title: Sexual dimorphism in obesity-related genes in the epicardial fat during aging.
abstract: Aging increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Alterations in epicardial fat play an important pathophysiological role in coronary artery disease and hypertension. We investigated the impact of normal aging on obesity-related genes in epicardial fat. Sex-specific changes in obesity-related genes with aging in epicardial fat (EF) were determined in young (6 months) and old (30/36 months) female and male, Fischer 344 × Brown Norway hybrid (FBN) rats, using a rat obesity RT2PCR Array. Circulating sex hormone levels, body and heart weights were determined. Statistical significance was determined using two-tailed Student's t test and Pearson's correlation. Our results revealed sex-specific differences in obesity-related genes with aging. Dramatic changes in the expression profile of obesity-related genes in EF with aging in female, but not in male, FBN rats were observed. The older (30 months) female rats had more significant variations in the abundance of obesity-related genes in the EF compared to that seen in younger female rats or both age groups in male rats. A correlation of changes in obesity-related genes in EF to heart weights was observed in female rats, but not in male rats with aging. No correlation was observed to circulating sex hormone levels. Our findings indicate a dysfunctional EF in female rats with aging compared to male rats. These findings, with further functional validation, might help explain the sex differences in cardiovascular risk and mortality associated with aging observed in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, & Toxicology, Joan C Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, One John Marshall Dr, Huntington, WV, 25755, USA.
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kocher
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, & Toxicology, Joan C Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, One John Marshall Dr, Huntington, WV, 25755, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, & Toxicology, Joan C Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, One John Marshall Dr, Huntington, WV, 25755, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Cardiology, Joan C Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, One John Marshall Dr, Huntington, WV, 25755, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Cardiology, Joan C Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, One John Marshall Dr, Huntington, WV, 25755, USA.
authors.forename: Paulette
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wehner
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Cardiology, Joan C Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, One John Marshall Dr, Huntington, WV, 25755, USA.
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gress
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, & Toxicology, Joan C Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, One John Marshall Dr, Huntington, WV, 25755, USA. santanam@marshall.edu.|Department of Medicine and Cardiology, Joan C Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, One John Marshall Dr, Huntington, WV, 25755, USA. santanam@marshall.edu.
authors.forename: Nalini
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3343-6081
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Santanam
mesh_terms: D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D050154:Adiposity; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009929:Organ Size; D010496:Pericardium; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D015430:Weight Gain
keywords: Adipose dysfunction; Ectopic fat; Expression profile; Gender differences