Premature cardiac senescence in DahlS.Z-Lepr(fa)/Lepr(fa) rats as a new animal model of metabolic syndrome.

ABSTRACT: Aging is accelerated by metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, and the risk of these diseases increases with age. Obesity is an important risk factor for many age-related diseases and is linked to reduced telomere length in white blood cells. We investigated whether cardiac senescence might be enhanced in DahlS.Z-Lepr(fa)/Lepr(fa) (DS/obese) rats, which we recently established as a new animal model of metabolic syndrome. The heart of DS/obese rats was compared with that of homozygous lean littermates (DahlS.Z-Lepr+/Lepr+, or DS/lean, rats). DS/obese rats manifested hypertension as well as left ventricular hypertrophy, fibrosis, and diastolic dysfunction at 18 weeks of age. Myocardial oxidative stress and inflammation were increased in DS/obese rats compared with DS/lean rats. Telomere leng

SUBMITTER: Takahashi K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4345737 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature