Abstract
Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) containing structural constituents in hepatocyte nuclei of adult, old and adult, vitamin E-deficient rats were investigated to assess the effect of aging and increased oxidative stress on nuclear functions. Fibrillar centres (FCs), dense fibrillar (DFC) and granular (GC) components of nucleoli as well as perichromatin granules (PGs) in the nucleoplasm were preferentially evidenced by the ethylenediaminetetracetic acid (EDTA) method and measured by computer-assisted morphometric procedures. FCs size and the percentage of nucleolar surface occupied by FCs significantly decreased during aging and vitamin E-deficiency. The percentage of nucleolar surface occupied by GC and DFC remained unchanged in adult and old rats, but in vitamin E-deficient animals GC increased and DFC decreased significantly. PG density significantly changed in aging and vitamin E-deficiency. Functionally, FCs, DFC and GC constitute sites of transcription and processing of ribosomal RNA while PGs are involved in intranuclear storage and transport of messenger RNA. Thus, the present structural changes during aging and vitamin E-deficiency correlate with a decay of nuclear responsiveness to cellular metabolic needs. Considering the antioxidant action of α-tocopherol, our data lend further support to the importance of free radical production and control in the aging process.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 175-181 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Mechanisms of Ageing and Development |
| Volume | 124 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 1 2003 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Aging
- Hepatocyte
- Nucleolus
- Nucleus
- RNA
- Vitamin E-deficiency
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ageing
- Biochemistry
- Developmental Biology
- Developmental Neuroscience
Cite this
Altered RNA structural constituents in aging and vitamin E deficiency. / Malatesta, Manuela; Bertoni-Freddari, Carlo; Fattoretti, Patrizia; Caporaloni, Chiara; Fakan, Stanislav; Gazzanelli, Giancarlo.
In: Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, Vol. 124, No. 2, 01.02.2003, p. 175-181.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Altered RNA structural constituents in aging and vitamin E deficiency
AU - Malatesta, Manuela
AU - Bertoni-Freddari, Carlo
AU - Fattoretti, Patrizia
AU - Caporaloni, Chiara
AU - Fakan, Stanislav
AU - Gazzanelli, Giancarlo
PY - 2003/2/1
Y1 - 2003/2/1
N2 - Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) containing structural constituents in hepatocyte nuclei of adult, old and adult, vitamin E-deficient rats were investigated to assess the effect of aging and increased oxidative stress on nuclear functions. Fibrillar centres (FCs), dense fibrillar (DFC) and granular (GC) components of nucleoli as well as perichromatin granules (PGs) in the nucleoplasm were preferentially evidenced by the ethylenediaminetetracetic acid (EDTA) method and measured by computer-assisted morphometric procedures. FCs size and the percentage of nucleolar surface occupied by FCs significantly decreased during aging and vitamin E-deficiency. The percentage of nucleolar surface occupied by GC and DFC remained unchanged in adult and old rats, but in vitamin E-deficient animals GC increased and DFC decreased significantly. PG density significantly changed in aging and vitamin E-deficiency. Functionally, FCs, DFC and GC constitute sites of transcription and processing of ribosomal RNA while PGs are involved in intranuclear storage and transport of messenger RNA. Thus, the present structural changes during aging and vitamin E-deficiency correlate with a decay of nuclear responsiveness to cellular metabolic needs. Considering the antioxidant action of α-tocopherol, our data lend further support to the importance of free radical production and control in the aging process.
AB - Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) containing structural constituents in hepatocyte nuclei of adult, old and adult, vitamin E-deficient rats were investigated to assess the effect of aging and increased oxidative stress on nuclear functions. Fibrillar centres (FCs), dense fibrillar (DFC) and granular (GC) components of nucleoli as well as perichromatin granules (PGs) in the nucleoplasm were preferentially evidenced by the ethylenediaminetetracetic acid (EDTA) method and measured by computer-assisted morphometric procedures. FCs size and the percentage of nucleolar surface occupied by FCs significantly decreased during aging and vitamin E-deficiency. The percentage of nucleolar surface occupied by GC and DFC remained unchanged in adult and old rats, but in vitamin E-deficient animals GC increased and DFC decreased significantly. PG density significantly changed in aging and vitamin E-deficiency. Functionally, FCs, DFC and GC constitute sites of transcription and processing of ribosomal RNA while PGs are involved in intranuclear storage and transport of messenger RNA. Thus, the present structural changes during aging and vitamin E-deficiency correlate with a decay of nuclear responsiveness to cellular metabolic needs. Considering the antioxidant action of α-tocopherol, our data lend further support to the importance of free radical production and control in the aging process.
KW - Aging
KW - Hepatocyte
KW - Nucleolus
KW - Nucleus
KW - RNA
KW - Vitamin E-deficiency
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037291263&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0037291263&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0047-6374(02)00117-3
DO - 10.1016/S0047-6374(02)00117-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 12633937
AN - SCOPUS:0037291263
VL - 124
SP - 175
EP - 181
JO - Mechanisms of Ageing and Development
JF - Mechanisms of Ageing and Development
SN - 0047-6374
IS - 2
ER -