Diet-Modifiable Redox Alterations in Ageing and Cancer.

Abstract

With ageing comes some of life's best and worst moments. Those lucky enough to live out into the seventh, eighth, and nineth decades and perhaps beyond have more opportunities to experience the wonders and joys of the world. As the world's population shifts towards more and more of these individuals, this is something to be celebrated. However, it is not without negative consequences. Advanced age also ushers in health decline and the burden of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, and organ function decay. Thus, alleviating or at least dampening the severity of ageing as a whole, as well as these individual age-related disorders will enable the improvement in lifespan and healthspan. In the following chapter, we delve into hypothesised causes of ageing and experimental interventions that can be taken to slow their progression. We also highlight cellular and subcellular mechanisms of ageing with a focus on protein thiol oxidation and posttranslational modifications that impact cellular homeostasis and the advent and progression of ageing-related cancers. By having a better understanding of the mechanisms of ageing, we can hopefully develop effective, safe, and efficient therapeutic modalities that can be used prophylactically and/or concurrent to the onset of ageing.