Oxidative Stress and Aging Diseases

Many aging disorders, including atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), result from years of combinatory impact of environmental assaults and genetic susceptibility. As a major environmental risk factor, oxidative stress, which can be enhanced by smoking and dietary habits, is known to increase the risk for many diseases associated with aging. Systemic oxidative stress not only results in accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), but also damages DNA or modifies DNA structures at an epigenetic level, altering expression of genes that associate with the aging process. Local oxidative stress and ROS can affect cell signaling as well as trigger apoptosis, cellular senescence, inflammation, and even necrosis. Elucidation of mechanisms and pathways, through which oxidative stress modulates these cellular and molecular processes and affects age-related disease pathologies, is the major focus of this special issue. To respond to our call, authors presented their up-to-date studies and results in basic and translational studies of oxidative stress on diseases of aging.