AgingDB: A database for oxidative stress and calorie restriction in the study of aging

Abstract

Aging can be characterized in all living organisms as the inevitable biological changes that occur with advancing age. The aging process is time-dependent and leads to functional declines and increased incidences of disease. The underlying pathphysiologic processes of aging may best be explained using several interacting biological processes: genomic activity, oxidative stress, and age-related disease processes, all of which modify the rate and progression of aging. In this report, we describe a database, termed AgingDB, used to retrieve information on the biomolecules known to be modulated during the aging process and by the lifeprolonging action of caloric restriction (CR). To enhance the usefulness of AgingDB, we include data collected from studies of CR's anti-oxidative action on gene expression, oxidative stress, and many chronic age-related diseases. We organized AgingDB into two sections A) apoptosis and the various mitochondrial biomolecules that play a role in aging; B) nuclear transcription factors known to be sensitive to oxidative environment. AgingDB features an imagemap of biomolecular signal pathways and visualized information that includes protein-protein interactions of biomolecules. Authorized users can submit a new biomolecule or edit an existing biomolecule to reflect latest developments. By making available the most update information through AgingDB, we expect to assist researchers who are exploring the molecular basis of age-related changes modified by the life-prolonging action of CR. For the reader's convenience and accessibility, AgingDB is freely available at http://agingdb.bio.pusan.ac.kr/.