted membrane enrichment and comparison of the CD4+ T cell membrane proteome (purified by cell surface labelling using Sulfo-NHS-SS-Biotin reagent) between healthy young (n=9, 20-25y) and older (n=10; 50-70y) male adults. Following two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) to separate pooled membrane proteins in triplicates, the identity of protein spots with age-dependent differences (p1.4 fold difference) was determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Seventeen protein spot density differences (ten increased and seven decreased in the older adult group) were observed between young and older adults. From spot intensity analysis, CD4+ T cell surface α-enolase was decreased in expression by 1.5 fold in the older age group; this was verified by flow cytometry (n=22) and qPCR with significantly lower expression of cellular α-enolase mRNA and protein compared to young adult CD4+ T cells (p<0.05). In an independent age-matched case-control study, lower CD4+ T cell surface α-enolase expression was observed in age-matched patients with cardiovascular disease (p<0.05). An immune-modulatory role has been proposed for surface α-enolase and our findings of decreased expression suggest that deficits in surface α-enolase merit investigation in the context of immune dysfunction during ageing and vascular disease

Neural Predictors of Gait Stability When Walking Freely in the Real-World.

Background: Gait impairments during real-world locomotion are common in neurological diseases. However, very little is currently known about the neural correlates of walking in the real world and on which regions of the brain are involved in regulating gait stability and performance. As a first step to understanding how neural control of gait may be impaired in neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, we investigated how regional brain activation might predict walking performance in the urban environment and whilst engaging with secondary tasks in healthy subjects. Methods: We recorded gait characteristics including trunk acceleration and brain activation in fourteen healthy young subjects whilst they walked around the university campus freely (single task), while conversing with the experimenter and while texting with their smartphone. Neural spectral power density (PSD) was evaluated in three brain regions of interest, namely the pre-frontal cortex (PFC) and bilateral posterior parietal cortex (right/left PPC). We hypothesized that specific regional neural activation would predict trunk acceleration data obtained during the different walking conditions. Results: Vertical trunk acceleration was predicted by gait velocity and left PPC theta (4-7 Hz) band PSD in single-task walking (R-squared = 0.725, p = 0.001) and by gait velocity and left PPC alpha (8-12 Hz) band PSD in walking while conversing (R-squared = 0.727, p = 0.001). Medio-lateral trunk acceleration was predicted by left PPC beta (15-25 Hz) band PSD when walking while texting (R-squared = 0.434, p = 0.010). Conclusions: We suggest that the left PPC may be involved in the processes of sensorimotor integration and gait control during walking in real-world conditions. Frequency-specific coding was operative in different dual tasks and may be developed as biomarkers of gait deficits in neurological conditions during performance of these types of, now commonly undertaken, dual tasks

High Speed Deformation of the Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate)

Mechanical behaviour of amorphous and semi-crystalline polyethylene terephthalate films is studied over five decades of strain rates, at temperatures below and above the glass transition. The data were obtained by combining measurements from conventional Instron machine with data from a high-speed tensile machine. The activation parameters are determined and compared with the activation process of the $\beta$ relaxation. Different modes of failure have been identified and the occurrence of an intermediate mode between ductile and brittle failure is shown. The brittle-ductile transition is estimated for each testing conditions and compared to the adiabatic-isothermal transition.Le comportement mécanique du Poly(éthylène téréphthalate) amorphe et semi-cristallin est étudié sur plus de cinq ordres de grandeurs de vitesse de déformation, de part et d'autre de la température de transition vitreuse. Les mesures expérimentales sont réalisées à l'aide d'une machine de traction Instron, pour les faibles vitesses de déformation, et d'une machine servo-hydraulique pour les grandes vitesses. Les paramètres d'activation sont déterminés et comparés à ceux de la relaxation secondaire basse température $\beta$. Différents modes de rupture sont identifiés; entre une rupture typiquement ductile et une rupture fragile, un mode de rupture intermédiaire est mis en évidence. La transition ductile-fragile est estimée pour chaque condition d'essai, et comparée à la transition isotherme-adiabatique

Proteome modification induced by differential inhibition of MsrA and MsrB in HEK293 cells

11th International Symposium on the Neurobiology and Neuroendocrinology of Aging, Bregenz, AUSTRIA, JUL 29-AUG 03, 2012International audienceno abstrac