title: Carnosine reverses the aging-induced down regulation of brain regional serotonergic system.
abstract: The purpose of the present investigation was to study the role of carnosine, an endogenous dipeptide biomolecule, on brain regional (cerebral cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus and pons-medulla) serotonergic system during aging. Results showed an aging-induced brain region specific significant (a) increase in Trp (except cerebral cortex) and their 5-HIAA steady state level with an increase in their 5-HIAA accumulation and declination, (b) decrease in their both 5-HT steady state level and 5-HT accumulation (except cerebral cortex). A significant decrease in brain regional 5-HT/Trp ratio (except cerebral cortex) and increase in 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio were also observed during aging. Carnosine at lower dosages (0.5-1.0μg/Kg/day, i.t. for 21 consecutive days) didn't produce any significant response in any of the brain regions, but higher dosages (2.0-2.5μg/Kg/day, i.t. for 21 consecutive days) showed a significant response on those aging-induced brain regional serotonergic parameters. The treatment with carnosine (2.0μg/Kg/day, i.t. for 21 consecutive days), attenuated these brain regional aging-induced serotonergic parameters and restored towards their basal levels that observed in 4 months young control rats. These results suggest that carnosine attenuates and restores the aging-induced brain regional down regulation of serotonergic system towards that observed in young rats' brain regions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Calcutta, 35, B.C. Road, Kolkata 700 019, India.
authors.forename: Soumyabrata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Calcutta, 92, A.P.C. Road, Kolkata 700 009, India.
authors.forename: Tushar K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Calcutta, 35, B.C. Road, Kolkata 700 019, India. Electronic address: mrinalkp@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mrinal K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Poddar
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002336:Carnosine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D002336:Carnosine
keywords: 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid; Aging; Brain regions; Carnosine; Serotonin; Tryptophan