Gender differences in adiposity and inflammatory gene expression in the kidney following juvenile onset obesity in sheep

The study aimed to investigate whether obesity affects inflammatory gene expression in the kidney using a sheep model of obesity and the extent this may be influenced by gender. Three months after birth, male (n=19) and female (n=16) sheep were randomly separated into two experimental groups, comprising of restricted and unrestricted activity, thus raised in either a lean (L) or obesogenic (O) environment. Gene expression was determined using quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR and expression quantified using the 2‐Δct method. Perirenal adipose tissue per g/kg of body weight was increased (p<0.05) with obesity more in females compared to males (obese females – 17.05±1.84, (n=9); obese males 11.41±1.29 g, (n=9)), as was renal triglyceride deposition mg/g (females – 0.219±0.016: males – 0.140±0.019 mg (p<0.05)). The mRNA abundance for toll like receptor 4 was elevated with obesity only in males (Obese ‐ 33.11±5.89: Lean – 17.24±2.27, (n=10) 2‐Δct (p<0.01)). Our study suggests that despite increased renal adiposity and triglyceride deposition in females, only males respond to obesity through elevated inflammatory gene expression, thus possibly displaying increased sensitivity to obesity. The mechanisms by which females may be protected from these effects are currently being explored. This study was funded by the British Journal of Anaesthesia and the Royal College of Anaesthetists.