Long-term deficiency of circulating and hippocampal insulin-like growth factor I induces depressive behavior in adult mice: a potential model of geriatric depression

Numerous studies support the hypothesis that deficiency of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1) in adults contributes to depression, but direct evidence is limited. Many psychological and pro-cognitive effects have been attributed to IGF-1, but appropriate animal models of adult-onset IGF-1 deficiency are lacking. In this study, we use a viral-mediated Cre-loxP system to knockout the Igf1 gene in either the liver, neurons of the CA1 region of the hippocampus, or both. Knockout of liver Igf1 reduced serum IGF-1 levels by 40% and hippocampal IGF-1 levels by 26%. Knockout of Igf1 in CA1 reduced hippocampal IGF-1 levels by 13%. The most severe reduction in hippocampal IGF-1 occurred in the group with knockouts in both liver and CA1 (36% reduction), and was associated with a 3.5-fold increase in immobility in the forced swim test. Reduction of either circulating or hippocampal IGF-1 levels did not alter anxiety measured in an open field and elevated plus maze, nor locomotion in the open field. Furthermore, local compensation for deficiencies in circulating IGF-1 did not occur in the hippocampus, nor were serum levels of IGF-1 upregulated in response to the moderate decline of hippocampal IGF-1 caused by the knockouts in CA1. We conclude that adult-onset IGF-1 deficiency alone is sufficient to induce a depressive phenotype in mice. Furthermore, our results suggest that individuals with low brain levels of IGF-1 are at increased risk for depression and these behavioral effects are not ameliorated by increased local IGF-1 production or transport. Our study supports the hypothesis that the natural IGF-1 decline in aging humans may contribute to geriatric depression.

Early-onset growth hormone deficiency results in diastolic dysfunction in adult-life and is prevented by growth hormone supplementation

OBJECTIVE

The primary goal of growth hormone (GH) replacement is to promote linear growth in children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). GH and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are also known to have roles in cardiac development and as modulators of myocardial structure and function in the adult heart. However, little is known about cardiac diastolic function in young adults with childhood onset GH deficiency in which GH treatment was discontinued following puberty. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of long standing GHD and peri-pubertal or continuous GH replacement therapy on diastolic function in the adult dwarf rat.

DESIGN

The dwarf rat, which possesses a mutation in a transcription factor necessary for development of the somatotroph, does not exhibit the normal peri-pubertal rise in GH around day 28 and was used to model childhood or early-onset GHD (EOGHD). In another group of male dwarfs, GH replacement therapy was initiated at 4 weeks of age when GH pulsatility normally begins. Ten weeks after initiation of injections, GH-treated dwarf rats were divided into 2 groups; continued treatment with GH for 12 weeks (GH-replete) or treatment with saline for 12 weeks. This latter group models GH supplementation during adolescence with GHD beginning in adulthood (adult-onset GHD; AOGHD). Saline-treated heterozygous (HZ) rats were used as age-matched controls. At 26 weeks of age, cardiac function was assessed using invasive or noninvasive (conventional and tissue Doppler) indices of myocardial contractility and lusitropy.

RESULTS

Systolic function, as determined by echocardiography, was similar among groups. Compared with HZ rats and GH-replete dwarfs, the EOGHD group exhibited significant reductions in myocardial relaxation and increases in left ventricular filling pressure, indicative of moderate diastolic dysfunction. This was further associated with a decrease in the cardiac content of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase (SERCA2), one of the important cardiac calcium regulatory proteins. Dwarfs supplemented with GH during the peri-adolescence stage, but not beyond (AOGHD), exhibited a subtle prolongation in the deceleration time to early filling. In contrast, continual GH replacement preserved diastolic function such that the cardiac phenotype of the GH-replete dwarfs resembled that of their age-matched HZ counterpart.

DISCUSSION

Our data indicate that GHD during adolescence leads to overt diastolic dysfunction in early adulthood and this is prevented by continual GH replacement therapy. Since discontinuation of GH replacement following adolescence only mitigated the lusitropic deficits that were observed in untreated dwarfs, GH treatment into adulthood could be beneficial.

Early-onset GH deficiency results in spatial memory impairment in mid-life and is prevented by GH supplementation

GH levels increase to high concentrations immediately before puberty then progressively decline with age. GH deficiency (GHD) originating in childhood is treated with GH supplementation to foster somatic development during adolescence. It is not clear if or how early GH replacement affects memory in adulthood, or whether it can prevent the cognitive deficits commonly observed in adults with childhood-onset GHD. Rats homozygous for the Dw-4 mutation (dwarf) do not exhibit the normal increase in GH at 4 weeks of age when GH levels normally rise and are used to model childhood or early-onset GHD (EOGHD). One group of these rats was injected with GH from 4 to 14 weeks of age to model GH supplementation during adolescence with GHD beginning in adulthood (adult-onset GHD; AOGHD). Another group received GH from 4 weeks throughout the lifespan to model normal lifespan GH (GH-replete). Age-matched, Dw-4 heterozygous rats (HZ) do not express the dwarf phenotype and were used as controls. At 8 and 18 months of age, spatial learning in the water maze was assessed. At 8 months of age all experimental groups were equally proficient. However, at 18 months of age, the EOGHD group had poor spatial learning compared to the AOGHD, GH-replete, and HZ groups. Our data indicate that GHD during adolescence has negative effects on learning and memory that emerge by middle-age unless prevented by GH supplementation.

The ependymal route for insulin-like growth factor-1 gene therapy in the brain

I.c.v. administration of the peptide insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been shown to be an effective neuroprotective strategy in the brain of different animal models, a major advantage being the achievement of high concentrations of IGF-1 in the brain without altering serum levels of the peptide. In order to exploit this therapeutic approach further, we used high performance recombinant adenoviral (RAd) vectors expressing their transgene under the control of the potent mouse cytomegalovirus immediate early (mCMV) promoter, to transduce brain ependymal cells with high efficiency and to achieve effective release of transgenic IGF-1 into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We constructed RAd vectors expressing either a chimeric green fluorescent protein fused to HSV-1 thymidine kinase (TK/GFP)(fus), or the cDNA encoding rat IGF-1, both driven by the mCMV promoter. The vectors were injected into the lateral ventricles of young rats and chimeric GFP expression in brain sections was assessed by fluorescence microscopy. The ependymal cell marker vimentin was detected by immunofluorescence and nuclei were labeled with the DNA dye 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole. Blood and CSF samples were drawn at different times post-vector injection. In all cerebral ventricles, vimentin immunoreactive cells of the ependyma were predominantly transduced by RAd-(TK/GFP)(fus), showing nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of the transgene. For tanycytes (TK/GFP)(fus) expression was evident in their cytoplasmic processes as they penetrated deep into the hypothalamic parenchyma. I.c.v. injection of RAd-IGF-1 induced high levels of IGF-1 in the CSF but not in serum. We conclude that the ependymal route constitutes an effective approach for implementing experimental IGF-1 gene therapy in the brain.

Basal and hypercapnia-altered cerebrovascular perfusion predict mild cognitive impairment in aging rodents

With increasing age, a subset of otherwise healthy individuals undergoes impairments in learning and memory that have been termed mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The enhanced neuronal activity associated with learning and memory requires increased cerebral blood flow (CBF) to specific brain regions. However, the interactions between cerebral blood flow and MCI remain unclear. In this study, we address whether baseline or hypercapnia-induced (increased blood CO(2) levels) changes in CBF are modified with age, and whether these measures are predictive of cognitive status in rodents. Adult and aged rats were evaluated using a hippocampally-dependent task in a water maze. Aged rats were classified as memory-impaired or memory-intact based on performance comparisons with adult rats. Cerebral blood flow was assessed using flow-alternating inversion recovery (FAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), before and after breathing 10% CO(2). The transition period between CO(2) concentrations was examined with blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) MRI. Separation of aged animals into memory-intact and impaired categories revealed increased basal perfusion in the dorsal hippocampus of memory-impaired versus memory-intact aged animals. Linear regression revealed that higher hippocampal perfusion was correlated with impaired memory in aged animals, and a logistic regression indicated that hippocampal perfusion predicted spatial memory ability. Several brain regions of aged rats demonstrated an attenuation of the perfusion increase normally observed in adult rats under hypercapnia. Memory-impaired animals were the primary contributor to this effect, as their perfusion response to hypercapnia was significantly reduced compared to adult animals. Aged, memory-intact animals were not significantly different from adults. BOLD MRI demonstrated a reduced response in aged animals to hypercapnia, with impaired animals being the primary contributor to the effect. A logistic regression model based on basal and hypercapnia perfusion correctly predicted cognitive status in 83.3% of animals tested. Our results indicate that age-related changes in vascular reactivity and perfusion are important contributing factors in memory impairment.

Cognitive performance and age-related changes in the hippocampal proteome

Declining cognitive performance is associated with increasing age, even in the absence of overt pathological processes. We and others have reported that declining cognitive performance is associated with age-related changes in brain glucose utilization, long-term potentiation and paired-pulse facilitation, protein expression, neurotransmitter levels, and trophic factors. However, it is unclear whether these changes are causes or symptoms of the underlying alterations in dendritic and synaptic morphology that occur with age. In this study, we examined the hippocampal proteome for age- and cognition-associated changes in behaviorally stratified young and old rats, using two-dimensional in-gel electrophoresis and MS/MS. Comparison of old cognitively intact with old cognitively impaired animals revealed additional changes that would not have been detected otherwise. Interestingly, not all age-related changes in protein expression were associated with cognitive decline, and distinct differences in protein expression were found when comparing old cognitively intact with old cognitively impaired rats. A large number of protein changes with age were related to the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway. In total, the proteomic changes suggest that age-related alterations act synergistically with other perturbations to result in cognitive decline. This study also demonstrates the importance of examining behaviorally-defined animals in proteomic studies, as comparison of young to old animals regardless of behavioral performance would have failed to detect many cognitive impairment-specific protein expression changes evident when behavioral stratification data were used.

Growth hormone treatment attenuates age-related changes in hippocampal short-term plasticity and spatial learning

Downregulation of the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)axis is one of the most robust biomarkers of mammalian aging. Reports have suggested that age-related changes in secretion of growth hormone and IGF-1 contribute to the development of some peripheral characteristics of the aged phenotype including decreased bone density and lean body mass. Recent work has focused on the identification of a role for age-related reductions in growth hormone and IGF-1 in the development of cognitive impairments associated with aging. In the current study, we report that aged (30 month-old) Brown Norway x Fisher rats demonstrate impairments in spatial learning compared with adult (10 month-old) animals, and that 4-month treatment with growth hormone (300 microg twice daily) attenuates age-related learning impairments. After 6 months of treatment, we employed an extracellular paired-pulse protocol to investigate age-related changes in hippocampal short-term plasticity, and found that aged rats exhibit significantly increased paired-pulse ratios (PPRs) at an interpulse interval of 50 ms compared with adult rats. Long-term growth hormone administration restored PPRs in aged animals to values comparable to those observed in adult controls. Since the age-related changes observed in PPR may result from decreases in hippocampal inhibitory tone mediated by GABA(A) receptors, we assessed GABA(A) receptor subunit expression by immunoblot analysis. Data revealed significant age-related decreases in GABA(A) receptor alpha-1 subunit expression which were attenuated by growth hormone treatment. However, hippocampal levels of the gamma2 subunit, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)(65), and GAD(67) protein concentrations were not significantly affected by age or growth hormone treatment. In conclusion, we suggest that age-related decreases in growth hormone and IGF-1 contribute to cognitive decline, in part, via alterations in hippocampal short-term plasticity. Changes in plasticity may reflect a shift in the balance of hippocampal inhibitory and excitatory function.

Intracerebroventricular infusion of insulin-like growth factor-I ameliorates the age-related decline in hippocampal neurogenesis

The dentate gyrus of the hippocampus is one of few regions in the adult mammalian brain characterized by ongoing neurogenesis. Significantly, recent studies indicate that the rate of neurogenesis in the hippocampus declines with age, perhaps contributing to age-related cognitive changes. Although a variety of factors may influence the addition of new neurons in the adult dentate gyrus, the mechanisms responsible for the age-related reduction remain to be established. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is one promising candidate to regulate neurogenesis in the adult and aging brain since it influences neuronal production during development and since, like the rate of neurogenesis, it decreases with age. In the current study, we used bromodeoxyuridine labeling and multilabel immunofluorescence to assess age-related changes in neuronal production in the dentate gyrus of adult Brown Norway x Fischer 344 rats. In addition, we investigated the relationship between changes in neurogenesis and the age-dependent reduction in IGF-I by evaluating the effect of i.c.v. infusion of IGF-I on neurogenesis in the senescent dentate gyrus. The analyses revealed an age-dependent reduction in the number of newly generated cells in the adult dentate subgranular proliferative zone and, in addition, a 60% reduction in the differentiation of newborn cells into neurons. Restoration of IGF-I levels in senescent rats significantly restored neurogenesis through an approximately three-fold increase in neuronal production. The results of this study suggest that IGF-I may be an important regulator of neurogenesis in the adult and aging hippocampus and that an age-related decline in IGF-I-dependent neurogenesis could contribute to age-related cognitive changes.

Effects of age and insulin-like growth factor-1 on neuron and synapse numbers in area CA3 of hippocampus

Age-related effects associated with the hippocampus include declines in numbers of neurons and synapses in the dentate gyrus and area CA1, and decreased cognitive ability as assessed with the Morris water maze. The present study quantified both neuron and synapse number in the same tissue block of area CA3 of the hippocampus. No investigations of both density of neurons and synapses together in area CA3 of hippocampus have been performed previously, despite its importance as the terminal field of dentate gyrus mossy fibers, the second synapse in the trisynaptic circuit in the hippocampus. Numerical density of neurons and synapses were assessed in 4-, 18-, and 29-month-old rats receiving infusions of saline into the lateral ventricle and in 29-month-old rats receiving infusions of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Numerical density of neurons of the stratum pyramidale of CA3 of hippocampus remained constant across the life span as did the numerical density of synapses in stratum lucidum of area CA3. Despite the reported role of IGF-1 in synaptogenesis and improvements in behavior with age, ventricular infusion of this growth factor did not affect the numerical density of neurons or synapses in 29-month-old rats when compared to saline-infused old rats. Further, reported effects of IGF-1 on adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus are not reflected in an IGF-1-related increase in synapse density in this region.

Growth hormone reverses age-related cardiac myofilament dysfunction in rats

We tested the hypotheses that aging is associated with a reduction in overall cardiac contractility and myofilament force generation that could be reversed with growth hormone (GH) replacement. Three groups of male Brown-Norway rats were studied: young (Y(SAL): 8 mo old, n = 13), old (O(SAL): 28 mo old, n = 13), and old GH-treated (O(GH): 28 mo old, n = 12; 300 microg bovine GH, twice a day for 30 days). The left ventricular (LV) pressure-volume relation was derived in isolated hearts, after which isolated trabecular muscles from these hearts were permeabilized and maximal myofilament force generation (Fmax) was measured. LV developed pressures at a LV volume of 0.3 ml were significantly depressed with age: 84 +/- 6 vs. 71 +/- 6 mmHg (Y(SAL) vs. O(SAL), respectively, P = 0.001) and not restored by GH (69 +/- 4 mmHg). Fmax was reduced in the aged hearts: 47.5 +/- 3.12 vs. 35.9 +/- 3.03 mN/mm2 (Y(SAL) vs. O(SAL), respectively, P = 0.014) but was restored with GH replacement to 46.7 +/- 3.12 mN/mm2 (O(SAL) vs. O(GH), P = 0.021). Our results suggest that cellular myofilament contractility is reduced with aging and restored with GH replacement.

Growth hormone increases regional coronary blood flow and capillary density in aged rats

In this study, we examined the effects of age and growth hormone replacement on both coronary blood flow and capillary density. Blood flow was measured by using [(14)C]-iodoantipyrine in three groups of anesthetized Brown Norway x Fischer 344 rats: young vehicle-treated animals (6 months; n = 13), old vehicle treated animals (30 months; n = 9), and old animals treated with bovine growth hormone (200 microg/kg) twice a day for 30 days (30 months; n = 7). Capillary density was measured by color segmentation analysis of sections stained for platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1. In all regions examined, coronary blood flow decreased with age, and growth hormone administration resulted in an increase in flow compared to vehicle-treated animals. Capillary density decreased with age in the apex and the left ventricular middle segment. In response to growth hormone administration, capillary density increased significantly in the apex but not in other regions of the heart. Our results demonstrate that growth hormone enhances regional myocardial blood flow in the aged heart and suggest that part of this effect could be due to an increase in capillary density.

