Purpose: Aging in living organisms is an inevitable physiological consequence. Cellular senescence occurs not only in cells that have completed their differentiation, but also in stem cells. Mammalian target of Rapamycin protein complex (mTOR) has an important role in cell growth and metabolism. mTOR, which plays an important role in cell proliferation, also regulates cellular aging and directs the bionergetic infrastructure. The aim of the study is to determine the mTOR expression of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) obtained from adipose tissue depending on the donor age.
Materials and methods: 6-week-old pubertal rats were named Group 1 (n=6), 10-12-week-old reproductive period rats were named Group 2 (n=6), and 20-month-old rats were named Group 3 (n=6). MSC isolation was performed by primary explant culture method from adipose tissue taken from groups. Characterization and differentiation experiments were performed in MSC obtained. mTOR activity (mTORC1 and mTORC2) in MSC was determined by RT-PCR method. Caspase 3, 8, 9, Bax and Bcl-2 expressions were evaluated by RT-PCR method.
Results: In our study, it was determined that the highest expression of apoptotic markers was in Group 1 and the lowest expression was in Group 2. When mTOR expression was evaluated, mTORC1 was found to be highest in Group 2 and lowest in Group 1. mTORC2 expression in Group 1 was lower than in other groups. Although the expression of mTORC1 and mTORC2 in Group 3 was not as high as in Group 2, it was statistically significant (p