Mitochondrial decay in the brains of old rats: Ameliorating effect of alpha-lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine

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Abstract

To investigate the mitochondrial decay and oxidative damage resulting from aging, the activities/kinetics of the mitochondrial complexes were examined in the brains of young and old rats as well as in old rats fed R-α-lipoic acid plus acetyl-l-carnitine (LA/ALC). The brain mitochondria of old rats, compared with young rats, had significantly decreased endogenous antioxidants and superoxide dismutase activity; more oxidative damage to lipids and proteins; and decreased activities of complex I, IV and V. Complex I showed a decrease in binding affinity (increase in Km) for substrates. Feeding LA/ALC to old rats partially restored age-associated mitochondrial dysfunction to the levels of the young rats. These results indicate that oxidative mitochondrial decay plays an important role in brain aging and that a combination of nutrients targeting mitochondria, such as LA/ALC, could ameliorate mitochondrial decay through preventing mitochondrial oxidative damage.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)755-763
Number of pages9
JournalNeurochemical Research
Volume34
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Binding affinity (K)
  • Brain mitochondria
  • Enzyme kinetics
  • Mitochondrial complex activity
  • Oxidative damage

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