Biochemical Approaches To Aging

Biochemical Approaches to Aging covers the significant research studies on the biochemical aspects of aging. This book is composed of 11 chapters that consider several factors that affect cellular aging. The opening chapters present some model systems for the study of aging using different species, including mammals, nematodes, insects, and protozoa. The succeeding chapters deal with the role of free radical formation, lipid peroxidation, membranes, mitochondria, microsomes, and lysosomes in aging. These topics are followed by discussions of the DNA and RNA changes during aging; the mechanism of protein metabolism; and the alternation of proteins and enzymes. The concluding chapters examine the effect of aging on hormonal interaction and the biochemical effects of nutrition in aging. This book will prove useful to gerontologists, cell and molecular biologists, and researchers.

This book investigates the various processes that are affected by the age of an organism. Several new tools for the analysis of biological aging have been introduced recently, and this volume provides methods and protocols for these new techniques in addition to its coverage of established procedures. Researchers seeking new technology and techniques will find this volume of tremendous benefit as they move towards new directions.

The general plan of this volume, Nutritional Approaches to Aging Research is for each chapter to present first a reasonably succinct state-of-the-art appraisal of present knowledge in the particular field or problem covered. This will vary considerable depending on the subject matter. Following this, each chapter will focus on the problems and pitfalls, both conceptual and technological, of work in the particular field and, no less important, present some of the opportunities and implications of work in that particular area.

Aging is an almost universal process within biological systems, one which leads to a decline in functional capacity, disease onset, and eventually death. There has been much interest in recent years to elucidate the molecular mec- nisms that underlie the aging process. Many theories have been proposed since the last century that aim to explain the causes of aging. There is no one theory that completely satisfies the phenotype of aging, but genetics and environm- tal factors play an important role in the etiology of age-related pathologies and the aging process. However, there is still much to be learned about the aging process which has been termed one of the last great frontiers in biology. De- graphic changes worldwide are leading to increased average life expectancies within our populations. These changes in population characteristics will impact upon the economies of the supporting society, with increasing healthcare and infrastructural costs arising from the prevalence of age-related pathologies and other physical disabilities associated with advancing years. Many researchers worldwide are working in the attempt to identify key cellular processes through which it might one day be possible to slow down the aging process and thus increase the health span of humans. Numerous research projects—from the cellular through to tissue, organ, and whole organism studies—are currently underway to investigate the mul- factorial aging process.

Recent studies have indicated that epigenetic processes may play a major role in both cellular and organismal aging. These epigenetic processes include not only DNA methylation and histone modifications, but also extend to many other epigenetic mediators such as the polycomb group proteins, chromosomal position effects, and noncoding RNA. The topics of this book range from fundamental changes in DNA methylation in aging to the most recent research on intervention into epigenetic modifications to modulate the aging process. The major topics of epigenetics and aging covered in this book are: 1) DNA methylation and histone modifications in aging; 2) Other epigenetic processes and aging; 3) Impact of epigenetics on aging; 4) Epigenetics of age-related diseases; 5) Epigenetic interventions and aging: and 6) Future directions in epigenetic aging research. The most studied of epigenetic processes, DNA methylation, has been associated with cellular aging and aging of organisms for many years. It is now apparent that both global and gene-specific alterations occur not only in DNA methylation during aging, but also in several histone alterations. Many epigenetic alterations can have an impact on aging processes such as stem cell aging, control of telomerase, modifications of telomeres, and epigenetic drift can impact the aging process as evident in the recent studies of aging monozygotic twins. Numerous age-related diseases are affected by epigenetic mechanisms. For example, recent studies have shown that DNA methylation is altered in Alzheimer’s disease and autoimmunity. Other prevalent diseases that have been associated with age-related epigenetic changes include cancer and diabetes. Paternal age and epigenetic changes appear to have an effect on schizophrenia and epigenetic silencing has been associated with several of the progeroid syndromes of premature aging. Moreover, the impact of dietary or drug intervention into epigenetic processes as they affect normal aging or age-related diseases is becoming increasingly feasible.

This new volume in the Subcellular Biochemistry series will focus on the biochemistry and cellular biology of aging processes in human cells. The chapters will be written by experts in their respective fields and will focus on a number of the current key areas of research in subcellular aging research. Main topics for discussion are mitochondrial aging, protein homeostasis and aging and the genetic processes that are involved in aging. There will also be chapters that are dedicated to the study of the roles of a variety of vitamins and minerals on aging and a number of other external factors (microbiological, ROS, inflammation, nutrition). This book will provide the reader with a state of the art overview of the subcellular aging field. This book will be published in cooperation with a second volume that will discuss the translation of the cell biology of aging to a more clinical setting and it is hoped that the combination of these two volumes will bring a deeper understanding of the links between the cell and the body during aging.

Aging is a major risk factor for chronic diseases, which in turn can provide information about the aging of a biological system. This publication serves as an introduction to systems biology and its application to biological aging. Key pathways and processes that impinge on aging are reviewed, and how they contribute to health and disease during aging is discussed. The evolution of this situation is analyzed, and the consequences for the study of genetic effects on aging are presented. Epigenetic programming of aging, as a continuation of development, creates an interface between the genome and the environment. New research into the gut microbiome describes how this interface may operate in practice with marked consequences for a variety of disorders. This analysis is bolstered by a view of the aging organism as a whole, with conclusions about the mechanisms underlying resilience of the organism to change, and is expanded with a discussion of circadian rhythms in aging. Finally, the book presents an outlook for the development of interventions to delay or to reverse the features of aging. The publication is recommended to students, researchers as well as professionals dealing with public health and public policy related to an aging society.

Anti-aging products are undergoing exceptional growth in the cosmetics industry far beyond that of general cosmetics. This book is the only available text that assembles the key pieces developers need to produce new breakthroughs for a growing market that demands quicker and more effective results. It also focuses much needed attention on the biochemical and clinical differences between Caucasian and other skin types. Beginning with detailed descriptions of the forces driving the anti-aging market, this unique book provides readers with all the tools necessary to further research, develop, market, and sell novel products. Recent discoveries on the molecular level and novel methods of skin aging assessment are detailed as well as the state of the rapidly changing global regulatory environment. The formulation approaches of major cosmetics companies are presented as are their techniques for measuring skin aging in vitro and in vivo, both on the molecular and clinical levels. • Provides philosophical perspective on the growth of the anti-aging market • Covers skin types beyond Caucasian • Provides key pieces for developing and selling new breakthrough products • Includes technology from major cosmetic companies such as Chanel, Avon, Estee lauder and others