Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
Exp Gerontol. 2018 Jul 15;108:7-17. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2018.03.018. Epub 2018 Mar 23.
The complex physiology of aging involves a number of molecular and biochemical events, manifested as signs of senescence. Japanese quail is a very unique and advantageous model to study the signs and symptoms of senescence in the central and peripheral modules of HPG axis. In the present study, we have investigated the age dependent variations in hypothalamic deep brain photoreceptors (DBPs), central GnRH-I/II-GnIH-MelR system, testicular GnRH-GnIH system, testicular steroidogenic genes and proteins, androgen receptor (AR) and serum testosterone level in quail of different age groups [3-wk (sexually immature), 6-wk (sexually mature and crossed the puberty), 16-wk (adult, sexually active and showing full breeding phase) and 144-wk (aged)]. Findings of our present study showed the differential expression of these genes/proteins in quail of different age groups. The low levels of the DBPs, GnRH-I, GnIH, MelR in hypothalamus and GnRH-II in midbrain, significantly decreased testicular GnRH/GnRH-R-GnIH, steroidogenic genes/proteins and serum testosterone were observed in immature quail. The significantly increased expression of opsins in the DBPs, GnRH-I, GnIH, MelR in hypothalamus and GnRH-II in midbrain influences the testicular GnRH-GnIH and stimulate the testicular steroidogenesis in mature and adult quail. In aged quail, the significantly decreased levels of hypothalamic DBPs, GnRH-I, GnIH, MelR and midbrain GnRH-II modulates the testicular GnRH-GnIH and further suppresses the genes/proteins involved in steroidogenesis and results in reduced serum testosterone. Hence, it can be concluded from our findings that the testicular steroidogenesis and its neuroendocrine regulation varies with age, in Japanese quail.
衰老的复杂生理学涉及许多分子和生化事件,表现为衰老的迹象。鹌鹑是研究 HPG 轴中枢和外周模块衰老迹象和症状的非常独特和有利的模型。在本研究中,我们研究了不同年龄组鹌鹑下丘脑深部脑光感受器(DBP)、中枢 GnRH-I/II-GnIH-MelR 系统、睾丸 GnRH-GnIH 系统、睾丸甾体生成基因和蛋白、雄激素受体(AR)和血清睾酮水平随年龄的变化[3 周(性未成熟)、6 周(性成熟并经历青春期)、16 周(成年,有性活动并表现出完全繁殖阶段)和 144 周(老年)]。本研究的结果表明,这些基因/蛋白在不同年龄组鹌鹑中的表达存在差异。下丘脑 DBP、GnRH-I、GnIH、MelR 和中脑 GnRH-II 的低水平,显著降低了不成熟鹌鹑的睾丸 GnRH/GnRH-R-GnIH、甾体生成基因/蛋白和血清睾酮。下丘脑 DBP、GnRH-I、GnIH、MelR 和中脑 GnRH-II 中视蛋白的表达显著增加,影响睾丸 GnRH-GnIH,并刺激成熟和成年鹌鹑的睾丸甾体生成。在老年鹌鹑中,下丘脑 DBP、GnRH-I、GnIH、MelR 和中脑 GnRH-II 的水平显著降低,调节睾丸 GnRH-GnIH,并进一步抑制参与甾体生成的基因/蛋白,导致血清睾酮减少。因此,从我们的研究结果可以得出结论,鹌鹑的睾丸甾体生成及其神经内分泌调节随年龄而变化。