Testing the free radical theory of aging in bats

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
Anja K Brunet Rossinni

Abstract

The extended longevity of bats, despite their high metabolic rates, may provide insight to patterns and mechanisms of aging. I tested the free radical theory of aging as an explanation for the extreme longevity of the little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus (maximum life span potential [MLSP] = 34 years). In a comparative study, I measured whole-organism oxygen consumption and mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide production in brain, heart, and kidney tissues from M. lucifugus and short-tailed shrews, Blarina brevicauda (MLSP = 2 years). As predicted by the free radical theory of aging, M. lucifugus produced approximately half the amount of hydrogen peroxide as B. brevicauda. In addition, I compared oxygen consumption and hydrogen peroxide production of adult (approximately 1 year) and juvenile (fully developed and fledged young of the year) M. lucifugus to assess oxidative damage to mitochondria (measured as an increase in hydrogen peroxide production) due to the high metabolic rate associated with flight. Contrary to my prediction, juveniles had significantly higher levels of hydrogen peroxide production than adults. I propose that the decreased free radical production in adults is the result of within-individual selection of efficient...Continue Reading

References

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Citations

Apr 14, 2011·The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences·Zoltan UngvariAnna Csiszar
Jan 6, 2012·The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences·Anna CsiszarZoltan Ungvari
Oct 30, 2010·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Kaitlyn N LewisRochelle Buffenstein
Feb 6, 2015·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·B KuijperA Pomiankowski
Jun 24, 2014·Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety·Samantha NaidooM Corrie Schoeman
Mar 7, 2019·Biomedical Papers of the Medical Faculty of the University Palacký, Olomouc, Czechoslovakia·Manoj Kumar Chaudhary, Syed Ibrahim Rizvi
Jul 7, 2020·EFSA Journal·UNKNOWN EFSA Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues (PPR)Christopher Topping

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