Biomol Ther.  2023 Jan;31(1):116-126. 10.4062/biomolther.2022.144.

Minoxidil Regulates Aging-Like Phenotypes in Rat Cortical Astrocytes In Vitro

Affiliations
  • 1Biological Science, College of Science & Technology, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
  • 2Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
  • 3Department of Life Science, Handong Global University, Pohang 37554, Republic of Korea
  • 4Department of Neurology, Konkuk Hospital Medical Center, Seoul 05030, Republic of Korea

Abstract

Mainly due to the slanted focus on the mechanism and regulation of neuronal aging, research on astrocyte aging and its modulation during brain aging is scarce. In this study, we established aged astrocyte culture model by long-term culturing. Cellular senescence was confirmed through SA-β-gal staining as well as through the examination of morphological, molecular, and functional markers. RNA sequencing and functional analysis of astrocytes were performed to further investigate the detailed characteristics of the aged astrocyte model. Along with aged phenotypes, decreased astrocytic proliferation, migration, mitochondrial energetic function and support for neuronal survival and differentiation has been observed in aged astrocytes. In addition, increased expression of cytokines and chemokine-related factors including plasminogen activator inhibitor -1 (PAI-1) was observed in aged astrocytes. Using the RNA sequencing results, we searched potential drugs that can normalize the dysregulated gene expression pattern observed in long-term cultured aged astrocytes. Among several candidates, minoxidil, a pyrimidine-derived anti-hypertensive and anti-pattern hair loss drug, normalized the increased number of SA-β-gal positive cells and nuclear size in aged astrocytes. In addition, minoxidil restored up-regulated activity of PAI-1 and increased mitochondrial superoxide production in aged astrocytes. We concluded that long term culture of astrocytes can be used as a reliable model for the study of astrocyte senescence and minoxidil can be a plausible candidate for the regulation of brain aging.

Keyword

Astrocytes; Brain aging; Mitochondria; Transcriptomic profiling; Minoxidil
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