Differenze di sesso-genere nella macroautofagia in due modelli sperimentali

Aim:The purpose of this study was to investigate the existence of sex-gender differences in the entity and in the regulation of the autophagic process in two distinct experimental models: the heart of male and female Sprague-Dowley rats and the HUASMC cells.Methods:7 week old Sprague–Dawley rats were used. Malondialdehyde (MDA), and carbonylated proteins were measured by spectrophotometric methods for redox state assessment. The autophagy biomarkers Beclin-1, and LC3, mTOR (the checkpoint in autophagic process), and LAMP-1; (biomarker of lysosomes) were evaluated by Western blotting. Immunofluorescence analysis was also performed for LC3 and LAMP-1 colocalization. HUASMC cells were obtained form umbilical cords from healthy and non obese mothers at the end of normal pregnancies. Western blot analysis were performed in order to detect the autophagy biomarkers Beclin-1, LC3 and the autophagy hub mTOR.Results:Protein carbonylation is higher in male hearts, indicating a worst redox balance; autophagy markers (Beclin-1, LC3II/I) indicate that in male hearts this process is more pronounced compared to female hearts. Male HUASMC cells are less autophagic than female cells both in basal condition and in serum starvation condition; this could be related to an mTOR independent regulation of autophagy.Conclusion:Sex-gender differences constitute a novel field of investigation and some findings can be found in the cardiovascular apparatus. Male hearts seems to be more susceptible to oxidative protein injury, which could up-regulate the autophagic response. HUASMC cells constitute a relatively-novel experimental model of investigation; these cells seems to exhibit a sex-gender difference in the autophagic process.