 |
|
Profile of the Aging Kidney: PLoS Biology Press Release
November 23, 2004A Global View of Gene Expression in the Aging Kidney
Four years ago in Science, Stuart Kim, a Stanford University developmental biologist, made the case for describing the broad strokes of a complex physiological process before defining its mechanisms. "A powerful, top-down, holistic approach," he wrote, "is to identify all of the components of a particular cellular process, so that one can define the global picture first and then use it as a framework to understand how the individual components of the process fit together." To get a broad view of gene expression in the developing nematode, Kim's lab turned to DNA microarray technology. In a new study, Kim and colleagues apply this same approach to the decidedly more complex problem of human aging and "present a molecular portrait" of the aging kidney.
Kidneys came from 74 patients, ranging in age from 27 to 92. Samples were extracted from donated kidneys or "meticulously harvested" from kidneys with localized disease to ensure only normal tissue was taken. Samples were obtained from two structures that are critical to kidney function: the renal cortex, which filters plasma, and the medulla, which alters urine composition to maintain fluid balance. Both deteriorate with age.
Kim and colleagues then used DNA microarrays to determine the activity of every gene in all the kidney samples. Of 33,000 known human genes on the microarray, 985 showed age-related changes.
Although cortex and medulla have different cell types and perform different functions, their genetic aging profile was very similar, suggesting a common aging mechanism operates in both structures. In fact, these mechanisms may function broadly, as most of the age-regulated kidney genes were also active in a wide range of human tissues. Other organisms appear to lack these changes, however, prompting the authors to argue that understanding aging in humans will require human subjects.
Most importantly, the genetic profile of the tissue samples correlated with the physiological decline of an aging kidney. An 81-year-old patient with an unusually healthy kidney had a molecular profile typical of someone much younger, while a 78-year-old with a less healthy kidney had the profile of a much older person. Using the power of functional genomics, this study has identified a set of genes that can serve as molecular markers for various stages of a deteriorating kidney. These gene sets can also serve as probes to shed light on the molecular pathways at work in the aging kidney, and possibly on the process of aging itself.
Citation: Kim S, Rodwell G, Sonu R, Zahn J, Lund J, et al. (2004) A Transcriptional Profile of Aging in the Human Kidney. PLoS Biol 2 (12): e427.
The published article will be accessible to your readers at: http://www.plosbiology.org/plosonline/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0020427
Press-only preview of the article: http://www.plos.org/downloads/plbi-02-12-kim.pdf
Related image for press use: http://www.plos.org/downloads/plbi-02-12-kim.jpg
Caption for image: Genome-wide analysis of aging in the human kidney. Photo illustration by Rebecca Sonu and Emily Crane.
CONTACT:
Stuart Kim
Stanford University School of Medicine
Beckman Ctr. B300
Stanford, CA USA 94305
+1-650-725-7612
+1-650-725-7739 (fax)
kim@cmgm.stanford.edu
*****************************
THE FOLLOWING RESEARCH ARTICLES WILL ALSO BE PUBLISHED ONLINE:
Secreted Bacterial Effectors and Host- Produced Eiger/TNF Drive Death in a Salmonella-Infected Fruit Fly
A lethal infection of Drosophila is abrogated by removing a secreted Salmonella effector, demonstrating that the fly's immune system, which although initially protective, is subsequently harmful to the host.
Citation: Brandt S, Dionne M, Khush R, Pham L, Vigdal T, et al. (2004) Secreted Bacterial Effectors and Host- Produced Eiger/TNF Drive Death in a Salmonella-Infected Fruit Fly. PLoS Biol 2 (12): e418.
The published article will be accessible to your readers at:
http://www.plosbiology.org/plosonline/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0020418
Press-only preview of the article: http://www.plos.org/downloads/plbi-02-12-schneider.pdf
CONTACT:
David Schneider
Stanford University
299 Campus Drive
Stanford, CA USA 94304-5124
+1-650-724-8063
+1-650-725-6757 (fax)
dschneider@stanford.edu
*****************************
Drosophila Spastin Regulates Synaptic Microtubule Networks and Is Required for Normal Motor Function
Kai Zinn and colleagues use loss- and gain-of function mutations to study the Drosophila homologue of a gene mutated in human autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegia.
