Reviews our current understanding of the role of protein oxidation in aging and age-related diseases Protein oxidation is at the core of the aging process. Setting forth a variety of new methods and approaches, this book helps researchers conveniently by exploring the aging process and developing more effective therapies to prevent or treat age-related diseases. There have been many studies dedicated to the relationship between protein oxidation and age-related pathology; now it is possible for researchers and readers to learn new techniques as utilizing protein oxidation products as biomarkers for aging. Protein Oxidation and Aging begins with a description of the tremendous variety of protein oxidation products. Furthermore, it covers: Major aspects of the protein oxidation process Cellular mechanisms for managing oxidized proteins Role of protein oxidation in aging Influence of genetic and environmental factors on protein oxidation Measuring protein oxidation in the aging process Protein oxidation in age-related diseases References at the end of each chapter serve as a gateway to the growing body of original research studies and reviews in the field.

Recognition that aging is not the accumulation of disease, but rather comprises fundamental biological processes that are amenable to experimental study, is the basis for the recent growth of experimental biogerontology. As increasingly sophisticated studies provide greater understanding of what occurs in the aging brain and how these changes occur

Oxidative stress and aging Over the past several years there has been an extraordinarily rapid growth in our knowledge of free radical chemistry and its possible involvement in both normal essential biology and age related disease and dysfunction. Much of this growth in the traditionally separate sciences of chemistry and molecular gerontology occurred independently, with little interaction or communi cation between the scientists working in these two fields. In view of the growing maturity of the two fields and the potential importance of advancing our knowledge in the area of oxidative stress and aging, we perceived a critical need to organize an international conference the "First Inter national Conference on Oxidative Stress and Aging" in Hawaii in 1994 to bring together the world's leading scientists in the fields of reactive oxygen species and molecular gerontology. The objective of this conference was to provide a unique opportunity for scholars working in these two related and rapidly growing fields to participate in the exchange, integration, and synthesis of new concepts and ideas, to engage in constructive criticism and to initiate new collaborative research projects. The conference focused on the molecular and cellular aspects of aging as related to oxidative stress. It was one of the largest and most comprehensive international conferences held in molecular gerontology. At this conference a call was made for submission of papers to be used in the publication of a book covering the major contributions of the meeting.

During the last 40 years, the study of the biological basis of aging has progressed tremendously, and it has now become an independent and respectable field of study and research. The essential cause of aging is molecular damage that slowly overwhelms cellular and organismic defense, repair and maintenance systems. In recent years, a wealth of highly sophisticated research has transformed this idea from a credible hypothesis not only to a major theory, but essentially to accepted knowledge. Aging at the Molecular Level examines the key elements in this transformation. Bringing together contributions from an international team of authors, this volume will be of interest to graduates and postgraduates in the fields of medicine and nursing, researchers of different aspects of biogerontology and those in the pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, nutraceutical and health-care industry.

There has been an explosion of research related to free radicals and antioxidants in recent years, and hundreds of laboratories worldwide are actively involved in many as pects of free radicals, oxidative stress, and antioxidants. The literature on these topics in creases exponentially every year. Over the last few years, we have been fortunate to witness a widespread recognition of the important role of free radicals in a wide variety of pathological conditions including diseases such as atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and neurological diseases, ischemia, emphysema, diabetes, radiation injury, cancer, etc. In ad dition, many laboratories are studying the role of free radicals in the inexorable process of aging. Increased evidence involves free radicals with the etiology of various diseases, thereby suggesting the use of antioxidants as a viable therapeutic approach for the treat ment of free radical mediated pathologies. Despite these impressive developments, many important aspects of free radical and antioxidant research are open for investigation. It is important to understand the overall mechanisms involved in free radical mediated physiological and pathological conditions. This knowledge will undoubtedly lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches to prevent or control free radical related diseases. This book contains the proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute (ASI) on "Free Radicals, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidants: Pathological and Physiological Sig nificance," which was held in Antalya, Turkey from May 24-June 4, 1997.

This authoritative overview on an emerging topic in the molecular life sciences covers all aspects of the aging of (long-lived) proteins. It describes the molecular mechanisms of aging on the protein level, in particular the most common side chain modifications and includes analytical methods to study protein half-life and the accumulation of modifications. Finally, the impact of protein aging on several age-related disases in humans is dissected, and their role in limiting human lifespan is discussed.

Radicals--short lived, reactive molecules--are thought to play a major role in many oxidative processes within cells and to have implications in several human diseases, carcinogenesis, and aging. This unique and comprehensive volume brings together up-to-date information on the oxidation of amino acids, peptides, and proteins by free radicals and discusses the roles of such processes in biological systems. Topics include: the chemistry of amino acid and protein oxidation; the biochemical consequences of these reactions; the role of protein oxidation in normal physiology; the potential importance of protein oxidation in human health, including aging, heart disease, cancer, inflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases; and the possible prevention of disease processes by antioxidants and other protective strategies. Drawing on the latest research across a range of disciplines, this book will be important reading for researchers and graduate and postdoctoral students in the fields of radical biochemistry, physiology, and pathology.