Effects of long-term caloric restriction on pituitary-gonadal axis functionality of aged male Wistar rats
2023
Authors:
Sokanović, SrđanSimeunović, Valentina
Todorović, Smilja
Milanović, Desanka
Prvulović, Milica
Jović, Milena
Vukojević, Anđela
Mladenović, Aleksandra
Contributors
Kanazir, SelmaSavić, Danijela
Document Type:
Conference object (Published version)
,
© 2023 by Serbian Neuroscience Society and associates
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract:
Here we analyzed effect of long-term (18 months) caloric restriction (60% reduction
in daily food intake) on pituitary-gonadal axis functionality during male rat aging. As
it was expected, serum and testicular testosterone (T) levels were significantly
reduced in intact 24-month-old rats comparing to 6-month-old controls. Decreased T
synthesis and production was accompanied by decreased expression of Lhr,
steroidogenic genes/protein (Star/StAR, Cyp11a1, Cyp17a1, Hsd3b1, Hsd17b3) and
Insl3 expression. Pituitary expression profiles of Lhb, Fshb Cga, Gnrhr, Prl and Pomc
were not changed during aging while Prlr showed significantly decreased expression
level at the age of 24 months. Decrement in testosterone production was accompanied
by increased serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides. Serum levels of
HDL and VitaminD were not changed with aging. The caloric restriction additionally
decreased T levels in the serum and testicular extracts of aged animals as well as the
expression of the Star, Cyp11a1 and Ldlr in the testicular tissue without affecting
expression profile of genes responsible for de novo synthesis of cholesterol (Npc1,
Hmgcr, Cyp46, Screbf1, Soat1). At the same time we were able to detect elevated
expression of Lhb and Fshb in the pituitary tissue. The treatment decreased levels of
total cholesterol, triglycerides, VitaminD and elevated HDL. In line with the obtained
results it is likely that primary hypogonadism has been presented in our model with
the evidence that long-term caloric restriction has no beneficial effects on testosterone
homeostasis during rat aging.
Keywords:
Caloric restriction; Aging; Pituitary-gonadal axisIn:
- Kanazir S, Savić D, editors. Book of abstracts: 8th Congress of Serbian Neuroscience Society with international participation; 2023 May 31 - Jun 2; Belgrade, Serbia. Belgrade: Serbian Neuroscience Society; 2023. p. 73.