Akt2 ablation prolongs life span and improves myocardial contractile function with adaptive cardiac remodeling: role of Sirt1-mediated autophagy regulation.

ABSTRACT: Aging is accompanied with unfavorable geometric and functional changes in the heart involving dysregulation of Akt and autophagy. This study examined the impact of Akt2 ablation on life span and cardiac aging as well as the mechanisms involved with a focus on autophagy and mitochondrial integrity. Cardiac geometry, contractile, and intracellular Ca²⁺ properties were evaluated using echocardiography, IonOptix^® edge-detection and fura-2 techniques. Levels of Sirt1, mitochondrial integrity, autophagy, and mitophagy markers were evaluated using Western blot. Our results revealed that Akt2 ablation prolonged life span (by 9.1%) and alleviated aging (24 months)-induced unfavorable changes in myocardial function and intracellular Ca²⁺ handling (SERCA2a oxidation)

SUBMITTER: Ren J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5595687 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature