Glutathione and Its Metabolic Enzymes in Gliomal Tumor Tissue and the Peritumoral Zone at Different Degrees of Anaplasia

This research was aimed at investigating the features of free radical activity and the parameters of glutathione metabolism in tumor tissues and the peritumoral zone at different degrees of glial tumor anaplasia. We analyzed postoperative material from 20 patients with gliomas of different degrees of anaplasia. The greatest differences compared to adjacent noncancerous tissues were found in the tumor tissue: an increased amount of glutathione and glutathione-related enzymes at Grades I and II, and a decrease of these parameters at Grades III and IV. For the peritumoral zone of Grades I and II, the indices changed in different directions, while for Grades III and IV, they occurred synchronously with the tumor tissue changes. For Low Grade and High Grade gliomas, opposite trends were revealed regarding changes in the level of glutathione and the enzymes involved in its metabolism and in the free radical activity in the peritumoral zone. The content of glutathione and the enzymes involved in its metabolism decreased with the increasing degree of glioma anaplasia. In contrast, free radical activity increased. The glutathione system is an active participant in the antioxidant defense of the body and can be used to characterize the cell condition of gliomas at different stages of tumor development.     

Late‐life exercise mitigates skeletal muscle epigenetic aging

There are functional benefits to exercise in muscle, even when performed late in life, but the contributions of epigenetic factors to late‐life exercise adaptation are poorly defined. Using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS), ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and mitochondrial‐specific examination of methylation, targeted high‐resolution methylation analysis, and DNAge™ epigenetic aging clock analysis with a translatable model of voluntary murine endurance/resistance exercise training (progressive weighted wheel running, PoWeR), we provide evidence that exercise may mitigate epigenetic aging in skeletal muscle. Late‐life PoWeR from 22–24 months of age modestly but significantly attenuates an age‐associated shift toward promoter hypermethylation. The epigenetic age of muscle from old mice that PoWeR‐trained for eight weeks was approximately eight weeks younger than 24‐month‐old sedentary counterparts, which represents ~8% of the expected murine lifespan. These data provide a molecular basis for exercise as a therapy to attenuate skeletal muscle aging.     

Relationships between tree dimension and coarse root biomass in mixed stands of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies[L.] Karst.)

Relationships between tree parameters above ground and the biomass of the coarse root system were examined in six mixed spruce-beech stands in the Solling Mountain region in northwest Germany. The selected stands were located on comparable sites and covered an age range of 44 to 114 years. Coarse roots (d?\ge?2 mm) of 42 spruce and 27 beech trees were sampled by excavating the entire root system. A linear model with logarithmic transformation of the variables was developed to describe the relationship between the coarse root biomass (CRB, dry weight) and the corresponding tree diameter at breast height (DBH). The coefficients of determination (R ²) attained values between 0.92 for spruce and 0.94 for beech; the logarithmic standard deviation values were between 0.29 and 0.43. A significantly different effect of tree species on the model estimates could not be detected by an analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA). For spruce, the derived relationships were similar to those reported in previous studies, but not for beech. Biomass partitioning in the tree compartments above and below ground differs significantly between spruce (coarse root/shoot ratio 0.16±0.06) and beech (coarse root/shoot ratio 0.10±0.03) in the mixed stands. These results are similar to those given in other studies involving pure spruce and beech stands on comparable sites in the region, although the ratios of pure stands in other regions growing under different site conditions are somewhat higher. Comparing trees of the same DBH classes, root/shoot ratios of spruce are 1.2 to 3 times higher than those of beech. Dominant spruce trees (DBH>60 cm) attained the highest ratios, suppressed beech trees (DBH<10 cm) the lowest. Site conditions of varying climate and soils and interspecific tree competition are likely to affect root/shoot ratio and DBH-coarse root biomass relationships. The greater variability in beech compared with spruce indicates a high 'plasticity' and adaptability of beech carbon allocation. Thus, the derived equations are useful for biomass estimates of coarse roots involving trees of different ages in mixed stands of spruce and beech in the Solling Mountains. However, application of these relationships to stands in other regions would need further testing.     

Deletion of SA β‐Gal+ cells using senolytics improves muscle regeneration in old mice

Systemic deletion of senescent cells leads to robust improvements in cognitive, cardiovascular, and whole‐body metabolism, but their role in tissue reparative processes is incompletely understood. We hypothesized that senolytic drugs would enhance regeneration in aged skeletal muscle. Young (3 months) and old (20 months) male C57Bl/6J mice were administered the senolytics dasatinib (5 mg/kg) and quercetin (50 mg/kg) or vehicle bi‐weekly for 4 months. Tibialis anterior (TA) was then injected with 1.2% BaCl₂ or PBS 7‐ or 28 days prior to euthanization. Senescence‐associated β‐Galactosidase positive (SA β‐Gal+) cell abundance was low in muscle from both young and old mice and increased similarly 7 days following injury in both age groups, with no effect of D+Q. Most SA β‐Gal+ cells were also CD11b+ in young and old mice 7‐ and 14 days following injury, suggesting they are infiltrating immune cells. By 14 days, SA β‐Gal+/CD11b+ cells from old mice expressed senescence genes, whereas those from young mice expressed higher levels of genes characteristic of anti‐inflammatory macrophages. SA β‐Gal+ cells remained elevated in old compared to young mice 28 days following injury, which were reduced by D+Q only in the old mice. In D+Q‐treated old mice, muscle regenerated following injury to a greater extent compared to vehicle‐treated old mice, having larger fiber cross‐sectional area after 28 days. Conversely, D+Q blunted regeneration in young mice. In vitro experiments suggested D+Q directly improve myogenic progenitor cell proliferation. Enhanced physical function and improved muscle regeneration demonstrate that senolytics have beneficial effects only in old mice.     

Synthesis of a Bioactive Composition of Chitosan–Selenium Nanoparticles

Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology - A biologically active composition of chitosan-selenium nanoparticles has been developed. Selenium nanoparticles are characterized by a clear bimodal size...     

Concurrent aerobic exercise interferes with the satellite cell response to acute resistance exercise

The addition of aerobic exercise (AE) to a resistance exercise (RE) program (concurrent exercise, CE) can interfere with maximum muscle fiber growth achieved with RE. Further, CE appears to markedly affect the growth of myosin heavy chain (MHC) I, but not MHC IIa fibers. The mechanism responsible for this "interference" is unclear. Satellite cell (SC) responsiveness to exercise appears to influence muscle adaptation but has not yet been examined following acute concurrent exercise. Thus, we assessed the fiber-type-specific SC response to RE, AE, and CE exercise. Eight college-aged males completed the following two exercise trials: the RE trial, which consisted of unilateral leg extensions and presses (4 sets ≥ 10 repetitions: 75% 1 repetition maximum, RM); and the AE/CE trial, which included an identical RE protocol with the opposite leg, immediately followed by subjects cycling for 90 min (60% W(max)). Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis before and 4 days after each session. Samples were cross-sectioned, stained with antibodies against NCAM, Ki-67, and MHC I, counterstained with DAPI, and analyzed for SC density (SC per fiber), SC activation, and fiber type. SC density increased to a greater extent following RE (38 ± 10%), compared with CE (-6 ± 8%). Similarly, MHC I muscle fiber SC density displayed a greater increase following RE (46 ± 14%), compared with AE (-7 ± 17%) and CE (-8 ± 8%). Our data indicate that the SC response to RE is blunted when immediately followed by AE, at least in MHC I muscle fibers, and possibly MHC II fibers. This suggests that the physiological environment evoked by AE might attenuate the eventual addition of myonuclei important for maximum muscle fiber growth and consequent force-producing capacity.     

树木细根生产与周转研究方法评述

树木细根在森林生态系统能量流动和物质循环中起重要的作用。树木细根研究及方法探讨也成为当今森林生态学的研究热点。在中国,对树木细根生产和周转的研究尚未引起充分重视。在此介绍了目前国外普遍采用的树木细根研究方法及其优缺点、适用性以及不同方法的研究比较,以期对我国开展树木细根方面的研究有所裨益。