RE: manganese SOD and CR

From: Ramez Naam (mez@apexnano.com)
Date: Fri Apr 04 2003 - 11:19:15 MST

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    From: Rafal Smigrodzki [mailto:rafal@smigrodzki.org]
    > Manganese-salen superoxide dismutase mimics interfere
    > with the mitochondrial electron transport chain by acting as
    > antimetabolites and thus effect "calorie restriction,"
    > leading to extended lifespan.

    Interesting. I wonder how relevant this is to creatures with
    upregulated SOD production due to genetic engineering?

    My first reaction is a bit skeptical. Creatures with increased SOD
    production don't act like CR creatures. CR creatures are smaller and
    have lower fertility.

    On the contrary, mice and fruit flies with increased SOD levels have
    normal body size and normal fertility.

    I'm also not aware of any report from Melov et al of lower fertility
    or body size in their study of nematodes treated with Euk-8 and
    Euk-134 (which are presumably the manganese-salen SOD mimetics this
    study is referring to).

    But of course, biology defies our desire for simple answers.

    mez



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