Mitochondrial function and molecular markers associated with aging in the long-lived red-footed tortoise Chelonoidis carbonaria

• Grant number: 17/05487-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: October 01, 2017
• End date: December 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Metabolism and Bioenergetics
• Principal Investigator: Aníbal Eugênio Vercesi
• Grantee: Marina Rincon Sartori
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/17728-8 - Mitochondrial function and dysfunction: implications for aging and associated diseases, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/26391-2 - The role of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) in the hypoxia tolerance of naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber), BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Brazil follows the worldwide trend of a marked increase in the number of elderly people in the population. Therefore, factors associated with aging are drawing attention, due to the relationship of aging with chronic diseases, elderly life quality, medical assistance costs and mortality risk. Many aging studies using model organisms focus on the mitochondria, multifunctional organelles that in addition to provide energy to the cell, have signaling functions involved with longevity and cell death processes. Mitochondria are associated with aging mainly through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial DNA mutations and general mitochondrial dysfunctions. Moreover, the opening of the permeability transition pore (PTP) has been associated with aging and with several degenerative diseases. We propose to investigate the factors associated with longevity in the red-footed tortoise Chelonoidis carbonaria, which exhibits slow functional loss with age. For that, we will evaluate the mitochondrial bioenergetics and ultrastructure, ROS generation, oxidative damage and antioxidant capacity in specimens with different ages, using rats as an established mammalian reference model. We will also determine molecular markers involved with cellular senescence, proteostasis and mitochondrial dynamics. Our project aims to identify mechanisms that in the future could be applied in interventions for the promotion of healthy aging and to reduce age-related disease prevalence. (AU)

Scientific publications

(8)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SARTORI, MARINA RINCON; LERCHNER, J.; CASTILHO, R. F.; VOLPE, P. O.; MERTENS, F.; VERCESI, A. E.. hip-calorimetric assessment of heat generation during Ca2+ uptake by digitonin-permeabilized Trypanosoma cruz. JOURNAL OF THERMAL ANALYSIS AND CALORIMETRY, v. 147, n. 7, MAY 2021. (18/19976-1, 17/17728-8, 17/05487-6)

SARTORI, MARINA R.; NAVARRO, CLAUDIA D. C.; CASTILHO, ROGER F.; VERCESI, ANIBAL E.. Aggravation of hepatic lipidosis in red-footed tortoise Chelonoidis carbonaria with age is associated with alterations in liver mitochondria. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY B-BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, v. 260, p. 8-pg., 2022-03-12. (17/05487-6, 17/17728-8, 19/20855-7)

DA MOTA ARAUJO, HELENA RACHEL; SARTORI, MARINA RINCON; NAVARRO, CLAUDIA D. C.; DE CARVALHO, JOSE EDUARDO; DA CRUZ, ANDRE LUIS. Feeding effects on liver mitochondrial bioenergetics of Boa constrictor (Serpentes: Boidae). Journal of Experimental Biology, v. 224, n. 21, NOV 2021. (08/57712-4, 20/12962-5, 17/05487-6)

LERCHNER, JOHANNES; SARTORI, MARINA R.; VOLPE, PEDRO O. L.; LANDER, NOELIA; MERTENS, FLORIAN; VERCESI, ANIBAL E.. Direct determination of anaerobe contributions to the energy metabolism of Trypanosoma cruzi by chip calorimetry. ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, v. 411, n. 17, p. 3763-3768, JUL 2019. (17/17728-8, 14/08995-4, 17/05487-6, 17/04613-8)

LERCHNER, J.; SARTORI, M. R.; VOLPE, P. O.; FORSTER, S.; MAZIK, M.; VERCESI, A. E.; MERTENS, F.. Segment fusion chip calorimetry: a new method for the investigation of fast reactions. JOURNAL OF THERMAL ANALYSIS AND CALORIMETRY, FEB 2021. (18/19976-1, 17/17728-8, 17/05487-6)

SARTORI, MARINA RINCON; LERCHNER, J.; CASTILHO, R. F.; VOLPE, P. O.; MERTENS, F.; VERCESI, A. E.. Chip-calorimetric assessment of heat generation during Ca2+ uptake by digitonin-permeabilized Trypanosoma cruzi. JOURNAL OF THERMAL ANALYSIS AND CALORIMETRY, v. 147, n. 7, p. 9-pg., 2021-05-23. (17/05487-6, 18/19976-1, 17/17728-8)

LERCHNER, J.; SARTORI, M. R.; VOLPE, P. O.; FORSTER, S.; MAZIK, M.; VERCESI, A. E.; MERTENS, F.. Segment fusion chip calorimetry: a new method for the investigation of fast reactions. JOURNAL OF THERMAL ANALYSIS AND CALORIMETRY, v. 147, n. 3, p. 2253-2263, FEB 2022. (17/17728-8, 17/05487-6, 18/19976-1)

SARTORI, MARINA R.; NAVARRO, CLAUDIA D. C.; CASTILHO, ROGER F.; VERCESI, ANIBAL E.. nhanced resistance to Ca2+-induced mitochondrial permeability transition in the long-lived red-footed tortoise Chelonoidis carbonari. Journal of Experimental Biology, v. 225, n. 1, JAN 2022. (17/17728-8, 19/20855-7, 17/05487-6)