Oxidative Stress State in Aging and Longevity Mechanisms

Summary

Most evidence indicates that aging is a result of normal metabolic processes that are essential for life. Thus, an important approach in biogerontology is to identify specific metabolic reactions necessary for life but which could also lead to aging. A unique characteristic of this approach is an explanation of what governs aging rate or longevity of a species or even individuals within a species. These would be mechanisms that would act to reduce the long-term toxic or aging effects of the normal metabolic and developmental reactions. The reactions involving oxygen metabolism clearly fit into this model since they are essential for life yet can potentially cause many of the dysfunctions associated with aging. Such a model can also account for differences in aging rate or longevity of different animals species by differences that may exist in their innate ability to reduce oxidative stress state. Our laboratory has been testing this oxidative stress state (OSS) hypothesis of aging and longevity by determining if a positive correlation exists between OSS of an animal and its aging rate. Much of our data has found such a positive correlation, yet there is some indication that separate causative mechanisms may exist in determining aging rate as opposed to those related to age-dependent specific diseases, such as cancer or cardiovascular disease.