Cardiac hypertrophy and mortality are increased in aged mice with genetic deletion of galectin 3

FLORENCIA SOFÍA FONTANA ESTEVEZ; CLARA LLAMOSAS; VANESSA TOUCEDA; GERMÁN E. GONZÁLEZ; CELESTE BETAZZA; TOMÁS CIANCIULI; CELINA MORALES; IGNACIO SEROPIAN; AGUSTINA VIDAL; VERÓNICA MIKSZTOWICZ

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Congreso; Reunión Anual de Sociedades de Biociencia SAIC - SAI - SAFIS 2020; 2020

Aging is associated with highly prevalent cardiovascular pathologies such as hypertension and heart failure. We aimed to study the cardiovascular effects of genetic deletion of Galectin 3 (Gal3), a β-galactosidase binding lectin with proinflammatory and profibrotic effects, in aged mice. Wild type C57BL/6 (C57; n=54) and Gal3 knockout (Gal3KO; n=55) mice with access to water and food ad libitum were observed for 24 months. At 2 years of follow up, survival rate was quantified, systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured by plethysmography, and echocardiography (ECO) was performed in sedated mice to measure left ventricular geometry and function. In addition, shortening fraction (SF, %) and cardiac mass (mg) were calculated. Then, animals were euthanized, the organs harvested weighted and the tibia length (TL) measured. Results (Mean ± SE): At 2 years, the survival was reduced in Gal3KO (p= 0.02 Gal3KO vs C57). SBP (mmHg) was 112 ± 3 in C57 vs 114 ± 3 in Gal3KO (p=NS). SF (%) was 61 ± 1 C57 vs 60 ± 2 Gal3KO (p=NS). Increased hypertrophy was observed in Gal3KO, posterior wall thickness (mm) was: 0.8 ± 0.02 in C57 vs 1.5 ± 0.2 in Gal3KO (p=0.0003) and 1 ± 0.02 in C57 vs 2 ± 0.1 in Gal3KO (p=0.0003) as measured in diastole and systole respectively, while anterior wall thickness (mm) in systole was 1 ± 0.02 in C57 vs 2 ± 0.1 in Gal3KO (p=0.0005). Cardiac mass (mg) was 80 ± 10 vs 140 ± 20 in C57 and Gal3KO mice respectively (p=0.01). Left ventricular end systolic and end diastolic diameter (mm) were 1 ± 0.1 in C57 vs 1 ± 0.1 in Gal3KO and 3 ± 0.1 in C57 vs 3 ± 0.1 in Gal3KO (p=NS). At necropsy: Heart weight/TL and kidney weight/TL were 8 ± 0.3 and 9 ± 0.3 (p