title: Androgen treatment protects mouse liver chromatin from cleavage by endogenous nucleases during aging. Androgen and nuclease activity.
abstract: We have examined the endogenous nuclease activity of the liver of intact, castrated and testosterone-treated mice of different ages. Both Mg(2+)- and Ca(2+)-dependent endogenous nuclease activities decline in old age. Withdrawal of the hormone increases nuclease activity in the immature and young. However, testosterone administration prevents the digestion of nuclei to different extents in all ages. These findings suggest a possible protective role of testosterone in the cleavage of liver chromatin by endogenous nucleases during the aging of mice.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asaithambi
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Thakur
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002843:Chromatin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008806:Mice, Inbred AKR; D009919:Orchiectomy
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D002843:Chromatin; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D004247:DNA; D004492:Edetic Acid; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium