Does gender influence cardiovascular remodeling in C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat, high-sucrose, high-salt diet?

Abstract

Animal models are widely used to study the physiopathology of human diseases. However, the influence of gender on modern society diet style-induced cardiovascular disease was not exploited so far. Thus, this study investigated cardiovascular remodeling in C57BL/6J mice fed a diet rich in saturated fat, sucrose, and salt, evaluating gender effect on this process. Male and female C57BL/6J mice were fed AIN93M diet or a modified AIN93M rich in fat, sucrose, and salt (HFSS) for 12 weeks. Body mass, water and food intake and cardiovascular remodeling were assessed. The HFSS diet did not lead to body mass gain or glucose metabolism disturbance assessed by serum glucose, insulin, and oral glucose tolerance test. However, female mice on a HFSS diet had increased visceral and subcutaneous adiposity. Only male mice displayed heart hypertrophy. The left ventricle was not hypertrophied in male and female mice, but its lumen was dilated. Intramyocardial arteries and the thoracic aorta had intima-media thickening in male mice, but in the female, it was only noticed in the thoracic aorta. Finally, intramyocardial artery dilation was present in both genders, but not in the aorta. Changes in LV dimensions and the arterial remodeling were influenced by both gender and the HFSS diet. In conclusion, male and female C57BL/6J mice suffered cardiovascular remodeling after 12 weeks of high-fat, high-sucrose, high-salt feeding, although they did not develop obesity or diabetes. Sexual dimorphism occurred in response to diet for body adiposity, heart hypertrophy, and intramyocardial artery remodeling.