IMPACT OF THE DIET-DERIVED ANTIOXIDANT ERGOTHIONEINE ON BIOLOGICAL AGING AND CELLULAR SENESCENCE

The proposed project will determine the effects of the diet-derived antioxidant, ergothioneine, which is abundant in mushrooms, on biological aging. Thatoverarching purposewill be achieved via the following major goals:1) To define the impact of ergothioneine deficiency on the mammalian lifespan;2) To evaluate the efficacy of ergothioneine as a therapeutic against age-related cellular senescence and histological changes; and3) To determine the effects of ergothioneine on cellular antioxidant defenses and canonical longevity pathways.