Genotypic variation in age-related changes in peripheral catecholamines

The effects of aging on catecholamine concentrations in heart ventricle, aorta, and adrenal gland were evaluated in two inbred mouse strains (C57BL/6J and DBA/2J) and an F1 hybrid (B6D2F1). The effects of aging on ventricular norepinephrine (NE) levels were found to be strain specific; only the C57BL/6J strain showed a significant decline in ventricular NE levels with age. Though all strains showed a decline in ventricular epinephrine (EPI) levels with age, the magnitude of the decrease varied between strains. An age-related increase in ventricular dopamine (DA) levels was observed in each of the strains. Although strain differences in catecholamine levels were also observed in aorta and adrenal gland, no age-related changes in catecholamine concentrations were noted in any of the strains. The findings indicate strain and organ specific changes in the effects of aging on catecholamine concentrations in peripheral organs.