Assessment of physical function in aging rodents: a strategy for improving preclinical testing

Geriatric medicine has recently focused on the biological mechanisms contributing to disability in the activities of daily living (ADLs), with special emphasis given to the study of sarcopenia, an age-related decline in muscle mass. Explaining the etiology of sarcopenia may provide useful information for the development of targeted interventions, especially those that are pharmacological in nature. However, exploratory studies aimed at evaluating the long-term effects of a particular intervention are costly and time consuming in a clinical setting. Therefore there is a need for preclinical testing of the efficacy of pharmacotherapies. This review provides (1) example of factors that contribute to the incidence of disability; (2) the conceptualization of a widely accepted human model of disability applied to an animal model; and (3) information on the potential advantages that may be realized from such translational research.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 selectively increases glucose utilization in brains of aged animals

Previous studies indicate that insulin-like growth factor-1 is an important neurotrophic agent and that decreases in brain concentrations of IGF-1 and the type 1 IGF receptor have an important role in the age-related decline in memory, neuronal function and possibly dendritic architecture. In this study, we assessed the effects of age and IGF-1 replacement on local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU). Three groups of male Brown-Norway rats (7, 18 and 28 months of age) were implanted with Alzet minipumps and either saline or IGF-1 (50ng/0.5 microliter/hour) was infused into the lateral ventricle for 28 days. On day 28, LCGU was measured by infusion of 2-[(14)C]deoxyglucose during the dark phase of the light/dark cycle. Results indicate that glucose utilization significantly decreased with age throughout the brain including the anterior cingulate, sensorimotor and retrosplenial cortex, CA1, CA3 and dentate gyrus of hippocampus and several regions of the hypothalamus. Administration of IGF-1 to aged animals increased rates of LCGU in the anterior cingulate of the cortex (14.2%), CA1 region of the hippocampus (11.0%) and the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (12.0%). Our results indicate that although glucose utilization decreases with age throughout the brain, the effects of IGF-1 infusion are manifest only in specific brain regions. Since IGF-1 has been shown to reverse the age-related decrease in memory, these results suggest that despite the wide distribution of the type 1 IGF receptor the actions of IGF-1 on glucose utilization are highly localized. Additionally, the close association between glucose utilization and excitatory amino acid activity suggests that IGF-1 may act on specific neural pathways to increase glutamate activity in brain regions associated with learning and memory.

The effects of growth hormone and IGF-1 deficiency on cerebrovascular and brain ageing

Research studies clearly indicate that age-related changes in cellular and tissue function are linked to decreases in the anabolic hormones, growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1. Although there has been extensive research on the effects of these hormones on bone and muscle mass, their effect on cerebrovascular and brain ageing has received little attention. We have also observed that in response to moderate calorie restriction (a treatment that increases mean and maximal lifespan by 30-40%), age-related decreases in growth hormone secretion are ameliorated (despite a decline in plasma levels of IGF-1) suggesting that some of the effects of calorie restriction are mediated by modifying the regulation of the growth hormone/IGF-1 axis. Recently, we have observed that microvascular density on the surface of the brain decreases with age and that these vascular changes are ameliorated by moderate calorie restriction. Analysis of cerebral blood flow paralleled the changes in vasculature in both groups. Administration of growth hormone for 28 d was also found to increase microvascular density in aged animals and further analysis indicated that the cerebral vasculature is an important paracrine source of IGF-1 for the brain. In subsequent studies, administration of GHRH (to increase endogenous release of growth hormone) or direct administration of IGF-I was shown to reverse the age-related decline in spatial working and reference memory. Similarly, antagonism of IGF-1 action in the brains of young animals impaired both learning and reference memory. Investigation of the mechanisms of action of IGF-1 suggested that this hormone regulates age-related alterations in NMDA receptor subtypes (e.g. NMDAR2A and R2B). The beneficial role of growth hormone and IGF-1 in ameliorating vascular and brain ageing are counterbalanced by their well-recognised roles in age-related pathogenesis. Although research in this area is still evolving, our results suggest that decreases in growth hormone and IGF-1 with age have both beneficial and deleterious effects. Furthermore, part of the actions of moderate calorie restriction on tissue function and lifespan may be mediated through alterations in the growth hormone/IGF-1 axis.

Reduction in the chondrocyte response to insulin-like growth factor 1 in aging and osteoarthritis: studies in a non-human primate model of naturally occurring disease

OBJECTIVE

Although the development of osteoarthritis (OA) is closely associated with aging, the mechanism for this association is not clear. This study was designed to determine the effects of aging and OA on the chondrocyte response to stimulation with insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in a non-human primate model of naturally occurring OA.

METHODS

Chondrocytes were isolated from cartilage removed separately from the medial and lateral femoral condyles and tibial plateaus of cynomolgus monkeys at the time of necropsy. Each joint site was scored histologically on a scale of 0-7 for OA pathologic changes. Isolated chondrocytes were cultured in alginate in serum-free medium and stimulated with IGF-1 or des(1-3) IGF-1, which has a much lower affinity for IGF binding proteins (IGFBP) than IGF-1. Response was measured as the ability to stimulate sulfate and proline incorporation.

RESULTS

Cartilage samples from 34 monkeys ranging in age from 6.7 years to 27 years and with histologic scores ranging from 0 to 7 were analyzed. A significant decline in the response to IGF-1 was noted with both increasing age and increasing OA score. Controlling for the OA score, the estimated effect of age on IGF-1 response, measured by total sulfate incorporation, was a decline of 3.81% per year (P = 0.0001), or a 75% decline over 20 years as a monkey ages from young to older adult. Controlling for age, the effect of OA score was significant only for proline incorporation in the alginate matrix (estimated slope coefficient +/-standard error -15.9 +/- 7.2; P = 0.03), suggesting a negative effect of OA on retention of 3H-proline-labeled proteins in the matrix. There was a significantly reduced response to des(1-3) IGF-1 with increasing age, but no effect of OA score on response to des(1-3) IGF-1. There was no effect of age on cell viability.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrate a significant age-related decline in the chondrocyte response to IGF-1. The finding that increasing OA score was associated with a reduced response to intact IGF-1 but not des(1-3) IGF-1 suggests a role of increased production of inhibitory IGFBP in OA. Since the cells from older animals had a reduced response to both forms of IGF-1, the mechanism of the reduced response with age cannot be attributed to changes in IGFBP. Age-related changes in IGF receptors or, more likely, age-related alterations in intracellular signal transduction may also be involved.

Age-related synaptic changes in sensorimotor cortex of the Brown Norway X fischer 344 rat

Investigations of age-related changes in synapse density have yielded contradictory conclusions. The goal of the present study was to determine whether there is a significant decline in the number of cortical synapses in old age. Therefore, brains from 10-, 15-, and 32-month-old Brown Norway X Fischer 344 rats were prepared for electron microscopy and synapses were counted in a stereotaxically-identified region of sensorimotor cortex. Within this cortical area, synapses were counted in layers 2 and 4 and the data have been presented both as number of synapses per volume of neuropil and as the ratio of synapses per neuron. Results indicated that there was a decline in synapse density between 15 and 32 months in layer 2, but not in layer 4. This decline was significant not only for total synapses, but also for subcategories of synapses when classified by presynaptic features or postsynaptic element. Specifically, there was a significant decline in presumptive inhibitory synaptic terminals, i.e., those containing nonround synaptic vesicles, as well as a significant decline in synapses that contact dendritic spines.

