Aging-related changes in calcium-binding proteins in rat perirhinal cortex

• Published in: Neurobiology of aging 2011-09, Vol.32 (9), p.1693-1706
• Main Authors: Moyer, James R, Furtak, Sharon C, McGann, John P, Brown, Thomas H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aging - metabolism; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Calbindin; Calbindin 1; Calbindin 2; Calbindins; Calcium-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Calcium-Binding Proteins - physiology; Calretinin; Development. Senescence. Regeneration. Transplantation; Entorhinal Cortex - chemistry; Entorhinal Cortex - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Immunohistochemistry; Internal Medicine; Laminar distribution; Male; Medial temporal lobe; Memory Disorders - metabolism; Middle-aged; Neurology; Parahippocampal Gyrus - chemistry; Parahippocampal Gyrus - metabolism; Parvalbumin; Parvalbumins - physiology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; S100 Calcium Binding Protein G - physiology; Temporal Lobe - chemistry; Temporal Lobe - metabolism; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0197-4580; 1558-1497
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2009.10.001

Abstract Dysregulation of intracellular calcium homeostasis has been linked to neuropathological symptoms observed in aging and age-related disease. Alterations in the distribution and relative frequency of calcium-binding proteins (CaBPs), which are important in regulating intracellular calcium levels, may contribute to disruption of calcium homeostasis. Here we examined the laminar distribution of three CaBPs in rat perirhinal cortex (PR) as a function of aging. Calbindin-D28k (CB), parvalbumin (PV), and calretinin (CR) were compared in adult (4 mo.), middle-aged (13 mo.) and aged (26 mo.) rats. Results show an aging-related and layer-specific decrease in the number of CB-immunoreactive (-ir) neurons, beginning in middle-aged animals. Dual labeling suggests that the age-related decrease in CB reflects a decrease in neurons that are not immunoreactive for the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. In contrast, no aging-related differences in PV- or CR-immunoreactivity were observed. These data suggest that selective alterations in CB-ir neurons may contribute to aging-related learning and memory deficits in tasks that depend upon PR circuitry.