title: A decreased tubular uptake of dopa results in defective renal dopamine production in aged rats.
abstract: A major proportion of urinary dopamine derives from the renal decarboxylation of circulating dopa. This study evaluates the effects of aging on renal production of dopamine using 3- and 12-mo-old male Wistar rats. Urinary excretion of Na+, norepinephrine (NE), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol, and dopa were similar in the two groups. Urinary dopamine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were lower in older animals (dopamine, 20 +/- 6 vs. 47 +/- 7 nmol/24 h, P < 0.001; DOPAC, 142 +/- 36 vs. 304 +/- 56 nmol/24 h, P < 0.03). Urinary 3-O-methyldopa (OM-dopa) was higher in 12-mo-old rats (6.2 +/- 2.0 vs. 3.3 +/- 0.20 nmol/24 h, P < 0.03). Levels of dopa and NE in renal cortex from 12-mo-old rats were higher (P < 0.001) than in younger animals. Dopamine content in renal cortex from 3-mo-old rats was 295 +/- 64 pmol/g, whereas it was undetectable in 12-mo-old animals. Aromatic-L-amino-acid decarboxylase and monoamine oxidase activities were higher (P < 0.001) in renal cortex from 12-mo-old animals. Catechol-O-methyltransferase activity was similar in both groups. The uptake of dopa by the luminal membrane was explored using brush-border membrane vesicles. The Na(+)-gradient-driven (100 mM) uptake of dopa into vesicles from 3-mo-old animals showed at 10 s an overshoot threefold greater than the equilibrium uptake. The overshoot was blunted in 12-mo-old rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinologicas, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquimica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Armando
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nowicki
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barontini
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000652:urine; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001142:Aromatic-L-Amino-Acid Decarboxylases / Q000378:metabolism; D001692:Biological Transport; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D007668:Kidney / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008871:Microvilli / Q000378:metabolism; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D014443:Tyrosine; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase; D001142:Aromatic-L-Amino-Acid Decarboxylases; C008404:3-methoxytyrosine; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine