Exercise increases mitochondrial complex I activity and DRP1 expression in the brains of aged mice.

Exercise increases mitochondrial complex I activity and DRP1 expression in the brains of aged mice. Exp Gerontol. 2017 Jan 17;: Authors: Gusdon AM, Callio J, DiStefano G, O'Doherty RM, Goodpaster BH, Coen PM, Chu CT Abstract Exercise is known to have numerous beneficial effects. Recent studies indicate that exercise improves mitochondrial energetics not only in skeletal muscle but also in other tissues. While exercise elicits positive effects on memory, neurogenesis, and synaptic plasticity, the effects of exercise on brain mitochondrial energetics remain relatively unknown. Herein, we studied the effects of exercise training in old and young mice on brain mitochondrial energetics, in comparison to known effects on peripheral tissues that utilize fatty acid oxidation. Exercise improved the capacity for muscle and liver to oxidize palmitate in old mice, but not young mice. In the brain, exercise increased rates of respiration and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the old group only while utilizing complex I substrates, effects that were not seen in the young group. Coupled complex I to III enzymatic activity was significantly increased in old trained versus untrained mice with no effect on coupled II to III enzymatic activity. Mitochondrial protein content and markers of mitochondrial biogenesis (PGC-1α and TFAM) were not affected by exercise training in the brain, in contrast to the skeletal muscle of old mice. Brain level...
Source: Experimental Gerontology - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Tags: Exp Gerontol Source Type: research