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Study on the apoptosis mediated by cytochrome c and factors that affect the activation of bovine longissimus muscle during postmortem aging

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Abstract

This study investigates whether bovine longissimus muscle cell apoptosis occurs during postmortem aging and whether apoptosis is dependent on the mitochondria pathway. This study also determines the apoptosis process mediated by cytochrome c after its release from mitochondria and the factors that affect the activation processes. Results indicate that apoptotic nuclei were detected at 12 h postmortem. Cytochrome c release from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm activated the caspase-9 and caspase-3 at early postmortem aging and the activation of caspase-9 occurs before the activation of caspase-3. The pH level decreased during the first 48 h postmortem, whereas the mitochondria membrane permeability increased from 6 to 12 h. Results demonstrate that an apoptosis process of bovine muscle occurred during postmortem aging. Apoptosis was dependent on the mitochondria pathway and occurred at early postmortem aging. Increased mitochondria membrane permeability and low pH are necessary conditions for the release of cytochrome c during postmortem aging.

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Acknowledgements

We thank colleagues in the laboratory and our collaborators for their useful suggestions. This work was supported by the China Agriculture Research System (CARS-38), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.: 31560463).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Food Science and Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China

    Jiaying Zhang, Qunli Yu, Ling Han & Cheng Chen

  2. Chongqing Heng Du Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., Fengdu, 408200, China

    Hang Li

  3. Shandong Lorain Corporation Co., Ltd., Linyi, 276600, China

    Guangxing Han

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  1. Jiaying Zhang
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Correspondence to Qunli Yu.

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Jiaying Zhang, Qunli Yu, Ling Han, Cheng Chen, Hang Li and Guangxing Han declares that they have no conflict of interest.

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Zhang, J., Yu, Q., Han, L. et al. Study on the apoptosis mediated by cytochrome c and factors that affect the activation of bovine longissimus muscle during postmortem aging. Apoptosis 22, 777–785 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10495-017-1374-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10495-017-1374-2

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