Age-related changes in AKT and mTOR expression in mediobasal hypothalamus neurons with aging
Abstract
The hypothalamus is a regulatory center that controls homeostasis, reproduction, circadian rhythms, and the endocrine system. It is also involved in the regulation of aging. Expression of protein kinase B (AKT), the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and phosphorylated forms of AKT (pAKT) and mTOR (pmTOR) was studied by Western blotting in 3-, 12-, and 24-month-old male rats in the arcuate (ARN), dorsomedial (DMN) and ventromedial (VMN) nuclei of the hypothalamus. The results showed that the components of AKT/mTOR signaling change differently in the mediobasal hypothalamic nuclei of rats with age. The expression of AKT and pAKT decreased in the ARN, DMN, and VMN with aging; the expression of mTOR and pmTOR increased in the ARN, but decreased in the DMN and VMN in aged rats. The results obtained can serve as a basis for future studies of the mechanisms of age-related diseases and their pharmacological treatment.
