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Changes in adropin levels in brain and peripheral tissues with aging
Changjun Yang1, John Aaron Howell1, Lei Liu1
1Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Neuroscience Letters
|February 8, 2025
Summary
Aging significantly reduces brain adropin and NB-3 levels, potentially contributing to cognitive decline. This study highlights the brain-specific decline, suggesting therapeutic targets for neurological disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Aging Research
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Adropin is a bioactive peptide implicated in neurological health.
- Aging is associated with decreased brain adropin and potential neurological disorders like stroke and cognitive decline.
- The impact of aging on peripheral adropin and its relationship with neural molecule NB-3/contactin-6 is unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of aging on adropin levels in the brain and peripheral tissues.
- To examine the relationship between aging, adropin, and the neural recognition molecule NB-3/contactin-6.
- To explore the correlation between adropin reduction, NB-3 levels, and oxidative stress markers in aging brains.
Main Methods:
- Quantification of adropin using immunoblotting in brain and peripheral tissues of young and aged male mice.
- Measurement of NB-3/contactin-6 levels in mouse brains.
- Co-immunoprecipitation to assess the association between adropin and NB-3.
- Analysis of oxidative stress markers (gp91phox, 4-hydroxynonenal).
Main Results:
- A significant decrease in brain adropin levels was observed in aged mice compared to young controls.
- Peripheral tissue adropin levels showed no significant age-related changes.
- Aged brains exhibited lower levels of NB-3/contactin-6, which physically associates with adropin.
- Age-related adropin reduction in the brain correlated with increased oxidative stress markers.
Conclusions:
- Aging leads to a concurrent decline in brain adropin and NB-3 levels, distinct from peripheral tissues.
- This age-related brain-specific reduction in adropin and NB-3 may contribute to neurological dysfunction.
- Maintaining brain adropin levels presents a potential therapeutic strategy for mitigating brain aging and related disorders.
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