Dobie D J, Miller M A, Raskind M A, Dorsa D M
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle 98195.
Brain Res. 1992 Jun 26;583(1-2):247-52. doi: 10.1016/s0006-8993(10)80030-7.
The biosynthetic activity of extra-hypothalamic vasopressin (VP) neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is regulated by gonadal steroids. These neurons have also been implicated in a number of behaviors that are impaired in aging. We previously reported that VP mRNA labelling in the BNST is decreased in senescent rats. We hypothesized that the age-related decrease in VP mRNA labelling is due to the decline in circulating testosterone (T) levels in aged animals. T or saline was administered peripherally for 1 month in physiologic or superphysiologic doses to 3 month old or 24 month old Fischer 344 male rats. In situ hybridization and quantitative autoradiography for VP mRNA in the BNST were performed using a 48-base 35S-labelled oligonucleotide probe. Administration of T completely reversed the decline in VP mRNA labelling in the aged animals. Superphysiologic T further increased VP gene expression in both age groups. These data are consistent with a previous report of T-induced increase in VP immunoreactive fiber density in other extrahypothalamic regions of the brain in aged rats. This study offers further evidence that alterations in the hormonal milieu may play an important role in modulating neuronal biosynthetic activity in senescence.
终纹床核（BNST）中下丘脑外血管加压素（VP）神经元的生物合成活性受性腺类固醇调节。这些神经元也与衰老过程中受损的多种行为有关。我们之前报道过，衰老大鼠BNST中的VP mRNA标记减少。我们推测，VP mRNA标记随年龄增长而减少是由于老年动物循环睾酮（T）水平下降所致。以生理剂量或超生理剂量对3月龄或24月龄的Fischer 344雄性大鼠外周给予T或生理盐水，持续1个月。使用48碱基的35S标记寡核苷酸探针，对BNST中的VP mRNA进行原位杂交和定量放射自显影。给予T完全逆转了老年动物中VP mRNA标记的下降。超生理剂量的T进一步增加了两个年龄组中的VP基因表达。这些数据与之前关于T诱导老年大鼠脑内其他下丘脑外区域VP免疫反应性纤维密度增加的报道一致。本研究进一步证明，激素环境的改变可能在调节衰老过程中的神经元生物合成活性方面发挥重要作用。
