Geroprotection by glycerol: insights to its mechanisms and clinical potentials

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2006 May:1067:488-92. doi: 10.1196/annals.1354.070.

Abstract

Chaperones, particularly the heat-shock proteins, are considered as key players in the maintenance of protein homeostasis and are associated with longevity and cellular immortalization. In this study, we investigated the geroprotective activity of the chemical chaperone glycerol. Glycerol showed significant chaperoning activity in refolding heat-denatured luciferase in vivo and in protecting cells from heat stress-induced cytotoxicity. This was accompanied by decrease in p53, an upregulation of a stress chaperone mortalin/mtHsp70, and an increase in proteasome activity in the presence of oxidative stress.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aging / drug effects*
  • Aging / physiology
  • Glycerol / pharmacology*
  • Glycerol / therapeutic use*
  • HSC70 Heat-Shock Proteins / genetics
  • HSC70 Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism*
  • Hot Temperature
  • Humans
  • Longevity / drug effects
  • Luciferases / metabolism
  • Molecular Chaperones / metabolism*
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Protein Renaturation / drug effects

Substances

  • HSC70 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Molecular Chaperones
  • Luciferases
  • Glycerol