title: Oxidative stress and antioxidant defence in a healthy nonagenarian population.
abstract: Results on oxidative markers during ageing are not consistent throughout the scientific literature; however, successful ageing may depend on better ability to cope with oxidative stress. A previous study of ours showed that successful ageing could actually be related to enhanced response to oxidatively modified proteins. In this study, a healthy nonagenarian population (OVER-90) was examined for various blood oxidative biomarkers and compared with a healthy population of blood donors (age range, 23-66 years). Blood glutathione, both total (tGSH) and oxidised (GSSG), and total plasmatic antioxidant status were maintained in the OVER-90 at a level similar to the control population. Sulphydryl (sulfhydryl) groups and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were instead decreased. The results are discussed in a possible unifying view: the OVER-90 population could possess a globally preserved antioxidant ability, though some signs of oxidative damage are present and some structures could be 'sacrificed' in order to keep the redox equilibrium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of General Pathology, University of Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Balbis
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patriarca
authors.forename: Anna Lisa
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Furfaro
authors.forename: Damiano
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cottalasso
authors.forename: Maria Adelaide
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pronzato
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carlier
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Botta
authors.forename: Umberto Maria
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Marinari
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Traverso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D005982:Glutathione Transferase