OXIDATIVE STRESS - ITS POTENTIAL RELEVANCE TO HUMAN-DISEASE AND LONGEVITY DETERMINANTS

Most evidence indicates that aging is a result of normal metabolic pro cesses that are essential for life. Thus an important approach in biog erontology is to identify specific metabolic reactions necessary for l ife but which could also lead to aging. A unique characteristic of thi s approach is an explanation of what governs aging rate or longevity o f a species or even individuals within a species. These would be mecha nisms that would act to reduce the long-term toxic or aging effects of the normal metabolic and developmental reactions. The reactions invol ving oxygen metabolism clearly fit into this model for they are essent ial for life yet can potentially cause many of the dysfunctions associ ated with aging. Such a model can also account for differences in agin g rate or longevity of different animal species by differences that ma y exist in their innate ability to reduce oxidative stress state. Our laboratory has been testing this oxidative stress state (OSS) hypothes is of aging and longevity by determining if a positive correlation exi sts between OSS of an animal and its aging rate. Much of our data has found such a positive correlation, yet there is some indication that s eparate causative mechanisms may exist in determining aging rate as op posed to those related to age-dependent specific diseases such as canc er or cardiovascular disease.