Infection with SARs-COV-2 displays increasing fatality with age and underlying co-morbidity, in particular, with markers of the metabolic syndrome and diabetes, which seems to be associated with a “cytokine storm” and an altered immune response. This suggests that a key contributory factor could be immunosenescence that is both age-related and lifestyle-induced. As the immune system itself is heavily reliant on mitochondrial function, then maintaining a healthy mitochondrial system may play a key role in resisting the virus, both directly, and indirectly by ensuring a good vaccine response. Furthermore, as viruses in general, and quite possibly this new virus, have also evolved to modulate immunometabolism and thus mitochondrial function to ensure their replication, this could further stress cellular bioenergetics. Unlike most sedentary modern humans, one of the natural hosts for the virus, the bat, has to “exercise” regularly to find food, which continually provides a powerful adaptive stimulus to maintain functional muscle and mitochondria. In effect the bat is exposed to regular hormetic stimuli, which could provide clues on how to resist this virus. In this paper we review the data that might support the idea that mitochondrial health, induced by a healthy lifestyle, could be a key factor in resisting the virus, and for those people who are perhaps not in optimal health, treatments that could support mitochondrial function might be pivotal to their long-term recovery.

Light-induced phase shifts of circadian rhythmic locomotor activity are associated with the expression of c-Jun, JunB, c-Fos and FosB transcription factors in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus, as shown in the present study. In order to explore the importance of c-Fos and JunB, the predominantly expressed AP-1 proteins for the phase-shifting effects of light, we blocked the expression of c-Fos and JunB in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of male rats, housed under constant darkness, by intracerebroventricular application of 2 microliters of 1 mM antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides (ASO) specifically directed against c-fos and junB mRNA. A light pulse (300 lux for 1 h) at circadian time 15 induced a significant phase shift (by 125 +/- 15 min) of the circadian locomotor activity rhythm, whereas application of ASO 6 h before the light pulse completely prevented this phase shift. Application of control nonsense oligodeoxynucleotides had no effect. ASO strongly reduced the light-induced expression of c-Fos and JunB proteins. In contrast, light pulses with or without the control nonsense oligodeoxynucleotides evoked strong nuclear c-Fos and JunB immunoreactivity in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus. These results demonstrate for the first time that inducible transcription factors such as c-Fos and JunB are an essential part of fundamental biological processes in the adult mammalian nervous system, e.g. of light-induced phase shifts of the circadian pacemaker.

This in vitro study was aimed at restitution of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 2-mediated suppression of T-lymphocyte activation within malignant gliomas. In early-passage tumor cell cultures of two glioblastomas (HTZ-153 and HTZ-209) and one malignant astrocytoma classified as World Health Organization Grade III (HTZ-243), autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells were activated by interleukin-1 alpha and interleukin-2 in vitro (lymphokine-activated killer cells) and tested for cytotoxic and proliferative activity. In expression studies (Western blot and Northern hybridization) of all three tumors, TGF-beta could be detected at the protein and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels. A polyclonal anti-TGF-beta neutralizing antibody did not enhance lymphocyte proliferation upon stimulation with tumor targets (3H-thymidine incorporation) and slightly stimulated lymphocyte cytotoxicity against autologous target cells. Preincubation of target cells for 12 hours with TGF-beta 2-specific phosphorothioate-anti-sense oligodeoxynucleotides (S-ODN's) did, however, enhance lymphocyte proliferation up to 2.5-fold and autologous tumor cytotoxicity up to 60%, compared to controls not treated with S-ODN's. Incubation of tumor cells with TGF-beta 2-specific S-ODN's resulted in decreased TGF-beta-specific immunoreactivity in cultured glioma cells, in reduced TGF-beta 2 protein concentration (Western blot), and in a change in the expression pattern of TGF-beta 2 mRNA's. These observations may have implications for in vivo and in vitro activation of a cellular immune response against autologous malignant glioma cells.

