Project description:Insulin-like growth factor (IGF1R) signalling has been implicated to play an important role in regulation of cardiac growth, hypertrophy and contractile function, and has been linked to the development of age related congestive heart failure. Here we address the question to what extent cardiomyocyte specific IGF1 signalling is essential for maintenance of the structural and functional integrity of the adult murine heart. To investigate the effects of IGF1 signalling in the adult heart without confounding effects due to IGF1 over-expression or adaptation during embryonic and early post-natal development, we inactivated the IGF1R by a 4-hydroxy tamoxifen inducible Cre recombinase in adult cardiac myocytes. Efficient inactivation of the IGF1R (iCMIGF1RKO) as assessed by Western analysis and real-time PCR went along with reduced IGF1-dependent AKT and GSK3β-phosphorylation. Functional analysis by conductance manometry and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed no functional alterations in young adult iCMIGF1RKO mice (age 3 month). However, when induced in aged mice (11 month) diastolic cardiac function was depressed. To address the question if insulin signalling might compensate for the defective IGF1R signalling we inactivated β-cells by streptozotocin. However, the diabetes associated functional depression was similar in controls and iCMIGF1RKO mice. Similarly, analysis of the cardiac gene expression profile on 44K microarrays did not reveal activation of overt adaptive processes. Endogenous IGF1 receptor signalling is required for conservation of cardiac function of the aging heart, but not for the integrity of cardiac structure and function of young hearts. Four samples of each group: the control group, positive for Cre recombinase, but negative for the floxed IGF-1R and the experimental group with double transgenic mice (merCremer/+ IGFloxP/IGFloxP).
Project description:Insulin-like growth factor (IGF1R) signalling has been implicated to play an important role in regulation of cardiac growth, hypertrophy and contractile function, and has been linked to the development of age related congestive heart failure. Here we address the question to what extent cardiomyocyte specific IGF1 signalling is essential for maintenance of the structural and functional integrity of the adult murine heart. To investigate the effects of IGF1 signalling in the adult heart without confounding effects due to IGF1 over-expression or adaptation during embryonic and early post-natal development, we inactivated the IGF1R by a 4-hydroxy tamoxifen inducible Cre recombinase in adult cardiac myocytes. Efficient inactivation of the IGF1R (iCMIGF1RKO) as assessed by Western analysis and real-time PCR went along with reduced IGF1-dependent AKT and GSK3β-phosphorylation. Functional analysis by conductance manometry and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed no functional alterations in young adult iCMIGF1RKO mice (age 3 month). However, when induced in aged mice (11 month) diastolic cardiac function was depressed. To address the question if insulin signalling might compensate for the defective IGF1R signalling we inactivated β-cells by streptozotocin. However, the diabetes associated functional depression was similar in controls and iCMIGF1RKO mice. Similarly, analysis of the cardiac gene expression profile on 44K microarrays did not reveal activation of overt adaptive processes. Endogenous IGF1 receptor signalling is required for conservation of cardiac function of the aging heart, but not for the integrity of cardiac structure and function of young hearts.
Project description:VEGF family members are important regulators of vascular functions. Promoting VEGFA signalling in aged mice has been shown to delay various aging phenotypes and extend the survival of aged mice. Although there is profound knowledge on functions of VEGFA, VEGFB has not been investigated in the context of cardiac aging. Our RNA data of aged mouse hearts revealed significant downregulation of Vegfb in the heart, specifically in endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes, while VEGFB expression was reduced in endothelial cells, fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes in aged human hearts. By contrast, VEGFB expression was exclusively reduced in cardiomyocytes of patients with cardiac hypertrophy. Hence, we investigated whether Vegfb gene therapy can revert age-dependent cardiac pathologies. We overexpressed Vegfb186, the soluble VEGFB isoform, via AAV9 vector transduction into 18-month-old C57Bl/6J male mice. AAV9-Vegfb treatment prevented progression age-related diastolic dysfunction and decreased cardiac fibrosis. We further found a rescue of aging-related left ventricular denervation in the hearts of AVV9-Vegfb treated old mice which was associated with an increase in heart rate variability. However, heart to body weight ratio and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy were increased in the AAV9-Vegfb treated mouse hearts, without alteration of cardiac systolic or diastolic function. Histological and transcriptomic analyses revealed that VEGFB186 induces compensatory cardiac hypertrophy which was accompanied by a rescued length-width-ratio, reduced fibrosis and the absence of cardiac inflammation. Cardiac single-nuclei RNA sequencing further suggested that AAV9-Vegfb treatment affects cardiac hypertrophy putatively via STAT3 which was validated in vitro. In conclusion, our data reveals that Vegfb overexpression partially reverses pathological alterations in the aging heart. Despite the overall improvement of the age-related cardiac phenotype, the AAV9-Vegfb-mediated induced cardiac hypertrophy which might reflect protective hypertrophy.
