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.