Effect of age and testosterone on the vasopressin and aquaporinresponses to dehydration in Fischer 344/Brown-Norway F1 rats

Abstract
To determine if the aging-associated decline in testosterone results inattenuated vasopressin (VP) responses to dehydration, testosterone implantswere given to aged male Fischer 344Brown-Norway F1(F344BNF1) rats. Waterdeprivation caused comparable dehydration, increased plasma VP (pVP), anddecreased posterior pituitary (PP) VP content in 4-, 15-, and 28-month-oldrats. Dehydration increased VP mRNA content of supraoptic nuclei only at 4months, whereas VP mRNA length was increased at both 4 and 15 months ofage. The elevated pVP in the water- deprived aged rats indicates that evenwithout an increase in VP mRNA content, PP VP storage was adequate tomaintain elevated pVP. Dehydration increased aquaporin-2 content at 4, butnot at 15 or 28 months of age, suggesting decreased renal responsiveness toVP. Testosterone replacement did not produce dehydration-induced increasesin VP mRNA or aquaporin-2. Therefore, testosterone deficiency does notresult in altered VP responses to dehydration in aged F344BNF1 rats.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: