Age-Related Effects of Dexamethasone Administration in Adrenal Zona Reticularis

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2006

Authors

Almeida, Henrique (Author) FMUP; Matos, Liliana (Author) FCNAUP; Jorge Ferreira (Author) Other; Delminda Neves (Author) FMUP

Journal

The Journal is awaiting validation by the Administrative Services.

Title: UNDERSTANDING AND MODULATING AGING

Vol. 22

Pages: 354-360

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 6 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 7 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Clinical medicine

CORDIS: Natural sciences > Biological sciences > Biology > Cell biology ; Health sciences > Medical sciences > Medicine > Endocrinology

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-004-QVV

DOI: 10.1196/annals.1354.050

Abstract (EN): Suppression of adrenocorticotropic hormone results in reduced adrenal steroid output, adrenocortical cell atrophy, and apoptosis in young rats. To verify such effects during aging, dexamethasone was injected into rats for 3 days at five different ages; at day 4, adrenals and blood were collected for morphologic and corticosterone assay. Adrenal structure was similar at all ages, but in dexamethasone-injected animals there were ultrastructural features of apoptosis and a higher percentage of TUNEL and caspase-3-labeled nuclei and cytoplasm; their corticosterone decreased significantly. In both groups, there was age-related decrease in the percentage of apoptotic cells, significant only in dexamethasone-injected rats. The data suggest that aged adrenocortical cells are less susceptible to the lack of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), possibly as a result of their decreased functional ability.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7