Linked Life Data

19233254

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/19233254

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
5
pubmed:dateCreated
2009-4-20
pubmed:abstractText
In the search of new therapeutic targets improving the quality of life of elderly, melatonin, "the chemical expression of darkness", seems to play a remarkable role in aging process possibly due to its antioxidant, immunoenhancer and anti-aging properties. The present study was designed to elucidate effects of aging in melatonin extrapineal synthesis and investigate evident age-related alterations in the action mechanisms involved. The presence of the two key enzymes involved in melatonin synthesis, arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT) and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT) was analyzed in thymus, spleen, liver, kidney and heart of 3- and 12month-old rats using real time PCR as well as its functionality by enzymatic activity assays. In addition, extrapineal melatonin content was measured by a competitive enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). The results of this study reveal that all rat tissues studied including thymus, and for the first time, spleen, liver, kidney and heart have the necessary machinery to synthesize melatonin. Moreover, we report an age-related decline in rat extrapineal melatonin synthesis with a consequent HIOMT functionality decrease in spleen, liver and heart during physiological aging. On the contrary, NAT enzymatic activity maintains unchanged without evident alterations with advancing age. Moreover, diminished melatonin concentrations were measured in these tissues cited above during aging except in the thymus, where, surprisingly, melatonin content, NAT/HIOMT expression, and enzymatic functionality assays revealed no significant alterations with age. As a conclusion, we report evident age-related changes in melatonin synthesis in some rat peripheral organs. We suggest that thymus may develop compensatory mechanisms to counteract the loss of immune activity and consequently, the loss of this potent antioxidant, during physiological aging.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
May
pubmed:issn
1873-6815
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
44
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
328-34
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2009
pubmed:articleTitle
Age-related changes in melatonin synthesis in rat extrapineal tissues.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Biomedicine Institute of Seville/CSIC, University of Seville, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Manuel Siurot Street, s/n, 41013 Seville, Spain.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article