Citation: Sherwood N, Sun Q, Xue M, Zhang B, Zinn K (2004) Drosophila Spastin Regulates Synaptic Microtubule Networks and Is Required for Normal Motor Function. PLoS Biol 2 (12): e429.
The published article will be accessible to your readers at:
http://www.plosbiology.org/plosonline/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0020429
Press-only preview of the article: http://www.plos.org/downloads/plbi-02-12-zinn.pdf
CONTACT:
Kai Zinn
California Institute of Technology
Broad Center, 114-96
1200 E. California Blvd.
Pasadena, CA USA 91125
+1-626-395-8315
zinnk@caltech.edu
*****************************
Modern Humans Did Not Admix with Neanderthals during Their Range Expansion into Europe
A model of human expansion into Europe reveals almost complete sterility between Neanderthal females and modern human males, implying that the two populations were probably distinct biological species.
Citation: Currat M, Excoffier L (2004) Modern Humans Did Not Admix with Neanderthals during Their Range Expansion into Europe. PLoS Biol 2 (12): e421.
The published article will be accessible to your readers at:
http://www.plosbiology.org/plosonline/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0020421
Press-only preview of the article: http://www.plos.org/downloads/plbi-02-12-excoffier.pdf
CONTACT:
Laurent Excoffier
Zoological Institute
Baltzerstrasse 6
Bern, Switzerland 3012
+33-4-99-62-33-42
+33-4-99-62-33-45 (fax)
laurent.excoffier@zoo.unibe.ch
*****************************
Replication of Norovirus in Cell Culture Reveals a Tropism for Dendritic Cells and Macrophages
Noroviruses-which cause epidemic gastroenteritis-can now be grown in cells of the innate immune system, providing a tool to examine this pathogen while offering insights into norovirus biology.
Citation: Wobus C, Karst S, Thackray L, Chang K, Sosnovtsev S, et al. (2004) Replication of Norovirus in Cell Culture Reveals a Tropism for Dendritic Cells and Macrophages. PLoS Bio 2 (12): e432.
The published article will be accessible to your readers at:
http://www.plosbiology.org/plosonline/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0020432
Press-only preview of the article: http://www.plos.org/downloads/plbi-02-12-virgin.pdf
CONTACT:
Herbert Virgin
Washington University School of Medicine
660 S. Euclid Ave
St. Louis, MO USA 63110
+1-314-362-9223
+1-314-362-4096 (fax)
virgin@immunology.wustl.edu
*****************************
In Silico Reconstitution of Listeria Propulsion Exhibits Nano-Saltation
A detailed computer simulation explicitly simulates monomer-scale biochemical and mechanical interactions to characterize bacterial motion.
Citation: Alberts J, Odell G (2004) In Silico Reconstitution of Listeria Propulsion Exhibits Nano-Saltation. PLoS Biol 2 (12): e412.
The published article will be accessible to your readers at:
http://www.plosbiology.org/plosonline/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0020412
Press-only preview of the article: http://www.plos.org/downloads/plbi-02-12-alberts.pdf
CONTACT:
Jonathan Alberts
University of Washington
620 University Rd
Friday Harbor, WA USA 98250
+206-616-0895
+206-616-6804 (fax)
jalberts@u.washington.edu
*****************************
Patterns of Intron Gain and Loss in Fungi
A comparative study of four fungal genomes reveals the patterns of intron gain and loss over several hundred million years of evolution.
Citation: Nielsen C, Friedman B, Birren B, Burge C, Galagan J (2004) Patterns of Intron Gain and Loss in Fungi. PLoS Biol 2 (12): e422.
The published article will be accessible to your readers at:
http://www.plosbiology.org/plosonline/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0020422
Press-only preview of the article: http://www.plos.org/downloads/plbi-02-12-galagan.pdf
CONTACT:
James Galagan
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
320 Charles Street
Cambridge, MA CA 02142
+1-617-258-0479
jgalag@mit.edu
Public Library Of Science
Aging Current Events and Aging News RSSPossible Link Studied Between Childhood Abuse and Early Cellular Aging
Children who suffer physical or emotional abuse may be faced with accelerated cellular aging as adults, according to new research from Butler Hospital and Brown University.
An atomic-level look at an HIV accomplice
Since the discovery in 2007 that a component of human semen called SEVI boosts infectivity of the virus that causes AIDS, researchers have been trying to learn more about SEVI and how it works, in hopes of thwarting its infection-promoting activity.
