Antioxidant peroxiredoxin 3 expression is regulated by 17beta-estradiol in rat white adipose tissue

Peroxiredoxin 3 (PRX3) plays a role as a regulator of the adipocyte mitochondrial function due to its antioxidant activity. We have previously reported the existence of a sexual dimorphism in the mitochondrial oxidative stress status of many rat tissues such as white (WAT) and brown (BAT) adipose tissues. The aim was to elucidate whether sex hormones may play a role in PRX3 expression in the adipose tissues of rats. In in vivo experiments, male and female standard diet fed rats, high fat diet (HFD) fed rats and rosiglitazone-supplemented HFD (HDF+Rsg) fed rats, as well as ovariectomized (OVX) and 17beta-estradiol-supplemented OVX (OVX+E2) female rats were used. 3T3-L1 adipocytes and brown adipocyte primary culture were used to study the roles of both E2 and testosterone in in vitro experiments. PRX3 levels were greater in the WAT of female rats than in males. This sexual dimorphism disappeared by HFD feeding but was magnified with Rsg supplementation. PRX3 sexual dimorphism was not observed in BAT, and neither HFD nor ovariectomy modified PRX3 levels. Rsg increased Prx3 expression in the BAT of both sexes. In vitro studies supported the results obtained in vivo and confirmed the contribution of E2 to sex differences in WAT Prx3 expression. Finally, we reported an E2 upregulation of both PRX3 and thioredoxin 2 (TRX2) in WAT but not in BAT that could play a key role in the sex dimorphism reported in the antioxidant defence of WAT in order to palliate the detrimental effect of the oxidative stress.