摘要
Age-associated changes in cardiovascular structure/ function are implicated in the markedly increased risk for cardiovascular disease in older persons. Aging not only prolongs exposure to several other cardiovascular risks, but also leads to intrinsic cardiac changes, which reduces cardiac functional reserve, predisposes the heart to stress and contributes to increased cardiovascular mortality in the elderly. Intrinsic cardiac aging in the murine model closely recapitulates age-related cardiac changes in humans, includ- ing left ventricular hypertrophy, fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction. Cardiac aging in mice is accompanied by accumulation of mitochondrial protein oxidation, increased mitochondrial DNA mutations, increased mitochondrial biogenesis, as well as decreased cardiac SERCA2 protein. All of these age-related changes are significantly attenu- ated in mice overexpressing catalase targeted to mitochondria （mCAT）. These findings demonstrate the critical role of rnitochondrial reactive oxygen species （ROS） in cardiac ag ing and support the potential antioxidants to cardiac aging lar diseases. application of mitochondrial and age-related cardiovascular diseases.
