title: Effects of life-long caloric restriction and voluntary exercise on age-related changes in levels of catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes and angiotensin II receptors in the rat adrenal medulla and hypothalamus.
abstract: We examined if life-long mild caloric restriction (CR) alone or with voluntary exercise prevents the age-related changes in catecholamine biosynthetic enzyme levels in the adrenal medulla and hypothalamus. Ten-week-old Fisher-344 rats were assigned to: sedentary; sedentary+8% CR; or 8% CR+wheel running. Rats were euthanized at 6 or 24 months of age. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA expression was 4.4-fold higher in the adrenal medullae and 60% lower in the hypothalamus of old sedentary rats compared to young (p<0.01). Life-long CR reduced the age-related increase in adrenomedullary TH by 50% (p<0.05), and completely reversed the changes in hypothalamic TH. Voluntary exercise, however, had no additional effect over CR. Since angiotensin II is involved in the regulation of catecholamine biosynthesis, we examined the expressions of angiotensin II receptor subtypes in the adrenal medulla. AT(1) protein levels were 2.8-fold higher in the old animals compared to young (p<0.01), and while AT(1) levels were unaffected by CR alone, CR+wheel running decreased AT(1) levels by 50% (p<0.01). AT(2) levels did not change with age, however CR+wheel running increased its level by 42% (p<0.05). These data indicate that a small decrease in daily food intake can avert age-related changes in catecholamine biosynthetic enzyme levels in the adrenal medulla and hypothalamus, possibly through affecting angiotensin II signaling.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA. erdos@ufl.edu
authors.forename: Benedek
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Erdös
authors.forename: Christopher S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Broxson
authors.forename: Tessa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Landa
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Scarpace
authors.forename: Christiaan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leeuwenburgh
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Nihal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tümer
mesh_terms: D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000378:metabolism; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D031204:Caloric Restriction; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D044139:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1; D044139:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase