Coenzyme Q10-dependent gene expression in SAMP1 mice tissues

Our present study reveals significant decelerating effects on senescence processes in middle-aged SAMP1 mice supplemented for 6 or 14 months with the reduced form (QH2, 500 mg/ kg BW/ day) of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). To unravel molecular mechanisms of these CoQ10 effects, a genome-wide transcript profiling in liver, heart, brain and kidney of SAMP1 mice supplemented with the reduced (QH2) or oxidized form of CoQ10 (Q10) was performed. Liver seems to be the main target tissue of CoQ10 intervention, followed by kidney, heart and brain. Stringent evaluation of the resulting data revealed that QH2 has a stronger impact on gene expression than Q10, which was primarily due to differences in the bioavailability. Indeed, we found that QH2 supplementation was more effective than Q10 to increase levels of CoQ10 in the liver of SAMP1 mice (54.92-fold and 30.36-fold, respectively). To identify functional and regulatory connections of the top 50 (p < 0.05) up- and down-regulated QH2-sensitive transcripts in liver (fold changes ranging from 21.24 to -6.12), text mining analysis (Genomatix BiblioSphere, GFG level B3) was used. Hereby, we identified 11 QH2-sensitive genes which are regulated by PPAR- and are primarily involved in cholesterol synthesis (e.g. HMGCS1, HMGCL, HMGCR), fat assimilation (FABP5), lipoprotein metabolism (PLTP) and inflammation (STAT-1). Thus, we provide evidence that QH2 is involved in the reduction of fat and cholesterol synthesis via modulation of the PPAR- signalling pathway. These data may explain, at least in part, the observed effects on decelerated age-dependent degeneration processes in QH2-supplemented SAMP1 mice.

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