Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 16, 2026
Protection of H9c2 Myocardial Cells from Oxidative Stress by Crocetin via PINK1/Parkin Pathway-Mediated Mitophagy
Published on: May 26, 2023
The association between dietary total antioxidant capacity and gene expression of Klotho in Iranians
Zahra Rahimi1, Monirsadat Mirhoseini1, Ghazaleh Eslamian2
1Department of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Background:
Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in cellular aging, and dietary antioxidants may modulate this process through regulation of the aging-related Klotho gene. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) and Klotho gene expression in 50 healthy Iranian adults (aged 18-40 years).
Methods:
Using validated food frequency questionnaires, we calculated DTAC (mmol Trolox equivalents/day) and assessed Klotho mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) via RT-PCR (ΔCt method). Linear regression models evaluated these associations, with Model 1 showing crude associations and Model 2 adjusting for age, sex, BMI, waist circumference, physical activity, and fiber intake.
Results:
Unadjusted analysis revealed DTAC significantly predicted Klotho expression (β = -0.662, p < 0.001, R² = 0.438), with higher antioxidant intake associated with lower ΔCt values (indicating greater Klotho expression). This association remained significant after full adjustment (β = -0.599, p = 0.002, Adjusted R² = 0.381). Notably, among individual antioxidants, only zinc maintained an independent inverse relationship with ΔCt Klotho in the adjusted model (β = -0.439, p = 0.016), while other antioxidants lost significance.
Conclusion:
These findings demonstrate that higher dietary antioxidant intake, particularly zinc, is significantly associated with increased Klotho gene expression, suggesting a potential mechanism by which antioxidant-rich diets may influence aging processes. This study provides novel evidence linking DTAC to Klotho expression in humans, supporting further investigation into dietary strategies for modulating aging-related pathways.
