Lifelong caloric restriction prevents age-induced oxidative stress in the sympathoadrenal system of Fischer 344 x Brown Norway rats

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications Vol. 408; no. 3; pp. 454 - 458
• Main Authors: Whidden, Melissa A., Kirichenko, Nataliya, Halici, Zekai, Erdos, Benedek, Foster, Thomas C., Tümer, Nihal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 13-05-2011
• Subjects: Adrenal medulla; Adrenal Medulla - enzymology; Adrenal Medulla - physiology; Age Factors; Aging; Aging - physiology; Aldehydes - metabolism; Animals; Antioxidant enzymes; Body Weight; Caloric Restriction; Hypothalamus; Hypothalamus - enzymology; Hypothalamus - physiology; Oxidative Stress; Rats; Rats, Inbred BN; Rats, Inbred F344; Superoxide Dismutase - biosynthesis; Sympathetic Nervous System - physiology; Aging; Oxidative stress; Hypothalamus; Antioxidant enzymes; Adrenal medulla; Caloric restriction
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.04.051

► Lipid peroxidation and tyrosine nitration are elevated in the adrenal medulla of aged rats. ► Endogenous antioxidant enzymes are depleted in the hypothalamus of very old rats. ► Caloric restriction (40%) prevents the accumulation of 4-HNE in the adrenal medulla of aged rats and attenuates the age-related reduction in antioxidant enzymes in the hypothalamus.
Aging is associated with oxidative damage and an imbalance in redox signaling in a variety of tissues, yet little is known about the extent of age-induced oxidative stress in the sympathoadrenal system. Lifelong caloric restriction has been shown to lower levels of oxidative stress and slow the aging process. Therefore, the aims of this study were twofold: (1) to investigate the effect of aging on oxidative stress in the adrenal medulla and hypothalamus and (2) determine if lifelong 40% caloric restriction (CR) reverses the adverse effects of age-induced oxidative stress in the sympathetic adrenomedullary system. Adult (18months) and very old (38months) male Fischer 344 x Brown Norway rats were divided into ad libitum or 40% CR groups and parameters of oxidative stress were analyzed in the adrenal medulla and the hypothalamus. A significant age-dependent increase in lipid peroxidation (+20%, P<0.05) and tyrosine nitration (+111%, P<0.001) were observed in the adrenal medulla while age resulted in a reduction in the protein expression of key antioxidant enzymes, CuZnSOD (−27%, P<0.01) and catalase (−27%, P<0.05) in the hypothalamus. Lifelong CR completely prevented the age-induced increase in lipid peroxidation in the adrenal medulla and restored the age-related decline in antioxidant enzymes in the hypothalamus. These data indicate that aging results in a significant increase in oxidative stress in the sympathoadrenal system. Importantly, lifelong CR restored the age-related changes in oxidative stress in the adrenal medulla and hypothalamus. Caloric restriction could be a potential non-pharmacological intervention to prevent increased oxidative stress in the sympathetic adrenomedullary system with age.