Aging results in an elevated burden of senescent cells, senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and tissue infiltration of immune cells contributing to chronic low‐grade inflammation and a host of age‐related diseases. Recent evidence suggests that the clearance of senescent cells alleviates chronic inflammation and its associated dysfunction and diseases. However, the effect of this intervention on metabolic function in old age remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that dasatinib and quercetin (D&Q) have senolytic effects, reducing age‐related increase in senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase, expression of p16 and p21 gene and P16 protein in perigonadal white adipose tissue (pgWAT; all p ≤ 0.04). This treatment also suppressed age‐related increase in the expression of a subset of pro‐inflammatory SASP genes ( mcp1, tnf‐α, il‐1α, il‐1β, il‐6, cxcl2, and cxcl10 ), crown‐like structures, abundance of T cells and macrophages in pgWAT (all p ≤ 0.04). In the liver and skeletal muscle, we did not find a robust effect of D&Q on senescence and inflammatory SASP markers. Although we did not observe an age‐related difference in glucose tolerance, D&Q treatment improved fasting blood glucose ( p = 0.001) and glucose tolerance ( p = 0.007) in old mice that was concomitant with lower hepatic gluconeogenesis. Additionally, D&Q improved insulin‐stimulated suppression of plasma NEFAs ( p = 0.01), reduced fed and fasted plasma triglycerides (both p ≤ 0.04), and improved systemic lipid tolerance ( p = 0.006). Collectively, results from this study suggest that D&Q attenuates adipose tissue inflammation and improves systemic metabolic function in old age. These findings have implications for the development of therapeutic agents to combat metabolic dysfunction and diseases in old age.

Background: Much of what we know about insulin resistance is based on studies from metabolically active tissues such as the liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle. Emerging evidence suggests that the vascular endothelium plays a crucial role in systemic insulin resistance, however, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. ADP ribosylation factor 6 (Arf6) is a small GTPase that plays a critical role in endothelial cell (EC) function. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the deletion of endothelial Arf6 will result in systemic insulin resistance. Methods: We used mouse models of constitutive EC-specific Arf6 deletion (Arf6f/- Tie2Cre) and tamoxifen-inducible Arf6 knockout (Arf6f/f Cdh5Cre). Endothelium-dependent vasodilation was assessed using pressure myography. The metabolic function was assessed using a battery of metabolic assessments including glucose- and insulin-tolerance tests and hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps. A fluorescence microsphere-based technique was used to measure tissue blood flow. Intravital microscopy was used to assess skeletal muscle capillary density. Results: Endothelial Arf6 deletion impaired insulin-stimulated vasodilation in white adipose tissue (WAT) and skeletal muscle feed arteries. The impairment in vasodilation was primarily due to attenuated insulin-stimulated nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability but independent of altered acetylcholine- or sodium nitroprusside-mediated vasodilation. In vitro Arf6 inhibition resulted in suppressed insulin stimulated phosphorylation of Akt and endothelial NO synthase. Endothelial cell-specific deletion of Arf6 also resulted in systematic insulin resistance in normal chow fed mice and glucose intolerance in high fat diet fed obese mice. The underlying mechanisms of glucose intolerance were reductions in insulin-stimulated blood flow and glucose uptake in the skeletal muscle and were independent of changes in capillary density or vascular permeability. Conclusion: Results from this study support the conclusion that endothelial Arf6 signaling is essential for maintaining insulin sensitivity. Reduced expression of endothelial Arf6 impairs insulin-mediated vasodilation and results in systemic insulin resistance.