Age and insulin-like growth factor-1 modulate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subtype expression in rats

N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors have been reported to have an important role in synaptic plasticity and neurodegeneration. Two major subtypes of these receptors, NMDAR1 and NMDAR2, are present in brain and heterogeneity of these receptors have been reported to define specific functional responses. In this study, the effects of age and chronic insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) administration on NMDA receptor density and subtype expression were investigated in frontal cortex, CA1, CA2/3 and the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus of young (10 months), middle-aged (21 months) and old (30 months) male Fisher 344xBrown Norway (F1) rats. No age-related changes in (125)I-MK-801 binding or NMDAR1 protein expression were observed in hippocampus or frontal cortex. However, analysis of NMDAR2A and NMDAR2B protein expression in hippocampus indicated a significant decrease between 21 and 30 months of age and administration of IGF-1 increased these receptor subtypes. In cortex, NMDAR2A and NMDAR2B protein expression were not influenced by age or IGF-1 treatment, although NMDAR2C protein expression decreased with age and this decline was not ameliorated by IGF-1 administration. These data demonstrate that NMDA receptor subtypes are altered with age in a regional and subtype specific manner. We conclude that both age and IGF-1 regulate the expression of NMDA receptor subtypes and suggest that age-related changes in NMDA receptor heterogeneity may result in functional changes in the receptor that have relevance for aging.

Chronic [D-Ala2]-growth hormone-releasing hormone administration attenuates age-related deficits in spatial memory

The age-related decline in growth hormone is one of the most robust endocrine markers of biological aging and has been hypothesized to contribute to the physiological deficits observed in aged animals. However, there have been few studies of the impact of this hormonal decline on brain aging. In this study, the effect of long-term subcutaneous administration of [D-Ala2]-growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) on one measure of brain function, memory, was investigated. Animals were injected daily with 2.3 microg of [D-Ala2]-GHRH or saline from 9 to 30 months of age, and the spatial learning and reference memory of animals were assessed by using the Morris water maze and compared with those of 6-month-old animals. Results indicated that spatial memory decreased with age and that chronic [D-Ala2]-GHRH prevented this age-related decrement (24% improvement in the annulus-40 time and 23% improvement in the number of platform crossings compared with saline treated, age-matched controls; p < .05 each). No changes were noted in sensorimotor performance. [D-Ala2]-GHRH attenuated the age-related decline in plasma concentrations of insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1) (p <.05). These data suggest that growth hormone and IGF-1 have important effects on brain function, that the decline in growth hormone and IGF-1 with age contributes to impairments in reference memory, and that these changes can be reversed by the chronic administration of GHRH.

Pleiotropic effects of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 on biological aging: inferences from moderate caloric-restricted animals

Moderate caloric restriction (60% of ad libitum intake) is an important model to investigate potential mechanisms of biological aging. This regimen has been reported to decrease the number of pathologies and increase life span in all species tested to date. Although moderate caloric restriction induces a wide range of physiological changes within the organism, adaptive changes within the endocrine system are evident and serve to maintain blood levels of glucose. These alterations include an increase in growth hormone secretory dynamics and a decline in plasma levels of IGF-1. These endocrine compensatory mechanisms can be induced at any age, and we have proposed that these alterations mediate some of the beneficial aspects of moderate caloric restriction. Numerous studies indicate that growth hormone and IGF-1 decrease with age and that administration of these hormones ameliorates the deterioration of tissue function evident in aged ad libitum-fed animals, suggesting that the absence of these hormones contributes to the phenotype of aging. Nevertheless, IGF-1 is an important risk factor in age-related pathologies including lung, breast, and prostate cancer. From these studies, we propose that endocrine compensatory mechanisms induced by moderate caloric restriction (including increased growth hormone and decreased IGF-1) decrease the stimulus for cellular replication, resulting in a decline in pathologies and increased life span observed in these animals. These findings have important implications for potential mechanisms of moderate caloric restriction and suggest that neuroendocrine compensatory mechanisms exert a key role on the actions of moderate caloric restriction on life span.

Effects of moderate caloric restriction on cortical microvascular density and local cerebral blood flow in aged rats

The present study was designed to assess the impact of moderate caloric restriction (60% of ad libitum fed animals) on cerebral vascular density and local cerebral blood flow. Vascular density was assessed in male Brown-Norway rats from 7-35 months of age using a cranial window technique. Arteriolar density, arteriole-arteriole anastomoses, and venular density decreased with age and these effects were attenuated by moderate caloric restriction. Analysis of local cerebral blood using [14C]iodoantipyrine indicated that basal blood flow decreased with age in CA1, CA3 and dentate gyrus of hippocampus; similar trends were evident in cingulate, retrosplenal, and motor cortex. Basal blood flow was increased in all brain regions of moderate caloric restricted old animals (compared to old ad libitum fed animals) and no differences were observed between ad libitum fed young and caloric restricted older animals. In response to a CO2 challenge to maximally dilate vessels, blood flow increased in young and old ad libitum fed animals, but a similar increase was not observed in caloric restricted old animals. We conclude that a decrease in cerebral vasculature is an important contributing factor in the reduction in blood flow with age. Nevertheless, vessels from young and old animals have the capacity to dilate in response to a CO2 challenge and, after CO2, no differences are observed between the two age-groups. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that aged animals fail to adequately regulate local cerebral blood flow in response to physiological stimuli. Moderate caloric restriction increases microvascular density and cerebral blood flow in aged animals but tissues exhibit little or no increase in blood flow in response to CO2 challenge. The cause of this deficient response may indicate that vessels are maximally dilated in aged calorically restricted animals or that they fail to exhibit normal regulatory control.

Alterations in insulin-like growth factor-1 gene and protein expression and type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptors in the brains of ageing rats

Ageing in mammals is characterized by a decline in plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 that appears to contribute to both structural and functional changes in a number of tissues. Although insulin-like growth factor-1 has been shown to provide trophic support for neurons and administration of insulin-like growth factor-1 to ageing animals reverses some aspects of brain ageing, age-related changes in insulin-like growth factor-1 or type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptors in brain have not been well documented. In this series of studies, insulin-like growth factor-1 messenger RNA and protein concentrations, and type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor levels were analysed in young (three to four- and 10-12-month-old), middle-aged (19-20-month-old) and old (29-32-month-old) Fisher 344 x Brown Norway rats. Localization of insulin-like growth factor-1 messenger RNA throughout the lifespan revealed that expression was greatest in arteries, arterioles, and arteriolar anastomoses with greater than 80% of these vessels producing insulin-like growth factor-1 messenger RNA. High levels of expression were also noted in the meninges. No age-related changes were detected by either in situ hybridization or quantitative dot blot analysis of cortical tissue. However, analysis of insulin-like growth factor-1 protein levels in cortex analysed after saline perfusion indicated a 36.5% decrease between 11 and 32 months-of-age (P<0.05). Similarly, analysis of type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor messenger RNA revealed no changes with age but levels of type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptors indicated a substantial decrease with age (31% in hippocampus and 20.8 and 27.3% in cortical layers II/III and V/VI, respectively). Our results indicate that (i) vasculature and meninges are an important source of insulin-like growth factor-1 for the brain and that expression continues throughout life, (ii) there are no changes in insulin-like growth factor-1 gene expression with age but insulin-like growth factor-1 protein levels decrease suggesting that translational deficiencies or deficits in the transport of insulin-like growth factor-1 through the blood-brain barrier contribute to the decline in brain insulin-like growth factor-1 with age, and (iii) type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor messenger RNA is unchanged with age but type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptors decrease in several brain regions. We conclude that significant perturbations occur in the insulin-like growth factor-1 axis with age. Since other studies suggest that i.c.v. administration of insulin-like growth factor-1 reverses functional and cognitive deficiencies with age, alterations within the insulin-like growth factor-1 axis may be an important contributing factor in brain ageing.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 ameliorates age-related behavioral deficits

Insulin-like growth factor-1 has been found to be involved in the regulation of several aspects of brain metabolism, neural transmission, neural growth and differentiation. Because decreased insulin-like growth factor-1 and/or its receptors are likely to contribute to age-related abnormalities in behavior, the strategy of replacing this protein is one potential therapeutic alternative. The present study was designed to assess whether cognitive deficits with ageing may be partially overcome by increasing the availability of insulin-like growth factor-1 in the brain. Fischer-344 x Brown Norway hybrid (F1) male rats of two ages (four-months-old and 32-months-old) were preoperatively trained in behavioral tasks and subsequently implanted with osmotic minipumps to infuse the insulin-like growth factor-1 (23.5 microg/pump) or a vehicle, i.c.v. Animals were retested at two weeks and four weeks after surgery. Insulin-like growth factor-1 improved working memory in the repeated acquisition task and in the object recognition task. An improvement was also observed in the place discrimination task, which assesses reference memory. Insulin-like growth factor-1 had no effect on sensorimotor skills nor exploration, but mildly reversed some age-related deficits in emotionality. These data indicate a potentially important role for insulin-like growth factor-1 in the reversal of age-related behavioral impairments in rodents.

Distribution and levels of insulin-like growth factor I mRNA across the life span in the Brown Norway x Fischer 344 rat brain

Previous studies have reported changes in insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) mRNA expression during early postnatal development of the rat brain. Although changes in IGF-I gene expression have been documented in a wide range of central nervous system structures during early development and investigated in the hippocampus during aging, no study has compared changes in IGF-I gene expression in different brain regions across the life span. The present study assessed the distribution of IGF-I gene expression using in situ hybridization in rats aged 2-30 months. Dot blots were used as a quantitative assessment of cortical IGF-I mRNA. Results indicate that both the distribution and levels of brain IGF-I mRNA do not change significantly between 2 and 30 months of age in the rat. However, in spite of relatively constant levels of mRNA, other studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that cortical IGF-I protein levels decrease 36.6% between 11 and 32 months of age, suggesting that IGF-I function is decreased with increasing age.

Decreases in cerebral microvasculature with age are associated with the decline in growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1

Several reports have demonstrated that cerebral blood flow decreases with age and may contribute to neurodegenerative changes found in aging animals and man. Because GH and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) decrease with age and have an important role in vascular maintenance and remodeling, we hypothesized that the decrease in cerebral blood flow is associated with a rarefaction of cerebral blood vessels resulting from a decline in GH and IGF-1. Measurements of vascular density (number of vessels/cortical surface area) in both Brown-Norway and Fisher 344/Brown-Norway rats were made at 5, 13, and 29 months of age using chronic cranial window chambers that allowed viewing of the cortical surface and its corresponding vasculature. Correlations were made with plasma levels of IGF-1. In Brown-Norway rats, arteriolar density decreased from 15.53 +/- 1.08 to 9.49 +/- 0.62 endpoints/mm2 in 7- and 29-month-old animals, respectively (P < 0.05). A decline was observed also in arteriolar anastomoses [3.05 +/- 0.21 to 1.42 +/- 0.24 connections/mm2 in 7- and 29-month-old animals (P < 0.05)]. Venular density did not decrease with age. Similar changes were observed in Fisher 344/Brown-Norway rats. The number of cortical surface arterioles was correlated with plasma IGF-1 levels at the time of vascular mapping (r = 0.772, P < 0.05), and injection of bovine GH (0.25 mg/kg, s.c., twice daily for 35 days) to 30-month-old animals increased both plasma IGF-1 and the number of cortical arterioles. These data indicate that: 1) vascular density on the surface of the cortex decreases with age; 2) vascular density is correlated with plasma levels of IGF-1; and 3) injection of GH increases cortical vascular density in older animals. We conclude that GH and IGF-1 have an important role in the decline in vascular density with age and suggest that decreases in vascular density may have important implications for the age-related decline in cerebral blood flow and brain function.

L-type Ca2+ channel-insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor signaling impairment in aging rat skeletal muscle

The present study investigates the modulation of skeletal muscle L-type Ca2+ channel receptor in response to insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) activation. Single extensor digitorum longus and multifiber preparations were isolated from 7- (young), 14- (middle-age) and 28-(old) month- Fisher 344 X Brown Norway rats. Calcium current was potentiated in fibers from young and middle-age rats due to a -13 mV shift in half-activation potential. Fibers from old animals failed to show current potentiation in response to IGF-1R activation. IGF-1 induced a ten-fold increase in the phosphorylation of the L-type Ca2+ channel alpha1 subunit in young and middle-age fibers but failed to induce phosphorylation in old fibers. Addition of 0.5 mM Ca2+ increased the IGF-1 induced phosphorylation in young and middle-age fibers three fold but not in old fibers. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, and the PKC inhibitor peptide, 19-36, decreased IGF-1 induced phosphorylation of alpha1 subunit to 15% in young and middle-age fibers but failed to inhibit phosphorylation in old fibers. These results demonstrate that the IGF-1-L-type Ca2+ channel alpha1 subunit signaling is impaired in skeletal muscle fibers from old animals due to alterations in the trk-PKC pathway.

Expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and IGF-binding protein 2 (IGF-BP2) in the hippocampus following cytotoxic lesion of the dentate gyrus

Receptor binding and gene expression of several members of the IGF gene family were examined in the rat brain following lesion of the hippocampal dentate gyrus granular cells by intradentate colchicine injection. Dentate granular cell loss was accompanied by extensive reactive gliosis in the lesioned hippocampus and damaged overlying cortex, as verified by the increase in GFAP mRNA and BS-1 lectin binding. At 4 days post-lesion, 125I-IGF-2 binding was dramatically increased within the lesioned dentate gyrus and damaged overlying cortex, and corresponded temporally and anatomically with increased IGF-BP2 gene expression following the lesion. Increased IGF-BP3 gene expression was only observed in the overlying cortex at 10 days post-lesion, and corresponded with an increase in 125I-IGF-1 binding at the injured surface of the cortex. Type-2 IGF receptor mRNA expression was reduced to background levels in the lesioned dentate gyrus, suggesting that IGF-BP2 was a major component of the observed increase in 125I-IGF-2 binding. In situ hybridization also revealed a prominent increase in IGF-1 mRNA expression by 4 days post-lesion, which was localized within the lesioned dentate gyrus and damaged cortical areas, and was shown to be expressed by microglia. While no IGF-2 mRNA expression was observed within the CNS, either prior to, or following the lesion, IGF-2 mRNA expression was observed in the choroid plexus, meningeal membranes, and in blood vessel endothelium, providing a potential source for the transport of IGF-2 into the CNS. In the injured CNS, increased IGF-BP2 expression may act to maintain or transport IGF-1 or IGF-2, as well as modulate the local autocrine and paracrine actions of the IGFs. Increased microglial IGF-1 expression following colchicine treatment correlates with the timing of a number of post-traumatic events within the CNS, suggesting that IGF-1 may have a role as a neuroprotectant for surviving neurons and signal for local neuronal sprouting, as well as a role in reactive astrogliosis.

Growth hormone and aging: Regulation, signal transduction and replacement therapy

It is widely accepted that during the aging process a number of alterations occur at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels, ranging from an alteration in receptor signal transduction and gene expression to structural and morphological changes in various tissues. There is abundant empirical and scientific evidence to support the hypothesis that many of these aging processes are closely related to a decline in hormone concentrations and/or hormone action, but the etiology of these deficiencies remains elusive. GH and insulinlike growth factor-I (IGF-I) are two potent anabolic hormones that decrease with age and appear to contribute to the loss of tissue function that is associated with normal aging. In this review, age-related changes in the regulation of these hormones are detailed as well as relatively new information on mechanisms of tissue resistance to GH. Finally, the potential use of GH as a therapeutic intervention to delay physiological changes associated with age is discussed.

Moderate caloric restriction prevents the age-related decline in growth hormone receptor signal transduction

A decline in plasma concentration of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been hypothesized to contribute to a decrease in tissue protein synthesis and function in aging animals and man. In this study, the effects of aging and long-term caloric restriction on growth hormone receptor signal transduction were assessed in hepatic tissue to determine whether alterations in tissue responsiveness to growth hormone contribute to the decline in IGF-1 gene expression. Liver slices from female C57/BL mice (10, 17, and 31 months) were prepared in media and stimulated with growth hormone (2 nM). An increase in growth hormone receptor binding was observed in 31-month ad libitum-fed animals (p < .01) compared to 10- or 17-month-old animals), and this effect was partially attenuated by moderate caloric restriction. However, growth hormone (2 nM)-induced IGF-1 gene expression was significantly lower in old ad libitum-fed animals (p < .05 compared to 10-month-old ad libitum and 31-month-old caloric-restricted animals). Further analysis revealed that growth hormone receptor and JAK2 kinase phosphorylation as well as mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activity were significantly lower in old animals compared to the adult or middle-age groups (p < .05). Old caloric-restricted animals demonstrated a significant increase in growth hormone receptor and JAK2 kinase phosphorylation and MAP kinase activity in response to growth hormone. The results demonstrate that growth hormone increases growth hormone receptor and JAK2 kinase phosphorylation as well as MAP kinase activity in liver. These responses decrease with age and are attenuated by moderate, long-term caloric restriction.

Caloric restriction decreases age-dependent accumulation of the glycoxidation products, N epsilon-(carboxymethyl)lysine and pentosidine, in rat skin collagen

Nonenzymatic glycation of body proteins and subsequent advanced glycation reactions have been implicated in the aging process, while caloric restriction (CR) in rodents results in an increase in both mean and maximum life span. We have evaluated the effect of chronic (25 months) CR on glycation of blood proteins and accumulation of advanced glycation and oxidation (glycoxidation) products, N epsilon-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), and pentosidine, in skin collagen. Brown-Norway rats, fed ad libitum (AL) from birth, were divided into two equal groups at 4 months of age and placed on AL or CR diets (CR = 60% of AL diet). Cohorts of animals were sacrificed at 7, 13, and 25 months after the initiation of CR. At necropsy glycated hemoglobin was measured by affinity HPLC and glycated plasma protein by the fructosamine assay; extracts of skin collagen were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for CML and by reversed-phase HPLC for pentosidine. Glycation of hemoglobin, plasma proteins, and skin collagen was decreased significantly (18-33%) by CR. Concentrations of CML and pentosidine increased significantly with age in skin collagen in both AL and CR animals; however, CR significantly reduced levels of CML (25%), pentosidine (50%), and fluorescence (15%) in collagen in the oldest rats. We conclude that CR reduces the extent of glycation of blood and tissue proteins and the age-related accumulation of glycoxidation products in skin collagen.

Ethanol suppresses growth hormone-mediated cellular responses in liver slices

Previous studies indicate that both acute and chronic ethanol administration inhibit protein synthesis and decrease the secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Although IGF-1 synthesis and secretion are regulated by growth hormone secretion from the pituitary gland, we assessed whether ethanol inhibits tissue response to growth hormone. Liver slices from male Sprague-Dawley rats were prepared, placed into F-12 media, and incubated at 37 degrees C with [3H]leucine, and either 0.25 or 1 nM rat growth hormone and 0, 37 (physiological levels), or 175 mM (toxic levels) ethanol. Tissues were removed at 0, 15, 30, and 60 min. Protein synthesis increased linearly during this time period, and administration of growth hormone (1 nM) significantly increased protein synthetic rate by 48% (p < 0.01), whereas addition of 37 or 175 mM ethanol attenuated the effects of growth hormone (p < 0.01). Analysis of IGF-1 mRNA indicated a 2-fold increase in response to growth hormone (p < 0.01), whereas ethanol administration decreased the growth hormone-induced rise of IGF-1 mRNA. Ethanol (175 mM) inhibited the release of IGF-1 into the media (p < 0.05). Ethanol did not alter growth hormone receptor binding, and exposure of tissue slices to ethanol did not influence the number of growth hormone receptors or the affinity of growth hormone for its receptor. Our results demonstrate that (1) growth hormone is a potent acute regulator of IGF-1 mRNA and IGF-1 peptide release, (2) ethanol inhibits growth hormone-induced protein synthesis and induction of IGF-1 gene expression, and (3) the inhibitory effects of ethanol on growth hormone occur without changing growth hormone receptor number or binding characteristics. We conclude that ethanol suppresses growth hormone-induced signal transduction, resulting in a decrease in IGF-1 gene expression.

Decreases in growth hormone receptor signal transduction contribute to the decline in insulin-like growth factor I gene expression with age

Several investigations have clearly indicated that plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) decrease with age and contribute to the decrease in tissue function that is characteristic of aging animals and man. Plasma IGF-I is regulated by GH released from the pituitary gland, and although data demonstrate a decline in GH secretion with age, GH receptor (GHR) density in liver tissue has been reported to increase. In this study, the effects of aging on GHR signal transduction were assessed in hepatic tissue to determine whether alterations in the response to GH contribute to the decline in IGF-I. Liver slices from female C57BL/6 mice (10, 17, and 31 months old) were prepared in medium and stimulated with GH. Basal GHR binding increased more than 2-fold in 31-month-old animals compared to that in either 10- or 17-month-old animals (P < 0.01), whereas the Ka values were similar in the three age groups. However, GH (2 nM)-induced IGF-I gene expression decreased dramatically with age (P < 0.01). In 10-month-old animals, GH-induced phosphorylation of the GHR complex was maximal 10 min after the addition of hormone, whereas GH-induced MAP kinase activity was maximal at 15 min. GH-induced JAK2 kinase and GHR complex phosphorylation as well as MAP kinase activity were significantly lower in 31-month-old animals than in either the 10- or 17-month-old groups (P < 0.05). The results of this study demonstrate that GH induces phosphorylation of JAK2 and the GHR complex, activates MAP kinase, and increases the expression of IGF-I messenger RNA in liver. In 17-month-old animals, decreases in IGF-I gene expression were evident that were not directly associated with diminished GHR complex phosphorylation or MAP kinase activity. By 31 months, there was a decrease in IGF-I gene expression that was associated with a marked decline in JAK2 and GHR complex phosphorylation. These data suggest that the signal transduction pathway for GH is impaired with age and that these changes may contribute to the decline in IGF-I gene expression.

Effect of ethanol on plasma and hepatic insulin-like growth factor regulation in pregnant rats

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy has been shown to have profound developmental and behavioral effects on the fetus; however, the specific cause of these abnormalities remains unknown. These studies examined the consequences of chronic ethanol exposure during pregnancy on the regulation of maternal plasma and hepatic insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), and their associated plasma binding proteins (IGF-BPs). Ad libitum, pair, and ethanol-fed rats were fed a commercial liquid diet containing either ethanol or isocaloric maltose-dextrin from day 2 of pregnancy through parturition and killed 6 hr postpartum. Maternal plasma IGF-1 concentrations were reduced 51% in ethanol, compared with pair-fed mothers, with a corresponding 20% reduction in hepatic IGF-1 mRNA levels. In contrast, plasma IGF-2 concentrations were increased approximately 100% in ethanol-fed mothers. Whereas the smaller forms of the IGF-binding protein subunits (24 kDa and 32-29 kDa) were not affected by ethanol treatment, a significant reduction was observed in the binding subunit of IGF-BP3 (45-40 kDa) in ethanol-exposed mothers. These results suggest that alterations in plasma and hepatic IGF regulation may contribute to changes in maternal and placental metabolism and hormone regulation during pregnancy, which may in turn contribute to the intrauterine and postnatal growth retardation observed in prenatally ethanol-exposed offspring.

Moderate caloric restriction alters the subcellular distribution of somatostatin mRNA and increases growth hormone pulse amplitude in aged animals

Although growth hormone secretion decreases with age in both animals and man, its potential role in the regulation of biological aging is unknown. In a series of experiments, age-related changes in growth hormone secretory dynamics were compared in ad libitum fed and moderately calorically restricted male Brown-Norway rats. These animals exhibit an increase in both mean and maximal lifespan in response to caloric restriction. In addition, the subcellular distribution of somatostatin mRNA was compared since previous data indicated that somatostatin secretion increases with age and has an important role in the age-related decline in growth hormone pulse amplitude. In ad libitum fed animals, growth hormone secretory dynamics decreased with age and were associated with a decline in total somatostatin mRNA levels. However, analysis of somatostatin mRNA precipitating with polyribosomes revealed a significant increase with age (p < 0.05). When data were expressed as polysomal/total mRNA, levels in 25-month-old animals increased 94 and 104% compared to 6- or 16-month-old animals, respectively (p < 0.01). Growth hormone secretory dynamics decreased in young animals maintained on a moderate caloric restricted diet, but by 26 months growth hormone pulse amplitude increased and was indistinguishable from young ad libitum fed animals. In addition, the moderate caloric-restricted animals failed to exhibit the decline in total somatostatin mRNA or the increase in polyribosome-associated somatostatin mRNA characteristic of the ad libitum fed 25-month-old animals. Our results suggest that altered regulation of somatostatin mRNA at the translational level may be a contributing factor in the decrease in growth hormone secretion observed in aging animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Insulin-like growth factor-1 stimulation of protein synthesis is attenuated in cerebral cortex of aging rats

