Aging: role and control of glycation

Purpose. - Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) accumulate in aging tissues and organs during rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer disease. These aging toxins are especially involved in cell alteration during diabetes rnellitus (glycotoxin) and renal failure (uremic toxin). AGEs participate to the endothelial dysfunction leading to diabetic macro but also micro-angiopathy. AGEs binding to cell receptors are critical steps in the deleterious consequences of AGE excess. AGE-receptor activation altered cell and organ functions by a pro-inflammatory, procoagulant and pro-fibrosis factors cell response. Current knowledge and key points. - Non-enzymatic glycation and glycoxidation with glucose auto-oxidation represent the two main pathways resulting in AGE formation. No exclusive AGE classification is actually available. Pathophysiological mechanisms are described to explain AGE toxicity. AGEs bind to cell receptors inducing deleterious consequences such as endothelial dysfunction after endothelial RAGE activation. AGEs can also have deleterious effects through glycated protein accumulation or in situ protein glycation. Future prospects and projects. - Many in vitro or animal studies demonstrated that AGE deleterious effects can be prevented by glycation inhibitors, AGE cross-link breakers or AGE-RAGE interaction inhibition. New molecules are actually studied as new strategy to prevent or treat the deleterious effects of these aging toxins. (C) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS.