Proteomic Signature and mRNA Expression in Hippocampus of SAMP8 and SAMR1 Mice during Aging

Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Dec 1;23(23):15097. doi: 10.3390/ijms232315097.

Abstract

Aging is a complex process often accompanied by cognitive decline that represents a risk factor for many neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The molecular mechanisms involved in age-related cognitive decline are not yet fully understood, although increased neuroinflammation is considered to play a significant role. In this study, we characterized a proteomic view of the hippocampus of the senescence-accelerated mouse prone-8 (SAMP8), a model of enhanced senescence, in comparison with the senescence-accelerated-resistant mouse (SAMR1), a model of normal aging. We additionally investigated inflammatory cytokines and cholinergic components gene expression during aging in the mouse brain tissues. Proteomic data defined the expression of key proteins involved in metabolic and cellular processes in neuronal and glial cells of the hippocampus. Gene Ontology revealed that most of the differentially expressed proteins are involved in the cytoskeleton and cell motility regulation. Molecular analysis results showed that both inflammatory cytokines and cholinergic components are differentially expressed during aging, with a downward trend of cholinergic receptors and esterase enzymes expression, in contrast to an upward trend of inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus of SAMP8. Together, our results support the important role of the cholinergic and cytokine systems in the aging of the murine brain.

Keywords: aging; cholinergic system; cytokines; hippocampus; inflammation.

MeSH terms

  • Aging / genetics
  • Aging / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Cholinergic Agents / metabolism
  • Hippocampus* / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Proteomics*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism

Substances

  • RNA, Messenger
  • Cholinergic Agents

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding. Authors were supported in part by their respective institutions, which included (i) University “G. d’Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy, (ii) West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China, (iii) King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia, (iv) Daffodil International University, Bangladesh, and (v) the Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, USA.