Ribosomal protein s3 immunoreactivity in the young, adult and aged gerbil hippocampus.

Ribosomal protein S3 (rpS3) is well known to participate in DNA repair mechanisms. In the present study, we compared rpS3 immunoreactivity and its protein levels in the hippocampus among young, adult and aged gerbils. In the postnatal month (PM) 3 group as the young, rpS3 immunoreaction was observed in pyramidal and non-pyramidal cells of the hippocampus proper and in granule and polymorphic cells of the dentate gyrus. In the PM 12 group as adult and 24 group as the aged, rpS immunoreactivity in the hippocampus was decreased compared to the PM 3 group. Western blot analysis showed that rpS3 levels were decreased with time; lowest at PM 24. These results indicate that rpS3 immunoreactivity and protein levels were markedly decreased in the aged gerbil hippocampus.