title: Mitochondrial bioenergetics in aging.
abstract: Mitochondria are strongly involved in the production of reactive oxygen species, considered as the pathogenic agent of many diseases and of aging. The mitochondrial theory of aging considers somatic mutations of mitochondrial DNA induced by oxygen radicals as the primary cause of energy decline; experimentally, complex I appears to be mostly affected and to become strongly rate limiting for electron transfer. Mitochondrial bioenergetics is also deranged in human platelets upon aging, as shown by the decreased Pasteur effect (enhancement of lactate production by respiratory chain inhibition). Cells counteract oxidative stress by antioxidants; among lipophilic antioxidants, coenzyme Q is the only one of endogenous biosynthesis. Exogenous coenzyme Q, however, protects cells from oxidative stress by conversion into its reduced antioxidant form by cellular reductases.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biochimica 'G. Moruzzi', Università di Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, 40126, Bologna, Italy. lenaz@biocfarm.unibo.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lenaz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Aurelio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merlo Pich
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Genova
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bovina
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Formiggini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parenti Castelli
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology; D003067:Coenzymes; D042967:Electron Transport Complex I; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008929:Mitochondria, Heart / Q000378:metabolism; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000378:metabolism; D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D003067:Coenzymes; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014451:Ubiquinone; D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases; D042967:Electron Transport Complex I; C024989:coenzyme Q10