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Thyroid hormone-induced up-regulation of beta1- and beta2-adrenergic receptors during aging

C Viticchi1, A Basso, A Zaia

  • 1Center of Biochemistry, Gerontologic Research Department, Via Birarelli, 8, 1-60121 Ancona, Italy.

Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
|January 1, 1992
PubMed

Insights

Thyroid hormone (T3) up-regulates both beta1- and beta2-adrenoceptors in young mice brain cortex. This response is preserved in aging mice, indicating independent regulation of these thyroid hormone-sensitive receptor subtypes.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Adrenergic Receptor Pharmacology

Background:

  • Thyroid hormones are known to influence beta-adrenoceptor regulation.
  • The independent regulation of beta1- and beta2-adrenoceptor subpopulations in the mouse brain cortex is not fully understood.
  • Aging may affect the response of these receptor subtypes to thyroid hormones.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the independent regulation of beta1- and beta2-adrenoceptors by triiodothyronine (T3) in the mouse brain cortex.
  • To determine the influence of aging on T3-induced adrenoceptor subpopulation responses.

Main Methods:

  • Experiments were conducted on young and old mice.
  • Mice received a single injection of T3.
  • Adrenoceptor responses were measured as early as 15 minutes post-treatment.

Main Results:

  • T3 stimulation induced up-regulation of both beta1- and beta2-adrenoceptors in young mice.
  • This T3-induced up-regulation was observed in both receptor subtypes in aged mice, indicating no impairment with aging.
  • Previous findings of decreased receptor density primarily in the beta1-subtype in older animals were confirmed.

Conclusions:

  • Thyroid hormone (T3) independently up-regulates both beta1- and beta2-adrenoceptors in the mouse brain cortex.
  • The T3-induced adrenoceptor up-regulation mechanism is rapid, suggesting a potential unmasking effect, though protein synthesis increase cannot be ruled out.
  • Aging does not impair the T3-induced up-regulation of these beta-adrenoceptor subtypes.

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