Moderate caloric restriction prevents the age-related decline in growth hormone receptor signal transduction

A decline in plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been hypothesized to contribute to a decrease in tissue protein synthesis and function in aging animals and man. In this study, the effects of aging and long-term caloric restriction on growth hormone receptor signal transduction were assessed in hepatic tissue to determine whether alterations in tissue responsiveness to growth hormone contribute to the decline in IGF-1 gene expression. Liver slices from female C57/BL mice (10, 17, and 31 months) were prepared in media and stimulated with growth hormone (2 nM). An increase in growth hormone receptor binding was observed in 31-month ad libitum-fed animals (p < .01 compared to 10- or 17-month-old animals), and this effect was partially attenuated by moderate caloric restriction. However, growth hormone (2 nM)-induced IGF-1 gene expression was significantly lower in old ad libitum-fed animals (p < .05 compared to 10-month-old ad libitum and 31-month-old caloric-restricted animals). Further analysis revealed that growth hormone receptor and JAK2 kinase phosphorylation as well as mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activity were significantly lower in old animals compared to the adult or middle-age groups (p < .05). Old caloric-restricted animals demonstrated a significant increase in growth hormone receptor and JAK2 kinase phosphorylation and MAP kinase activity in response to growth hormone. The results demonstrate that growth hormone increases growth hormone receptor and JAK2 kinase phosphorylation as well as MAP kinase activity in liver. These responses decrease with age and are attenuated by moderate, long-term caloric restriction.