Research Article

Age-related Alterations in Cardiac Function and miRNA’s

10.4274/atfm.galenos.2020.55707

  • Yusuf Olgar
  • Deniz Billur
  • Belma Turan

Received Date: 15.09.2020 Accepted Date: 30.09.2020 J Ankara Univ Fac Med 2021;74(2):239-244

Objectives:

Since changes in cardiac function are closely related to alterations in cardiac gene-expression, post-gene expression modifications exert an important role in these changes. However, the relationship between cardiac miRNAs and structural changes has not been fully elucidated yet. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between structural changes and miRNA gene expression levels in senescent heart.

Materials and Methods:

Wistar type male rats were used in this study. Rats were grouped as 3-month-old young-adults and 12-month-old adults. Cardiac tissue sections were examined under a light microscope using hematoxylin and eosin and masson trichrome staining protocol. Isolation of miRNA from cardiac tissue homogenate was performed using commercial kits and expression levels were determined by qt-PCR.

Results:

Histological findings showed that there was hypertrophy in muscle fibers, and an increasing number of fibroblasts and connective tissue elements, especially in the endomysial area in left ventricular tissue. On the other hand, a marked fibrosis was observed in the endomysium fiber density during aging. Biochemical results showed that miRNA-1 miRNA-133a and miRNA-133b gene expression levels were significantly decreased.

Conclusion:

It suggests that the decrease in miRNA gene expression levels with aging mediates structural and functional changes. These results are important in terms of achieving new treatment-diagnostic goals related to miRNAs to understand the etiology of aging.

Keywords: Cardiac Function, miRNA, Histology, Light Microscopy, Qt-PCR, Aging

Full Text (Turkish)