Polyphenols as Potential Geroprotectors.

Currently, a large amount of evidence of beneficial effects of diets enriched with polyphenols on various aspects of health has been accumulated. These phytochemicals have a geroprotective potential slowing down the pathological processes associated with aging and ensuring longevity. In this study, a comprehensive analysis was conducted to determine the adherence of individual polyphenols to geroprotector criteria.

[Drosophila melanogaster Lifespan Is Regulated by nejire Gene Expression in Peripheral Tissues and Nervous System].

Histone acetyltransferases of the CBP/p300 family are involved in transcriptional regulation and many biological processes (cell proliferation and differentiation, development, and regulation of the stress response and metabolism). Overexpression and knockdown of the nejire (nej) gene (codes for an ortholog of human CBP/p300 proteins) in various tissues (the fat body, intestine, and nervous system) and at various stages of the life cycle (throughout all developmental stages or in adulthood only) were tested for effect on lifespan in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. The activation of nej exerted a positive or a negative effect on the lifespan, depending on the induction mode and the sex.

Tissue-Specific Knockdown of Genes of the Argonaute Family Modulates Lifespan and Radioresistance in Drosophila Melanogaster.

Small RNAs are essential to coordinate many cellular processes, including the regulation of gene expression patterns, the prevention of genomic instability, and the suppression of the mutagenic transposon activity. These processes determine the aging, longevity, and sensitivity of cells and an organism to stress factors (particularly, ionizing radiation). The biogenesis and activity of small RNAs are provided by proteins of the Argonaute family.

The Resistance of to Oxidative, Genotoxic, Proteotoxic, Osmotic Stress, Infection, and Starvation Depends on Age According to the Stress Factor.

We studied how aging affects the ability of to tolerate various types of stress factors. Data were obtained on the resistance of to oxidative and genotoxic (separately paraquat, Fe, Cu, and Zn ions), proteotoxic (hyperthermia, Cd ions), and osmotic (NaCl) stresses, starvation, and infection with the pathological fungus at different ages. In all cases, we observed a strong negative correlation between age and stress tolerance.

[Key Molecular Mechanisms of Aging, Biomarkers, and Potential Interventions].

The mechanisms of aging are described at the molecular, cell, tissue, and systemic levels. Primary age-dependent molecular lesions activate the cell stress response to compensate for the resulting defects, but the mechanisms that recover and maintain homeostasis are gradually deteriorated. When the amount of errors reaches a critical threshold in regulatory networks, a phase transition from health to disease occurs at the systemic level.