Abstract

Introduction

Materials & Methods

Results

Discussion & Conclusion

References

Discussion
Board

Male LACA albino mice (aged 7-8 weeks and 9-12 months) were subjected to a thermal challenge gradually decreasing 1°C every 3 minutes until 4 °C was reached. The total time of exposure was 2.5-3 hours. Deep body temperature (DBT) and metabolic rate (MR) were recorded. Brains were dissected out for immunohistochemistry and IL-1 binding assay. Unlike young mice, the old mice were generally unable to maintain their DBT. Change in MR was in parallel with DBT among all animals. An increased IL-1 binding in hypothalamus and hippocampus was observed amongst the cold challenged animals (p < 0.05). The old mice that were unable to maintain DBT displayed a higher expression in both hypothalamus and hippocampus and higher IL-1 binding than young mice (p < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry showed increased expression of IL-1 in granule cells of dentate gyrus and pyramidal cells of CA3 region. These experiments confirm that (1) young animals are better than old animals in maintaining their DBT and MR when exposed to cold, (2) IL-1 receptors are upregulated in hypothalamus and hippocampus of aged as well as the animals exposed to the cold challenge, (3) the IL-1beta expression can be noted in the pyramidal cells as well as the granular cells of dentate gyrus.

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Poster Number PAqureshi0695
Keywords: Aging, Interleukin1 beta, Hypothalamus, Hippocampus