Circadian and age-related changes in stress responsiveness of the adrenal cortex and erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes in female rhesus monkeys.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of the adrenal cortex in the regulation of antioxidant enzyme defense and to characterize this regulation in different age periods.


METHODS
Five young and five old female rhesus monkeys were subjected to 2 hours squeeze cage restraint stress at 0900 or 1500 hours. Plasma levels of corticosteroids and activities of erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes were measured before the stress and 30, 60, 120, 240 minutes after beginning of the stress.


RESULTS
Young monkeys showed a circadian rhythm in stress responsiveness as measured by corticosteroids and glutathione reductase. The rhythm was attenuated in old animals. Age-related changes in the overall level of response to the afternoon stress were also seen in the corticosteroid and glutathione reductase measures.


CONCLUSIONS
The study demonstrated that corticosteroids play an essential role in the regulation of antioxidant enzyme defense in stress conditions and that the reliability of their regulation decreases with age.
Goncharova
Nadezhda D
ND
Institute of Medical Primatology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Sochi-Adler, Russia. ndgoncharova@mail.ru
Shmaliy
Alla V
AV
Marenin
Victor Y
VY
Smelkova
Sophia A
SA
Lapin
Boris A
BA
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000502:physiology*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*
D000975:Antioxidants; D005978:Glutathione