Physiological alteration of mitochondrial genome in relation to aging on male albino rats

Noorah S. Al-Sowayan

Authors

Noorah S. Al-Sowayan Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Qassim University, P. O. Box: (30230), Buraydah (51744), Saudi Arabia

Keywords:

Mitochondrial genome aging, male albino rats liver & brain, NADH dehydrogenase gene expression, cytochrome oxidase gene expression glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione, serum total antioxidant, nitric oxide, malondialdhyde

Abstract

There is no doubt that there is a great interest on aging and its causes from human especially women, this increase scientific researches on aging including this increase research, which detect mitochondrial DNA in relation to aging, where mitochondria is the house of energy in the living cell. Sixty male albino rats were divided into three equal groups 1^st group, young rats (6 months age) as control, 2^nd group, adult rats (12 months age) and 3^rd group, aged rats (21, months age). Rats were sacrificed and the brain and liver tissues were preserved in liquid nitrogen immediately for molecular biological analysis to see the different gene expression in the respiratory chain at different ages. Other samples were taken from the liver, brain and serum for the biochemical and physiological analysis to find out the effect of aging on glutathione peroxidase activity and concentration of reduced glutathione, total antioxidant capacity, nitric oxide and finally malondialdhyde. NADH dehydrogenase and cytochrome oxidase gene expression, showed a decreased activity in both liver and brain with aging. Glutathione peroxidase showed non-significant decrease in its activity in liver, but a significant decrease in brain in adult rats, and a significant decrease in both liver & brain in aged rats. Reduced glutathione showed non-significant decrease in its concentration in both liver & brain in adult rats but showed a significant decrease in aged rats. Serum total antioxidant capacity showed non-significant decrease in its concentration in adult rats but significantly decreased in aged rats. Liver and brain nitric oxide showed a significant increase in its concentration in both adult and aged rats. Liver malondialdhyde showed a significant increase in its concentration in both adult and aged rats, but in brain, showed non-significant increase in adult rats while, significantly increased in aged rats. All previous results in compared with young rats (control group).