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5th
EMBL/EMBO Joint Conference 2004 |
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Session III |
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Aging intervention
Prevention or therapy? |
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Suresh Rattan, Professor of Biogerontology, University
of Åarhus, Århus, Denmark
Biogerontologists are
now in a position to construct general principles
of aging and explore various possibilities of gerontomodulation
using rational approaches. While not giving serious
consideration to the claims made by charlatans,
it should be recognized that several scientists
are making genuine efforts to test and develop means
of intervention in the process of aging and of treating
age-related diseases. Whereas more effective, affordable
and accessible treatments for diseases are urgently
required, the focus of 'anti-aging' research is
now shifting towards finding ways of slowing down
or modifying the basic process of aging, which is
the common cause behind a plethora of age-related
diseases. The rationale for this preventive approach
is our understanding of aging as a progressive failure
of maintenance and repair, especially during the
survival period beyond the essential lifespan required
from an evolutionary point of view. Some of the
means of intervention and prevention that have varying
degrees of effectiveness include natural and synthetic
antioxidants, hormonal preparations, bioextracts
from animal and plant sources, enzyme mimetics and
small bioactive molecules. Most commonly, these
agents are used as nutritional supplements, nutriceuticals
and cosmeceuticals with or without a combination
with more drastic measures such as surgical interventions.
Another approach, termed hormesis, involves challenging
cells and organisms by mild stress that results
in beneficial and health promoting effects. For
example, in a series of experimental studies, we
have reported that repeated mild heat stress has
anti-aging hormetic effects on various cellular
and biochemical characteristics of human skin fibroblasts
undergoing aging in vitro. The beneficial effects
of repeated mild heat shock include the maintenance
of stress protein profile, reduction in the accumulation
of oxidatively and glycoxidatively damaged proteins,
stimulation of the proteasomal activities for the
degradation of abnormal proteins, improved cellular
resistance to oxidative and glycoxidative stress,
and enhanced levels of cellular antioxidant ability.
Other stresses which, while given at low doses,
have been shown to have hormetic beneficial effects
on the survival and longevity of various experimental
organisms include irradiation, pro-oxidants, hypergravity,
ethanol and food restriction. Human applications
of hormesis include early intervention and modulation
of the aging process for preventing and/or delaying
the onset of age-related conditions, such as sarcopenia,
Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s disease,
cataracts and osteoporosis. |
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