Mitochondrial integrity and antioxidative enzyme efficiency in Fischer Rats: Effects of ageing and Epigallocatechin-3- Gallate intervention

Abstract

We hypothesize that mitochondria functional decay and the decrease of antioxidative enzyme efficiency result in the excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species in the aging process. We have verified this by investigating the mitochondrial respiration control ratio and mitochondrial membrane potential in the liver and brain of young and old Fischer 344 rats, and correlated it with the general decrease of catalase, Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD), Mn-SOD and glutathione peroxidase activities in the liver, brain, kidney and heart of old rats. Moreover, the antioxidant epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) intervention was carried out both in vitro using human diploid fibroblast and in vivo using Fischer 344 rats, where mitochondria integrity and antioxidative enzyme efficiency were retrieved in the aged organisms as an effect of EGCG supplement. And several aging related phenomena were delayed to some extent as well. Our preliminary results suggest EGCG as one of the potent anti-aging reagents and at the same time serve as a support for the free radical theory of aging.