Protein oxidation and enzyme activity decline in old brown Norway rats are reduced by dietary restriction

The effect of aging and diet restriction (DR) on the activity of creatine kinase (CK), glutamine synthetase (GS) and protein carbonyl formation in the cerebellum, hippocampus and cortex of male and female brown Norway (BN) rats has been investigated. It was demonstrated that CK activity in three different regions of the rat brain declines with age by 30%. Age-related decrease of GS activity was only 10-13% and did not reach statistical significance. Consistent with previously published studies, age-related increase of protein carbonyl content in each brain area studied has been observed. Preventive effects of a caloric restricted diet on the age-associated protein oxidation and changes of the activity of CK and GS in the brain was observed for both aging male and female BN rats. DR delayed the accumulation of protein carbonyls. Age-related changes of CEL activity in rat brain were abrogated by DR. The activity of GS in the brain of old rats subjected to the caloric restricted diet was higher than that in the brain of young animals fed ad libitum. The results are consistent with the notion that DR may relieve age-associated level of oxidative stress and lessen protein damage. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.