Reliability of electron-transport membranes and the role of oxygen anion-radicals in aging: stochastic modulation of the genetic program

• Published in: Radiat͡s︡ionnai͡a︡ biologii͡a︡, radioėkologii͡a Vol. 50; no. 3; p. 259
• Main Author: Kol'tover, V K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Russia (Federation) 01-05-2010
• Subjects: Aging - genetics; Aging - metabolism; Animals; Electron Transport - physiology; Hypothalamus - physiology; Membranes - metabolism; Mitochondria - metabolism; Neurons - physiology; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Stochastic Processes; Superoxides - metabolism
• ISSN: 0869-8031

All biomolecular constructions and nanorecators are designed to perform preset functions. All of them operate with limited reliability, namely, for each and every device or bionanoreactor normal operation alternates with accidental malfunctions (failures). Timely preventive maintenance replacement (prophylaxis) of functional elements in cells and tissues, the so-called turnover, is the main line of assuring high system reliability of organism as a whole. There is a finite number of special groups of genes (reliability assuring structures, RAS) that perform supervisory functions over the preventive maintenance. In a hierarchic pluricellular organism, RAS are genetic regulatory networks of a special group of cells, like hypothalamic neurons in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of mammals. Of the primary importance is limited reliability of mitochondrial nanoreactors, since the random malfunctions of electron transport chains produce reactive anion-radicals of oxygen (superoxide radical, O2*(-)). With time, O2*(-) radicals initiate accumulation of irreparable damages in RAS. When these damages accumulate up to preset threshold level, a fatal decrease in reliability of RAS occurs. Thus, aging is the stochastic consequence of programmed deficiency in reliability of biomolecular constructions and nanoreactors including the genetically preset limit of the system reliability. This reliability approach provides the realistic explanation of the data on prolongation of life of experimental animals with antioxidants as well as the explanation of similar "hormetic" effects of ionizing radiation in low doses.