From life to death – the struggle between chemistryand biology during aging: the Maillard reaction as an amplifier of genomic damage

Biogerontology is the study of the agingof biological systems. This review addresses therelationship between chemistry and biology duringaging, proposing that chemistry is responsible for theaging of biological systems. In the continuingstruggle between chemistry and biology, chemistry isalways the short-term, tactical winner – death of theindividual is inevitable. However, barring theextinction of species, biology is the long-term,strategic victor – life survives, and the strugglecontinues. The rate of random chemical damage to thegenome is considered the major factor determininglifespan of species. Oxidative stress and reactiveoxygen species are recognized as a primary source ofdamage in aging and chronic disease. The Maillardreaction, involving nonenzymatic, oxidative reactionsof carbohydrate and lipid substrates, is seen as anamplifier of reactive oxygen damage. Maillardreaction products in protein are viewed as integratorsof cumulative damage by reactive oxygen, and possiblyas initiators of protective responses, but the primaryfactor affecting lifespan is identified as silentcumulative damage to the genome, resulting fromimperfect repair. Maillard reaction inhibitors showpromise for treatment of chronic diseases, such asdiabetes and atherosclerosis, and also have a positiveeffect on health in normal animals. Future studiesshould focus on evaluation of the effects of theseinhibitors on genomic damage and lifespan extension.