CER on CAM Antioxidant Therapies (CERCAT)

本次竞争性续签我们的计划项目补助金，“卓越研究中心” 补充和替代医学(CAM)抗氧化疗法(CERCAT)“，这是 首批两个CERC由NCCAM于2003年资助，结合了许多教员的科学和研究专业知识 来自俄勒冈州立大学莱纳斯·鲍林研究所和教职员工的临床和医学专业知识 在俄勒冈健康与科学大学。莱纳斯·鲍林研究所已经确立了自己的国家和 在微量营养素和抗氧化剂的研究和教育方面处于国际领先地位，是为数不多的 美国的研究中心将完全专注于增加人类的“健康寿命”--一个人 他们通常是健康的，没有严重或慢性病的生活--通过饮食、生活方式和 补充医学意味着。赠款的当前资助期的结果导致了 我们对天然抗氧化剂如何在体内发挥作用的理解发生了范式转变，即不仅通过 清除自由基，防止对生物大分子的氧化损伤，还通过 在细胞内对还原-氧化(氧化还原)敏感的过程中，发生了更微妙但更深刻的变化。这是一项新的 知识正在促进新的CAM模式的发展，通过以下方式逆转细胞和组织功能障碍 将细胞内信号转导、转录因子激活和基因表达“重新设置”到正常状态， 健康水平。因此，CERCAT的这次竞争性更新的目标是更好地了解 分子和细胞的作用机制，并测试体内的疗效-在实验动物中 和人类-具有氧化还原活性的CAM模式，有可能显著改善身体的 抵抗慢性病和衰老。这些目标将通过三个高度互动的方式实现 项目：1)“补充硫辛酸以减少人类动脉粥样硬化的危险因素”(Balz Frei博士， 项目负责人)；2)“通过硫辛酸治疗降低衰老中对毒素的脆弱性”(托里·黑根博士)；以及 3)“肌萎缩侧索硬化症中的CAM抗氧化剂”(约瑟夫·贝克曼博士)。中心调查人员将 由处理预算、报告和外部咨询需求的行政核心提供协助。在……里面 总结，CERCAT将为氧化还原活性化合物提供一套完整的机理研究，(R)- A-硫辛酸和其他CAM抗氧化剂在细胞和分子水平上，并开发证明 它们在合适的动物模型和人类中的治疗价值的概念。我们预计将取得重大进展 血管紧张素转换酶的分子、细胞机制及相关生物学靶点的研究进展 通过在体内发现有益和潜在的有害影响，这些CAM抗氧化剂 确定它们的安全性和有效性。这一知识将有助于识别和开发新的CAM模式 通过负担得起的、安全的、有效的手段，增进个人和公共健康，延长健康寿命。

This competitive renewal of our Program Project Grant, "Center of Excellence for Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Antioxidant Therapies (CERCAT)," which was one of the first two CERCs funded by NCCAM in 2003, combines the scientific and research expertise of many faculty from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University and the clinical and medical expertise from faculty at Oregon Health & Science University. The Linus Pauling Institute has established itself as a national and international leader in research and education on micronutrients and antioxidants, and is one of a few research centers in the U.S. to focus entirely on increasing human "healthspan" - the period of a person's life during which they are generally healthy and free from serious or chronic illness - by dietary, lifestyle, and complementary medicine means. The results from the current funding period of the grant have lead to a paradigm shift in our understanding of how natural antioxidants function in the body, viz., not only by scavenging free radicals and preventing oxidative damage to biological macromolecules, but also through more subtle, yet profound changes in reduction-oxidation (redox)-sensitive processes inside cells. This new knowledge is fostering the development of new CAM modalities that reverse cell and tissue dysfunctions by "re-setting" intracellular signal transduction, transcription factor activation, and gene expression to normal, healthy levels. Hence, the goals of this competitive renewal of CERCAT are to better understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of action and to test the in vivo efficacy - both in experimental animals and humans - of redox-active CAM modalities that have the potential to substantially improve the body's resistance to chronic disease and aging. These goals will be accomplished through three highly interactive projects: 1) "Lipoic acid supplementation to reduce risk factors for atherosclerosis in humans" (Dr. Balz Frei, Project Leader); 2) "Lower vulnerability to toxins in aging by treatment with lipoic acid" (Dr. Tory Hagen); and 3) "CAM antioxidants in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis" (Dr. Joseph Beckman). Center Investigators will be aided by an Administrative Core, which handles budgetary, reporting, and external advisory needs. In summary, CERCAT will provide an integrated set of mechanistic studies for the redox-active compound, (R)- a-lipoic acid, and other CAM antioxidants at the cellular and molecular level, and develop the proof of concept of their therapeutic value in suitable animal models and humans. We expect to make significant advances in the identification of the molecular and cellular mechanisms and relevant biological targets of these CAM antioxidants and - by discovering both beneficial and potentially harmful effects in vivo - to establish their safety and efficacy. This knowledge will help identify and develop new CAM modalities that enhance individual and public health and increase healthspan through affordable, safe, and effective means.