Age-related decline in cardiac lymphatic vessels causes cardiac edema and macrophage accumulation

• Published in: European heart journal 2024-10, Vol.45 (Supplement_1)
• Main Authors: Wagner, J, Gulshan, H, Sultan, I, Antila, S, Manickam, N, Panthel, J, Kujundzic, H, Alitalo, K, Dimmeler, S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0195-668X; 1522-9645
• DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehae666.3838

As life expectancy has significantly increased, age-related diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases, have become a primary global cause of death. Aging has multiple effects on the heart and is one major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The microcirculation has been extensively studied in this context. However, the contribution of the lymphatic vasculature, which is responsible for draining excessive tissue fluid and immune cells, to age-related pathologies is currently unknown. To address the effect of aging on lymphatics, we examined lymphatic capillary density using LYVE1 and PDPN staining in old (>20 months) and young (3 months) mouse hearts. Aging induced a significant reduction in lymphatic vessel density in the sub-endocardial and –epicardial area of aged left ventricles, in both genders (0.28±0.08 fold and 0.68±0.03 fold; p