Compression of morbidity in a progeroid mouse model through the attenuation of myostatin/activin signalling

Background One of the principles underpinning our understanding of ageing is that DNA damage induces a stress response that shifts cellular resources from growth towards maintenance. A contrasting and seemingly irreconcilable view is that prompting growth of, for example, skeletal muscle confers systemic benefit. Methods To investigate the robustness of these axioms, we induced muscle growth in a murine progeroid model through the use of activin receptor IIB ligand trap that dampens myostatin/activin signalling. Progeric mice were then investigated for neurological and muscle function as well as cellular profiling of the muscle, kidney, liver, and bone. Results We show that muscle of Ercc1(Delta/-) progeroid mice undergoes severe wasting (decreases in hind limb muscle mass of 40-60% compared with normal mass), which is largely protected by attenuating myostatin/activin signalling using soluble activin receptor type IIB (sActRIIB) (increase of 30-62% compared with untreated progeric). sActRIIB-treated progeroid mice maintained muscle activity (distance travel per hour: 5.6 m in untreated mice vs. 13.7 m in treated) and increased specific force (19.3 mN/mg in untreated vs. 24.0 mN/mg in treated). sActRIIb treatment of progeroid mice also improved satellite cell function especially their ability to proliferate on their native substrate (2.5 cells per fibre in untreated progeroids vs. 5.4 in sActRIIB-treated progeroids after 72 h in culture). Besides direct protective effects on muscle, we show systemic improvements to other organs including the structure and function of the kidneys; there was a major decrease in the protein content in urine (albumin/creatinine of 4.9 sActRIIB treated vs. 15.7 in untreated), which is likely to be a result in the normalization of podocyte foot processes, which constitute the filtration apparatus (glomerular basement membrane thickness reduced from 224 to 177 nm following sActRIIB treatment). Treatment of the progeric mice with the activin ligand trap protected against the development of liver abnormalities including polyploidy (18.3% untreated vs. 8.1% treated) and osteoporosis (trabecular bone volume; 0.30 mm(3) in treated progeroid mice vs. 0.14 mm(3) in untreated mice, cortical bone volume; 0.30 mm(3) in treated progeroid mice vs. 0.22 mm(3) in untreated mice). The onset of neurological abnormalities was delayed (by similar to 5 weeks) and their severity reduced, overall sustaining health without affecting lifespan. Conclusions This study questions the notion that tissue growth and maintaining tissue function during ageing are incompatible mechanisms. It highlights the need for future investigations to assess the potential of therapies based on myostatin/activin blockade to compress morbidity and promote healthy ageing.Peer reviewe

Parkin Deficiency Delays Motor Decline and Disease Manifestation in a Mouse Model of Synucleinopathy

In synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease, partially ubiquitylated α-synuclein species phosphorylated on serine 129 (PS129-α-synuclein) accumulate abnormally. Parkin, an ubiquitin-protein ligase that is dysfunctional in autosomal recessive parkinsonism, protects against α-synuclein-mediated toxicity in various models

Statin prevents tissue factor expression in human endothelial cells: role of Rho/Rho-kinase and Akt pathways.

BACKGROUND: Tissue factor plays a pivotal role in thrombus formation in acute coronary syndromes. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying tissue factor expression are poorly understood. Statins are effective in patients with acute coronary syndromes. Hence, the aim of this study was to clarify in human endothelial cells the signaling pathways of thrombin-induced tissue factor expression and potential inhibitory effects of statins. METHODS AND RESULTS: In human aortic endothelial cells, simvastatin prevented tissue factor induction by thrombin (4 U/mL) in a concentration-dependent manner. The increase in tissue factor activity on the cell surface was also blocked by simvastatin. Simvastatin also prevented the upregulation of tissue factor expression and activity in human aortic smooth muscle cells. Mevalonate (100 micromol/L) reversed the inhibitory effect of simvastatin on tissue factor expression. Thrombin induced rapid activation of Rho A and p38 MAP kinase. The Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632 and the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor SB203580 prevented tissue factor induction. Akt was dephosphorylated by thrombin; the phosphoinositol 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin enhanced its dephosphorylation as well as thrombin-induced tissue factor expression. Simvastatin prevented thrombin-induced Rho A activation but not p38 MAP kinase activation. Akt dephosphorylation by thrombin was blocked by both simvastatin and Y-27632. CONCLUSIONS: Endothelial tissue factor induction by thrombin is regulated by Rho/Rho-kinase, Akt, and p38 MAP kinase. Simvastatin prevents its induction through inhibition of Rho/Rho-kinase and activation of Akt. These findings provide new insights into the action of statins in acute coronary syndromes

Dataset: Brain negativity as an indicator of predictive error processing: The contribution of visual action effect monitoring

