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

AARC: First draft of the Blueprint Architecture for Authentication and Authorisation Infrastructures

AARC (Authentication and Authorisation for Research Communities) is a two-year EC-funded project to develop and pilot an integrated cross-discipline authentication and authorisation framework, building on existing authentication and authorisation infrastructures (AAIs) and production federated infrastructure. AARC also champions federated access and offers tailored training to complement the actions needed to test AARC results and to promote AARC outcomes. This article describes a high-level blueprint architectures for interoperable AAIs

INDIGO-DataCloud: a Platform to Facilitate Seamless Access to E-Infrastructures

[EN] This paper describes the achievements of the H2020 project INDIGO-DataCloud. The project has provided e-infrastructures with tools, applications and cloud framework enhancements to manage the demanding requirements of scientific communities, either locally or through enhanced interfaces. The middleware developed allows to federate hybrid resources, to easily write, port and run scientific applications to the cloud. In particular, we have extended existing PaaS (Platform as a Service) solutions, allowing public and private e-infrastructures, including those provided by EGI, EUDAT, and Helix Nebula, to integrate their existing services and make them available through AAI services compliant with GEANT interfederation policies, thus guaranteeing transparency and trust in the provisioning of such services. Our middleware facilitates the execution of applications using containers on Cloud and Grid based infrastructures, as well as on HPC clusters. Our developments are freely downloadable as open source components, and are already being integrated into many scientific applications.INDIGO-Datacloud has been funded by the European Commision H2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement RIA 653549.Salomoni, D.; Campos, I.; Gaido, L.; Marco, J.; Solagna, P.; Gomes, J.; Matyska, L.... (2018). INDIGO-DataCloud: a Platform to Facilitate Seamless Access to E-Infrastructures. Journal of Grid Computing. 16(3):381-408. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10723-018-9453-3S381408163García, A.L., Castillo, E.F.-d., Puel, M.: Identity federation with VOMS in cloud infrastructures. In: 2013 IEEE 5Th International Conference on Cloud Computing Technology and Science, pp 42–48 (2013)Chadwick, D.W., Siu, K., Lee, C., Fouillat, Y., Germonville, D.: Adding federated identity management to OpenStack. Journal of Grid Computing 12(1), 3–27 (2014)Craig, A.L.: A design space review for general federation management using keystone. 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The Physics of the B Factories

This work is on the Physics of the B Factories. Part A of this book contains a brief description of the SLAC and KEK B Factories as well as their detectors, BaBar and Belle, and data taking related issues. Part B discusses tools and methods used by the experiments in order to obtain results. The results themselves can be found in Part C

Abnormal serum alanine aminotransferase levels are associated with impaired insulin sensitivity in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

SFX(opens in a new window)|View at Publisher| Export | Download | Add to List | More... Journal of Endocrinological Investigation Volume 32, Issue 8, September 2009, Pages 695-700 Abnormal serum alanine aminotransferase levels are associated with impaired insulin sensitivity in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome (Article) Targher, G.a , Solagna, E.a, Tosi, F.a, Castello, R.a, Spiazzi, G.a, Zoppini, G.a, Muggeo, M.a, Day, C.P.b, Moghetti, P.a a Section of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical and Surgical Sciences, University of Verona, Piazzale Stefani 1, 37126 Verona, Italy b Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom View references (31) Abstract Background and aim: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are both associated with insulin resistance. We assessed whether NAFLD is associated with impaired insulin sensitivity in PCOS women independently of age and total adiposity. Subjects and methods: We enrolled 14 young PCOS women with NAFLD, 14 women with PCOS alone and 14 healthy controls, who were matched for age, body mass index, and total body fat (by bio-impedance analyzer). NAFLD was diagnosed by the surrogate measure of abnormal serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentrations (defined as ALT>19 U/l) after excluding other secondary causes of liver disease (alcohol, virus, and medications). Insulin sensitivity was measured by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. Results: Insulin sensitivity was markedly decreased (p<0.001) in PCOS women with abnormal ALT levels, whereas it was similar between PCOS women with normal ALT levels and matched healthy controls (8.3\ub12.5 vs 12.1\ub11.7 vs 13.2\ub11.8 mg/min x kg of fat-free mass, respectively). PCOS women with abnormal ALT levels also had higher plasma triglycerides and lower HDL-cholesterol concentrations than those with PCOS alone. There was a strong inverse association between serum ALT levels and insulin sensitivity in the whole group of PCOS women (r=-0.59, p=0.0013). Conclusions: Abnormal serum ALT levels, as surrogate measure of NAFLD, are closely associated with impaired insulin sensitivity in young PCOS women in a manner that is independent from the contribution of age and total adiposity. Early recognition of NAFLD by radiological imaging tests in this group of young patients is warranted

Pro-cachectic factors link experimental and human chronic kidney disease to skeletal muscle wasting programs

cited By 1Skeletal muscle wasting is commonly associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. However, the link between kidney and muscle function remains poorly understood. Here, we took a complementary interorgan approach to investigate skeletal muscle wasting in CKD. We identified increased production and elevated blood levels of soluble pro-cachectic factors, including activin A, directly linking experimental and human CKD to skeletal muscle wasting programs. Single-cell sequencing data identified the expression of activin A in specific kidney cell populations of fibroblasts and cells of the juxtaglomerular apparatus. We propose that persistent and increased kidney production of procachectic factors, combined with a lack of kidney clearance, facilitates a vicious kidney/muscle signaling cycle, leading to exacerbated blood accumulation and, thereby, skeletal muscle wasting. Systemic pharmacological blockade of activin A using soluble activin receptor type IIB ligand trap as well as muscle-specific adeno-associated virus-mediated downregulation of its receptor ACVR2A/B prevented muscle wasting in different mouse models of experimental CKD, suggesting that activin A is a key factor in CKD-induced cachexia. In summary, we uncovered a crosstalk between kidney and muscle and propose modulation of activin signaling as a potential therapeutic strategy for skeletal muscle wasting in CKD.Peer reviewe