title: Differential changes of cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity and 3H-cAMP binding sites in rat hippocampus during maturation and aging.
abstract: The cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) has been involved in the brain aging process and recent papers have reported age-associated changes in enzyme activity in rat brain. The present study was undertaken to assess simultaneously PKA activity and regulatory (R) subunit levels during maturation and aging. Five cohorts of rats of different ages were used, namely pups of 1 week and 3 weeks old, mature rats (2 months), postmature rats (1 year) and old rats (2 years or more). PKA activity and 3H-cAMP binding sites were determined in cytosolic fractions of hippocampus. Results showed a low PKA activity in newborn rats which increased in mature and postmature rats and finally declined in old rats (ANOVA, P<0.001). The maximum binding sites (Bmax) of 3H-cAMP which measure the PKA R subunit levels were elevated in newborn rats and declined in mature and old rats (ANOVA; P<0.001). It is suggested the changes in PKA R subunit levels reflect an adaptative role in maturing process, a role which is lost in aging phase.
authors.affiliation: Geneva University Hospital (Belle-Idée), Division of Neuropsychiatry, Chemin du Petit Bel-Air 2, CH-1225 Chêne-Bourg, Geneva, Switzerland. felicien.karege@biolo.unige.ch
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karege
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lambercy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwald
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Steimer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cissé
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001665:Binding Sites; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005470:Fluorometry; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000242:Cyclic AMP; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases