Project description:Aging is associated with declining immunity and inflammation as well as alterations in the gut microbiome with a decrease of beneficial microbes and increase in pathogenic ones. The aim of this study was to investigate aging associated gut microbiome in relation to immunologic and metabolic profile in a non-human primate (NHP) model. 12 old (age>18 years) and 4 young (age 3-6 years) Rhesus macaques were included in this study. Immune cell subsets were characterized in PBMC by flow cytometry and plasma cytokines levels were determined by bead based multiplex cytokine analysis. Stool samples were collected by ileal loop and investigated for microbiome analysis by shotgun metagenomics. Serum, gut microbial lysate and microbe-free fecal extract were subjected to metabolomic analysis by mass-spectrometry. Our results showed that the old animals exhibited higher inflammatory biomarkers in plasma and lower CD4 T cells with altered distribution of naïve and memory T cell maturation subsets. The gut microbiome in old animals had higher abundance of Archaeal and Proteobacterial species and lower Firmicutes than the young. Significant enrichment of metabolites that contribute to inflammatory and cytotoxic pathways was observed in serum and feces of old animals compared to the young. We conclude that aging NHP undergo immunosenescence and age associated alterations in the gut microbiome that has a distinct metabolic profile.
Project description:Mucopolysaccharidosis VII (MPS VII) is due to mutations within the gene encoding the lysosomal enzyme beta-glucuronidase, and results in the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans. MPS VII causes aortic dilatation and elastin fragmentation. In this study we performed microarray analysis of ascending aortas from normal and MPS VII mice, trying to find out possible genes responsible for the phenotype observed. In addition, during our breeding strategy, we noticed that some MPS VII mice had less dilated aortas, and we proposed that an yet-unidentified gene could be responsible for the difference observed. We therefore included in the analysis two MPS VII mice with aortas that were not dilated. Total RNA extracted from ascending aortas from 3 Normal mice, 3 MPS VII mice with dilated aortas and 2 MPS VII mice with aortas that were not dilated.
Project description:Exposure to titanium dioxide (TiO2) food additive by ingestion increased over the years. TiO2 is used in food to give a brighter, fresher colour to sweets, cookies, salad dressing under the name E171. New studies on E171 showed that after ingestion in a colorectal cancer mouse model, a significant increased number of colorectal tumours were found. In addition, short-term exposure to E171 induces gene expression changes in relation to oxidative stress responses, an impairment of the immune system, activation of signalling and cancer-related genes. Furthermore, dysregulation of the immune system was also observed after ingestion of E171 in rats. E171 comprises nanoparticles (NPs) and microparticles (MPs). Previous in vitro studies showed the capacity of E171, TiO2 NPs and MPs to induce oxidative stress, DNA damage, and induction of the micronuclei. The aim of our study was to investigate the relative contribution of the NPs and MPs fractions to the effects of E171 at the molecular level. This investigation was performed using in vitro exposure of Caco-2 cells to E171 as well as the NPs and MPs fractions of TiO2 and assessing effects with genome wide gene expression analysis. Results showed that the E171, TiO2 NPs and MPs induce gene expression changes in signalling, inflammation, immune system, transport, and cancer. Contribution of NPs was observed on genes involved in TLR cascade, MHC class I and II presentation, late cornified envelope, potassium channels, and cell cycle. MPs contribution was observed with changes in gene expression on a target to Hedgehog family, α-defensins, cadherin and cholinergic receptors. The gene expression changes associated with the immune system and inflammation induced by E171, MPs, and NPs suggest the creation of a favourable environment for cancer development.
Project description:We used microarray to detect pathway differences in the various brain regions in a monogenic in mucopolysaccharidosis type VII ( MPS VII ), a mouse model of a lysosomal storage disease A number of changes revealed unexpected system and process alterations, such as upregulation of the immune system with few inflammatory changes (a significant difference from the closely related MPS IIIb model), down-regulation of major oligodendrocyte genes even though white matter changes are not a feature histopathologically, and a plethora of developmental gene changes. 94 samples, no replicates, made up of half normals and half MPS mutant mice for the MPS VII mutation backcrossed on a C3h-heouj background
Project description:Mucopolysaccharidosis VII (MPS VII) is due to mutations within the gene encoding the lysosomal enzyme beta-glucuronidase, and results in the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans. MPS VII causes aortic dilatation and elastin fragmentation. In this study we performed microarray analysis of ascending aortas from normal and MPS VII mice, trying to find out possible genes responsible for the phenotype observed. In addition, during our breeding strategy, we noticed that some MPS VII mice had less dilated aortas, and we proposed that an yet-unidentified gene could be responsible for the difference observed. We therefore included in the analysis two MPS VII mice with aortas that were not dilated.