Exercise Training Prevents the Loss of Wall Thickness and Lowers Expression of Alzheimer’s Related Proteins in 3xTg Mouse Jejunum

Layla Al-Nakkash (), Daniel Mason, Niamatullah Ismail, Taylor Bowman, John Ahlert, Maxwell Rubin, Emma Smith, Abigail Rosander and Tom L. Broderick ()
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Layla Al-Nakkash: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
Daniel Mason: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
Niamatullah Ismail: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
Taylor Bowman: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
John Ahlert: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
Maxwell Rubin: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
Emma Smith: College of Veterinary Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
Abigail Rosander: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
Tom L. Broderick: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-13

Abstract: Growing evidence has demonstrated the benefits of regular exercise on cardiovascular, neural, and cognitive function in humans with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the consequences of AD on gastrointestinal morphology and the effects of regular exercise, which plays an important role against the development of certain gastrointestinal-related diseases, are still poorly understood. Therefore, to assess the changes in intestinal structure in a mouse model of AD and the impact of exercise, 2-month-old 3xTg-AD male mice were subjected to treadmill running 5 days per week for a period of 5 months. Jejunum from 3xTg-AD mice analyzed by histochemical methods revealed significant alterations in morphology. Compared to age-matched wild-type (WT) mice, villi length and crypt depth were increased, and collagen content of jejunum was elevated in 3xTg-AD mice. Jejunum wall dimensions, expressed as total wall thickness, outer longitudinal thickness, and inner circular thickness were decreased in 3xTg-AD compared to WT. Smooth muscle actin expression in jejunal wall was decreased in 3xTg-AD. Most of these aberrations were improved with exercise. Western blot expression of cyclin dependent kinase 5 (CDK5, involved in neural cell death and hyperphosphorylation of tau), was elevated in 3xTg-AD jejunum. This was associated with a 4-fold increase in tau5 expression. Exercise prevented the increase in expression of CDK5 and tau5. Expression of caspase 3 (an apoptotic marker) was elevated in 3xTg-AD jejunum and exercise prevented this. The results of our study indicate that the abnormalities in jejunum of the 3xTg mouse model of AD were prevented with exercise training.

Keywords: jejunum; exercise; 3xTg; alzheimer’s disease (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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