Stability of CART peptide expression in the nucleus accumbens in aging.
Aging is accompanied by changes of several anorexigenic and orexigenic neuropeptides expressed in various brain areas that control food intake and these changes correlate with senescent anorexia. During aging expression of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide was reported to be reduced in the hypothalamic nuclei related to food intake. Although CART peptide is abundant in the nucleus accumbens that also plays a crucial role in the food intake regulation, no data is available about the CART peptide expression in this region through aging. In the present study, CART peptide immunoreactivity was compared in the nucleus accumbens of young adult (4- and 7-month-old) middle-aged (15-month-old) and aging (25-32-month-old) Long-Evans rats. The density of CART-immunoreactive cells and axon terminals in the nucleus accumbens was measured with computer-aided densitometry. CART-immunodensity was similar in the old rats and in the younger animals without significant difference between age groups. In addition, no gender-difference was observed when CART-immunoreactivities in the nucleus accumbens of male and female animals were compared. Our results indicate that CART peptide expression in the nucleus accumbens is stable in adults and does not change with age.
University of Pécs Institute of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences Pécs Hungary.
Simon
S
Armbruszt
University of Pécs Institute of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences Pécs Hungary.
Mária
M
Figler
University of Pécs Central Electron Microscopic Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine Pécs Hungary.
Hajnalka
H
Ábrahám
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D000098882:Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Protein
D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000098882:Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Protein
Food intake; age-related; anorexigenic peptide; densitometry; reward system