There are two files for each subject: 1. sub##_error.dat -> Contains EEG Segments, that were recorded while the subject executed a clear target miss (minimal distance between the center of the ball and target > 12 cm) in the task (segment and electrode information can be found below). 2. sub##_hit.dat -> Contains EEG Segments, that were recorded while the subject executed a clear target hit (minimal distance between the center of the ball and the target < 7 cm) in the task (segment and electrode information can be found below). The data in the *.dat-files are stored in a two dimensional matrix: n*1400 datapoints x 15 electrodes n represents the number of segments. 1400 datapoints per segment translate to a segment length of 2800 ms (from 600 ms before to 2200 ms after ball release). The ball´s release is located at the 301st datapoint and the feedback was presented at datapoint 726 (850 ms after ball release) in every segment. datapoints: The first dimension (rows) includes the measured neural activations in microvolts. The data is stored vectorized, i.e. hit/error #1 -> row 1 to 1400, hit/error #2 -> row 1401 to 2800, ..., hit/error #n -> (n-1) * 1400 + 1 to n * 1400 electrodes: The second dimension (columns) consists of the 15 different electrodes that were used during data recording in this exact order: [F3 Fz F4 C4 Cz C3 P3 Pz P4 VEOGu VEOGo HEOGre HEOGli FCz Mastre

Screening of Essential Oil Active Compounds for Manipulation of Rumen Fermentation and Methane Mitigation

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of 11 active compounds of essential oils (ACEO) on rumen fermentation characteristics and methane production. Two trials were conducted. In trial 1, ACEO (eugenol, carvacrol, citral, limonene, 1,4-cineole, p-cymene, linalool, bornyl acetate, α-pinene, and β-pinene) at a dose of 1,000 μL/L were incubated for 24 h in diluted rumen fluid with a 70:30 forage:concentrate substrate (16.2% crude protein; 36.6% neutral detergent fiber). Three fistulated Holstein cows were used as donors of rumen fluid. The reduction in methane production was observed with nine ACEO (up to 86% reduction) compared with the control (p<0.05). Among these, only limonene, 1,4-cineole, bornyl acetate, and α-pinene did not inhibit volatile fatty acid (VFA) production, and only bornyl acetate produced less methane per mol of VFA compared with the control (p<0.05). In a subsequent trial, the effects on rumen fermentation and methane production of two concentrations (500 and 2,000 μL/L) of bornyl acetate, the most promising ACEO from the first trial, were evaluated using the same in vitro incubation method that was used in the first trial. In trial 2, monensin was used as a positive control. Both doses of bornyl acetate decreased (p<0.05) methane production and did not inhibit VFA production. Positive effects of bornyl acetate on methane and VFA production were more pronounced than the effects of monensin. These results confirm the ability of bornyl acetate to decrease methane production, which may help to improve the efficiency of energy use in the rumen

Selective inhibition of protein kinase Cbeta2 prevents acute effects of high glucose on vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression in human endothelial cells.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced expression of adhesion molecules by the endothelium may account for vascular damage in diabetics and nondiabetic patients who develop stress hyperglycemia during acute myocardial infarction. We analyzed the phosphorylation of protein kinase Cbeta2 (PKCbeta2) at serine/threonine residues, which may contribute to the endothelial dysfunction during acute hyperglycemia. Furthermore, this study was designed to investigate whether selective blockade of this regulatory mechanism may prevent the development of endothelial hyperadhesiveness. METHODS AND RESULTS: Incubation of the human aortic endothelial cells with high glucose (22.2 mmol/L) resulted in significant increase of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 protein expression (172+/-15% versus control; P<0.01). Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, a potent activator of PKC, mimicked the effect of high glucose on VCAM-1 expression. High glucose led to a rapid increase (181+/-22% versus control; P<0.01) of membrane-bound PKCbeta, reflecting activation of this enzyme. The nonselective inhibitor of PKCbeta1 and PKCbeta2 isoforms LY379196, as well as CGP53353, a highly selective inhibitor of PKCbeta2, prevented in a dose-dependent manner upregulation of VCAM-1. Incubation with high glucose was associated with increased PKCbeta2 phosphorylation at the Ser-660 residue, and both LY379196 and CGP53353 prevented this event. Exposure of the cells to high glucose also reduced the protein level of the inhibitory subunit of nuclear factor-kappaB, IkappaBalpha, leading to its enhanced binding activity. Selective inhibition of PKCbeta abolished IkappaBalpha degradation. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate for the first time that phosphorylation of Ser-660 represents a selective regulatory mechanism for glucose-induced upregulation of VCAM-1. Therefore, PKCbeta2-selective inhibitors may be promising drugs for treatment of endothelial dysfunction during acute hyperglycemia and possibly in diabetes