The intersection of sex, aging, and inflammation in cardiovascular health

Cardiovascular aging is a multifaceted process driven by molecular, cellular, and systemic changes that progressively impair cardiac structure and function. Among the key mechanisms, “inflammaging”—the chronic, low-grade inflammation associated with aging—has emerged as a major determinant of cardiovascular decline. Evidence shows that the onset and intensity of inflammaging are influenced by both biological sex and hormonal status, yet the interplay between sex hormones, metabolic signaling, and inflammatory pathways in the aging heart remains incompletely defined. Current research highlights the critical roles of regulators such as sirtuins (SIRT1, SIRT3) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in coordinating mitochondrial resilience, oxidative stress, and immune responses. However, the mechanistic understanding of how these pathways differ between males and females across the aging continuum—and how they contribute to cardiovascular vulnerability—remains a pressing question in translational cardiovascular medicine.Recent advances in omics technologies, cellular senescence profiling, and organoid modeling have begun to uncover sex-dependent molecular signatures of cardiac inflammaging. Studies demonstrate divergent patterns of mitochondrial signaling, antioxidant defense, and macrophage activation between sexes, suggesting that therapeutic strategies targeting metabolic stress or epigenetic reprogramming may need sex-specific optimization. Clinical observations parallel these findings, with postmenopausal women and aging men displaying distinct inflammatory and metabolic risk trajectories. Despite these insights, key knowledge gaps persist—particularly concerning how sex chromosomes, hormonal transitions, and immune-metabolic cross talk integrate to shape cardiovascular aging.This Research Topic aims to delineate the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying sex and age differences in cardiovascular inflammaging, and to translate these findings into clinical and preventive strategies. Specifically, we seek to answer: What are the sex-specific signaling and metabolic networks that modulate inflammaging in cardiac tissue? How can pharmacological or lifestyle interventions targeting SIRT–AMPK pathways attenuate inflammaging differently in men and women? Can personalized therapeutic models be developed to mitigate cardiovascular risk in aging populations based on these mechanisms?To gather further insights into sex- and age-dependent cardiovascular inflammaging, this Research Topic welcomes experimental, clinical, and translational contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:-Sex-specific regulation of sirtuins (SIRT1, SIRT3) and AMPK signaling in cardiac aging-Hormonal modulation of inflammatory and metabolic pathways in the heart-Mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and senescence across sexes-Genetic, epigenetic, and immunological determinants of inflammaging-Translational models linking molecular findings to clinical cardiovascular outcomes-Biomarker discovery for early detection and personalized interventionWe welcome Original Research, Reviews, Mini Reviews, and Perspectives. Topic editors: Maria Luisa Barcena, Yury Ladilov Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84724/the-intersection-of-sex-aging-and-inflammation-in-cardiovascular-health