title: Opposite changes in the content of oxytocin- and vasopressin-like immunoreactive peptides in the rat thymus during aging.
abstract: The content of oxytocin- and vasopressin-like immunoreactive (IR) peptides was measured in the thymic extract of 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 month-old rats by radioimmunoassay before or after fractionation by high-pressure liquid chromatography. In both cases the content of the oxytocin-like IR peptide, which behaved like authentic oxytocin in the chromatography column, increased during aging. Compared to 2 month-old rats a significant 30% increase was observed in 5 month-old rats, whereas the maximal increase (200%) was found in 20 month-old rats. In contrast, the content of the vasopressin-like IR peptide, which behaved like authentic arg8-vasopressin in the chromatography column, decreased during aging. The decrease (30%) was evident in 5 month-old rats, and was maximal (80%) in 15 month-old rats. The present results suggest that the mechanisms regulating the content of oxytocin- and vasopressin-like IR peptides in the rat thymus undergo differential changes during aging. These processes might be linked to thymic involution.
authors.affiliation: Bernard B. Brodie Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Melis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mauri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Argiolas
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D014667:Vasopressins; D010121:Oxytocin