MOLECULAR ATLAS OF AGING. META-GROUP 7. OXIDATIVE STRESS PRODUCTS AND AGEs: toxic garbage that accumulates every year. INTEGRATIVE APPROACH IN THE CONTEXT OF THE THEORY OF META-ENVIRONMENTS AND META-REGULATORS

Relevance. Each cell continuously produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a byproduct of metabolism. In youth, the antioxidant system successfully neutralizes them, and chaperones and proteasomes dispose of damaged molecules. However, with age, the balance shifts: there are more ROS, fewer antioxidants, and disposal systems are overloaded. As a result, toxic oxidative damage products accumulate — malondialdehyde (MDA), carbonyl derivatives of proteins, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) — irreversible crosslinks that make proteins rigid, brittle, and non-functional. Aim. To present oxidative stress products and AGEs as the seventh level of molecular aging – accumulated toxic garbage that can no longer be repaired, and which poisons tissues from the inside, turning age-related changes into irreversible. To substantiate the need for systemic cleansing of the body through the restoration of its own mechanisms of antioxidant protection and utilization. Results. Oxidative stress and AGEs have been shown to form a self-sustaining vicious cycle: ROS damage mitochondria and DNA, triggering cellular senescence, and senescent cells, through SASP, enhance ROS production and inflammation. AGEs, the formation of which is irreversible, accumulate in tissues with age and serve as biomarkers of sarcopenia. RAGE acts as a key link between garb-aging and inflaming. AGE-RAGE signaling triggers NF-κB and enhances the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, creating a damaging feedback loop. In 2026, it was shown that the mitochondria of the aging heart are the main intracellular reservoirs of AGEs, and glycative stress disrupts lysosomal function by blocking mitophagy and triggering cardiomyocyte senescence. Methylglyoxal induces aging of endothelial cells and aortic stiffness. A multimodal approach (Quatotron technique) to systemic cleansing of the body through activation of the NRF2 pathway and stimulation of autophagy has been proposed. Conclusion. Oxidative stress products and AGEs are the seventh level of molecular aging – an accumulated toxic cargo that poisons tissues and makes age-related changes irreversible. Their systemic elimination through the restoration of their own detoxification mechanisms opens up new opportunities for the prevention of age-associated diseases and healthy longevity.