Maturation of the expression of adrenomedullin, endothelin-1 and nitric oxide synthases in adipose tissues from childhood to adulthood.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate if the vasoactive systems adrenomedullin (ADM) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) are expressed in human adipose tissues in children and in adults and to determine the distribution pattern of nitric oxide synthases (NOS).


METHODS
Subcutaneous, mesenterial and omental adipose tissue specimens taken from 15 children (age 0.5-16 y, median 6 y) and 13 adults (age 43-79 y, median 60 y) were analyzed. The body mass indices (BMI) were within the normal range. All patients were normotensive, and were free of infectious disease, and metabolic or endocrine disorders. The specimens were taken during elective laparotomies after informed consent was obtained.


METHODS
ADM, ET-1, the endothelial (eNOS) and inducible (iNOS) NOS as well as two housekeeping genes were measured using quantitative real-time PCR.


RESULTS
ADM gene expression was found at all locations, and was significantly higher in adults than in children (P<0.01 for subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue). ET-1 mRNA was distributed in a similar way, showing significantly higher levels in the subcutaneous and mesenterial adipose tissue sections of adults than of children. For eNOS, the adult patients exhibited a higher expression in subcutaneous and mesenterial specimens than the children (P<0.01 and P<0.05). The iNOS mRNA was increased in subcutaneous, mesenterial and omental adipose tissues in the adult cohort compared to the children's levels (P<0.05 to P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Human adipose tissue expresses many vasoactive substances including ADM and ET-1. In adults, the amounts of ET-1 and ADM as well as eNOS and iNOS mRNA are higher, possibly due to a physiological upregulation with increasing age. Although there are differences depending on the locations of the tissues, the expression patterns of the antagonists ADM and ET-1 are quite similar, indicative of a well-balanced pattern of local gene expression in normotensive individuals with normal body weight.
Knerr
I
I
University Children's Hospital, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. ina.knerr@kinder.imed.uni-erlangen.de
Schirl
C
C
Horbach
T
T
Stuppy
A
A
Carbon
R
R
Rascher
W
W
Dötsch
J
J
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D053607:Adrenomedullin; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008643:Mesentery / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D009852:Omentum / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D040521:Subcutaneous Tissue / Q000378:metabolism
D019332:Endothelin-1; D010455:Peptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053607:Adrenomedullin; C496319:NOS2 protein, human; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III