title: Circadian neuroendocrine role in age-related changes in body fat stores and insulin sensitivity of the male Sprague-Dawley rat.
abstract: A role for circadian neuroendocrine rhythms in the age-related development of obesity and insulin resistance was investigated in the male Sprague-Dawley rat. The phases and amplitudes of the plasma rhythms of several metabolic hormones (i.e., corticosterone, prolactin, insulin, and triiodothyronine) differed in lean, insulin-sensitive (3-week-old rats), insulin-resistant (8-week-old rats) and obese, insulin-resistant (44-week-old rats) animals. Simulation of the daily rhythms of endogenous corticosterone and prolactin by daily injections of the hormones at times corresponding to the peak levels found in 3-week-old rats reversed age-related increases in insulin resistance and body fat in older (5-6-month-old) rats. Ten such daily injections of corticosterone and prolactin in 12-14-week-old rats produced long-term reductions in body fat stores (30%), plasma insulin concentration (40%), and insulin resistance (60%) (determined by a glucose tolerance test) measured 11-14 weeks after the treatment. Alterations in circadian neuroendocrine rhythms may account for age-related changes in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in the male Sprague-Dawley rat, and resetting of these rhythms by appropriately timed daily injections of corticosterone and prolactin may help maintain metabolism characteristic of younger animals.
authors.affiliation: Wellman Laboratories of Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Cincotta
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Schiller
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Landry
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Miers
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Meier
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology*; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D011388:Prolactin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D011388:Prolactin; D003345:Corticosterone