title: Food restriction enhances oxidative status in aging rats with neuroprotective effects on myenteric neuron populations in the proximal colon.
abstract: Food restriction may slow the aging process by increasing the levels of antioxidant defenses and reducing cell death. We evaluated the effects of food restriction on oxidative and nutritional status, myenteric cell populations, and the colonic muscle layer in aging rats. Wistar rats were distributed into control groups (7, 12, and 23months of age) and subjected to food restriction (50% of normal diet) beginning at 7months of age. The animals were sacrificed, and blood was collected to evaluate its components and markers of oxidative status, including thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, reduced glutathione, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidant capacity. The proximal colon was collected to evaluate HuC/D and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)-positive and -negative myenteric neurons, S-100 glial cells, and the muscle layer. Age negatively affected oxidative status in the animals, which also increased the levels of total cholesterol, protein, and globulins and increased the thickness of the muscle layer. Aging also reduced the number and hypertrophied glial cell bodies, HuC/D neurons, and nNOS-negative and -positive neurons. An improvement was observed in oxidative status and the levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides with food restriction, which also provided neuroprotection of the intrinsic innervation. However, food restriction accentuated the loss of enteric glia and caused hypertrophy in the muscle layer at 23months. Food restriction improved oxidative and nutritional status in rats and protected HuC/D neurons and nNOS-negative and -positive neurons against neuronal loss. Nevertheless, food restriction caused morphoquantitative changes in glial cell populations, with possible interference with colonic neuromuscular control.
authors.affiliation: Center of Biological Sciences, State University of the North of Paraná (UENP), Bandeirantes, Paraná, Brazil. Electronic address: jpschoffen@uenp.edu.br.
authors.forename: João Paulo Ferreira
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Schoffen
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Santi Rampazzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla Possani
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Cirilo
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Cristina Umada
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Zapater
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando Augusto
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Vicentini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jurandir Fernando
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Comar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adelar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bracht
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Raquel Marçal
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Natali
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D031204:Caloric Restriction; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D003106:Colon / Q000294:innervation*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000502:physiology*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D017208:Rats, Wistar
keywords: Aging; Food restriction; Muscle layer; Myenteric plexus; Oxidative stress