It has been postulated that brain aging and the accompanying neurodegenerative processes associated with aging result from a deterioration of mechanisms that regulate the maintenance of basic cellular processes. In the present study, it was hypothesized that decreased availability and/or diminished responsiveness of tissues to growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor-1 may be partly responsible for decreases in total protein synthesis previously observed in aging animals. Male Brown Norway rats (5-7 and 27-28 months old) were used to determine (1) whether in vivo protein synthesis in cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus and cerebellum decreases with age and (2) whether these deficiencies are associated with age-related alterations in response to insulin-like growth factor-1, des (1-3) IGF-1 or insulin. Analysis of in vivo protein synthesis rates revealed a decline of 20% in cortex of old rats (P < 0.05) but no changes were observed in hippocampus, hypothalamus, or cerebellum. Stimulation of cortical slices in vitro with insulin-like growth factor-1, des (1-3) insulin-like growth factor-1, or insulin increased protein synthesis rates in young animals, but the response to these growth factors was blunted in old animals. Analysis of type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor densities by quantitative autoradiography demonstrated age-related decreases in receptor levels in cerebellar cortex and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus but no changes in cortex. Regional distribution of type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptors within each of these tissues did not appear to change with age.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect of in utero ethanol exposure on the postnatal ontogeny of insulin-like growth factor-1, and type-1 and type-2 insulin-like growth factor receptors in the rat brain

There is convincing evidence that alcohol consumption during pregnancy causes major CNS abnormalities; however, the molecular and cellular basis of these dysfunctions is currently not understood. This study examined the effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on the expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 messenger RNA and type-1 and type-2 receptor protein and messenger RNA expression in the developing rat brain. Mothers were maintained on an ethanol containing liquid diet from day 2 of pregnancy through parturition and the offspring were killed at birth, 10, 20 and 40 days of age. Insulin-like growth factor-1 messenger RNA, and insulin-like growth factor receptors demonstrated developmentally dependent expression in specific brain regions throughout the postnatal period of CNS maturation. Insulin-like growth factor-1 gene expression in the brain, as analysed by dot-blot hybridization, was greatest at birth, and decreased 61% in ad libitum and pair-fed animals by 20 days of age. In contrast, ethanol-treated animals exhibited only a 25% decrease in insulin-like growth factor-1 messenger RNA levels during the same period. This delay in insulin-like growth factor-1 messenger RNA maturation may be related to a developmental delay in CNS development in the prenatally ethanol exposed offspring. Prenatal ethanol exposure did not alter the observed localization of insulin-like growth factor-1 messenger RNA. While alterations were observed in long-term insulin-like growth factor-1 messenger RNA regulation, quantitative receptor autoradiography and in situ hybridization demonstrated no alterations in either type-1 or type-2 insulin-like growth factor receptor populations in ethanol-treated animals. Changes in hepatic and plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein regulation have also been observed in these animals, suggesting changes in protein translation and the autocrine/paracrine actions of this peptide. The present study demonstrated that insulin-like growth factor-1 messenger RNA and insulin-like growth factor receptors are regionally expressed during early postnatal development and that ethanol administration influenced the long-term regulation of insulin-like growth factor messenger RNA levels in the brain without affecting either its localization or insulin-like growth factor receptor populations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Moderate caloric restriction increases type 1 IGF receptors and protein synthesis in aging rats

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is an anabolic hormone that mediates the actions of growth hormone (GH) and is found at lower concentrations in aged animals. These decreases in GH and IGF-1 appear to have important physiological consequences for aging, since protein synthesis decreases with age, and administration of GH and/or IGF-1 has been shown to increase protein synthesis. The present study was designed to determine (a) the relationship between the age-related changes in rates of tissue protein synthesis and plasma IGF-1 concentrations, (b) type 1 IGF receptor density in tissues and (c) whether long-term moderate caloric restriction, which is known to increase life-span, affects these relationships. Male Brown Norway rats were fed ad libitum or caloric-restricted (60% ad libitum) from 14 weeks of age and sacrificed at different ages. In ad libitum fed animals there were age-related decreases in plasma IGF-1 concentrations (14%) and in the rates of protein synthesis of the heart (36%) and liver (38%). Type 1 IGF receptor density remained constant in all tissues with age. The caloric-restricted animals exhibited plasma IGF-1 concentrations 33 to 42% lower than the ad libitum fed animals. However, rates of protein synthesis increased by 70 and 30% in heart and diaphragm, and this increase was associated with 60 to 100% increases in type 1 IGF receptor densities when compared with ad libitum fed animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Long-term suppression of insulin-like growth factor-1 in rats after in utero ethanol exposure: relationship to somatic growth

It has been established that consumption of alcohol during pregnancy has profound developmental and behavioral effects on the fetus and offspring. The present studies were undertaken to examine the consequences of in utero ethanol exposure on the regulation of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in relation to observed somatic growth deficits. Ad libitum, pair- and ethanol-fed female rats were maintained on liquid diet from day 2 of pregnancy through parturition. Pups were sacrificed at birth or cross-fostered to nonexperimental mothers and sacrificed at 10, 20 and 40 days of age. Body and brain weights of ethanol-exposed pups were reduced compared to either ad libitum or pair-fed animals; however, brain to body weight ratios were not different between groups. In ethanol-treated offspring, plasma IGF-1 concentrations were reduced 14 to 40% compared to ad libitum or pair-fed animals at birth, 10 and 20 days of age, with a nonsignificant reduction observed at 40 days of age. Plasma IGF-2 concentrations were not different between any treatment group at any age, suggesting that the ethanol-induced reduction in IGF-1 was a selective effect of prenatal ethanol exposure. Although IGF-binding proteins were generally not affected before 20 days in prenatally exposed rats, significant reductions were observed in 20- and 40-day-old ethanol-exposed pups. These results suggest that long-term reductions in plasma IGF-1 concentrations contribute to the reduced body and brain weights observed in ethanol-treated pups, and lend further support to the importance of the IGF and IGF-binding proteins in pre- and postnatal growth and development.

Effects of aging and dietary restriction on tissue protein synthesis: relationship to plasma insulin-like growth factor-1

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) decreases with age in many species and appears to have an important role in the age-related decline in capacity for protein synthesis with age. The goals of these studies were to determine whether (a) ad libitum fed mice demonstrate age-related decreases in IGF-1, (b) the relationship between IGF-1 and age-related changes in protein synthetic capacity in ad libitum fed animals, and (c) whether moderate dietary restriction (which increases both life span and protein synthetic capacity) delays age-related changes in protein synthesis and plasma IGF-1. These studies indicate that (a) in ad libitum fed animals, plasma IGF-1 decreases with age between 10 and 15 months and moderate dietary restriction decreases plasma IGF-1 in young but not older animals, and (b) the temporal changes in protein synthesis are tissue specific; moderate dietary restriction either increases or prevents the age-related decline in tissue protein synthesis. Results suggest that in normal aging, decreases in IGF-1 are associated with the decline in protein synthesis but that other regulatory mechanisms appear to have an important role in this process. Dietary restriction decreases plasma IGF-1 in young animals and either increases protein synthesis or prevents the age-related decline in protein synthesis, suggesting that the effects of dietary restriction are not mediated via increases in plasma IGF-1.

