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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Isolation, Culture and Transduction of Adult Mouse Cardiomyocytes

Isolation, Culture and Transduction of Adult Mouse Cardiomyocytes

Published on: August 28, 2016

Cardiomyocyte aging is gender-dependent: the local IGF-1-IGF-1R system.

A Leri¹, J Kajstura, B Li

¹Department of Medicine, Vosburgh Pavilion, Room 318, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.

Heart Disease (Hagerstown, Md.)

|December 1, 2001

Summary

Aging hearts show reduced insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and its receptor (IGF-1R) in males, but females maintain higher levels. This difference protects female hearts from age-related damage and dysfunction.

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Isolation, Transfection, and Long-Term Culture of Adult Mouse and Rat Cardiomyocytes

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Published on: October 10, 2020

Area of Science:

Cardiovascular Biology
Aging Research
Endocrinology

Background:

The insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) system plays a crucial role in cellular growth and repair.
Age-related decline in cardiac function is a significant health concern, with potential sex-specific differences.
Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac aging is vital for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of the IGF-1 system in the aging process of the heart.
To determine if the impact of IGF-1 and its receptor (IGF-1R) on cardiac aging differs between male and female rats.
To correlate molecular changes with functional and structural alterations in the aging heart.

Main Methods:

Quantification of IGF-1, IGF-1R alpha-subunit, and IGF-1R beta-subunit expression in left ventricular myocytes from male and female Fischer 344 rats across different age groups (3-26 months).
Evaluation of myocardial damage, specifically fibrosis, using confocal microscopy in young (3 months) and old (26 months) rats.
Assessment of cardiac function through ventricular hemodynamics measurements in a closed-chest preparation.

Main Results:

Male myocytes exhibited an 83-84% decrease in IGF-1, IGF-1R alpha, and beta-subunits with aging, while female myocytes showed smaller reductions (28-43%).
Aging led to myocardial fibrosis in both sexes, but fibrosis was significantly lower (76-77%) in female hearts compared to male hearts.
Senescent male rats displayed cardiac decompensation, whereas old female rats showed only modest ventricular dysfunction.

Conclusions:

The enhanced IGF-1-IGF-1R system in female myocytes appears to protect against age-related cardiac damage and dysfunction.
Sex-specific differences in the IGF-1 signaling pathway contribute to the divergent aging trajectories of the male and female heart.
Preservation of the IGF-1-IGF-1R system may be a key factor in the favorable cardiac aging outcome observed in females.