Insulin Signaling in Neurons of the Tuberal Area of the Hypothalamus of Rats During Aging

The hypothalamus is a regulatory center that controls homeostasis, reproduction, circadian rhythms and the endocrine system. It is also involved in the regulation of aging. The expression of insulin receptors (INR) as well as insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) was studied in neurons of the arcuate (ARN), dorsomedial (DMN) and ventromedial (VMN) nuclei of the rat hypothalamus using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting in young males (2 months), adult (12 months) and old (24 months) rats. The results showed that the expression of INR and IRS1 in neurons of the nuclei of the mediobasal hypothalamus of rats changes in different directions with age. With age, INR expression decreases in the ARN and increases in the DMN and VMN. IRS1 expression is unchanged in the ARN and VMN and decreases in the DMN with aging.