Project description:Phosphorylation of sarcomeric proteins has been implicated in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF); such changes may contribute to diastolic dysfunction by altering contractility, cardiac stiffness, Ca2+-sensitivity and mechanosensing. Treatment with cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) restores normal diastolic function, attenuates fibrosis and inflammation, and improves survival in a rat HFpEF model. Here, we quantified the phosphorylation changes that underlie HFpEF and those reversed by CDC therapy, with a focus on the sarcomeric subproteome.
Project description:Aging is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death. Here we show that oral supplementation of the natural polyamine spermidine extends lifespan, while it exerts cardioprotective effects through reduction of cardiac hypertrophy and preservation of diastolic function in old mice. Spermidine feeding enhanced cardiac autophagy, mitophagy, mitochondrial respiration and mechano-elastical properties of cardiomyocytes in vivo, coinciding with increased titin phosphorylation and suppressed subclinical inflammation. Spermidine failed to promote cardioprotection in mice lacking the autophagy-related gene Atg5 in cardiomyocytes. In Dahl salt-sensitive rats fed high-salt diet, a model for hypertension-induced congestive heart failure, spermidine reduced systemic blood pressure, increased titin phosphorylation and prevented cardiac hypertrophy and a decline in diastolic function, thus delaying the progression to heart failure. Finally, high dietary spermidine intake correlated with reduced blood pressure and a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease in humans. Our results suggest a novel and generic strategy against cardiovascular disease.
Project description:Long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) are responsible for lifelong maintenance and regeneration of the blood system. Loss of LT-HSC function is a major contributor to decline in hematopoietic function with aging, leading to increased rate of infection, poor vaccination response, and increased risk of hematologic malignancies. While cellular and molecular hallmarks of LT-HSC aging have been defined1-3, a barrier to achieving the goal of extending healthy hematopoietic function into older age is the lack of understanding of the nature and timing of the initiating events that cause LT-HSC aging. Here we show that hallmarks of LT-HSC aging and decline in hematopoietic function accumulate by middle age in mice, and that the hematopoietic cell-extrinsic bone marrow (BM) microenvironment at middle age is necessary and sufficient to cause LT-HSC aging. Using unbiased transcriptome-based approaches, we identify decreased production of IGF1 by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in the local middle-aged BM microenvironment as a factor causing LT-HSC aging and show that direct stimulation of middle-aged LT-HSCs with IGF1 rescues hallmarks of aging. Together, our study demonstrates that the initiating events causing LT-HSC and hematopoietic aging emerge by middle age and are caused by hematopoietic cell-extrinsic changes in the BM microenvironment. Declining IGF1 in the BM microenvironment at middle age represents a compelling target for intervention using prophylactic therapies to effectively extend healthspan and prevent decline in hematopoietic function during aging.
Project description:Long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) are responsible for lifelong maintenance and regeneration of the blood system. Loss of LT-HSC function is a major contributor to decline in hematopoietic function with aging, leading to increased rate of infection, poor vaccination response, and increased risk of hematologic malignancies. While cellular and molecular hallmarks of LT-HSC aging have been defined1-3, a barrier to achieving the goal of extending healthy hematopoietic function into older age is the lack of understanding of the nature and timing of the initiating events that cause LT-HSC aging. Here we show that hallmarks of LT-HSC aging and decline in hematopoietic function accumulate by middle age in mice, and that the hematopoietic cell-extrinsic bone marrow (BM) microenvironment at middle age is necessary and sufficient to cause LT-HSC aging. Using unbiased transcriptome-based approaches, we identify decreased production of IGF1 by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in the local middle-aged BM microenvironment as a factor causing LT-HSC aging and show that direct stimulation of middle-aged LT-HSCs with IGF1 rescues hallmarks of aging. Together, our study demonstrates that the initiating events causing LT-HSC and hematopoietic aging emerge by middle age and are caused by hematopoietic cell-extrinsic changes in the BM microenvironment. Declining IGF1 in the BM microenvironment at middle age represents a compelling target for intervention using prophylactic therapies to effectively extend healthspan and prevent decline in hematopoietic function during aging.
