Abstract
The adrenal cortexes of humans and rodents accumulate lipofuscin with age, but the chemical nature of the substance that produces lipofuscin fluorescence in the gland is not known. Analysis of rat adrenal nonpolar lipids revealed a fluorescence profile with increased intensity in the lipids extracted from older animals (23-24 months > 6 months > 6 weeks). The peak occurred at a wavelength of 470 +/- 5 nm(n = 26) when excited at 340 nm. After sucrose density gradient centrifugation, the fluorescent substance was primarily concentrated in subcellular lipid droplets rather than supernatant or particulate. Prolonged stimulation of rats with ACTH for 7 consecutive days caused 14-51% decreases in the fluorescence levels, with a tendency of return to control levels poststimulation regardless of age. In contrast, the nonpolar lipids of mouse adrenal tumor (Y1) cells, which contain no lipofuscin, did not display this fluorescence in the presence or absence of ACTH. The chromatographic characteristics of the substance in a silica gel-60 column resembled those of authentic retinyl palmitate and cholesteryl oleate. Analysis of the substance by HPLC demonstrated at least three prominent peaks, designated XI-3 in order. X1 and X2 were minor peaks; X3 was the major peak. Whereas none of the peaks comigrated with cholesteryl esters, X1 comigrated with authentic retinyl palmitate. Determination of the fatty acid component of the major fluorescent substance X3 by gas-liquid chromatography disclosed stearic acid. Retinyl stearate was, therefore, synthesized. The fluorescent profiles, HPLC retention time and mass spectrometric fragmentation of purified X3 substance were all identical to those of the synthetic compound. In contrast, the rat liver principally accumulated retinyl palmitate with age. Thus, we conclude that 1) the major nonpolar fluorescent substance accumulated in the rat adrenal with age is retinyl stearate, which may be a fluorophore of adrenal lipofuscin; 2) ACTH action may be related to this accumulation; and 3) the type of retinyl ester accumulated in aged animals is organ specific.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.