Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) superoxide and hydrogen peroxide perform important signaling functions in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. Cell senescence and organismal age are not exemptions. Aging-regulating genes p66shc, Sirtuin, FOXO3a and Klotho are new important factors which are stimulated by ROS signaling. It has been shown that ROS participate in initiation and prolongation of gene-dependent aging development. ROS also participate in the activation of protein kinases Akt/PKB and extracellular signal-regulated kinase ERK, which by themselves or through gene activation stimulates or retards cell senescence. Different retarding/stimulating effects of ROS might depend on the nature of signaling species—superoxide or hydrogen peroxide. Importance of radical anion superoxide as a signaling molecule with “super-nucleophilic” properties points to the possibility of the use of superoxide scavengers (SOD mimetics, ubiquinones and flavonoids) for retarding the development of aging.