Restoration of immune and renal function in aged females by re-establishment of active ovarian function.
Proper immune functioning is necessary to maximize reproductive success. In addition, age-associated uremia in women is often associated with hypothalamic--pituitary-gonadal dysfunction. In the present experiments, we tested immune and renal function to determine if exposure of postreproductive mice to young, reproductively cycling ovaries would influence non-reproductive physiological functions. Control female CBA/J mice were evaluated at 6, 13 and 16 months of age. Additional mice received new (60-day-old) ovaries at 12 months of age and were evaluated at 16 months of age. Consequently, 6-month-old control mice and 16-month-old recipient mice both possessed 6-month-old ovaries and were reproductively cycling. A significant age-related decline in immune function (T-cell subset analysis) was found in 16-month-old mice, but was improved 64% by ovarian transplantation. Renal function (blood urea nitrogen:creatinine ratio) was also decreased with aging, but ovarian transplantation restored function to levels found in 6-month-old mice. In summary, we have shown that immune and renal function, which are negatively influenced by aging, can be positively influenced or restored by re-establishment of active ovarian function in aged female mice. These findings provide a strong incentive for further investigation of the positive influence of young ovaries on restoration of health in postreproductive females.
Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Center for Integrated BioSystems, School of Veterinary Medicine, Utah State University, 4700 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322, USA.
Rhett L
RL
Peterson
Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Center for Integrated BioSystems, School of Veterinary Medicine, Utah State University, 4700 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322, USA.
Kate C
KC
Parkinson
Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Center for Integrated BioSystems, School of Veterinary Medicine, Utah State University, 4700 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322, USA.
Jeffrey B
JB
Mason
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*