Dietary Antioxidants, Epigenetics and Aging

Dear Colleagues,

Ageing is a multifactorial process characterised by progressive loss of physiological integrity, increasing vulnerability to age-related diseases and finally death. Despite that, different theories have been proposed, the physiological process of ageing remains poorly understood to date. Among them, oxidative stress (OS) has been described as the major pathological factor for premature aging. This occurs as a consequence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. This leads to a decline in the cellular repair machinery, which can result in DNA damage leading to mutations, and an alteration of the cell's epigenetic state. Currently, there is evidence to support those epigenetic modifications, as histone modifications, non-coding RNAs, and DNA methylation, play a critical role in the molecular mechanism of ageing. ROS affect DNA demethylation through DNA oxidation. In addition, ROS can indirectly modulate the activity of the epigenetic machinery, as histone-modifying enzymes depend on intracellular levels of essential metabolites, such as S-adenosylmethionine, NAD+, ketoglutarate, iron, and acetyl-CoA, suggesting that epigenetic changes are closely related to overall cellular energy levels and cellular metabolism. Compounds that are able to restore the balance of oxidative, such as antioxidant nutrients, could be established as a useful tool to offset OS. In addition to their antioxidant qualities, certain nutrients can serve as histone-modifying enzymes, modifying the levels of DNA methylation or the expression of miRNAs. Nevertheless, the epigenetic effects of these nutrients remain unknown and many efforts to understand the cellular and molecular characteristics of ageing and the interconnection between both are currently ongoing.

In this Special Issue, we aim to collect original research and review articles focusing on how the combination of different epigenetic alterations and oxidative stress affects the ageing process and the role that dietary antioxidants play in their modulation.

We look forward to your contributions.

Prof. Dr. José J. Gaforio
Dr. Carmen Rodríguez-García
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antioxidants is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.