Attenuation of Fos-like immunoreactivity induced by a single electroconvulsive shock in brains of aging mice

c-fos is a proto-oncogene that encodes for a nuclear phosphoprotein with DNA binding properties and is presumed to have an important role in the long-term regulation of neuronal function. It is thought to act as a 'third messenger' molecule in signal transduction systems and its expression has been shown to be induced by a variety of exogenous and endogenous stimuli. This study examines the differential expression of the Fos protein in various brain regions after a single electroconvulsive shock (ECS) in 6-, 13-, and 28-month-old B6C3 mice. The animals received an acute electroconvulsive shock (90 V for 0.3 s), without prior anesthesia, through earclip electrodes and exhibited generalized tonic-clonic seizures lasting 20-36 s. Animals were anesthetized and perfused intracardially with 2.5% acrolein, 4% paraformaldehyde at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 h postshock. The brains were Vibratome-sectioned (30 microns) and examined using a Fos antibody, directed against a conserved region of both mouse and human Fos by standard immunocytochemical methods. Systematic sampling of the total number of Fos immunostained neurons in amygdala, hippocampus and the cerebral cortex showed peak values at the 1-h time point followed by a steady decline thereafter in all age groups. In a second experiment, Fos-like immunoreactivity was compared 1 h after ECS in the hippocampus, amygdala and the cortex in all 3 age groups. There was increased expression of Fos-like immunoreactivity after ECS- compared to non-ECS-treated controls in all age groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Influence of age and long-term dietary restriction on plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), IGF-1 gene expression, and IGF-1 binding proteins

The purpose of these studies was to determine more accurately the relationship between IGF-1 and life span, and to determine whether moderate dietary caloric restriction alters the age-related changes in IGF-1. Studies included an assessment of plasma IGF-1, hepatic IGF-1 mRNA, and plasma IGF-1 binding proteins (IGF-1-BP). Rats (6, 12, 22, and 28 months of age) were fed ad libitum or maintained on a diet 60% of ad libitum. In ad libitum fed animals, plasma IGF-1 decreased by 20% between 6 and 28 months of age. Similar age-related declines were observed in dietary restricted animals but levels were generally 14-25% lower at each age group. IGF-1 mRNA levels demonstrated similar decreases with age in ad libitum fed animals, but in dietary restricted animals, levels plateaued at 22 and 28 months. IGF-1 binding protein analysis revealed 3 bands at approximate molecular weights of 40k, 30k, and 24k. All bands demonstrated a decrease in relative IGF-1-BP concentration with age, as well as a decrease in the 40k and 30k binding proteins after dietary restriction. These results indicate that (a) aging in ad libitum fed animals is associated with decreases in plasma IGF-1, IGF-1-BP, and IGF-1 mRNA levels; and (b) long-term dietary restriction decreases plasma IGF-1 and IGF-1-BP levels in each age group although the age-associated decreases in IGF-1 mRNA levels are prevented by dietary restriction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect of aging on GHRF-induced growth hormone release from anterior pituitary cells in primary culture

Five criteria were developed to validate the primary cell culture model for comparison of GRF-induced release of growth hormone in pituitary tissue from aging animals. Pituitaries from young (5-mo), middle-aged (14-mo), and old (24-mo) male Fischer 344 rats were dispersed using either trypsin/trypsin inhibitor or dispase and compared with respect to the number of pituitary cells recovered, cell viability, 3H-leucine incorporation into total protein, time course for recovery of optimal response to GRF, and the dose-relationship for GRF-induced release of growth hormone 2, 4, and 6 days after dispersal. Results indicated that direct comparison of cellular responses between tissues from young, middle-aged, and old rats in primary cell culture is confounded by variations in time for recovery of optimal responses, the effects of the enzymes used for dispersal, and the methods used to express the data.

Distribution of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and 2 (IGF-2) receptors in the hippocampal formation of rats and mice

This study demonstrated species differences in IGF-1 and IGF-2 receptor binding and localization in the hippocampus of the rat and mouse. Competition binding studies indicated that there were no differences in the relative binding affinities for the type 1 or type 2 receptors between the brains of these animals. These results suggested that the observed species differences were not attributable to alterations in IGF receptor kinetics. Receptor autoradiographic analyses demonstrated that IGF-1 binding differed in both the localization and overall receptor densities observed, with the rat demonstrating more specific localization and greater receptor density in the hippocampus than the mouse. The rat also exhibited a greater density of IGF-2 receptors in the hippocampus than the mouse. Despite differences in IGF receptor populations, both species exhibit similar hippocampal structure and lamination. Therefore, these results demonstrate a disparity in the localization of IGF receptor binding in the rat and mouse, suggesting that IGFs in these species are differentially regulated, with distinct neuromodulatory, neurotrophic, and/or developmental roles in this region of the brain. Previous comparative anatomical studies of the hippocampal formation of rats and mice fail to offer an explanation for the absence or reduction of binding of IGF-1 in the mouse. Although the mouse has a greater cell density in the s. granulosum than the rat, and both species exhibit similar glia and synaptic contact densities in the s. moleculare of the dentate gyrus, the mouse exhibits a complete absence of IGF-1 binding in this region. The lack of anatomical differences in the hippocampal formation of these species suggests that the patterns observed in IGF binding result from alterations in either neurochemical modulation of these neurons or specific neurotrophic requirements of the cells in this region. Differences have been reported on the concentrations and binding of various neurotransmitters in the hippocampus of these species, however these differences do not easily account for the variations observed in IGF binding in this study. IGFs are known to influence acetylcholine neurotransmission in the hippocampus as well as other brain areas in the rat. Recently, a truncated form of IGF-1, in which a tripeptide is cleaved from the N-terminus of the peptide, has been reported in brain. The cleaved tripeptide has been shown to activate glutamate receptors, which may dramatically influence excitatory neurotransmission in this region. Therefore, in addition to the possible neurotrophic actions of the peptide itself, subsequent processing of IGF-1 may be an important aspect of IGF-1 activity in the brain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Somatostatin gene expression in hypothalamus and cortex of aging male rats

Somatostatin has been reported to decrease with age in many brain regions and these changes generally have been considered to have important implications for the regulation of both neural activity and neuroendocrine regulatory systems. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the age-related changes in somatostatin concentration in cortex and hypothalamus are attributable to alterations in the regulation of somatostatin gene expression. Hypothalamic and cortical tissue were dissected from young (3-4 month), middle-aged (12-14 month), and old (22 month) male Fischer 344 rats. Total RNA was extracted and dilutions blotted to nitrocellulose. Somatostatin cDNA in expression vector pSP65 was used to produce a 32P-labeled antisense probe for hybridization. After washing, blots were autoradiographed and analyzed by densitometry. Dilutions of total RNA were also probed with 32P-labeled oligo d(pT)16 to determine poly A +RNA levels. Data were expressed as relative somatostatin gene expression (somatostatin mRNA/poly A +RNA). Results indicated that in cortex, relative somatostatin gene expression was similar in young, middle-aged, and old animals (0.54 +/- 0.11, 0.60 +/- 0.08, and 0.51 +/- 0.04, respectively). However, somatostatin gene expression in the hypothalamus decreased consistently with age and ratios in old rats were approximately 50% of levels observed in young animals (p less than 0.05). Northern analysis of RNA revealed a single somatostatin transcript of approximately 0.65 kb in all age groups. In situ hybridization analysis of somatostatin mRNA in the hypothalamus indicated that the age-related decrease in somatostatin gene expression is a consequence of decreased expression within specific hypothalamic nuclei rather than a loss of somatostatin-containing neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Increased pituitary response to somatostatin in aging male rats: relationship to somatostatin receptor number and affinity

Previous research has established that growth hormone pulse amplitude declines with increasing age. The purpose of this study was to determine whether this decline is associated with (1) increased pituitary response to somatostatin, and/or (2) increased number or affinity of pituitary somatostatin receptors. In the first study, pituitary slices from young (3-4 months), middle-aged (12-14 months), and old (22-24 months) male Fischer 344 rats were superfused with minimal essential medium (1 ml/min) and fractions collected at 5-min intervals. Tissues were stimulated with 10(-7) M hpGRF (1-44) for 1 min and, 40 min later, with hpGRF in the presence of 5 x 10(-9) M somatostatin-14 or somatostatin-28. Two pituitaries from each age group were superfused simultaneously and the experiment replicated 4 times. Growth hormone release was measured by radioimmunoassay. In a second study, somatostatin receptors in purified pituitary membranes from the three age groups were compared using iodo-[Tyr0]-D-Trp8 somatostatin-14. Animals from each age group were pooled, membranes extracted, and incubated with increasing doses of cold peptide. Binding characteristics were analyzed by Scatchard analysis and Ka and Bmax calculated. Results indicated that (1) basal growth hormone release diminished both with age and somatostatin administration, (2) GRF-induced release of growth hormone was similar in all age groups when data were expressed as percent increase from baseline, and (3) in the presence of somatostatin-14, GRF-induced release of growth hormone was attenuated in old as compared to young or middle-aged rats (p less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)