The distribution of mRNA expression for three types of voltage gated neuronal sodium-channels was studied in the rat brain at different developmental stages (embryonal day E18, postnatal day P5 and adult). With the in-situ hybridization technique, using synthetic DNA-oligomer probes, pronounced regional and temporal variations in the expression levels of the different channel subtypes could be detected. In comparison with types I and III, sodium channel II mRNA was the most abundant subtype at all developmental stages. Maximal expression of sodium channel II mRNA was seen at P5 in virtually all parts of the grey matter, except for the cerebellum. In adult rat brain in contrast, sodium channel II mRNA levels were maximal in the granular layer of the cerebellum, whereas in all other regions expression had decreased to roughly 50% of postnatal levels. Na channel I expression was virtually absent at E18 and showed highest levels at P5, with maxima in the caudate nucleus and hippocampus. In the adult brain, expression of Na-channel I was nearly absent in the neocortex, but well detectable in the cerebellum and, at lower levels in the striatum and thalamus. Sodium channel III was mainly expressed at the embryonal stage and showed a decrease to very low levels with little regional preferences in the adult.

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1. To investigate the role of the Jun transcription factors in neuronal differentiation, programmed neuronal cell death, and neuronal plasticity, we used phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides (S-ODN) to inhibit selectively the expression of c-Jun, JunB, and JunD. 2. We have shown previously that in contrast to c-Jun, the JunB and JunD transcription factors are negative regulators of cell growth in various cell lines. Here we confirm this finding in primary human fibroblasts. 3. c-Jun and JunB are counterplayers not only with respect to proliferation, but also in cell differentiation. Since JunB expression is essential for neuronal differentiation, we analyzed possible posttranslational modifications of JunB after induction of PC-12 cell differentiation by nerve growth factor (NGF). 4. JunB was strongly phosphorylated after induction of PC-12 cell differentiation with NGF but not after stimulation of cell proliferation with serum. Thus, while cell proliferation is associated with c-Jun phosphorylation, cell differentiation is correlated with JunB phosphorylation. This supports the finding that c-Jun and JunB play antagonistic roles in both proliferation and differentiation. 5. The JunB transcription factor together with the c-Fos transcription factor is also induced in vivo in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of rat brain after a light stimulus that induces resetting of the circadian clock. 6. Using antisense oligonucleotides injected into the third ventricle, we selectively cosuppressed the two transcription factors in vivo as shown by immunohistochemistry. Expression of c-Jun, JunD, and FosB was not affected. Inhibition of JunB and c-Fos expression prevented the light-induced phase shift of the circadian rhythm. In contrast, rats injected with a randomized control oligonucleotide showed the same phase shift as untreated animals. 7. In primary rat hippocampal cultures, anti-c-jun S-ODN selectively inhibited neuronal cell death and promoted neuronal survival. This indicates a causal role of c-Jun in programmed neuronal cell death. 8. These findings demonstrate the essential role of inducible transcription factors in the reprogramming of cells to a different functional state. Jun transcription factors play an essential role not only in fundamental processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and programmed neuronal cell death, but also in such complex processes as plastic adaptations in the mature brain. The inhibition of neuronal cell death by anti-c-jun S-ODN shows the great therapeutic potential of selective antisense oligonucleotides.

Induction of the jun-B and/or c-jun transcription factors is part of the immediate early response to diverse stimuli that induce alterations in cellular programs. While c-jun is a protooncogene whose expression is required for induction of cell proliferation, jun-B has recently been found to be induced by stimuli inducing differentiation in various cell lines. Furthermore, its expression is largely restricted to differentiating cells during embryogenesis. To determine the functional significance of these findings, we used antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides to inhibit expression of the two genes in proliferating and neuronally differentiating cells. While selective inhibition of c-jun expression reduced proliferation rates, inhibition of jun-B protein synthesis markedly increased proliferation in 3T3 fibroblasts, human mammary carcinoma cells and PC-12 pheochromocytoma cells, suggesting jun-B involvement in negative growth control. Neuronal differentiation of PC-12 cells induced by nerve growth factor (NGF) was prevented by inhibition of jun-B protein synthesis. PC-12 cells not only failed to grow neurites but also remained in the proliferative state. Furthermore, in cultured primary neurons from rat hippocampus, inhibition of jun-B expression, again, markedly reduced morphological differentiation. Conversely, inhibition of c-jun protein synthesis enhanced morphological differentiation of both primary neurons and PC-12 tumor cells. Thus, jun-B expression is required for neuronal differentiation and its balance with c-jun activity is involved in regulating key steps in proliferation and differentiation processes.

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