Affiliations: Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University,
West Lafayette, IN, USA | Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular
Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA | Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA | NSE Products and Pharmanex, Provo, UT, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Dorothy M. Morré, Department of
Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, 700 W. State St., West Lafayette, IN
47907-2059, USA. E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Our work has identified an aging-related ECTO-NOX activity (arNOX),
a hydroquinone oxidase which is cell surface located and generates superoxide.
This activity increases with increasing age beginning >30
y. Because of its cell surface location and ability to generate superoxide, the
arNOX proteins may serve to propagate an aging cascade both to adjacent cells
and to oxidize circulating lipoproteins as significant factors determining
atherogenic risk. The generation of superoxide by arNOX proteins is inhibited
by Coenzyme Q_{10} as one basis for an anti-aging benefit of
CoQ_{10} supplementation in human subjects. In a preliminary
pilot study, 25 female subjects between 45 and 55 y of age were recruited at
Stanford University from the Palo Alto, CA area. Informed consent was obtained.
Ten of the subjects received Coenzyme Q_{10} supplementation
of 180 (3 × 60 mg) per day for 28 days. Serum, saliva
and perspiration levels of arNOX were determined at 7, 14 and 28 days of
CoQ_{10} supplementation and compared to the initial
baseline value. Activity correlated with subject age up to a maximum between
age 50 and 55 years of age for saliva and perspiration as well and then
declined. With all three sources, the arNOX activity extrapolated to zero at
about age 30. Response to Coenzyme Q_{10} also increased
with age being least between ages 45 and 50 and greatest between ages 60 and
65. With all three biofluids, arNOX activity was reduced between 25 and 30%
by a 3 × 60 mg daily dose Coenzyme Q_{10}
supplementation. Inhibition was the result of Coenzyme
Q_{10} presence.
Journal: BioFactors, vol. 32, no. 1-4, pp. 221-230, 2008
