BioQuakes

AP Biology class blog for discussing current research in Biology

Author: jessophagus

Ending the Age of Aging Skin

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On January 21, 2020

In Student Post

“Your epidermis is showing,” my older sister once mischievously teased. What I at first thought was an inappropriate reference turned out to be an anatomical term for skin. This external tissue takes on a lot, from ultraviolet radiation to harmful chemicals and gases. With age, the damage is visible, as my sister had once indirectly implied, but a new study suggests this physical deterioration is fixable.

Nadine Pernodet, a scientist at the Materials Science and Engineering department at Stony Brook University, looked into how skin function changes due to epigenetic changes. She confirmed that skin cells follow a circadian rhythm (they change based on a daily schedule). For example, skin is relatively dry during the day, acting as a barrier to the elements, while it works to repair itself overnight and is more hydrated in the morning. However, when comparing the human skin cells from younger and older subjects, Pernodet found that these rhythms were only present in the young cells.

Perdenot further investigated with her team, studying other cellular processes that the circadian rhythm affects such as cellular recycling processes (found in lysosomes) and protein production. She utilized metabolomics, a method that measures the presence of metabolites (the products of metabolic processes such as carbohydrates, lipids, and amino acids) at any given time. Scientists removed skin metabolites for analysis using special tape and identified hundreds that affected skin appearance. They found that over sixty percent of metabolites cycled rhythmically for Caucasian women 25 and younger, but that less than twenty percent of those same metabolites oscillated strongly or consistently for women 60 and older.

The results showed that metabolites are more active and follow a circadian rhythm in younger skin cells, revealing how oscillation weakens and skin repair efficiency weakens with age. Though, there is much hope for potential solutions. In identifying the issue, certain skin-treatments have incorporated specific peptides which return the skin to a more youthful rhythm by restoring the once-lacked metabolites. This, in turn, can ultimately reduce visible signs of aging. Brands such as Estee Lauder are at the forefront of this terrain.

The study may also open up more research, as the metabolomic test strip can be used for other parts of the body, revealing other health conditions and issues, too. The future (and our skin 😉 ) looks bright. How do you care for your skin? Which products and habits do you use? Let me know in the comments below.

 

Your favorite muscular tube,

Jessophagus

 

Artificial Sweeteners – Not So Sweet Anymore

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On November 12, 2019

In Student Post

Could it be that artificial sweeteners speed up the development of the very disorders they were designed to prevent? According to a recent study, the answer is yes. Artificial sweeteners, intended to aid diabetes prevention and weight loss, actually have the opposite effect, adding to the epidemic sweeping the nation.

A study by graduate student Jonathan Suez found that artificial sweeteners directly affect the body’s ability to utilize glucose. In his experiment, mice were given water containing the three most common artificial sweeteners in the same quantities allowed by the FDA. The mice in the study developed a glucose intolerance as compared to those in a control group of mice with regular and sugar water.

The scientists repeated the experiment a second time, changing the types of mice and dosage of artificial sweeteners. Even so, the results were the same- artificial sweeteners induced a glucose intolerance in the mice. But why?

The researchers coined a hypothesis that the sugar substitutes change the function and composition of gut microbiota, or the population of bacteria that reside in the intestine. The body does not recognize the artificial sweeteners as “food,” so they are not absorbed in the digestive tract. Thus, they pass through to encounter the millions of bacteria in the gut microbiota, which are directly responsible for harmful effects on the metabolism.

Fun Gut Microbiota Cartoon Model

This hypothesis was confirmed in a follow-up experiment. Researchers gave mice antibiotics that eliminated the majority of their gut bacteria and then transferred the microbiota from mice that had consumed artificial sweetener to these germ-free mice. The researchers found that the transfer of the harmful microbiota also meant a transmission of the glucose intolerance. Indeed, changes to gut microbiota populations by artificial sweeteners promote glucose intolerance and health complications.

The experiment modeled on mice is also applicable to human beings. Further study and data from the personalized nutrition project, a self-reported program that tracks the relationship between nutrition and microbiota, showed a significant association between artificial sweetener consumption and glucose intolerance by those who shared their responses. Similarly, the researchers conducted a controlled experiment with participants who normally did not consume artificially sweetened foods but ate entirely artificially sweetened products for a week and saw that those in the study began to develop glucose intolerance after only seven days. They also saw a change in the composition of their gut microbiota, discovering two different populations of human gut bacteria – one that induced glucose intolerance when exposed to the sweeteners, and a second that did not affect people either way.

One researcher, Elinav, hypothesizes that the reasoning for this is that certain bacteria in the guts of the affected individuals reacted to the chemical sweeteners by producing substances that cause an inflammatory response similar to that of a sugar overdose. This then changes the body’s ability to utilize sugar and gives rise to diseases, such as those like diabetes discussed earlier.

These findings are worth considering when consuming varying cuisines in day to day life. I know I’ll definitely rethink when I find myself reaching for the “healthier alternative,” considering whether its a reality or merely a marketing technique. How do you balance the consumption of healthy and less favorable meals, treats and snacks, in your daily life? Let me know in the comments below.

Your favorite muscular tube,
Jessophagus

One Giant Leap for Dead Cells

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On October 19, 2019

In Student Post

The fight against cancer may seem like a one-sided battle, though current findings bring us one step closer to victory. A recently published study found that dead cell injections directed mice’s immune systems to combat tumors.

Researchers placed an enzyme called (RIPK3) that induces necroptosis, meaning the cell self-destructs by filling itself with holes, in the rodent. When the gene calling for necroptosis was placed in a virus that infects tumor cells, the immune system’s response was to kill the virus and in turn, the tumor cell. 

Apoptosis vs. Necroptosis vs. Survival by Bram

This reaction is a great sign. Though the tumors in rats do not exactly mimic the cancers and tumors in human beings, they support the idea that the immune system responds to certain stimuli, among them necroptosis. 

As of now, the main treatments for those affected by cancer or tumors are chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The issue with these methods is that both cancerous and healthy cells die; there is no way to target just the harmful cells. The study involving necroptosis is a huge step forward as it provides a possible method to destroy only those cells which negatively affect the patient.

Whether or not the programmed death solution can apply to humans is still unknown. The rat experiment is among the first of its kind, and it may be too soon to say whether this is truly a viable option. Additionally, the tumor types in rats are quite different from cancers fostered human beings. 

Nevertheless, I think this experiment is hopeful as it has paved the way for so many other experiments to test; there is so much left to explore. This may be the beginning of something extraordinary. What do you think? Is this experiment promising or not? Let me know in the comments below. 

Your favorite muscular tube,

Jessophagus

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