A Landscape of Murine Long Non-Coding RNAs Reveals the Leading Transcriptome Alterations in Adipose Tissue during Aging

• Main Authors: Qiuzhong Zhou, Qianfen Wan, Yuxi Jiang, Jin Liu, Li Qiang, Lei Sun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-05-01
• Series: Cell Reports
• Subjects: aging; long non-coding RNA; lncRNA; non-coding RNA; adipose tissue; adipocyte
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124720306471

Summary: Aging is an inevitable process that involves profound physiological changes. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as important regulators in various biological processes but are not systemically studied in aging. To provide an organism-wide lncRNA landscape during aging, we conduct comprehensive RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses across the mouse lifespan. Of the 1,675 aging-regulated lncRNAs (AR-lncRNAs) identified, the majority are connected to inflammation-related biological pathways. AR-lncRNAs exhibit high tissue specificity; conversely, those with higher tissue specificity are preferentially regulated during aging. White adipose tissue (WAT) displays the highest number of AR-lncRNAs and develops the most dynamic crosstalk between AR-lncRNA and AR-mRNA during aging. An adipose-enriched AR-lncRNA, lnc-adipoAR1, is negatively correlated with aging, and knocking it down inhibits adipogenesis, phenocopying the compromised adipogenic capacity of aged fat. Our works together reveal AR-lncRNAs as essential components in aging and suggest that although each tissue ages in a distinct manner, WAT is a leading contributor to aging-related health decline.