Constitutive PGC-1? overexpression in skeletal muscle does not protect from age-dependent decline in neurogenesis.
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ABSTRACT: Aerobic exercise prevents age-dependent decline in cognition and hippocampal neurogenesis. The transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator 1-alpha (PGC-1?) mediates many of the exercise-induced benefits in skeletal muscle, including the release of factors into the circulation with neurotrophic effects. We use a transgenic mouse model with muscle-specific overexpression of PGC-1? to study the contribution of chronic muscle activation on exercise-induced effects on hippocampal neurogenesis in aging. Young and old transgenic and wild type animals of both sexes displayed a robust age-related reduction in newborn BrdU+-cells, immature neurons (DCX+-cells) and new mature BrdU+/NeuN+-neurons in the dentate gyrus. No differences were detected between genotypes or sexes. Analysis of serum proteins showed a tendency towards increased levels of myokines and reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines for transgenic animals, but only musclin was found to be significantly up-regulated in transgenic animals. We conclude that constitutive muscular overexpression of PGC-1?, despite potent systemic changes, is insufficient for mimicking exercise-induced effects on hippocampal neurogenesis in aging. Continued studies are required to investigate the complex molecular mechanisms by which circulating signals could mediate exercise-induced effects on the central nervous system in disease and aging, with the aim of discovering new therapeutic possibilities for patients.
SUBMITTER: Karlsson L
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6707251 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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