Inhibition of Sirtuin 2 enhances autophagy and restores neuronal function in aged hippocampal neurons

Age-related cognitive decline is linked to impaired autophagy and hippocampal dysfunction. This study investigates the role of Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) in age-related cognitive decline, focusing on its impact on autophagy and hippocampal function. Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed 67 significantly d...

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Main Authors: Zhenyuan Zhang, Lan Zhang, Yidan Zhang, Yuan Zhao, Ya Gao, Cong Zhang, Dongxiao Li, Xiangjian Zhang, Guofeng Yang, Jian Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-10-01
Series:Brain Research Bulletin
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923025003132
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author Zhenyuan Zhang
Lan Zhang
Yidan Zhang
Yuan Zhao
Ya Gao
Cong Zhang
Dongxiao Li
Xiangjian Zhang
Guofeng Yang
Jian Zhang
author_facet Zhenyuan Zhang
Lan Zhang
Yidan Zhang
Yuan Zhao
Ya Gao
Cong Zhang
Dongxiao Li
Xiangjian Zhang
Guofeng Yang
Jian Zhang
author_sort Zhenyuan Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Age-related cognitive decline is linked to impaired autophagy and hippocampal dysfunction. This study investigates the role of Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) in age-related cognitive decline, focusing on its impact on autophagy and hippocampal function. Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed 67 significantly dysregulated proteins in the hippocampus of naturally aged male mice, including upregulated SIRT2 and impaired autophagy. To explore the role of SIRT2 in brain aging and its association with autophagy, naturally aged male mice received AK7, a SIRT2-specific inhibitor, for four consecutive weeks, followed by behavioral assessment using the Morris water maze. Western blot and immunofluorescence analyses were applied to assess mTOR phosphorylation, LC3B-II turnover, and SQSTM1/p62 degradation, complemented by in vitro validation in a D-galactose-induced HT-22 cellular senescence model. The results indicated that AK7 administration improved cognitive performance in aged mice, while simultaneously reducing mTOR phosphorylation and enhancing autophagy markers. In vitro, SIRT2 genetic knockdown restored the mTOR phosphorylation, LC3B-II/LC3I ratio, and SQSTM1/p62 accumulation, while also reducing senescence markers (including TNF-α, P21,Trp53) in D-galactose-induced HT-22 cells. These effects were abolished by mTOR activation, confirming mTOR as a downstream mediator of SIRT2. Our findings highlight SIRT2 inhibition as a promising therapeutic strategy to counteract age-related cognitive decline through the modulation of mTOR-dependent autophagy in the hippocampus.
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spelling doaj-art-ebc10025b70e486f9ec25d451a337f3a2025-08-20T03:38:58ZengElsevierBrain Research Bulletin1873-27472025-10-0123011150110.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111501Inhibition of Sirtuin 2 enhances autophagy and restores neuronal function in aged hippocampal neuronsZhenyuan Zhang0Lan Zhang1Yidan Zhang2Yuan Zhao3Ya Gao4Cong Zhang5Dongxiao Li6Xiangjian Zhang7Guofeng Yang8Jian Zhang9Department of Geriatrics, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, PR China; Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, PR ChinaDepartment of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, PR ChinaDepartment of Geriatrics, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, PR ChinaDepartment of Geriatrics, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, PR ChinaDepartment of Geriatrics, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, PR ChinaDepartment of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, PR China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardio-cerebrovascular Disease, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, PR ChinaDepartment of Neurology, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, PR ChinaDepartment of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, PR China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardio-cerebrovascular Disease, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, PR ChinaDepartment of Geriatrics, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, PR China; Corresponding authors.Department of Geriatrics, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, PR China; Corresponding authors.Age-related cognitive decline is linked to impaired autophagy and hippocampal dysfunction. This study investigates the role of Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) in age-related cognitive decline, focusing on its impact on autophagy and hippocampal function. Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed 67 significantly dysregulated proteins in the hippocampus of naturally aged male mice, including upregulated SIRT2 and impaired autophagy. To explore the role of SIRT2 in brain aging and its association with autophagy, naturally aged male mice received AK7, a SIRT2-specific inhibitor, for four consecutive weeks, followed by behavioral assessment using the Morris water maze. Western blot and immunofluorescence analyses were applied to assess mTOR phosphorylation, LC3B-II turnover, and SQSTM1/p62 degradation, complemented by in vitro validation in a D-galactose-induced HT-22 cellular senescence model. The results indicated that AK7 administration improved cognitive performance in aged mice, while simultaneously reducing mTOR phosphorylation and enhancing autophagy markers. In vitro, SIRT2 genetic knockdown restored the mTOR phosphorylation, LC3B-II/LC3I ratio, and SQSTM1/p62 accumulation, while also reducing senescence markers (including TNF-α, P21,Trp53) in D-galactose-induced HT-22 cells. These effects were abolished by mTOR activation, confirming mTOR as a downstream mediator of SIRT2. Our findings highlight SIRT2 inhibition as a promising therapeutic strategy to counteract age-related cognitive decline through the modulation of mTOR-dependent autophagy in the hippocampus.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923025003132Brain agingAutophagySirtuin 2 (SIRT2)Proteomic
spellingShingle Zhenyuan Zhang
Lan Zhang
Yidan Zhang
Yuan Zhao
Ya Gao
Cong Zhang
Dongxiao Li
Xiangjian Zhang
Guofeng Yang
Jian Zhang
Inhibition of Sirtuin 2 enhances autophagy and restores neuronal function in aged hippocampal neurons
Brain Research Bulletin
Brain aging
Autophagy
Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2)
Proteomic
title Inhibition of Sirtuin 2 enhances autophagy and restores neuronal function in aged hippocampal neurons
title_full Inhibition of Sirtuin 2 enhances autophagy and restores neuronal function in aged hippocampal neurons
title_fullStr Inhibition of Sirtuin 2 enhances autophagy and restores neuronal function in aged hippocampal neurons
title_full_unstemmed Inhibition of Sirtuin 2 enhances autophagy and restores neuronal function in aged hippocampal neurons
title_short Inhibition of Sirtuin 2 enhances autophagy and restores neuronal function in aged hippocampal neurons
title_sort inhibition of sirtuin 2 enhances autophagy and restores neuronal function in aged hippocampal neurons
topic Brain aging
Autophagy
Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2)
Proteomic
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923025003132
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