Treatment Of Age-associated Diseases Research Articles

Global Aging and the Medicine of the Future

Aging is one of the most powerful processes of the 21st century which is accelerating, which is influencing and will influence much more during many forthcoming decades all aspects of life. The percentage of elderly in developed countries will surpass a share of young people within decades. So we will live in gray society where about one third or more population will be with their age-associated diseases, geriatric syndromes, weaknesses, and special gerontic problems. It will influence on all society institutions and maybe particular on medicine. That why we believe that medicine of the future will be a completely new kind of medicine because of anti-aging technologies, that is, technologies for slowing down and ennobling aging, as well as stopping and alleviating the problems associated with it. All this will become an integral part of the future of medicine; perhaps even reforming the whole system of medicine. This will also mean that more and more attention will be focused on the treatment of age-associated diseases, on the cure or mitigating of the so-called geriatric syndromes (or age-related conditions). The perception of aging in society will also change.

Potential of nanoparticles and nanopolymers in treatment of age-associated diseases

Aging is an inevitable process caused by the accumulation of degenerative destructions, which ultimately leads to organism death. As the aging process occurs at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels, understanding the whole details of age-related disorders is the prerequisite for the development of anti-aging therapy. More than 300 compounds of different sources have been reported with an anti-aging activity that controls age-related diseases through regulating single or multiple signalling pathways. Recent innovations in nanotechniques could lead to the development of nanomaterials having effects on age-associated malfunctions or acting as nanocarrier systems and distributers of anti-aging drugs. In this review, we summarised the molecular mechanisms of longevity and the prospect of developing anti-aging nanomaterials targeting aging pathways.

Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) fruit juice reverses age-related decline in neural-immune interactions in the spleens of old F344 rats

Ethnopharmacological relevanceVarious parts of the tropical plant, Morinda citrifolia L. (Noni), have been widely used in traditional medicine in South and Southeast Asia for several centuries. The therapeutic effects of the noni are believed to be mediated through several phytochemicals such as anthraquinones, iridoid, fatty acid glycosides, alcohols, etc. Aim of the studyThe aim of the study is to investigate the effects of Morinda citrifolia fruit juice (noni fruit juice; NFJ) on neural-immune interactions through the involvement of intracellular signaling pathways both in vitro and in vivo in the splenic lymphocytes of young and old male F344 rats. Material and methodsIn the in vitro study, splenocytes from young and old F344 rats were isolated and treated with 0.0001–1% concentrations of NFJ for a period of 24h, while in the in vivo study, old F344 rats were orally administered (5ml/kg body weight) with NFJ (5%, 10% and 20%) twice daily for 60 days. After the treatment period, concanavalin A (Con A)-induced lymphocyte proliferation, cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-6, and TNF-α) production, expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (p-TH), nerve growth factor (NGF), m-TOR, IκB-α, p-NF-κB (p50 and p65), p-ERK, p-Akt, p-CREB and lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl formation, nitric oxide (NO) production were examined in the splenocytes. ResultsIn vitro NFJ incubation of splenic lymphocytes increased Con A-induced lymphocyte proliferation, IL-2 and IFN-γ production, and expression of p-ERK, p-Akt, and p-CREB in young and old rats. In vivo treatment of old rats with NFJ increased lymphoproliferation, IL-2 and IFN-γ production, the expression of p-TH, NGF, and NO production, and suppressed IL-6 production, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl formation, and the expression of IκB-α and p-NF-κB (p50) in the splenocytes. ConclusionTaken together, these results suggest that Morinda citrifolia fruit juice enhanced neural-immune interactions and cell survival pathways while inhibiting inflammatory processes that may be useful in the treatment of age-associated diseases.

Nuclear DNA damage signalling to mitochondria in ageing.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of ageing, and mitochondrial maintenance may lead to increased healthspan. Emerging evidence suggests a crucial role for signalling from the nucleus to mitochondria (NM signalling) in regulating mitochondrial function and ageing. An important initiator of NM signalling is nuclear DNA damage, which accumulates with age and may contribute to the development of age-associated diseases. DNA damage-dependent NM signalling constitutes a network that includes nuclear sirtuins and controls genomic stability and mitochondrial integrity. Pharmacological modulation of NM signalling is a promising novel approach for the prevention and treatment of age-associated diseases.

Age-Associated Pathology in Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta).

The rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) is one of the most extensively used nonhuman primate models for human diseases. This article presents a literature review focusing on major organ systems and age-associated conditions in humans and primates, combined with information from the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center Electronic Health Record database to highlight and contrast age-associated lesions in geriatric rhesus macaques with younger cohorts. Rhesus macaques are excellent models for age-associated conditions, including diabetes, osteoarthritis, endometriosis, visual accommodation, hypertension, osteoporosis, and amyloidosis. Adenocarcinoma of the large intestine (ileocecocolic junction, cecum, and colon) is the most common spontaneous neoplasm in the rhesus macaque. A combination of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies is required to truly define mechanisms of maturation, aging, and the pathology of age-associated conditions in macaques and thus humans. The rhesus macaque is and will continue to be an appropriate and valuable model for investigation of the mechanisms and treatment of age-associated diseases.

Dammarane triterpenes as potential SIRT1 activators from the leaves of Panax ginseng.

During a search for SIRT1 activators originating in nature, three new dammarane triterpenes, 6α,20(S)-dihydroxydammar-3,12-dione-24-ene (1), 6α,20(S),24(S)-trihydroxydammar-3,12-dione-25-ene (2), and 6α,20(S),25-trihydroxydammar-3,12-dione-23-ene (3), as well as two known triterpenes, dammar-20(22),24-diene-3β,6α,12β-triol (4) and 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 (5), were isolated from Panax ginseng leaves. Compounds 1 and 3-5 showed potential as SIRT1 activators, as analyzed by in vitro enzyme-based SIRT1-NAD/NADH and SIRT1-p53 luciferase cell-based assays. They were also found to increase the level of NAD(+)/NADH ratio in HEK293 cells. This study presents a new class of chemical entities that may be able to be developed as SIRT1 activators for antiaging and treatment of age-associated diseases.

Inhibitory effects of Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis, L.) extract on the formation of advanced glycation end products

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a medicinal herb possessing functional compounds with unexplored anti-glycative action. The anti-glycative activity of Lemon balm extract was evaluated in the bovine serum albumin (BSA)/glucose system. The level of glycation, conformational alterations and protein binding to RAGE receptors were assessed by specific fluorescence, Congo red binding assay, circular dichroism, ligand and Western blotting. Ethanol fractions of Melissa leaf exhibited the highest inhibitory effects on the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and the late stage of glycation process. Significant alteration in the secondary structure of albumin was observed upon glycation, which was mitigated by applying the herb extract. Moreover, upon treatment with balm extract, glycated albumin adopts a secondary structure impeding its detection by RAGE receptors of microglial cells. Our results represent the anti-glycative properties of Melissa extract and its application for possible treatment of AGE-associated diseases.