Comparison of calcium effect on in vitro calcitonin and parathyroid hormone release by young and aged thyroparathyroid glands.

Serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (iPTH) and calcitonin (iCT) levels are higher in young than aged rats. However, serum calcium concentration does not change with age suggesting that the calcium regulation of PTH and CT secretion may be affected by aging. We compared iPTH and iCT secretion in vitro at low and high calcium concentrations using thyroparathyroid glands removed from young (2-3 months), adult (12-13 months), and old (24-27 months) F-344 male rats fed regular rat chow. Glands from each animal were incubated for 3 h in serum-free culture media containing 1.0 mM calcium and then transferred to media containing 2.5 mM calcium for another 3 h. Immunoreactive PTH and iCT concentrations of the media after each incubation period were determined by radioimmunoassay. Immunoreactive PTH and iCT secretion per pair of glands was significantly higher in glands from older animals regardless of calcium concentration. The decrease in iPTH, and increment in iCT, secretion in response to 2.5 mM calcium by glands from old rats was smaller than that observed for glands from young animals. These age-related changes in the regulation of secretion by calcium may contribute to the increased iPTH and iCT secretion and serum levels seen in older animals.