Longevity and aging, genetic and post-genetic mechanisms. Which target to choose for postponing and treating age-related diseases

Longevity and aging. Mechanisms and perspectives

“…These studies resulted in the identification of a family of genes, the Sirtuins, playing a role in longevity determination. The detailed study of these genes led to the conclusion that their main function is to code for enzymes and processes of defense mechanisms postponing fatal issues [12,13]. A number of genetic pathways were shown to be longevity determinants, mostly indirectly by reinforcing defense mechanisms and improving the efficiency of metabolic functions.…”

“…Some other receptors, as the one recognizing elastin, lose its connection to its intracellular transmission pathway, although its presence on the cell membrane can still be demonstrated [17,18]. To the contrary of aging itself, age-related pathologies are under the control of genetic factors, as shown by genome-wide association studies (GWAS), among them genes acting on stress-response and genome maintenance [12].…”

Longevity and Its Regulation: Centenarians and Beyond

“…The initiator, Walford himself, died well before reaching 100 years. Recent experiments, cited in [21], showed that intrauterine CR produces pathologies in newborn animals, transmitted to future generations.…”

“…His experiment proved reproducible and could be extended to several other animal species, the flat worm C. elegans, drosophila and mice among them. For reasons published recently [21], the efficiency of this procedure in humans can be seriously questioned. Those who tried it on themselves as the volunteers around Roy Walford did not survive to 100.…”

Role of the Maillard reaction in aging and age-related diseases. Studies at the cellular-molecular level

“…Longevity determinants are, not entirely but to a significant degree, genetically determined ( [1,2] for review). Aging, however, is mostly post-genetic, partially epigenetic [3] and to a large extent dominated by post-genetic mechanisms [4].…”