title: Exercise induces age-dependent changes on epigenetic parameters in rat hippocampus: a preliminary study.
abstract: Regular exercise improves learning and memory, including during aging process. Interestingly, the imbalance of epigenetic mechanisms has been linked to age-related cognitive deficits. However, studies about epigenetic alterations after exercise during the aging process are rare. In this preliminary study we investigated the effect of aging and exercise on DNA methyltransferases (DNMT1 and DNMT3b) and H3-K9 methylation levels in hippocampus from 3 and 20-months aged Wistar rats. The animals were submitted to two exercise protocols: single session or chronic treadmill protocol. DNMT1 and H3-K9 methylation levels were decreased in hippocampus from aged rats. The single exercise session decreased both DNMT3b and DNMT1 levels in young adult rats, without any effect in the aged group. Both exercise protocols reduced H3-K9 methylation levels in young adult rats, while the single session reversed the changes on H3-K9 methylation levels induced by aging. Together, these results suggest that an imbalance on DNMTs and H3-K9 methylation levels might be linked to the brain aging process and that the outcome to exercise seems to vary through lifespan.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Fisiologia, Rua Sarmento Leite, 500, 90050-170, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Viviane Rostirola
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Elsner
authors.forename: Gisele Agustini
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Lovatel
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moysés
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bertoldi
authors.forename: Christiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spindler
authors.forename: Laura Reck
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Cechinel
authors.forename: Alysson Renato
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Muotri
authors.forename: Ionara Rodrigues
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Siqueira
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D000076123:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D008239:Lysine; D008297:Male; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000097584:DNA Methyltransferase 3B
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000076123:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases; D006657:Histones; D008239:Lysine; D000097584:DNA Methyltransferase 3B; C000619382:Dnmt1 protein, rat