New culprit for viral infections among elderly -- an overactive immune response
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found that exaggerated responses of the immune system explain why the elderly succumb to viral infections more readily than younger people.
Saliva proteins change as women age
In a step toward using human saliva to tell whether those stiff joints, memory lapses, and other telltale signs of aging are normal or red flags for disease, scientists are describing how the protein content of women's saliva change with advancing age.
Scientists find molecular trigger that helps prevent aging and disease
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine set out to address a question that has been challenging scientists for years: How do dietary restriction-and the reverse, overconsumption-produce protective effects against aging and disease?
Residential design for persons with neurological disability
IOS Press announces the November 2009 publication of a special issue of NeuroRehabilitation: An International Journal devoted to residential design for persons with neurodisability.
Berkeley Lab Lends Expertise to India to Promote Energy Efficiency
ndia may rank only a distant fourth in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, behind China, the United States and Russia, but its rapid economic growth rate coupled with aging and inefficient energy infrastructure suggest dire environmental consequences if "business as usual" continues.
New neuroimaging analysis technique identifies impact of Alzheimer's disease gene in healthy brains
Brain imaging can offer a window into risk for diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). A study conducted at the University of Kansas School of Medicine demonstrated that genetic risk is expressed in the brains of even those who are healthy, but carry some risk for AD.
Researchers find potential treatment for Huntington's disease
Investigators at Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham), the University of British Columbia's Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and the University of California, San Diego have found that normal synaptic activity in nerve cells (the electrical activity in the brain that allows nerve cells to communicate with one another) protects the brain from the misfolded proteins associated with Huntington's disease.
Neuroimaging provides insights into new treatment options for Alzheimer's disease
With about 35 million people around the world suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) by the year 2010 and an expectation that these numbers will double every twenty years with approximately 115 million cases by 2050, pressure on healthcare systems worldwide will be intense.
More Aging Current Events and Aging News Articles
 |
Aging Well: Surprising Guideposts to a Happier Life from the Landmark Harvard Study of Adult Development by George E. Vaillant (Author) Now in paperback, the acclaimed bestseller that reveals the scientific secrets to ensuring that our golden years are truly golden. Based on the longest and most complete study of adult development in the world, AGING WELL draws from the individual histories of 824 men and women from a variety of backgrounds to illustrate the most important factors involved in reaching and enjoying a happy, healthy old age. |
 |
Rules for Aging: A Wry and Witty Guide to Life by Roger Rosenblatt (Author) Acclaimed and beloved prize-winning essayist Roger Rosenblatt has commented on most of the trends and events of our time. His columns in Time magazine and his commentaries on PBS's News Hour with Jim Lehrer have made him a household word and a trusted friend of millions. With a wry sense of humor and inimitable wit, Rosenblatt offers here guidelines for aging that are both easy to understand and, more importantly, easy to implement. More and more in the news today, we are hearing about phenomenal advances in the "fight against aging." But what Rosenblatt suggests to combat age is far more valuable than any scientific breakthrough-he breaks down the hardest part of aging, the mental anguish of growing older with fifty-four gems of funny, brilliant, wise, indispensable advice.... |
 |
Aging: Concepts and Controversies by Harry R. Moody (Author) Presenting current research in an innovative format, Aging: Concepts and Controversies encourages students to become involved and take an informed stand on the major aging issues that we face as a society. Leading author and active expert in gerontology Rick Moody provides thorough explanation of the issues in the Concepts sections and current research in the Controversy sections, demonstrating the close link between concepts and controversies in the broad areas of aging: health care, socioeconomic trends, and the life course. Thoroughly revised throughout, this Sixth Edition updates developments in each sub-specialty including nine new readings, new international... |
 |
Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being by Andrew Weil M.D. (Author) In each of his widely acclaimed, best-selling books, Dr. Andrew Weil has been an authoritative and companionable guide through a uniquely effective combination of traditional and nontraditional approaches to health and healthy living. Now he gives us a book about aging that is unlike any other. Drawing on the new science of biogerontology (the biology of aging) as well as on the secrets of healthy longevity — diet, activity and attitude — Dr. Weil explains that there are a myriad of things we can do to keep our bodies and minds in good working order through all phases of life. Hugely informative, practical, and uplifting, Healthy Aging is infused with the engaging candor and common sense that have made Dr. Weil our most trusted source on healthy living. With detailed... |
 |
Aging: The Fulfillment of Life by Henri J.M. Nouwen (Author), Walter J. Gaffney (Author) The author shares his moving and inspirational thoughts on what aging can mean to all of us. It is a warm, caring book that shows us how to make the later years a source of hope rather than a time of loneliness. B & W photographs throughout. |
 |
Aging With Grace: What the Nun Study Teaches Us About Leading Longer, Healthier, and More Meaningful Lives by David Snowdon (Author) In 1986 Dr. David Snowdon, one of the world’s leading experts on Alzheimer’s disease, embarked on a revolutionary scientific study that would forever change the way we view aging—and ultimately living. Dubbed the “Nun Study” because it involves a unique population of 678 Catholic sisters, this remarkable long-term research project has made headlines worldwide with its provocative discoveries. Yet Aging with Grace is more than a groundbreaking health and science book. It is the inspiring human story of these remarkable women—ranging in age from 74 to 106—whose dedication to serving others may help all of us live longer and healthier lives. Totally accessible, with fascinating portraits of the nuns and the scientists who study them, Aging with Grace also offers a... |
 |
The Art of Aging: A Doctor's Prescription for Well-Being by Sherwin B. Nuland (Author) In his landmark book How We Die, Sherwin B. Nuland profoundly altered our perception of the end of life. Now in The Art of Aging, Dr. Nuland steps back to explore the impact of aging on our minds and bodies, strivings and relationships. Melding a scientist’s passion for truth with a humanist’s understanding of the heart and soul, Nuland has created a wise, frank, and inspiring book about the ultimate stage of life’s journey. The onset of aging can be so gradual that we are often surprised to find that one day it is fully upon us. The changes to the senses, appearance, reflexes, physical endurance, and sexual appetites are undeniable–and rarely welcome–and yet, as Nuland shows, getting older has its surprising blessings. Age concentrates not only the mind, but the body’s... |
 |
Open Road - America Looks at Aging Starring: Michele Norris Directed By: Nina Gilden Seavey Also With: Erich Roland (Cinematographer), Jeff Steinberg (Composer), Mickey Green (Editor), Ian Rummer (Editor) THE OPEN ROAD: AMERICA LOOKS AT AGING, a new documentary premiering on PBS in July 2005, examines the personal and social impact of the impending retirement of America's 77 million Baby Boomers. Through insightful stories of individuals confronting the obstacles and pursuing opportunities presented by the "third stage" of life, THE OPEN ROAD probes the important social, economic, and cultural issues at stake. It is a film that will make people think, talk, and plan for the road that lies ahead. It is a key part of a nation-wide dialogue that will include town meetings in 9 select cities, locally-sponsored discussion groups throughout the U.S., articles written on retirement authored by veteran journalists, and the creation of a model communities program. Coupled with this intensive... |
 |
The Gift of Years: Growing Older Gracefully by Joan Chittister (Author) Not only accepting but celebrating getting old, this inspirational and illuminating work looks at the many facets of the aging process, from purposes and challenges to struggles and surprises. Central throughout is a call to cherish the blessing of aging as a natural part of life that is active, productive, and deeply rewarding. Perhaps the most important dimension revealed lies in the awareness that there is a purpose to aging and intention built into every stage of life. Chittister reflects on many key issues, including the temptation towards isolation, the need to stay involved, the importance of health and well-being, what happens when old relationships end or shift, the fear of tomorrow, and the mystery of forever. Readers are encouraged to surmount their fears of getting older... |
 |
Annual Editions: Aging 09/10 by Harold Cox (Author) Annual Editions is a series of over 65 volumes, each designed to provide convenient, inexpensive access to a wide range of current articles from some of the most respected magazines, newspapers, and journals published today. Annual Editions are updated on a regular basis through a continuous monitoring of over 300 periodical sources. The articles selected are authored by prominent scholars, researchers, and commentators writing for a general audience. The Annual Editions volumes have a number of common organizational features designed to make them particularly useful in the classroom: a general introduction; an annotated table of contents; a topic guide; an annotated listing of selected World Wide Web sites; and a brief overview for each section. Each volume also offers an online... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |