Age-dependent decline of DNA base excision repair activity in rat cortical neurons (original) (raw)
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Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, 2011
Earlier we have used biochemical approach to assess the number of single (SSBs) and double (DSBs) strand breaks in brain cellular DNA. However, a quick method to obtain a reliable measure of DNA damage in cells was in need for population studies. Therefore, single cell gel electrophoresis technique (popularly known as “comet” assay) has been standardized using the Trevigen protocol. DNA damage was assessed in isolated neurons and astrocytes from the cortex of young (7 days), adult (6 months) and old (2 years). Marked increase is seen in DNA damage in terms SSBs and DSBs in both types of cells by 6 months of age, which increased further by 2 years of age. The number of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) and uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) sensitive sites also increased in DNA with age with the simultaneous decrease in OGG1, UDG and AP endonuclease (APE1) activities. Thus the comet assay adapted to our lab conditions has proven to be useful for a quick assessment of DNA damage in a large number of samples that constitute our future studies.► Age dependent DNA damage, including the levels of OGG1 and UDG sensitive sites in DNA, was measured at the single cell level in the rat cerebral cortex through “comet” assay. ► DNA damage in terms of SSBs and DSBs increases with age in neurons and astrocytes. ► OGG1 and UDG sensitive sites accumulate in DNA of aging neurons and astrocytes. ► BER enzymes activities like OGG1, UDG and APE1 decline with age in neurons and astrocytes. ► This study shows that a single comet assay procedure, adapted suitably, can be used to assess various DNA damage and repair parameters at a single cell level and is of great utility for population studies.
Neurobiology of aging, 2006
Aging is associated with increased susceptibility to neuronal loss and disruption of cerebral function either as a component of senescence, or as a consequence of neurodegenerative disease or stroke. Here we report differential changes in the repair of oxidative DNA damage in various brain regions during aging. We evaluated mitochondrial and nuclear incision activities of oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1), uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) and the endonuclease III homologue (NTH1) in the caudate nucleus (CN), frontal cortex (FC), hippocampus (Hip), cerebellum (CE) and brain stem (BS) of 6- and 18-month-old male C57Bl/6 mice. We observed a significant age-dependent decrease in incision activities of all three glycosylases in the mitochondria of all brain regions, whereas variable patterns of changes were seen in nuclei. No age- or region-specific changes were observed in the mitochondrial repair synthesis incorporation of uracil-initiated base-excision repair (BER). We did not observe any...
Mitochondrion, 2013
Oxidative DNA damage results from the attack by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) on human genome. This includes base modifications such as oxidized bases, abasic (AP) sites, and single-strand breaks (SSBs), all of which are repaired by the base excision repair (BER) pathway, one among the six known repair pathways. BER-pathway in mammalian cells involves several evolutionarily conserved proteins and is also linked to genome replication and transcription. The BER-pathway enzymes, namely, DNA glycosylases (DGs) and the end-processing proteins such as abasic endonuclease (APE1), form complexes with downstream repair enzymes via protein-protein and DNA-protein interactions. An emerging concept for BER proteins is their involvement in non-canonical functions associated to RNA metabolism, which is opening new interesting perspectives. Various mechanisms that are underlined in maintaining neuronal cell genome integrity are identified, but are inconclusive in providing protection against oxidative damage in neurodegenerative disorders, main emphasis is given towards the role played by the proteins of BER-pathway that is discussed. In addition, mechanisms of action of BER-pathway in nuclear vs. mitochondria as well as the non-canonical functions are discussed in connection to human neurodegenerative diseases.
