Spermine and spermidine reversed age-related cardiac deterioration in rats

// Hao Zhang 1 , Junying Wang 1 , Lingxu Li 1 , Nannan Chai 1,2 , Yuhan Chen 1 , Feixiang Wu 1 , Weihua Zhang 1,4 , Lina Wang 1 , Sa Shi 1 , Li Zhang 1 , Shuling Bian 3 , Changqing Xu 1,4 , Ye Tian 1,4 and Yajun Zhao 1,4 1 Department of Pathophysiology, The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Pathophysiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China 2 College of Nursing, Medical School of Chifeng University, Chifeng, China 3 Experiment Center of Function, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China 4 Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Harbin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China Correspondence to: Yajun Zhao, email: // Keywords : polyamines, proteomics, metabolomics, aging, cardiovascular disease, Gerotarget Received : January 21, 2017 Accepted : May 21, 2017 Published : May 31, 2017 Abstract Aging is the most important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Slowing or reversing the physiological impact of heart aging may reduce morbidity and mortality associated with age-related CVD. The polyamines, spermine (SP) and spermidine (SPD) are essential for cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis, and levels of both decline with age. To explore the effects of these polyamines on heart aging, we administered SP or SPD intraperitoneally to 22- to 24-month-old rats for 6 weeks. Both treatments reversed and inhibited age-related myocardial morphology alterations, myocardial fibrosis, and cell apoptosis. Using combined proteomics and metabolomics analyses, we identified proteins and metabolites up- or downregulated by SP and SPD in aging rat hearts. SP upregulated 51 proteins and 28 metabolites while downregulating 80 proteins and 29 metabolites. SPD upregulated 44 proteins and 24 metabolites and downregulated 84 proteins and 176 metabolites. These molecules were mainly associated with immune responses, blood coagulation, lipid metabolism, and glutathione metabolism pathways. Our study provides novel molecular information on the cardioprotective effects of polyamines in the aging heart, and supports the notion that SP and SPD are potential clinical therapeutics targeting heart disease.