~JE agree that the change in mRNA levels of PPAR-y and VV other genes may be in some part due to changes in hormones, paracrine factors, and nutritionalstatus with aging, It is, however, noteworthy thatthe decline in thesegene expression levels occurred veryearly, beforeobesity and type 2 diabetes became overt. Thus,it appearsthat theyare,at leastin part,relatively independentof such hormones.The mRNA levelsdid not reflectthe functional activity. It is interesting that CIEBPB mRNA did not

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... icantly changewith aging,althoughthe transcriptional cascade beyond CIEBPB declined with age. It is, however, possible that CIEBPB regulates the coordinated decrease of PPAR-y, CIEBPo: and ADDl. We concur that pharmacologicalinterventions will assistin dissecting the interactions of these age-related changesand theirpotential for intervention to improve function.