Morphologic Lesions in Aging Syrian Hamsters

Abstract

The oldest members of most short- and long-lived mammalian species develop many similar morphologic changes. This suggests that the combined occurrence of a variety of age-associated lesions in a group can be used as an indicator of its advanced biological age. Males and females from our colony of aging Syrian hamsters were previously shown to have an equally high incidence of atrial thrombosis and myocardial degeneration, despite the females' much shorter life-span. Other age-associated lesions were then examined histopathologically to determine whether females age faster than males. Hepatic, renal, and splenic amyloidosis were more severe in females than in males and became so at an earlier age. Degenerative lesions were also found in adrenals, thyroids, and brains of both sexes. Atrophy was especially severe in the thymus. The incidence of malignant neoplasms, most of which were of lymphoreticular origin, was similar in both sexes. Female hamsters may age faster than males if biological age can be assessed by these morhologic criteria.

Age-related non-neoplastic lesions in the heart and kidneys of Syrian hamsters of the APA strain

“…Males tended to outlive females in the case of the AP A hamster as in other Syrian hamster colonies (Kirkman & Yau, 1972;Pour et al, 1976Pour et al, , 1979Slauson, Hobbs & Crain, 1978;McMartin, 1979). The present data suggest that death is probably due to either severe renal disease or cardiac thrombosis; the former seems to play an important role especially in younger females whereas the latter is more prevalent in older males.…”

“…Although segmental or focal glomerulosclerosis was found in markedly injured kidneys, neither glomerular fibrosis (Chesterman, 1972) nor glomerular amyloidosis (Gleiser et ai., 1971;McMartin, 1979;Mezza et ai., 1984) was observed in APA hamsters up to 24 months of age. Gleiser et at.…”

“…In contrast with the large number of publications dealing with the frequency, distribution, latency and morphology of spontaneous neoplastic lesions in Syrian hamsters, there are few reports of the detailed morphology of agerelated non-neoplastic lesions (Chesterman, 1972;McMartin, 1979). Major organs showing the non-neoplastic lesions described in aged hamsters are the heart and kidneys.…”

Hamster female protein, a sex-limited pentraxin, is a constituent of Syrian hamster amyloid.

“…6 C). This observation suggested the existence of a subpopulation of Syrian hamster colonies (20, [23][24][25][26][27][28][29]. The remarkable proclivity for amyloid deposition in hamster females may explain the observation that female hamsters die earlier than males (23,24,(28)(29)(30).…”

“…This observation suggested the existence of a subpopulation of Syrian hamster colonies (20, [23][24][25][26][27][28][29]. The remarkable proclivity for amyloid deposition in hamster females may explain the observation that female hamsters die earlier than males (23,24,(28)(29)(30). This reversal of the usual female longevity found in other mammals (30) has been attributed to extensive adrenal amyloidosis usually found in old female Syrian hamsters (24,27,31).…”