Phenotype evaluation of the thoracic aorta perivascular adipose tissue during aging

• Grant number: 19/22941-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2020
• End date: December 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - General Pharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Eliana Hiromi Akamine
• Grantee: Abiqueila da Silva Alves
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Aging is associated with the development of chronic diseases, like those that affect the blood vessels, becoming clear the importance of studying its influences on vascular alterations that culminate in dysfunctions. The perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) surrounds most of the blood vessels and has a role in the control of vascular responses by releasing substances that mediate an anticontractile action, which is reduced in aging. The phenotypic characteristics and the responses found in the PVAT vary according to their anatomical location. The PVAT that surrounds the thoracic aorta has characteristics similar to the brown adipose tissue, being more resistant to the obesity-induced inflammation than PVAT that resembles white adipose tissue. However, some studies have shown inflammation in the PVAT of the thoracic aorta of old animals. Aging is associated with a redistribution of adipose tissue throughout the body, with a reduction of the brown adipose tissue in interscapular deposit and increased visceral white adipose tissue, but if there is a change of the PVAT phenotype in this condition, is not yet known. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to evaluate the PVAT phenotype of the thoracic aorta of mice with accelerated aging, SAMP8, at 3 and 8 months of age, and if a change of phenotype is associated with inflammation and loss of anticontractile action. (AU)