Thioredoxin Reductase 2 (Txnrd2) Regulates Mitochondrial Integrity in the Progression of Age-Related Heart Failure

A ging is a multifactorial process that is characterized bythe accumulation of damaged cellular components and that leads progressively to deterioration of biological func-tions.1 Recently, increased cellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased removal of oxidized proteins have been implicated in the aging process.2 During aging, ROS generation is amplified, leading to the accumula-tion of oxidative damage to cells. Such enhancements can result from the lack of proportional regulation of antioxidant systems in the body. Mitochondria are a central source of ROS under stressful energetic and redox conditions: They produce 85 % to 90 % of cellular ROS.3 Mitochondria are the energy-generating organelles that play crucial roles in the fundamental cellular processes, including supply of metabolic intermediates, calcium homeostasis, and apoptotic signaling. During mito