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Stem cell activation in adults can reverse detrimental changes in body composition to reduce fat and increase lean mass in both sexes
Author(s) -
Wiren Kristine M.,
Hashimoto Joel G.,
Zhang XiaoWei
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of cellular biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.028
H-Index - 165
eISSN - 1097-4644
pISSN - 0730-2312
DOI - 10.1002/jcb.23288
Subject(s) - lean body mass , composition (language) , microbiology and biotechnology , fat mass , biology , chemistry , endocrinology , obesity , body weight , linguistics , philosophy
Detrimental changes in body composition are often associated with declining levels of testosterone. Here, we evaluated the notion that multipotent mesenchymal stem cells, that give rise to both fat and muscle tissue, can play a significant role to alter existing body composition in the adult. Transgenic mice with targeted androgen receptor (AR) overexpression in stem cells were employed. Wild‐type littermate and AR‐transgenic male and female mice were gonadectomized and left untreated for 2 months. After the hypogonadal period, mice were then treated with 5α‐dihydrotestosterone (DHT) for 6 weeks. After orchidectomy (ORX), wild‐type males have reduced lean mass and increased fat mass compared to shams. DHT treatment was beneficial to partially restore body composition. In wild‐type females, ovariectomy (OVX) produced a similar change but there was no improvement with DHT. In targeted AR transgenic mice, DHT treatment increased lean and reduced fat mass to sham levels. In contrast to wild‐type females, DHT treatment in female transgenic mice significantly ameliorated the increased fat and decreased lean mass changes that result after OVX. Our results show that DHT administration reduces fat mass and increases lean mass in wild‐type males but not females, indicating that wild‐type females are not as sensitive to androgen treatment. Because both male and female transgenic mice are more responsive than wild‐type, results suggest that body composition remains linked to stem cell fate in the adult and that targeted androgen signaling in stem cells can play a significant role to reverse detrimental changes in body composition in both sexes. J. Cell. Biochem. 112: 3638–3647, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.