R. Barazzoni et Ks. Nair, Changes in uncoupling protein-2 and-3 expression in aging rat skeletal muscle, liver, and heart, AM J P-ENDO, 280(3), 2001, pp. E413-E419
Citations number
50
Categorie Soggetti
Endocrinology, Nutrition & Metabolism
Journal title
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM
Uncoupling protein (UCP)-2 and -3 mediate mitochondrial (mt) proton leak in
vitro and are potential regulators of energy expenditure and ATP productio
n. Aging is associated with alteration of tissue functions, suggesting impa
ired mtATP production. To determine whether age-related changes in UCP expr
ession occur, we measured the transcript levels of UCP-2 and -3 in skeletal
muscle, liver, and heart in 6- and 27-mo-old rats. UCP-2 transcripts were
higher in old animals in the white (+100%) and red (+70%, both P< 0.04) gas
trocnemius muscle and in the liver (+300%, P< 0.03), whereas they were comp
arable in the heart in both age groups. UCP-2 transcript levels correlated
positively with mitochondrial-encoded cytochrome c oxidase transcripts norm
alized for mtDNA (P< 0.01) and negatively with mtDNA copy number (P< 0.001)
. UCP-3 transcripts were lower in the less oxidative white (-50%, P< 0.04)
and unchanged in the more oxidative red (-15%, P = 0.41) gastrocnemius musc
le in old animals. Similar changes at protein level were confirmed by UCP-2
protein in aging liver (+300%, P< 0.01) and UCP-2 (+85%, P< 0.05) and UCP-
3 (-30%, P = 0.4) protein in aging mixed gastrocnemius muscle. Aging is thu
s associated with tissue-specific changes of UCP-2 and -3 gene expression.
Increased UCP-2 expression may limit ATP production and is related to mitoc
hondrial gene expression in aging muscles and liver. Different age-related
changes may reflect differential regulation of UCP-2 and -3 in skeletal mus
cle. The current data suggest a potential role of uncoupling proteins to al
ter energy production in aging tissues.