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Debating the Oxidative Stress Model of Aging
(Monday June 22 2009)
 | You'll find plenty of healthy debate in the aging research community: "Currently, the Oxidative Stress (or Free Radical) Theory of Aging is the most popular explanation of how aging occurs at the molecular level. While data from studies in invertebrates and rodents show a correlation between increased lifespan and resistance to oxidative stress (and in some cases reduced oxidative damage to macromolecules), direct evidence showing that alterations in oxidative damage/stress play a role in aging are limited ... Over the past eight years, our laboratory has conducted an exhaustive study on the effect of under- or overexpressing a large number and wide variety of genes coding for antioxidant enzymes. In this review, we present the survival data from these studies together. Because only one (the deletion of the Sod1 gene) of the 18 genetic manipulations we studied had an effect on lifespan, our data calls into serious question the hypothesis that alterations in oxidative damage/stress play a role in the longevity of mice." Or suggests that the antioxidant processes examined aren't particularly important to longevity. The best counterpoint to the paper's thesis I know of is the demonstrated use of mitochondrially targeted antioxidants to extend life span in mice. |
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