Effect of caloric restriction on base-excision repair (BER) in the aging rat brain
Experimental Gerontology, 2010
Exonuclease Apyrimidinic/apurinic endonuclease (APE) DNA polymerase b DNA ligase III Frontal/parietal cortex 8-Oxodeoxyguanosine a b s t r a c t Apyrimidinic/apurinic endonuclease (APE) is a key protein involved in the base-excision DNA repair (BER) pathway of oxidative DNA lesions. Using a novel oligonucleotide substrate, we demonstrate that APE activity in the frontal/parietal cortex (F/PCTX), cerebellum, brainstem, midbrain and hypothalamus declined with age in rats on an ad libitum (AL) diet. In contrast, APE activity for these brain regions was $1.5-3 times higher in young, caloric restricted (CR) rats. Despite continuous CR treatment in all animals since six weeks of age, APE activity in the CR group started to decline by middle-age and continued into old age. However, CR maintained APE activity at a level that was significantly higher than that in AL rats across age and in the brain regions examined. Because Western analysis of APE, DNA polymerase b and DNA ligase III levels in the F/PCTX of both CR and AL rats remained unchanged with age, this suggests that the increased APE activity in CR rats is the result of differential post-translational modification of APE.
Effects of post mortem interval and gender in DNA base excision repair activities in rat brains
Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis, 2015
Most human tissues used in research are of post mortem origin. This is the case for all brain samples, and due to the difficulty in obtaining a good number of samples, especially in the case of neurodegenerative diseases, male and female samples are often included in the same experimental group. However, the effects of post mortem interval (PMI) and gender differences in the endpoints being analyzed are not always fully understood, as is the case for DNA repair activities. To investigate these effects, in a controlled genetic background, base excision repair (BER) activities were measured in protein extracts obtained from Wistar rat brains from different genders and defined PMI up to 24 hours, using a novel fluorescent-based in vitro incision assay. Uracil and AP-site incision activity in nuclear and mitochondrial extracts were similar in all groups included in this study. Our results show that gender and PMI up to 24 hours have no influence in the activities of the BER proteins UDG and APE1 in rat brains. These findings demonstrate that these variables do not interfere on the BER activities included in these study, and provide a security window to work with UDG and APE1 proteins in samples of post mortem origin.
DNA repair mechanisms in neurological diseases: facts and hypotheses
Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 1992
DNA repair mechanisms usually consist of a complex network of enzymatic reactions catalyzed by a large family of mutually interacting gene products. Thus deficiency, alteration or low levels of a single enzyme and/or of auxiliary proteins might impair a repair process. There are several indications suggesting that some enzymes involved both in DNA replication and repair are less abundant if not completely absent in stationary and non replicating cells. Postmitotic brain cell does not replicate its genome and has lower levels of several DNA repair enzymes. This could impair the DNA repair capacity and render the nervous system prone to the accumulation of DNA lesions. Some human diseases clearly characterized by a DNA repair deficiency, such as xeroderma pigmentosum, ataxia-telangiectasia and Cockayne syndrome, show neurodegeneration as one of the main clinical and pathological features. On the other hand there is evidence that some diseases characterized by primary neuronal degeneration (such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Alzheimer disease) may have alterations in the DNA repair systems as well. DNA repair thus appears important to maintain the functional integrity of the nervous system and an accumulation of DNA damages in neurons as a result of impaired DNA repair mechanisms may lead to neuronal degenerations.
Genomic damage and its repair in young and aging brain
Molecular Neurobiology, 1993
A brief review of the available information concerning age-related genomic (DNA) damage and its repair, with special reference to brain tissue, is presented. The usefulness of examining the validity of DNA-damage and repair hypothesis of aging in a postmitotic cell like neuron is emphasized. The limited number of reports that exist on brain seem to overwhelmingly support the accumulation of DNA damage with age. However, results regarding the age-dependent decline in DNA-repair capacity are conflicting and divided. The possible reasons for these discrepancies are discussed in light of the gathering evidence, including some human genetic disorders, to indicate how complex is the DNA-repair system in higher animals. It is suggested that assessment of repair potential of neurons with respect to a specific damage in a specific gene might yield more definitive answers about the DNA-repair process and its role in aging.
