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Decoding Aging: Understanding the Complex Relationship among Aging, Free Radicals, and GSH
María E López-Navarro1, Mariana Jarquín-Martínez1, Luis A Sánchez-Labastida1
1Departamento de Bioquímica y Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Salvador Díaz Mirón s/n, Casco de Santo Tomás, Ciudad de México 11340, Mexico.
Aging decreases reduced glutathione (GSH) and increases free radicals (FRs), disrupting cellular redox homeostasis. Electrophilic maleimides like 3,5-DMB exacerbate FR levels, highlighting age-related molecular changes.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cellular Biology
- Aging Research
Background:
- Reduced glutathione (GSH) is vital for cellular protection against oxidative stress and maintaining redox balance.
- N-aryl maleimides react with GSH, depleting cellular GSH and increasing free radicals (FRs), thus disrupting redox homeostasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify GSH and FR concentrations in rat tissues ex vivo using electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR).
- To investigate the impact of aging and 3,5-dimaleimylbenzoic acid (3,5-DMB) treatment on GSH and FR levels in rat brain and liver.
Main Methods:
- Ex vivo measurement of GSH and FR concentrations using electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR).
- Analysis of brain and liver tissues from male Wistar rats of different ages.
- Assessment of the effects of 3,5-DMB, an electrophilic maleimide, on GSH and FR levels.
Main Results:
- A significant relationship was observed between age and GSH/FR concentrations.
- Young rats exhibited higher GSH levels compared to old rats.
- Adult rats showed higher FR levels than young rats, indicating an inverse correlation between GSH and FRs.
- Treatment with 3,5-DMB increased FR content by reacting with cellular GSH.
Conclusions:
- Aging is associated with altered cellular molecular content, including decreased GSH and increased FRs.
- The study underscores the disruption of redox homeostasis during aging.
- Electrophilic maleimides can exacerbate oxidative stress by depleting GSH and increasing FRs.
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