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Protein oxidation in aging and age-related diseases
1Laboratory of Biochemistry, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0342, USA. erstadtman@nih.gov
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|January 25, 2002
Summary
Aging correlates with increased oxidatively damaged proteins. Reducing protein oxidation may extend lifespan and mitigate age-related diseases, highlighting a balance between damage and repair.
Area of Science:
- Biogerontology
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Aging is linked to the accumulation of cellular damage, including oxidatively modified proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.
- Oxidatively modified proteins increase with age, impacting enzyme function and susceptibility to degradation.
- Elevated levels of oxidatively modified proteins are associated with various age-related diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss the chemistry of reactive oxygen species-mediated protein modification.
- To explore the correlation between aging, protein oxidation, and lifespan.
- To examine the role of oxidative damage in age-related diseases.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on aging and oxidative stress.
- Discussion of the biochemical mechanisms of protein oxidation.
- Analysis of studies correlating protein oxidation levels with age and disease.
Main Results:
- Oxidatively modified proteins, including protein carbonyls and hydrophobicity, increase with age.
- Factors that decrease protein oxidation are associated with increased lifespan.
- Age-related diseases show elevated levels of oxidatively modified proteins.
Conclusions:
- The accumulation of oxidatively damaged proteins is a hallmark of aging.
- Maintaining a balance between prooxidants, antioxidants, and repair mechanisms is crucial for cellular health.
- Interventions targeting protein oxidation may offer therapeutic strategies for age-related decline and diseases.
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