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The Minipig as a Model for the Study of Aging in Humans

Selective Responses of Hormones Involved in Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in Different Sexes

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Advances in Swine in Biomedical Research

Abstract

Both age and sex have been shown to affect lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in animals and humans. There is a gradual loss of glucose homeostasis and concomitant increase in insulin resistance with age. Carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in different metabolic conditions including obesity and noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), both of which are age dependent, are controlled by pancreatic, pituitary and adrenal hormones. Therefore, we assessed age related changes in plasma hormones in male and female Hormel miniature swine. Animals were fed an energy restricted cholesterol free, low fat stock diet postweaning. Animals were sacrificed at various ages, ranging from prepubertal, <0.5 yr; young, 0.5 to 2.0 yr; mature, 2 to 10 yr and old, >10 years. Levels of insulin, glucagon, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), Cortisol and androstenedione were measured by radioimmunoassay in plasma from both sexes. In addition, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S), aldosterone and testosterone were measured in male swine. No effect of age nor sex was observed on plasma insulin and ACTH levels though an interaction was observed between age and sex for ACTH. Thus, with age, levels of ACTH tended to increase in males but decrease in females. Plasma glucagon was higher in males than females and showed age dependent increases in males but not in females. Plasma androstenedione was 3 to 5 fold higher in males than in females and the level was lower in mature male swine than either prepubertal or older swine. There were sex and age dependent changes in plasma Cortisol levels with an increase with age in males and a decrease with age in females. There were no age dependent changes in plasma DHEA-S and aldosterone levels in the males. Plasma testosterone levels were higher in prepubertal swine than in mature or older animals. In swine, both age and sex affect hormonal changes, which then impact on metabolic parameters controlled by hormones, notably carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Energy restriction appears to have a beneficial effect in retarding the aging process and miniature swine can be used as a model for the study of aging in humans.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Metabolism and Nutrient Interactions Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland, 20705, USA

    Dr. Sam J. Bhathena PhD & Elliott Berlin PhD

  2. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Division of Toxicological Studies Food and Drug Administration, US Department of Health and Human Services, Laurel, Maryland, 20708, USA

    Wesley A. Johnson DVM

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  1. Dr. Sam J. Bhathena PhD
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  2. Elliott Berlin PhD
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  3. Wesley A. Johnson DVM
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA

    Mike E. Tumbleson

  2. University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

    Lawrence B. Schook

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Bhathena, S.J., Berlin, E., Johnson, W.A. (1996). The Minipig as a Model for the Study of Aging in Humans. In: Tumbleson, M.E., Schook, L.B. (eds) Advances in Swine in Biomedical Research. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5885-9_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5885-9_12

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