Issue 4, 2008

By the abstracts:

"Exercise-Induced Activation of STAT3 Signaling Is Increased with Age" by Marissa K. Trenerry, Kate A. Carey, Alister C. Ward, Michelle M. Farnfield, and David Cameron-Smith. STAT3 gets massively pumped in old people following exercise, more than young people (11 20-year olds vs 10 67-year olds). Downstream mRNA also pumped, but SOCS3 protein suppressed. This might mean something to people more familiar with those genes. They say it might impact muscle repair and regeneration.

"Deficiency of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Reduces Sensitivity to Aging-Associated Cardiomyocyte Dysfunction" by Qun Li, Asli F. Ceylan-Isik, Ji Li, and Jun Ren. Whole bunch of physiological and gene expression changes to hearts in old mice. Mice with liver IGF-1 deficiency had attenuated changes. They also had lower FOXO3a expression and were glucose intolerant, same effects as aging.

"Identifying the Genes and Genetic Interrelationships Underlying the Impact of Calorie Restriction on Maximum Lifespan: An Artificial Intelligence-Based Approach" by Ben Goertzel, Cassio Pennachin, Maurício de Alvarenga Mudado, and Lúcio de Souza Coelho. Analysis of three mouse CR studies and validated on a fourth suggest that Mrpl12, Uqcrh and Snip1 are important to the effects of CR on life extension.

"Host Cell Mobilization for In Situ Tissue Regeneration" by Sang Jin Lee, Mark Van Dyke, Anthony Atala, and James J. Yoo. Measurements of host cells infiltrations in common biomaterial put into mice: not altogether inflammatory. Infiltrating cells can differentiate into osteogenic, myogenic, adipogenic and endothelial lineages, given the correct conditions.

"Identifying the Changes in Gene Profiles Regulating the Amelioration of Age-Related Oxidative Damages in Kidney Tissue of Rats by the Intervention of Adult-Onset Calorie Restriction" by Jie Chen, Chidambaram Natesa Velalar, and Runsheng Ruan. 1-year old rats. CR decreased lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in kidneys, maybe from a drop in plasminogen activation inhibition-1 and clusterin, and increase of kallikrein mRNA. Inflammatory response down. Fatty acid synthesis, mitochondrial fatty acid beatoxidation, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis up. All in kidneys, and CR as compared with controls.

"Cryopreservation of Whole Murine and Porcine Livers" by Zohar Gavish, Menachem Ben-Haim, and Amir Arav. Frozen rat and pig livers, dunno for how long or at what temperature. Thawed and transplanted in, produced bile and had blood flow. They say 80% viability. Used "directional solidification apparatus". Hadn't heard of this result, sounds useful.

"Preliminary Evidence that VEGF Genetic Variability Confers Susceptibility to Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration" by B. Borroni, S. Ghezzi, C. Agosti, S. Archetti, C. Fenoglio, D. Galimberti, E. Scarpini, M. Di Luca, N. Bresolin, G.P. Comi, A. Padovani, and R. Del Bo. 30-50% of FTLD have positive family history. This study compared 216 controls with 161 FTLDs, finds differences distribution of SNPs in VEGF gene promoter region.

"Lysophosphatidic Acid and Adenylyl Cyclase Inhibitor Increase Proliferation of Senescent Human Diploid Fibroblasts by Inhibiting Adenosine Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase" by Ji-Heon Rhim, Ik-Soon Jang, Kye-Yong Song, Moon-Kyung Ha, Sung-Chun Cho, Eui-Ju Yeo, and Sang Chul Park. What the title says through inhibition of the catalytic activity of AMPKalpha and p53.

"Long-Term Effects of Caloric Restriction or Exercise on DNA and RNA Oxidation Levels in White Blood Cells and Urine in Humans" by Tim Hofer, Luigi Fontana, Stephen D. Anton, Edward P. Weiss, Dennis Villareal, Bhaskar Malayappan, and Christiaan Leeuwenburgh. 9 50something year olds on 20% CR and 9 50something year olds on 20% (energy deficity through) exercise. After a year, big drop in DNA and RNA oxidation in white blood cells but no changes in either in urine.

"Aging, Stem Cells, and Mammalian Target of Rapamycin: A Prospect of Pharmacologic Rejuvenation of Aging Stem Cells" by Mikhail V. Blagosklonny. Hypothesises that insensitivity of stem cells to activating stimuli is partly due to hyperactivation of TOR, so suggests rapamycin would rejuvenate stem cells. Wouldn't mind seeing his reasoning/evidence.

"Clinical Outcome and Mechanism of Soft Tissue Calcification in Werner Syndrome" by Satoshi Honjo, Koutaro Yokote, Masaki Fujimoto, Minoru Takemoto, Kazuki Kobayashi, Yoshiro Maezawa, Tatsushi Shimoyama, Seiya Satoh, Masaya Koshizaka, Aki Takada, Hiroki Irisuna, and Yasushi Saito. WS people have calcifications in the skin near joints, probably produced by overexpression of Pit-1.

"Carnisone Increases Efficiency of DOPA Therapy of Parkinson's Disease: A Pilot Study" by Alexander Boldyrev, Tatiana Fedorova, Maria Stepanova, Irina Dobrotvorskaya, Eugenia Kozlova, Natalia Boldanova, Gulbakhar Bagyeva, Irina Ivanova-Smolenskaya, and Serguey Illarioshkin. From the abstract, it seems like it was meant to say carnosine. Added to standard treatment for Parkinson's, seemed to do better.

"Comparative Value of Medical Diagnosis Versus Physical Functioning in Predicting the 6-Year Survival of 1951 Hospitalized Old Patients" by Emilia Frangos Lordos, François R. Herrmann, Jean-Marie Robine, Mireille Balahoczky, Sandra V. Giannelli, Gabriel Gold, and Jean-Pierre Michel. First page available instead of the abstract. 6-year study. First page doesn't get to the numbers but says that functional status is most important. Sounds like a good one.

The first thesis reviewed is called "Unravelling Tissue Regeneration Using Chemical Genetics" by Lijoy Mathew. Seems to be a study of some of the mechanisms of inhibition of regeneration of the zebrafish caudal fin. Glucocorticoids inhibit is all I understood.