PLoS Genetics, 2011
Neuronal degeneration is a hallmark of many DNA repair syndromes. Yet, how DNA damage causes neuronal degeneration and whether defects in different repair systems affect the brain differently is largely unknown. Here, we performed a systematic detailed analysis of neurodegenerative changes in mouse models deficient in nucleotide excision repair (NER) and transcription-coupled repair (TCR), two partially overlapping DNA repair systems that remove helix-distorting and transcription-blocking lesions, respectively, and that are associated with the UV-sensitive syndromes xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) and Cockayne syndrome (CS). TCR-deficient Csa 2/2 and Csb 2/2 CS mice showed activated microglia cells surrounding oligodendrocytes in regions with myelinated axons throughout the nervous system. This white matter microglia activation was not observed in NER-deficient Xpa 2/2 and Xpc 2/2 XP mice, but also occurred in Xpd XPCS mice carrying a point mutation (G602D) in the Xpd gene that is associated with a combined XPCS disorder and causes a partial NER and TCR defect. The white matter abnormalities in TCR-deficient mice are compatible with focal dysmyelination in CS patients. Both TCR-deficient and NER-deficient mice showed no evidence for neuronal degeneration apart from p53 activation in sporadic (Csa 2/2 , Csb 2/2 ) or highly sporadic (Xpa 2/2 , Xpc 2/2 ) neurons and astrocytes. To examine to what extent overlap occurs between both repair systems, we generated TCR-deficient mice with selective inactivation of NER in postnatal neurons. These mice develop dramatic age-related cumulative neuronal loss indicating DNA damage substrate overlap and synergism between TCR and NER pathways in neurons, and they uncover the occurrence of spontaneous DNA injury that may trigger neuronal degeneration. We propose that, while Csa 2/2 and Csb 2/2 TCR-deficient mice represent powerful animal models to study the mechanisms underlying myelin abnormalities in CS, neuron-specific inactivation of NER in TCR-deficient mice represents a valuable model for the role of NER in neuronal maintenance and survival.
Neurons in the cerebral cortex are most susceptible to DNA-damage in aging rat brain
Iubmb Life, 1996
Using nick translation type of incubation and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase catalyzed 3-end labeling, single and double strand breaks in genomic DNA of permeabilised neurons from different regions of young, adult and the aged rat brain were assessed. A steady increase in both types of breaks is noted with advancement of age in all of the brain regions studied. However, the number of SSB encountered in the cerebral cortex was the maximum and was also markedly higher than that in other brain regions. When the neuronal cells were exposed to MNNG or Glutamate the damage was aggravated in all the regions and at all ages but the most severe SSB damage is present in the cerebral cortex of older animals. Both cerebral cortex and the hippocampus showed equally higher DSB in comparison with the other regions. It is concluded that with advancement of age, DNA-damage accumulates in neurons and the cerebral cortex is the most vulnerable region.
DNA Repair, 2008
In situ hybridization Mice Human Aging BER a b s t r a c t High metabolic activity and low levels of antioxidant enzymes make neurons particularly prone to damage by reactive oxygen species. Thus, repair of oxidative DNA damage is essential for normal brain function. Base excision repair is the major pathway for repair of oxidative DNA damage, and is initiated by DNA glycosylases recognizing and removing the damaged base. In mammalian cells at least five different DNA glycosylases with overlapping substrate specificity, NEIL1, NEIL2, NEIL3, OGG1 and NTH1, remove oxidative DNA base lesions. Here we report mRNA expression and distribution of these five DNA glycosylases in human and rodent brains using in situ hybridization and Northern blotting supported by glycosylase activity assays. NEIL1, NEIL2, OGG1 and NTH1 showed widespread expression at all ages. In situ hybridization studies in mouse brain showed that expression of mNeil1 increased with age. In newborn mouse brain, mNeil3 revealed a discrete expression pattern in brain regions known to harbour stem cell populations, i.e., the subventricular zone, the rostral migratory stream, and the hilar region of the hippocampal formation. Expression of mNeil3 decreased with age, and in old mice brains could be detected only in layer V of neocortex. MNth1 was constitutively expressed during lifespan. In Northern blots, mOgg1 expression showed a transient decrease followed by an increase after 8 weeks of age. Assays for faPy DNA glycosylase activity revealed increased activity level with age in all brain regions analyzed.