The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of age, physical exercise,
caloric diet restriction (CR), and vitamin E supplementation on some markers of
oxidative stress, DNA damage, apoptosis and liver function in different age groups of
rats. The present study included 120 male “Wistar rats", divided into 3 age groups;
12, 18 and 24 months old. Each group was further subdivided into 4 subgroups; 10
rats each. The first subgroup as a control, the second underwent exercise training, the
third was kept on CR and the last was supplemented with vitamin E. The measured
biochemical parameters included; serum malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as % DNA
fragmentation levels, the active caspase-3 concentration and the monoamine oxidase-
β (MAO-β) enzyme activity in the brain of all studied rats. In addition, hepatic
superoxide dismutase (SOD) and NADPH- cytochrome c reductase enzyme activities
were assessed. The results of this study showed that; the aging process was
associated with significantly increased serum MDA, decreased hepatic SOD activity,
increased brain DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activation as well as decreased
cytochrome c reductase activity of liver. However, exercise, CR, and vitamin E
supplementation caused a significant decrease in serum MDA and increase in hepatic
cytochrome c reductase activity in old group. In addition, exercise could increase
SOD and lower caspase-3 in old rats, while CR had no significant effect on both of
them. Neither age nor any of the used intervention trials had an effect on brain MAO-
β activity. It is suggested that the age-induced oxidative stress, DNA damage and
improper hepatic metabolism could be partially attenuated by exercise, CR, and/or
vitamin E supplementation. All these beneficial effects might be mostly effective in
older age.