Age-Related Changes in the Reliability of Antioxidant Enzyme Defense in Monkeys with Different Types of Adaptive Behavior

Abstract

We have investigated age-related changes in the reliability of glutathione-related antioxidant enzyme defense in monkeys that differ in adaptive behavior. Activities of gluthatione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and gluthatione-S-transferase (GST) and also lipid peroxidation products (TBARS) under basal conditions and under acute psycho-emotional stress were evaluated in erythrocytes of young (6-8 years) and old (20-27 years) female rhesus monkeys with depression-like and standard (control) behavior. We have found that young animals with depression-like behavior, in comparison with young monkeys of standard behavior, demonstrated higher activity of GR in basal conditions and no significant changes in response to acute immobilization stress. With aging the activity of GR increased in monkeys with standard behavior in basal conditions but retained the ability to increase under acute stress. At the same time during aging in monkeys with depression-like behavior GR activity did not undergo significant changes in basal conditions and did not change in response to acute stress. Moreover, old animals with depression-like behavior demonstrated reduced activity of GSH-Px. More pronounced disturbances in GR and GSH-Px activities in animals with depression-like behavior evidence a more marked decrease in the reliability of antioxidant enzyme defense of cells and lead to activation of lipid peroxidation that may be considered as an important factor of aging. Thus, age-related dysfunctions of the antioxidant enzyme system correlate with the type of adaptive behavior characteristic of animals.

Individual Differences in Stress Responsiveness of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis and Its Vasopressinergic Regulation in Old Monkeys

“…It is a major factor in aging and age-related pathology [4] [40] [41]. For example, we have previously identified more severe disturbances of antioxidant enzyme defense of erythrocytes and higher values of the molar ratio F/DHEAS in old animals with depression-like adaptive behavior as compared with animals of the same age but with SB [33]. Depressive symptoms that correlate with an increased F/DHEAS ratio are a major driver of reduced immunity after hip fracture [37].…”

“…The animals' behavior was recorded while they were housed in the metabolic cages, both during the period of adaptation, and throughout experimentation. Classification of behavior into depression-like and standard was done according to recommendations for nonhuman primates [31] [32] and published previously [13] [33]. Depending on behavioral features animals were divided into two groups: the first group comprised 4 old animals with active healthy adaptive behavior (standard behavior) (SB, 27.0 ± 0.6 years, 7.7 ± 1.0 kg); the second group consisted of 2 old animals with passive, depression-like behavior and 1 old animal with anxiety behavior (DAB, 23.3 ± 1.5 years, 6.9 ± 1.9 kg).…”

Oxidative stress and adrenocortical insufficiency

“…These non-human primate models have been used to study the effect of corticosteroids on antioxidant defence, in the context of ageing (Goncharova et al . 2008 a , b , 2013). Circadian rhythmicity of SOD in erythrocytes correlates well with the characterised rhythmicity of DHEAS and cortisol (Goncharova et al .…”

Age-Specific and Individual Features of Vasopressinergic Regulation of the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal System in Primates

“…However, two females exhibited excessively anxious behavior, associated with high motor activity during preparation to blood collection, which did not cease by the end of the adaptation period and persisted over the entire experiment. The criteria by which the animals were referred to standard and depressive psychophysiological types were determined previously [1,6,8]. Hormonal parameters of animals with depression-like behavior and with excessive anxiety were similar and hence, we united them in groups with anxious and depressive behavior (ADB).…”

“…The degree of these age-specifi c differences sometimes varies. Previously we have detected a relationship between the age-specifi c changes in HPAS work, including its reaction to an acute stress, and the psychophysiological types of animals [1,6,8]. It is therefore just natural to expect that the appurtenance to a certain psychophysiological type largely determine the degree of age-specifi c differences in…”