-acting regulatory enhancer elements are valuable tools for gaining cell type-specific genetic access. Leveraging large chromatin accessibility atlases, putative enhancer sequences can be identified and deployed in adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery platforms. However, a significant bottleneck in enhancer AAV discovery is charting their detailed expression patterns , a process that currently requires gold-standard one-by-one testing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcross mammals, the epigenome is highly predictive of chronological age. These "epigenetic clocks," most of which have been built using DNA methylation (DNAm) profiles, have gained traction as biomarkers of aging and organismal health. While the ability of DNAm to predict chronological age has been repeatedly demonstrated, the ability of other epigenetic features to predict age remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiological aging can be defined as a gradual loss of homeostasis across various aspects of molecular and cellular function. Aging is a complex and dynamic process which influences distinct cell types in a myriad of ways. The cellular architecture of the mammalian brain is heterogeneous and diverse, making it challenging to identify precise areas and cell types of the brain that are more susceptible to aging than others.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe mammalian brain consists of millions to billions of cells that are organized into many cell types with specific spatial distribution patterns and structural and functional properties. Here we report a comprehensive and high-resolution transcriptomic and spatial cell-type atlas for the whole adult mouse brain. The cell-type atlas was created by combining a single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) dataset of around 7 million cells profiled (approximately 4.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExposure to social environmental adversity is associated with health and survival across many social species, including humans. However, little is known about how these health and mortality effects vary across the lifespan and may be differentially impacted by various components of the environment. Here, we leveraged a relatively new and powerful model for human aging, the companion dog, to investigate which components of the social environment are associated with dog health and how these associations vary across the lifespan.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFElevated serum urate (hyperuricemia) promotes crystalline monosodium urate tissue deposits and gout, with associated inflammation and increased mortality. To identify modifiers of uric acid pathologies, we performed a fly Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) on purine metabolites using the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel strains. We tested the candidate genes using the Drosophila melanogaster model of hyperuricemia and uric acid crystallization ("concretion formation") in the kidney-like Malpighian tubule.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn most organisms, dietary restriction (DR) increases lifespan. However, several studies have found that genotypes within the same species vary widely in how they respond to DR. To explore the mechanisms underlying this variation, we exposed 178 inbred Drosophila melanogaster lines to a DR or ad libitum (AL) diet, and measured a panel of 105 metabolites under both diets.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is a peptidase that is involved in the synthesis of Angiotensin II, the bioactive component of the renin-angiotensin system. A growing body of literature argues for a beneficial impact of ACE inhibitors (ACEi) on age-associated metabolic disorders, mediated by cellular changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) that improve mitochondrial function. Yet, our understanding of the relationship between ACEi therapy and metabolic parameters is limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPathobiol Aging Age Relat Dis
November 2016
The proportion of men and women surviving over 65 years has been steadily increasing over the last century. In their later years, many of these individuals are afflicted with multiple chronic conditions, placing increasing pressure on healthcare systems. The accumulation of multiple health problems with advanced age is well documented, yet the causes are poorly understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDinoflagellate bioluminescence serves as a whole-cell reporter of mechanical stress, which activates a signaling pathway that appears to involve the opening of voltage-sensitive ion channels and release of calcium from intracellular stores. However, little else is known about the initial signaling events that facilitate the transduction of mechanical stimuli. In the present study using the red tide dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum (Stein) Dodge, two forms of dinoflagellate bioluminescence, mechanically stimulated and spontaneous flashes, were used as reporter systems to pharmacological treatments that targeted various predicted signaling events at the plasma membrane level of the signaling pathway.
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