Project description:Long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) are responsible for lifelong maintenance and regeneration of the blood system. Loss of LT-HSC function is a major contributor to decline in hematopoietic function with aging, leading to increased rate of infection, poor vaccination response, and increased risk of hematologic malignancies. While cellular and molecular hallmarks of LT-HSC aging have been defined, a barrier to achieving the goal of extending healthy hematopoietic function into older age is the lack of understanding of the nature and timing of the initiating events that cause LT-HSC aging. Here we show that hallmarks of LT-HSC aging and decline in hematopoietic function accumulate by middle age in mice, and that the hematopoietic cell-extrinsic bone marrow (BM) microenvironment at middle age is necessary and sufficient to cause LT-HSC aging. Using unbiased transcriptome-based approaches, we identify decreased production of IGF1 by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in the local middle-aged BM microenvironment as a factor causing LT-HSC aging and show that direct stimulation of middle-aged LT-HSCs with IGF1 rescues hallmarks of aging. Together, our study demonstrates that the initiating events causing LT-HSC and hematopoietic aging emerge by middle age and are caused by hematopoietic cell-extrinsic changes in the BM microenvironment. Declining IGF1 in the BM microenvironment at middle age represents a compelling target for intervention using prophylactic therapies to effectively extend healthspan and prevent decline in hematopoietic function during aging.
Project description:Long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) are responsible for lifelong maintenance and regeneration of the blood system. Loss of LT-HSC function is a major contributor to decline in hematopoietic function with aging, leading to increased rate of infection, poor vaccination response, and increased risk of hematologic malignancies. While cellular and molecular hallmarks of LT-HSC aging have been defined1-3, a barrier to achieving the goal of extending healthy hematopoietic function into older age is the lack of understanding of the nature and timing of the initiating events that cause LT-HSC aging. Here we show that hallmarks of LT-HSC aging and decline in hematopoietic function accumulate by middle age in mice, and that the hematopoietic cell-extrinsic bone marrow (BM) microenvironment at middle age is necessary and sufficient to cause LT-HSC aging. Using unbiased transcriptome-based approaches, we identify decreased production of IGF1 by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in the local middle-aged BM microenvironment as a factor causing LT-HSC aging and show that direct stimulation of middle-aged LT-HSCs with IGF1 rescues hallmarks of aging. Together, our study demonstrates that the initiating events causing LT-HSC and hematopoietic aging emerge by middle age and are caused by hematopoietic cell-extrinsic changes in the BM microenvironment. Declining IGF1 in the BM microenvironment at middle age represents a compelling target for intervention using prophylactic therapies to effectively extend healthspan and prevent decline in hematopoietic function during aging.
Project description:Low-grade inflammation is a hallmark of old age and a central driver of ageing-associated impairment and disease. Multiple factors can contribute to ageing-associated inflammation, however the molecular pathways transducing aberrant inflammatory signalling and their impact in natural ageing remain poorly understood. Here we show that the cGAS-STING signalling pathway, mediating immune sensing of DNA, is a critical driver of chronic inflammation and functional decline during ageing. Blockade of STING suppresses the inflammatory phenotypes of senescent human cells and tissues, attenuates ageing-related inflammation in multiple peripheral organs and the brain in mice, and leads to an improvement in tissue function. Focusing on the ageing brain, we reveal that activation of STING triggers reactive microglia transcriptional states, neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Cytosolic DNA released from perturbed mitochondria elicits cGAS activity in old microglia defining a mechanism by which cGAS-STING signalling is engaged in the ageing brain. Single-nuclei RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) of microglia and hippocampi of a newly developed cGAS gain-of-function mouse model demonstrates that engagement of cGAS in microglia is sufficient to direct ageing-associated transcriptional microglia states leading to bystander cell inflammation, neurotoxicity and impaired memory capacity. Our findings establish the cGAS-STING pathway as a critical driver of ageing-related inflammation in peripheral organs and the brain, and reveal blockade of cGAS-STING signalling as a potential strategy to halt (neuro)degenerative processes during old age.