细胞自噬和线粒体质量控制与健康衰老

Autophagy,Mitochondrial Quality Control and Aging

拥有健康的晚年是每一个人的祈盼,这也是目前应对即将到来的社会老龄化危机而需要解决的重要课题.实现健康衰老需要对人类衰老发生的机制有深入的了解,比如在此过程中扮演着重要角色的线粒体的研究.线粒体是细胞能量和自由基代谢中心,也是细胞凋亡调控中心,并在信号转导和基因表达调控中发挥重要作用.线粒体一旦受损,一方面能量代谢发生紊乱,另一方面产生大量自由基,影响细胞的正常生长,并导致细胞甚至机体的衰老.正常情况下,细胞通过自噬溶酶体机制选择性清除受损伤和不需要的线粒体,这是线粒体质量控制的重要机制.研究发现,线粒体质量控制异常可能在衰老发生过程中起关键作用.限食及增强运动能有效促进线粒体质量控制,改善线粒体功能并延缓衰老.

Healthy aging not only benefits every individual, it is also useful to meet the challenge of the upcoming aging society. This requires mechanistic studies of how aging occurs. Mitochondria are the most important organelle for energy production, free radical metabolism and programmed cell death. Damaged and dysfunctional mitochondria are selectively removed by a mechanism of mitochondrial autophagy or mitophagy to protect the cells from excessive oxidative stress. The defective mitochondrial quality control may be closely link with aging. Caloric restriction and physical exercise stimulate both general autophagy and selective mitophagy. These will improve mitochondrial function and hugely benefit healthy aging.