Assessment of the Aging of the Brown Adipose Tissue by 18F-FDG PETCT Imaging in the Progeria Mouse Model Lmna−−

Abstract EN

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is an important energy metabolic organ that is highly implicated in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerosis.

Aging is one of the most important determinants of BAT activity.

In this study, we used 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging to assess BAT aging in Lmna−/− mice.

The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVMax) of the BAT was measured, and the target/nontarget (T/NT) values of BAT were calculated.

The transcription and the protein expression levels of the uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), beta3-adrenergic receptor (β3-AR), and the PR domain-containing 16 (PRDM16) were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting or immunohistochemical analysis.

Apoptosis and cell senescence rates in the BAT of WT and Lmna−/− mice were determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and by CDKN2A/p16INK4a immunohistochemical staining, respectively.

At 14 weeks of age, the BAT SUVMax and the expression levels of UCP1, β3-AR, and PRDM16 in Lmna−/− mice were significantly reduced relative to WT mice.

At the same time, the number of p16INK4a and TUNEL positively stained cells (%) increased in Lmna−/− mice.

Collectively, our results indicate that the aging characteristics and the aging regulatory mechanism in the BAT of Lmna−/− mice can mimic the normal BAT aging process.