Regional changes in expression of NCAM, GFAP, and S100 in aging rat brain.
In aging brain degenerative processes occur. However, the aging brain still have regenerative capacity although diminished compared to young rats. The neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) may be involved in neuroplasticity during regenerative events. In this study, the polypeptide composition and amount of NCAM was determined in regions of brain from young, mature and old rats. During adult life, the amount of NCAM decreased in several brain regions whereas in aged rats, NCAM was enhanced in all brain regions examined. The amount of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) increased during aging in all brain regions reflecting general gliosis in the aged rat brain. The amount of the neuro- and gliotrophic protein S100 increased from young adult to mature age in all brain regions investigated followed by a decrease during old age. Aged rats were tested in a Morris water maze and a group of rats (20%) with learning impairment was defined. However, no differences in amount of NCAM, GFAP, or S100 were observed between aged rats with and without spatial learning impairment.
Linnemann
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Protein Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Panum Institute, Denmark.
Skarsfelt
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T
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D015151:Immunoblotting; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology
D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009418:S100 Proteins