Comparison of gene and protein expressions in rats residing in standard cages with those having access to an exercise wheel

In vivo evaluation of the toxicity, genotoxicity, histopathological, and anti-inflammatory effects of the purified bioglycerol byproduct in biodiesel industry

BACKGROUND

Biodiesel has gained an increased popularity as a good alternative for fossil fuel because of its unusual qualities as a biodegradable, nontoxic, and renewable diesel fuel. Hence, the economic utilization of the accumulated bioglycerol byproduct became critically important for the sustainability of biodiesel industry. The purified bioglycerol might be used as a valuable industrial stock in cosmetic, medical, and food industries. However, if the purified product is going to be used in food, drug, or any industry that involves its ingestion or skin contact by human or animals, the product should be thoroughly tested on animal models.

RESULTS

The present study investigated the acute toxicity, anti-inflammatory, histopathological, and genotoxic effects of zeolite-purified biogylcerol on different animal models. All the previous tests proved the ability of the purification process to improve the qualities of the crude bioglycerol to a degree comparable to the pharmaceutical grade glycerol.

CONCLUSION

In other words, it could be concluded that zeolite-purified bioglycerol can be used in different industries that involves products consumed by human or animals.

Exercise and cardiac health: physiological and molecular insights

The cardiac benefits of exercise have been recognized for centuries. Studies have undisputedly shown that regular exercise is beneficial for the cardiovascular system in young, old, healthy and diseased populations. For these reasons, physical activity has been recommended worldwide for cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment. Although the benefits of exercise are clear, understanding of the molecular triggers that orchestrate these effects remains incomplete and has been a topic of intense research in recent years. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the cardiac effects of physical activity, beginning with a brief history of exercise in cardiovascular medicine and then discussing seminal work on the physiological effects of exercise in healthy, diseased and aged hearts. Later, we revisit pioneering work on the molecular mechanisms underlying the cardiac benefits of exercise, and we conclude with our view on the translational potential of this knowledge as a powerful platform for cardiovascular disease drug discovery.

Mutant myocilin impacts sarcomere ultrastructure in mouse gastrocnemius muscle

Myocilin (MYOC) is the gene with mutations most common in glaucoma. In the eye, MYOC is in trabecular meshwork, ciliary body, and retina. Other tissues with high MYOC transcript levels are skeletal muscle and heart. To date, the function of wild-type MYOC remains unknown and how mutant MYOC causes high intraocular pressure and glaucoma is ambiguous. By investigating mutant MYOC in a non-ocular tissue we hoped to obtain novel insight into mutant MYOC pathology. For this study, we utilized a transgenic mouse expressing human mutant MYOC Y437H protein and we examined its skeletal (gastrocnemius) muscle phenotype. Electron micrographs showed that sarcomeres in the skeletal muscle of mutant CMV-MYOC-Y437H mice had multiple M-bands. Western blots of soluble muscle lysates from transgenics indicated a decrease in two M-band proteins, myomesin 1 (MYOM1) and muscle creatine kinase (CKM). Immunoprecipitation identified CKM as a MYOC binding partner. Our results suggest that binding of mutant MYOC to CKM is changing sarcomere ultrastructure and this may adversely impact muscle function. We speculate that a person carrying the mutant MYOC mutation will likely have a glaucoma phenotype and may also have undiagnosed muscle ailments or vice versa, both of which will have to be monitored and treated.

Mitochondrial and Metabolic Gene Expression in the Aged Rat Heart

Aging is associated with a decline in cardiac function. Exercise intervention has been suggested as a way to improve this decrement. Age-related decline in cardiac function is associated with decreases in fatty acid oxidation, mitochondrial function, and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity. The molecular mechanisms involved with age-related changes in mitochondrial function and substrate metabolism are poorly understood. We determined gene expression differences in hearts of Young (6 mo), Old (33 mo), and old exercise trained (Old + EXE) (34 mo) FBN rats, using Qiagen PCR arrays for Glucose, Fatty acid, and Mitochondrial metabolism. Old rats demonstrated decreased (p < 0.05) expression for key genes in fatty acid oxidation, mitochondrial function, and AMPK signaling. There were no differences in the expression of genes involved in glucose metabolism with age. These gene expression changes occurred prior to altered protein translation as we found no differences in the protein content of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma, coactivators 1 alpha (PGC-1α), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα), and AMPKα₂ between young and old hearts. Four months of exercise training did not attenuate the decline in the gene expression in aged hearts. Despite this lack of change in gene expression, exercise-trained rats demonstrated increased exercise capacity compared to their sedentary counterparts. Taken together, our results show that differential expression of genes associated with fatty acid metabolism, AMPK signaling and mitochondrial function decrease in the aging heart which may play a role in age-related declines in fatty acid oxidation, AMPK activity, and mitochondrial function in the heart.

Epigenetic Regulatory Effect of Exercise on Glutathione Peroxidase 1 Expression in the Skeletal Muscle of Severely Dyslipidemic Mice

Exercise is an effective approach for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and loss of muscular mass and function. Its benefits are widely documented but incompletely characterized. It has been reported that exercise can induce changes in the expression of antioxidant enzymes including Sod2, Trx1, Prdx3 and Gpx1 and limits the rise in oxidative stress commonly associated with CVD. These enzymes can be subjected to epigenetic regulation, such as DNA methylation, in response to environmental cues. The aim of our study was to determine whether in the early stages of atherogenesis, in young severely dyslipidemic mice lacking LDL receptors and overexpressing human ApoB100 (LDLR-/-; hApoB+/+), exercise regulates differentially the expression of antioxidant enzymes by DNA methylation in the skeletal muscles that consume high levels of oxygen and thus generate high levels of reactive oxygen species. Expression of Sod2, Txr1, Prdx3 and Gpx1 was altered by 3 months of exercise and/or severe dyslipidemia in 6-mo dyslipidemic mice. Of these genes, only Gpx1 exhibited changes in DNA methylation associated with dyslipidemia and exercise: we observed both increased DNA methylation with dyslipidemia and a transient decrease in DNA methylation with exercise. These epigenetic alterations are found in the second exon of the Gpx1 gene and occur alongside with inverse changes in mRNA expression. Inhibition of expression by methylation of this specific locus was confirmed in vitro. In conclusion, Gpx1 expression in the mouse skeletal muscle can be altered by both exercise and dyslipidemia through changes in DNA methylation, leading to a fine regulation of free radical metabolism.

Genetics of Regular Exercise and Sedentary Behaviors

Studies on the determinants of physical activity have traditionally focused on social factors and environmental barriers, but recent research has shown the additional importance of biological factors, including genetic variation. Here we review the major tenets of this research to arrive at three major conclusions: First, individual differences in physical activity traits are significantly influenced by genetic factors, but genetic contribution varies strongly over age, with heritability of leisure time exercise behavior ranging from 27% to 84% and heritability of sedentary behaviors ranging from 9% to 48%. Second, candidate gene approaches based on animal or human QTLs or on biological relevance (e.g., dopaminergic or cannabinoid activity in the brain, or exercise performance influencing muscle physiology) have not yet yielded the necessary evidence to specify the genetic mechanisms underlying the heritability of physical activity traits. Third, there is significant genetic modulation of the beneficial effects of daily physical activity patterns on strength and endurance improvements and on health-related parameters like body mass index. Further increases in our understanding of the genetic determinants of sedentary and exercise behaviors as well as the genetic modulation of their effects on fitness and health will be key to meaningful future intervention on these behaviors.