Analysis of hippocampal gene expression in adult and aged male BABL/c mice with or without running wheel access

Currently, the mechanisms behind the anti-aging effects of exercise are not understood. The presented study conducted a microarray on hippocampal samples from adult (3.5 month-old) and aged (18 month-old) male BALB/c mice that were individually housed with or without running wheels for 8 weeks. Results showed that aging altered genes related to chromatin remodeling, cell growth, immune activity, and synapse organization compared to adult mice. Exercise was found to modulate many of the genes altered by aging, but in the opposite direction. For example, wheel running increased expression of genes related to cell growth and attenuated expression of genes involved in immune function and chromatin remodeling. Collectively, findings show that even late-onset exercise may attenuate age-related changes in gene expression and identifies possible pathways through which exercise may exert its beneficial effects. In total 20 samples (4 aged exercise, 4 aged sedentary, 6 adult exercise, and 6 adult sedentary) plus 4 technical replicates (24 total) were analyzed.目前，运动抗衰老效应背后的具体分子机制尚未阐明。本研究针对成年（3.5月龄）与老年（18月龄）雄性BALB/c小鼠的海马组织样本开展基因芯片（microarray）检测：所有小鼠均单笼饲养，分别设置有跑轮（运动组）与无跑轮（静坐组）两种饲养条件，干预时长为8周。结果显示，与成年小鼠相比，衰老会改变与染色质重塑、细胞生长、免疫活性及突触组织相关的基因表达。研究发现运动可对衰老所改变的诸多基因表达进行调控，且调控方向与衰老的作用相反。例如，跑轮运动可上调与细胞生长相关的基因表达，并下调与免疫功能及染色质重塑相关的基因表达。综合来看，本研究结果表明，即便晚期启动运动干预，仍可缓解衰老相关的基因表达改变，并揭示了运动发挥有益抗衰老效应的潜在调控通路。本次分析共纳入20份生物样本（老年运动组4份、老年静坐组4份、成年运动组6份、成年静坐组6份），外加4份技术重复样本，总计24份样本参与分析。