Hormetic effect of 3-Bromopyruvate on age-induced alterations in erythrocyte membrane transporters and oxidative biomarkers in rats.

3-bromopyruvate (3-BP) is a glycolytic inhibitor and a potential calorie restriction mimic that shows a variety of beneficial effects in several aging model systems. A chronic low dose of 3-BP was given to male Wistar rats for four weeks. The effect of 3-BP on age-dependent alteration on the activities of various transporters/exchangers and redox biomarkers (protein carbonyl (PC), sialic acid (SA), sulfhydryl group (-SH), intracellular calcium ion [Ca2+]i, and osmotic fragility) was studied. In aged rats, 3-BP treatment increases the membrane-bound activities of Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) and Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA), along with levels of -SH and SA. It also exerts a concomitant decrease in Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) activity and the levels of [Ca2+]i, PC, and osmotic fragility in aged groups. 3-BP can be considered as a potential anti-aging agent that induces a hormetic effect leading to amelioration of age-dependent impairment of membrane-bound ATPases and alterations in the redox biomarker level.