Aging Liver: Can Exercise be a Better Way to Delay the Process than Nutritional and Pharmacological Intervention? Focus on Lipid Metabolism

Relationship between macronutrients and energy intake and liver serum transaminase levels in elderly athletes and non-athletes: findings from the Neyshabur longitudinal study on aging

BACKGROUND

Assessing liver health and its determinants in the elderly is crucial. Lifestyle factors, including nutrition and exercise, may influence liver function. This study aimed to investigate the association between macronutrients and energy intake with serum levels of aminotransferases in elderly Iranian athletes and non-athletes.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study involving 811 elderly participants (369 athletes, 442 non-athletes) from the Neyshabur Longitudinal Study on Aging (NeLSA) was conducted. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Serum Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were measured. Regression analyses were employed to evaluate the associations between macronutrient intake and liver enzymes, adjusting for potential confounding variables.

RESULTS

In elderly athletes, higher calorie, protein, and carbohydrate intake were significantly associated with elevated ALT levels (p < 0.01 for all). Additionally, higher carbohydrate and calorie intake were linked to increased AST levels in athletes (p < 0.05 for both). For elderly non-athletes, only higher protein intake was significantly associated with increased ALT levels (p < 0.05), while no nutritional factors were associated with changes in AST levels.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that higher calorie, protein, and carbohydrate intake were associated with elevated ALT and AST levels in elderly individuals, particularly athletes. For athletes, all three nutrients were linked to elevated ALT, while only carbohydrates and calories impacted AST. For non-athletes, only protein affected ALT. These findings suggest that tailored nutritional strategies may be necessary to preserve liver health in active aging populations.

2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy-stilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside promotes liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in mice: The potential involvement of PPARα-mediated fatty acid metabolism

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy-stilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside (TSG) is the principal bioactive compound contained in Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. (PMT), which is traditionally recorded to possess tonic and anti-aging efficacy.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To identify the TSG-provided promotion on liver regeneration (LR) following partial hepatectomy (PHx) in mice and to explicate its involved mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The promotion of TSG on LR was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), 5-bromodeoxyuridinc (BrdU) and Ki-67 staining, and measuring the level of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Cyclin D1 in mice with PHx at different time points. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO, GSE15239) database and the label-free quantitative proteomics from liver of mice at 24 h after PHx were integrated to identify potential involved critical proteins, which were verified by Western-blot, Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), molecular docking and luciferase activity assay. Primary hepatocytes isolated from mice were used to investigate the TSG-provided promotion on proliferation in vitro.

RESULTS

TSG (20 mg/kg) promoted LR in mice after PHx. Results from RNA expression data from clinical samples and proteomic analysis from liver tissues indicated that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα)-mediated fatty acid metabolism pathway were crucially associated with the TSG-provided promotion on LR. TSG enhanced the nuclear translocation of PPARα and the mRNA expression of a series of PPARα-regulated downstream genes. In addition, TSG lowered hepatic triglyceride (TG) and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) amounts and increased hepatic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level in mice after PHx. TSG up-regulated the transcriptional activity of PPARα in vitro. Next results displayed that TSG promoted cell proliferation as well as ATP level in mice primary hepatocytes, which were abolished when PPARα was suppressed. Meanwhile, the cell viability was also elevated in mice primary hepatocytes treated with ATP.

CONCLUSION

Activating PPARα-mediated fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) pathway led to the production of ATP, which contributed to the TSG-provided promotion on LR after PHx in mice.

miR-743b-3p promotes hepatic lipogenesis via branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) metabolism by targeting PPM1K in aged mice

BACKGROUND

Lipid metabolism disorders appear to play an important role in the ageing process, thus understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the association of ageing with elevated vulnerability to lipid metabolism related diseases is crucial towards promoting quality of life in old age. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as crucial regulators of lipid metabolism, and some miRNAs have key roles in ageing.

METHODS

In this study, we investigated changes in liver lipid metabolism of ageing mice and the mechanisms of the altered expression of miRNAs in the ageing liver which contributes to the age-dependent increase in lipid synthesis. Here we found that miR-743b-3p was higher expressed in the liver tissues of ageing mice through the small RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, and its target PPM1K was predicted and confirmed the target relationship of miR-743b-3p with PPM1K in the aged mouse liver tissues and the cultured senescent hepatocytes in vitro. Moreover, using the transfected miR-743b-3p mimics/inhibitors into the senescent hepatocyte AML12.

RESULTS

We found that miR-743b-3p inhibition reversed the hepatocyte senescence, and finally decreased the expression of genes involved in lipid synthesis(Chrebp, Fabp4, Acly and Pparγ) through increasing the target gene expression of PPM1K which regulated the expression of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) metabolism-related genes (Bckdhα, Bckdk, Bcat2, Dbt).

CONCLUSIONS

These results identify that age-induced expression of miR-743b-3p inhibits its target PPM1K which induces BCAA metabolic disorder and regulates hepatocyte lipid accumulation during ageing.

Novel and Practical Approaches to Manage Diet-induced Metabolic Disorders: Part-I

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) which is caused by poor dietary habits and sedentary behavior is a serious global health problem. MetS is a cluster of risk factors, represented by central obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. In the 21st century, MetS and associated comorbidities, including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, are the major threats to human health. Practical dietary strategies, nutritional bioactive compounds and a healthy lifestyle are claimed to be efficient in the management of one or more components of MetS. Nevertheless successful management of MetS and commodities is still a major concern. Since hyperglycemia, inflammation and redox imbalance are intrinsically involved in the progression of MetS comorbidities, finding effective strategies that precisely target these systems is highly warranted. In this scenario, pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches with or without dietary patterns, phytochemicals or exercise interventions are the practical strategies to combat MetS and associated diseases. However, designing and prescribing of optimal nutritional patterns and exercise regimens remains a big challenge to achieve the maximum beneficial effects. This thematic issue addressed the concerns and provided practical strategies to overcome the malady of MetS in the modern world.