title: Age-related changes in the insulin receptor β in the gerbil hippocampus.
abstract: The insulin receptor has been reported to be associated with memory formation via the hippocampus. In this study, we observed age-related changes in the insulin receptor β immunoreactivity and its protein levels in the hippocampus of gerbils of various ages in order to identify the correlation between the insulin receptor β and aging processes in the hippocampus. Insulin receptor β immunoreactivity was mainly detected in the molecular and polymorphic layers of the dentate gyrus, and in mossy fibers, Schaffer collaterals, alveus and stratum lacunosum-moleculare of the hippocampus proper (CA1-3) of gerbils at postnatal month 1 (PM 1). Insulin receptor β immunoreactivity decreased with age in all of these structures, except for the alveus. Reduction of the insulin receptor β immunoreactivity was prominent in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus at PM 6 and in the stratum lacunosum-moleculare of the CA1 region at PM 12, while insulin receptor β immunoreactivity was decreased in other regions in the PM 18 groups. In addition, insulin receptor β protein level in the whole hippocampus was slightly increased at PM 3, and it decreased in an age-dependent manner from PM 6 to PM 24. These reductions of the insulin receptor β in the hippocampus may be associated with age-related memory deficits in gerbils.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Chan Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ki-Yeon
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: In Koo
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Jung Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Choong Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ok Kyu
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jun Hwi
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Yun Lyul
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyung-Cheul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Moo-Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Won
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000378:metabolism; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D019599:Mossy Fibers, Hippocampal / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014443:Tyrosine; D011972:Receptor, Insulin