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Aging‐related changes in IGF‐II and c‐fos gene expression in the rat brain
Author(s) -
Kitraki Efthimia,
Bozas Evangelos,
Philippdis Helen,
Stylianopoulou Fotini
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/0736-5748(93)90029-d
Subject(s) - striatum , hippocampus , cerebral cortex , cerebellum , gene expression , biology , hypothalamus , endocrinology , medicine , messenger rna , central nervous system , cortex (anatomy) , senescence , gene , c fos , dna methylation , neuroscience , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , dopamine
The protein products of growth factor genes such as IGF‐II and cellular oncogenes such as c‐fos are believed to be necessary for the support of normal neuronal function. Steady‐state levels of c‐fos and IGF‐II mRNA were determined in the brain of young and old rats, using Northern analysis. Both RNAs were found to be decreased in the brain of aged rats. Age‐related decrease was detected in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, striatum, cerebral cortex and cerebellum, for IGF‐II mRNA, and in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum for c‐fos mRNA. Furthermore, changes in the degree and pattern of DNA methylation were noted at both gene loci, in the aged rat brain. Our results could reflect changes at the genomic level possibly related to the process of aging and the accompanying decline in brain function.