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Collagen and Elastin Disarray Mechanisms Mediating Aortic Stiffness in Aging Pre‐Menopausal Female Monkeys.
Author(s) -
Babici Denis,
Kudej Raymond,
McNulty Tara,
Zhang Jie,
Oydanich Marko,
Berkman Tolga,
Nishimura Koichi,
Vatner Dorothy E.,
Vatner Stephen F.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2020.34.s1.09861
Subject(s) - elastin , thoracic aorta , aorta , abdominal aorta , medicine , anatomy , pathology
Whereas collagen and elastin content have been widely studied as mechanisms for mediating increased aortic stiffness with aging, collagen and elastin disarray has been less well studied, not only in all aging models, but most particularly in aging pre‐menopausal females. The current investigation compared collagen and elastin disarray in the aorta in aging, 24±1 years old, premenopausal female monkeys (M. Fascicularis and M. Mulatta) with disarray in young female monkeys (6 ± 1 years old). The non‐human primate model is unique for these studies, since most other aging animal models do not go through menopause. Collagen/elastin ratio and disarray were increased in the old, pre‐menopausal females compared to the young females in the thoracic aorta, but even more in the abdominal aorta, and the most in the iliac artery. For example, compared to values in the thoracic aorta of young females, the collagen/elastin ratio increased in the thoracic aorta of old female monkeys by 169%, and by 397% in the iliac artery of the old females. Compared to values in the thoracic aorta of young females, the disarray of elastin fibers increased by 106% in the thoracic aorta of the old female monkeys and by 350% in the iliac artery of the old female monkeys. Compared to values in the thoracic aorta of young females, the disarray of collagen fibers increased by 148% in the thoracic aorta of the old females and by 378% in the iliac artery of the old female monkeys. Compared to values in the thoracic aorta of young females, the number of breaks in elastin fibers increased by 158% in the thoracic aorta of the old females and by 883% in the iliac artery of the old female monkeys. Compared to values in the thoracic aorta of young females, the number of breaks in collagen fibers increased by 105% in the thoracic aorta of the old females and by 390% in the iliac artery of the old female monkeys. Thus, old pre‐menopausal female monkeys exhibit enhanced mechanisms of vascular stiffness. These mechanisms were increased in the thoracic aorta, but significantly more increased in the iliac artery. Support or Funding Information Study supported by National Institutes of Health grants R21 AG053514; R01 HL119464; R01 HL137405; R01 HL102472; R01 HL106511; R01 HL130848; R01 HL137368; UL1TR003017;