Current Aging Science - Volume 6, Issue 1, 2013

We have investigated the effect of melatonin administration on the cytometric and endocrine functions of the ovary during aging. Young cyclic (3 months old), middle-aged pre-acyclic (13 months old), and old acyclic (22 months old) female Wistar rats were used for two months, in both control and melatonin-treated groups. Cell cycle by flow cytometry: the percentage of ovarian cells in the G0-G1 phase was the highest in both Read More

A very small tripeptide amide L-pyroglutamyl-L-histidyl-L-prolineamide (L-PHP, Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone, TRH), was first identified in the brain hypothalamus area. Further studies found that L-PHP was expressed in pancreas. The biological role of pancreatic L-PHP is still not clear. Growing evidence indicates that L-PHP expression in the pancreas may play a pivotal role for pancreatic development in the early prena Read More

According to our conception, the aging process is caused by cell proliferation restriction-induced accumulation of various macromolecular defects (mainly DNA damage) in cells of a mature organism or in a cell population. In the case of cell cultures, the proliferation restriction is related to so-called contact inhibition and to the Hayflick’s limit, while in the case of multicellular organisms, it is related to the appearance, in the pro Read More

Advanced age is associated with an increased incidence of immune and degenerative disorders, mediated by metabolic changes, dysregulation of proinflammatory signals, and apoptosis. Concurrently, there is a progressive decline in self-recognition. Investigations on biologic functions of transferrin (Tf) other than iron transport showed that Tf has a profound cytoprotective (anti-apoptotic) effect on lympho-hematopoietic Read More

Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for a number of neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. We have shown that homocysteine induces excitotoxic effects in cells expressing glutamate receptors of the NMDA class. These receptors were found not only in neurons but also in immune-competent cells, neutrophils, red blood cells, cardiomyocytes, and osteoblasts. Activation of these cells by homocysteine results in an in Read More

Metallothioneins (MTs) are small, cysteine-rich proteins which have been implicated in various forms of stress providing cytoprotective action against oxidative injury, DNA damage and apoptosis. Owing to their high affinity for physiological metals, such as zinc and copper MTs are also critical components of regulatory proteins involved in cell growth and multiplication, as well as in the maintenance of immune homeosta Read More

Parkinsons’disease (PD), a common neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons in the subtantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and gliosis. The cause and mechanisms underlying the demise of nigrostriatal DAergic neurons are not completely clarified, but interactions between genes and environmental factors are recognized to play a critical role in modulating the v Read More

Physiologic autoantibodies, that is, those with an active physiologic role, are an important part of the normal human immune system and are essential in maintaining homeostasis. Evidence suggests that the body uses autoantibodies to prevent disease and to self-treat diseases once started. This suggests a potential therapeutic role for autoantibodies, or, even better, a way to use them to prevent disease. Their capac Read More

This study demonstrates the effects of Quinton’s isotonic and hypertonic solution on mononuclear cells of peripheral blood. This involved assessing cell viability, morphology, number and size of aggregated cells; possible effects on cellular proliferation; effects on cellular proliferation in different lymphocyte populations; effect on hemoglobin released into the medium.

It has been suggested that arterial stiffness is one of the most important risk factors for the development of a cardiac infarction or stroke. As cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of individuals before the age of 75, the early detection of cardiovascular disease and its prevention remains paramount in order to sustain a healthy longevity. This article looks at the latest noninvasive technology that can me Read More

First, the latest scientific and clinical reports will be evaluated to separate the wheat from the chaff, that is, good data versus merely anecdotal evidence. Thus, the famous (infamous) Stromboli Cocktail will be brought up to date. Second, longevity statistics will be reviewed: Why do the most scientifically advanced countries have such low (comparatively) life expectancies? Scientific knowledge expands exponentially each dec Read More

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) aroused our interest when we were engaged in related experiments, so we decided to study its effects on organs, tissues, and aging-related metabolic and hormonal markers when administered in acute or chronic (oral) doses at various time points in its cyclic circadian pattern. We also wanted to determine what effects, if any, it had on aging processes in two essential systems, namely g Read More

The restoration of the thymic functions and the thymic re-growth may be achieved in old mice by some endocrinological (melatonin) or nutritional interventions (arginine or zinc), suggesting that the thymic involution in old age is a phenomenon secondary to age-related alterations occurring in neuroendocrine–thymus interactions. The targets for the thymic restoration may be hormone receptors and cytokines, strictly related to Read More

The majority of chronic diseases, most notably those accompanying aging, result from progressive deterioration of central neuroimmunoendocrine control, often referred to as immunological surveillance. This is as true of cancer as it is of the development of cardiovascular, autoimmune, and neurodegenerative disease, in all of these immunological surveillance break downs, leading to an unraveling of the neuroimmunoendocr Read More

There is virtually no correlation between what are generally accepted to be the symptoms of deficient androgen in men and levels of androgens as measured in the laboratory. Now that androgen deficiency is being shown to play a part in conditions as diverse as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and coronary heart disease, a hypothesis is needed to explain this apparent discrepancy between measured androgen levels and our un Read More

The pineal hormone melatonin (MLT) has potent anti-breast cancer activity, its actions are heavily mediated via the MT1 receptor and subsequent modulation of downstream signaling pathways including cAMP/PKA, Erk/MAPK, p38, and Ca2+/calmodulin. Also, via the MT1 pathway, MLT can repress the transcriptional activity of some mitogenic nuclear receptors including ERα, GR, and RORα, while potentiating the activity of o Read More