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Caspases, apoptosis and aging

Jian-Hua Zhang1, Yingpei Zhang, Brian Herman

  • 1Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.

Ageing Research Reviews
|October 3, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Altered caspase activity is strongly linked to aging and age-related diseases. This review summarizes research connecting caspases, which are proteases, to the aging process across various models.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Caspases are cysteine-dependent aspartate-specific proteases.
  • Fourteen types of caspases have been identified in mammals.
  • Caspases are crucial in apoptosis and interact with non-caspase pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize the current understanding of the relationship between caspases and aging.
  • To highlight findings from various model systems, including cell cultures, rodents, and humans.

Main Methods:

  • Review of published literature.
  • Analysis of data from in vitro and in vivo studies.
  • Correlation analysis of caspase activity and aging markers.

Main Results:

  • A strong correlation exists between altered caspase activity and the aging process.
  • Caspase involvement in aging is observed across diverse model systems.
  • Apoptosis, age-related diseases, and aging show a significant association.

Conclusions:

  • Caspase activity is a key factor in aging and age-related diseases.
  • Further research into caspases may yield insights into mitigating aging.
  • Understanding caspase roles is vital for gerontological studies.

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