Oxidant-Based Cytotoxic Agents During Aging: From Disturbed Energy Metabolism to Chronic Inflammation and Disease Progression

In humans, aging is an inevitable consequence of diminished growth processes after reaching maturity. The high order of biomolecules in cells and tissues is continuously disturbed by numerous physical and chemical destructive impacts. Host-derived oxidant-based cytotoxic agents (reactive species, tr...

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Main Author: Jürgen Arnhold
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Biomolecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/4/547
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author Jürgen Arnhold
author_facet Jürgen Arnhold
author_sort Jürgen Arnhold
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description In humans, aging is an inevitable consequence of diminished growth processes after reaching maturity. The high order of biomolecules in cells and tissues is continuously disturbed by numerous physical and chemical destructive impacts. Host-derived oxidant-based cytotoxic agents (reactive species, transition free metal ions, and free heme) contribute considerably to this damage. These agents are under the control of immediately acting antagonizing principles, which are important to ensure cell and tissue homeostasis. In this review, I apply the concept of host-derived cytotoxic agents and their interplay with antagonizing principles to the aging process. During aging, energy metabolism and the supply of tissues with dioxygen and nutrients are increasingly disturbed. In addition, a chronic inflammatory state develops, a condition known as inflammaging. The balance between oxidant-based cytotoxic agents and protective mechanisms is analyzed depending on age-based physiological alterations in ATP production. Disturbances in this balance are associated with the development of age-related diseases and comorbidities. An enhanced production of reactive species from dysfunctional mitochondria, alterations in cellular redox homeostasis, and adaptations to hypoxia are highlighted. Examples of how disturbances between oxidant-based cytotoxic agents and antagonizing principles contribute to the pathogenesis of diseases in persons of advanced age are given.
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spelling doaj-art-e08ee83bf1a348948f38338874cfd7bf2025-08-20T02:17:20ZengMDPI AGBiomolecules2218-273X2025-04-0115454710.3390/biom15040547Oxidant-Based Cytotoxic Agents During Aging: From Disturbed Energy Metabolism to Chronic Inflammation and Disease ProgressionJürgen Arnhold0Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, GermanyIn humans, aging is an inevitable consequence of diminished growth processes after reaching maturity. The high order of biomolecules in cells and tissues is continuously disturbed by numerous physical and chemical destructive impacts. Host-derived oxidant-based cytotoxic agents (reactive species, transition free metal ions, and free heme) contribute considerably to this damage. These agents are under the control of immediately acting antagonizing principles, which are important to ensure cell and tissue homeostasis. In this review, I apply the concept of host-derived cytotoxic agents and their interplay with antagonizing principles to the aging process. During aging, energy metabolism and the supply of tissues with dioxygen and nutrients are increasingly disturbed. In addition, a chronic inflammatory state develops, a condition known as inflammaging. The balance between oxidant-based cytotoxic agents and protective mechanisms is analyzed depending on age-based physiological alterations in ATP production. Disturbances in this balance are associated with the development of age-related diseases and comorbidities. An enhanced production of reactive species from dysfunctional mitochondria, alterations in cellular redox homeostasis, and adaptations to hypoxia are highlighted. Examples of how disturbances between oxidant-based cytotoxic agents and antagonizing principles contribute to the pathogenesis of diseases in persons of advanced age are given.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/4/547agingcytotoxic agentsantagonizing principlesinflammaginghypoxiaredox homeostasis
spellingShingle Jürgen Arnhold
Oxidant-Based Cytotoxic Agents During Aging: From Disturbed Energy Metabolism to Chronic Inflammation and Disease Progression
Biomolecules
aging
cytotoxic agents
antagonizing principles
inflammaging
hypoxia
redox homeostasis
title Oxidant-Based Cytotoxic Agents During Aging: From Disturbed Energy Metabolism to Chronic Inflammation and Disease Progression
title_full Oxidant-Based Cytotoxic Agents During Aging: From Disturbed Energy Metabolism to Chronic Inflammation and Disease Progression
title_fullStr Oxidant-Based Cytotoxic Agents During Aging: From Disturbed Energy Metabolism to Chronic Inflammation and Disease Progression
title_full_unstemmed Oxidant-Based Cytotoxic Agents During Aging: From Disturbed Energy Metabolism to Chronic Inflammation and Disease Progression
title_short Oxidant-Based Cytotoxic Agents During Aging: From Disturbed Energy Metabolism to Chronic Inflammation and Disease Progression
title_sort oxidant based cytotoxic agents during aging from disturbed energy metabolism to chronic inflammation and disease progression
topic aging
cytotoxic agents
antagonizing principles
inflammaging
hypoxia
redox homeostasis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/4/547
work_keys_str_mv AT jurgenarnhold oxidantbasedcytotoxicagentsduringagingfromdisturbedenergymetabolismtochronicinflammationanddiseaseprogression