IMPROVEMENT FUNCTIONS OF THE BRAIN

A carboxyfullerene SOD mimetic improves cognition and extends the lifespan

Kevin L. Quick, Sameh S. Ali, Robert Arch, Chengjie Xiong, David Wozniak, Laura L. Dugan
Neurobiology of Aging 29 (2008) 117–128

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Summary:

A C60 carboxyfullerene SOD mimetic improves cognition and extends the lifespan

In lower organisms, such as Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila, many genes identified as key regulators of aging are involved in either detoxification of reactive oxygen species or the cellular response to oxidatively-damaged macromolecules. Transgenic mice have been generated to study these genes in mammalian aging, but have not in general exhibited the expected lifespan extension or beneficial behavioral effects, possibly reflecting compensatory changes during development. We administered a small-molecule synthetic enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic to wild-type (i.e. non-transgenic, non-senescence accelerated) mice starting at middle age.

Chronic treatment not only reduced age-associated oxidative stress and mitochondrial radical production, but significantly extended lifespan. Treated mice also exhibited improved performance on the Morris water maze learning and memory task.

This is to our knowledge the first demonstration that an administered antioxidant with mitochondrial activity and nervous system penetration not only increases lifespan, but rescues age-related cognitive impairment in mammals. SOD mimetics with such characteristics may provide unique complements to genetic strategies to study the contribution of oxidative processes to nervous system aging.

Conclusion:

Oxidative stress is known to impair immunological function, and functional decline in the immune system has been well characterized to occur during aging. C3 treatment reversed aging-associated alterations in the T-lymphocyte CD4+/CD8+ ratio and reversed age-related loss of B-cells as a percentage of total splenocytes.

Taken together, these data suggest that C3 decreases age-associated mitochondrial superoxide production and improves mitochondrial function, providing support for the mitochondrial theory of aging as one component of the aging process.

However, as discussed in detail by Beckman and Ames, changes in mitochondrial physiology may reflect more indirect processes (for example, changes in mitochondrial gene expression due to hormone status, inflammation, diet, activity) and may interact with other pathways linked to aging, such as insulin-dependent signaling or the sirtuins.

Because C3 has previously been shown to localize within mitochondria, to enhance survival of Sod2−/− mice and, as shown here, to regulate mitochondrial superoxide production by EPR and extend the lifespan of mice, we think it is likely that some of the actions of C3 in the current study are directly on mitochondria.

However, to what degree and howmitochondria contribute to aging remain important questions and are areas of future study that may provide valuable insights into the complex multifactorial process of aging.

Study analysis

The study by Quick, Ali, Arch, Xiong, Wozniak, and Dugan expands our understanding of aging, particularly highlighting the role of reactive oxygen species and their effect on cognitive function and lifespan. Importantly, their research revealed the therapeutic potential of a synthetic enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic, called C3, administered to wild-type mice starting in middle age.

It is critical to underline that C3 treatment went beyond merely extending the lifespan of the mice; it also improved cognitive abilities, as demonstrated through improved performance on the Morris water maze learning and memory task. This dual impact underscores the potential of targeted antioxidant strategies as a promising avenue in the quest for interventions that extend life and enhance its quality, particularly cognitive function, in later years.

However, as with all scientific inquiries, this revelation has opened new questions. Researchers should understand how and to what extent mitochondria contribute to aging. Given C3's affinity for localizing within mitochondria and its evident effect on mitochondrial superoxide production, any answers to these queries could contribute substantially to our understanding of the aging process. Consequently, this line of research could serve as a potent catalyst in developing innovative, effective anti-aging interventions.

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