RESUMEN

Mitochondrial dysfunction and genomic instability are key hallmarks of aging. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether maintenance of physical capacities at very old age is associated with key hallmarks of aging. To investigate this, we measured mitochondrial bioenergetics, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and DNA repair capacity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from centenarians. In addition, circulating levels of NAD+/NADH, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and carbonylated proteins were measured in plasma and these parameters were correlated to physical capacities. Centenarians without physical disabilities had lower mitochondrial respiration values including ATP production, reserve capacity, maximal respiration and non-mitochondrial oxygen-consumption rate and had higher mtDNA copy number than centenarians with moderate and severe disabilities (p < 0.05). In centenarian females, grip strength had a positive association with mtDNA copy number (p < 0.05), and a borderline positive trend for activity of the central DNA repair enzyme, APE 1 (p = 0.075), while a negative trend was found with circulating protein carbonylation (p = 0.07) in the entire cohort. Lastly, a trend was observed for a negative association between BDNF and activity of daily living disability score (p = 0.06). Our results suggest that mechanisms involved in maintaining mitochondrial function and genomic stability may be associated with maintenance of physical function in centenarians.

Asunto(s)

Factor Neurotrófico Derivado del Encéfalo , Reparación del ADN , ADN Mitocondrial , Mitocondrias , Humanos , Femenino , Reparación del ADN/genética , ADN Mitocondrial/genética , Masculino , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Mitocondrias/metabolismo , Mitocondrias/genética , Factor Neurotrófico Derivado del Encéfalo/genética , Factor Neurotrófico Derivado del Encéfalo/sangre , Factor Neurotrófico Derivado del Encéfalo/metabolismo , ADN-(Sitio Apurínico o Apirimidínico) Liasa/genética , ADN-(Sitio Apurínico o Apirimidínico) Liasa/metabolismo , Variaciones en el Número de Copia de ADN , Biomarcadores/sangre , Leucocitos Mononucleares/metabolismo , Metabolismo Energético/genética , Envejecimiento/genética , NAD/metabolismo , NAD/sangre , Carbonilación Proteica , Fuerza de la Mano , Consumo de Oxígeno/genética

RESUMEN

DNA damage is a central contributor to the aging process. In the brain, a major threat to the DNA is the considerable amount of reactive oxygen species produced, which can inflict oxidative DNA damage. This type of damage is removed by the base excision repair (BER) pathway, an essential DNA repair mechanism, which contributes to genome stability in the brain. Despite the crucial role of the BER pathway, insights into how this pathway is affected by aging in the human brain and the underlying regulatory mechanisms are very limited. By microarray analysis of four cortical brain regions from humans aged 20-99 years (n = 57), we show that the expression of core BER genes is largely downregulated during aging across brain regions. Moreover, we find that expression of many BER genes correlates positively with the expression of the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the human brain. In line with this, we identify binding sites for the BDNF-activated transcription factor, cyclic-AMP response element-binding protein (CREB), in the promoter of most BER genes and confirm the ability of BDNF to regulate several BER genes by BDNF treatment of mouse primary hippocampal neurons. Together, these findings uncover the transcriptional landscape of BER genes during aging of the brain and suggest BDNF as an important regulator of BER in the human brain.

Asunto(s)

Factor Neurotrófico Derivado del Encéfalo , Reparación del ADN , Animales , Humanos , Ratones , Envejecimiento/genética , Envejecimiento/metabolismo , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Factor Neurotrófico Derivado del Encéfalo/genética , Factor Neurotrófico Derivado del Encéfalo/metabolismo , Reparación del ADN/genética , Transducción de Señal/genética

RESUMEN

The DNA glycosylase NEIL2 plays a central role in maintaining genome integrity, in particular during oxidative stress, by recognizing oxidized base lesions and initiating repair of these via the base excision repair (BER) pathway. Post-translational modifications are important molecular switches that regulate and coordinate the BER pathway, and thereby enable a rapid and fine-tuned response to DNA damage. Here, we report for the first time that human NEIL2 is regulated by phosphorylation. We demonstrate that NEIL2 is phosphorylated by the two kinases cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) and protein kinase C (PKC) in vitro and in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. The phosphorylation of NEIL2 by PKC causes a substantial reduction in NEIL2 repair activity, while CDK5 does not directly alter the enzymatic activity of NEIL2 in vitro, suggesting distinct modes of regulating NEIL2 function by the two kinases. Interestingly, we show a rapid dephosphorylation of NEIL2 in response to oxidative stress in SH-SY5Y cells. This points to phosphorylation as an important modulator of NEIL2 function in this cellular model, not least during oxidative stress.