THE EFFECT OF PINEALECTOMY AND FETAL PINEAL TRANSPLANTATION ON COLLAGEN AGING IN RATS

Recent progress in pineal research emphasized the importance of this c ircumventricular organ in the phenomenon of ageing as well. The presen t study was under-taken to elucidate the effects of pineal gland on co llagen ageing by spectrofluorometrically measuring collagen-cross-link bound fluorescein. Experiments were performed on three different age groups of rats (3-4 weeks, 8-10 weeks, 15 and more weeks). Fluorescein values were found to increase causally by age in the control group. E ight weeks after sham operation of all the groups fluorescein level in crements were shown to be parallel with the values of normal physiolog ical ageing values. In experimental groups: in 3-5 weeks old rats pine alectomy produced a significant premature collagen ageing and this was found to be completely reversed by foetal pineal gland transplantatio n but the reversal was limited to a sham operation level. On the other hand although a premature collagen ageing was found to be induced 8 w eeks after pinealectomy in 8-10 weeks old rats with a statistical sign ificance both within subject values and between sham operation and pin ealectomy, foetal pineal gland transplantation was found not to revers e the premature ageing induced by pinealectomy. In 15 weeks old and ol der groups of mts. pinealectomy was found to facilitate the intrinsic ageing phenomenon of collagen with statistical significance again both within subject values and between sham operation and pinealectomy. Fo etal pineal gland transplantation was not performed in this ape group of rats. On interpretation of the data of pinealectomy against sham op eration for all the age groups. the maximum degree of percentage incre ase in collagen-cross-link bound fluorescein was found in 3-5 weeks ol d rats (%218). The percentage increase in fluorescein values was found to be %170 and %126 in 8-10 weeks old and 15 weeks old and older rat groups, respectively. Consequently, we have experimentally shown the i nduction of collagen ageing by pinealectomy and the restorative compet ence of foetal pineal gland transplantation in the present study. The results seem to be impressive and details of the ageing process are th e subject of further research.