Aging is a visible indicator of malfunctioning or toxic proteins that sensitize
other proteins to oxidative damage which is most prominently observed on the skin.
Protein misfolding is caused by the protein following an incorrect folding pathway
which may lead to spontaneous misfolding while oxidative stress refers to the
disruption of the balance between antioxidant defenses and reactive oxygen species
production. Oxidation may alter noncovalent interactions within proteins, peptide chain
fragmentation, and protein cross-linking, which causes protein misfolding and further
skin aging. A feedback loop is observed in all three processes. A proper understanding
of these events is significant in the formulation of anti-aging preparations and further
understanding of the mechanism of aging. In this Chapter, we will be discussing some
natural antioxidants available to combat oxidative stress which facilitate healthy aging
and normal functioning of the body. We will be elaborating on the body’s natural
defense mechanism against these problems such as the role of Chaperones. We will be
looking at the detailed mechanism of oxidative stress, protein misfolding, and their
correlation with skin aging along with factors influencing it. The biomarkers for
oxidative stress will be enlisted. A brief correlation between these processes in a test
worm and how it correlates to humans and its importance will be explained in this
chapter.
Keywords: Antioxidants, Biomarkers, Chaperones, Caenorhabditis elegans, Oxidative stress, Protein misfolding, Reactive oxygen species, Skin aging.
