Background: Aging is a slow and inexorable process affecting all life beings and is characterised by age-related worsening in adaptation to external changes. Several factors contribute to such a process, and oxidative stress due to external damages is one key player. Of particular interest is the oxidative stress generated from halogen compounds such as chloride. Hypochlorus acid is produced starting from MPO's interaction with hydrogen peroxide. We focused on the oxidation of tyrosine residues by HOCl, which leads as a result to the formation of 3-chlorotyrosine (3-ClTyr). This molecule, due to its stability, is considered a marker for MPO activity.
Results: We collected data from literature research articles evaluating chlorinative stress and the effects of 3-ClTyr on chronic diseases linked to aging. As diseases are not the only source of 3-ClTyr in people, we also focused on other origins of chlorinative stress, such as food intake.
Discussion: Oxidation and halogenation are caused by infectious diseases and by pathologies characterised by inflammation. Moreover, diet could negatively or positively influence chlorinative stress. Comparing 3-ClTyr levels in the oldest and youngest old with age-related diseases and comparing data between different geographic areas with different pesticide rules could be the next challenge.
Keywords: aging; chlorinative stress; diet; elderly; food; hypochlorus acid; old; oxidative stress; pesticides.