Multi-omic brain and behavioral correlates of cell-free fetal DNA methylation in macaque maternal obesity models

The hormesis principle of neuroplasticity and neuroprotection

Animals live in habitats fraught with a range of environmental challenges to their bodies and brains. Accordingly, cells and organ systems have evolved stress-responsive signaling pathways that enable them to not only withstand environmental challenges but also to prepare for future challenges and function more efficiently. These phylogenetically conserved processes are the foundation of the hormesis principle, in which single or repeated exposures to low levels of environmental challenges improve cellular and organismal fitness and raise the probability of survival. Hormetic principles have been most intensively studied in physical exercise but apply to numerous other challenges known to improve human health (e.g., intermittent fasting, cognitive stimulation, and dietary phytochemicals). Here we review the physiological mechanisms underlying hormesis-based neuroplasticity and neuroprotection. Approaching natural resilience from the lens of hormesis may reveal novel methods for optimizing brain function and lowering the burden of neurological disorders.

Multi-omics reveal neuroprotection of Acer truncatum Bunge Seed extract on hypoxic-ischemia encephalopathy rats under high-altitude

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) at high-altitudes leads to neonatal mortality and long-term neurological complications without effective treatment. Acer truncatum Bunge Seed extract (ASO) is reported to have effect on cognitive improvement, but its molecular mechanisms on HIE are unclear. In this study, ASO administration contributed to reduced neuronal cell edema and improved motor ability in HIE rats at a simulated 4500-meter altitude. Transcriptomics and WGCNA analysis showed genes associated with lipid biosynthesis, redox homeostasis, neuronal growth, and synaptic plasticity regulated in the ASO group. Targeted and untargeted-lipidomics revealed decreased free fatty acids and increased phospholipids with favorable ω-3/ω-6/ω-9 fatty acid ratios, as well as reduced oxidized glycerophospholipids (OxGPs) in the ASO group. Combining multi-omics analysis demonstrated FA to FA-CoA, phospholipids metabolism, and lipid peroxidation were regulated by ASO treatment. Our results illuminated preliminary metabolism mechanism of ASO ingesting in rats, implying ASO administration as potential intervention strategy for HIE under high-altitude.

Identifying miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks on extreme n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio expression profiles in porcine skeletal muscle

Omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential fatty acids with antagonistic inflammatory functions that play vital roles in metabolic health and immune response. Current commercial swine diets tend to over-supplement with n-6 PUFAs, which may increase the likelihood of developing inflammatory diseases and affect the overall well-being of the animals. However, it is still poorly understood how n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios affect the porcine transcriptome expression and how messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) might regulate biological processes related to PUFA metabolism. On account of this, we selected a total of 20 Iberian × Duroc crossbred pigs with extreme values for n-6/n-3 FA ratio (10 high vs 10 low), and longissimus dorsi muscle samples were used to identify differentially expressed mRNAs and miRNAs. The observed differentially expressed mRNAs were associated to biological pathways related to muscle growth and immunomodulation, while the differentially expressed microRNAs (ssc-miR-30a-3p, ssc-miR-30e-3p, ssc-miR-15b and ssc-miR-7142-3p) were correlated to adipogenesis and immunity. Relevant miRNA-to-mRNA regulatory networks were also predicted (i.e., mir15b to ARRDC3; mir-7142-3p to METTL21C), and linked to lipolysis, obesity, myogenesis, and protein degradation. The n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio differences in pig skeletal muscle revealed genes, miRNAs and enriched pathways involved in lipid metabolism, cell proliferation and inflammation.