Age-related changes in adipose tissue metabolomics and inflammation, cardiolipin metabolism, and ferroptosis markers in female aged rat model

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2023-09, Vol.671, p.292-300
• Main Authors: Wang, Zhuang-Zhi, Li, Fang-Hui, Ni, Pin-Shi, Sun, Lei, Zhang, Chen-Kai, Li, Bo-Ming, He, Jia-Han, Yu, Xiao-Ming, Liu, Yun-Qing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Aging adipose tissue; Animals; Cardiolipins - metabolism; Female; Ferroptosis; Inflammation; Inflammation - metabolism; Linoleic Acid - metabolism; Lipid catabolism; Metabolomics; Oxidative stress; Rats
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.06.027

Aging adipose tissue exhibits elevated inflammation and oxidative stress that are major sources of age-related metabolic dysfunction. However, the exact metabolic changes associated with inflammation and oxidative stress are unclear. To address this topic, we assessed variation in metabolic phenotypes of adipose tissue from 18 months adult sedentary (ASED), 26 months old sedentary (OSED), and 8 months young sedentary (YSED). The results of metabolomic analysis showed that ASED and OSED group had higher palmitic acid, elaidic acid, 1-heptadecanol, and α-tocopherol levels than YSED, but lower sarcosine levels. Furthermore, stearic acid was specifically elevated in ASED compared with YSED. Cholesterol was upregulated specifically in the OSED group compared with YSED, whereas linoleic acid was downregulated. In addition, ASED and OSED had more inflammatory cytokines, lower antioxidant capacity, and higher expression of ferroptosis-related genes than YSED. Moreover, mitochondrial dysfunction associated with abnormal cardiolipin synthesis was more pronounced in the OSED group. In conclusion, both ASED and OSED can affect the FA metabolism and increase oxidative stress in adipose tissue, leading to inflammation. In particular, linoleic acid content specifically decreases in OSED, which associated with abnormal cardiolipin synthesis and mitochondrial dysfunction in adipose tissue. [Display omitted] •Specific metabolic pathways and metabolites in adipose tissue are altered in ASED and OSED group.•Abnormal α-tocopherol and sarcosine levels in ASED and OSED may indicate increased oxidative stress in adipose tissue.•Both ASED and OSED exhibit abnormal FA metabolism that triggers inflammation.•Decreased linoleic acid in the OSED group may be closely associated to abnormal cardiolipin synthesis and decreased mitochondrial oxidative function.