Researchers from the Saint Petersburg Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences found that the characteristic of oxidative stress leading to human cell aging is the reduction of potassium ion content, which may be used as a marker of premature cell aging in the future.

The accumulation of aging cells causes the whole body to age and develop various diseases, including cancer. Therefore, scientists want to know which phenomena may indicate cell aging.

Irina Marahova, the chief researcher of the intracellular signal laboratory of the Institute of Cytology, said that they applied oxidative stress to human cells that led to premature aging, and then through these cells to understand how aging affects the content and transport of intracellular cations, namely potassium, and sodium. These cations make cells active and participate in regulating various cell functions.

Marakhova said that the study found that the ion gradient of normal cells remained unchanged during aging (the potassium content in cells was higher than that in the surrounding environment, and the sodium content was lower), but the potassium content in aging cells decreased, indicating that the water content in cells decreased during aging (cell dehydration). Intracellular potassium content and other indicators can be used as a marker to determine whether cells are premature aging and dehydrated.

Researchers pointed out that not only normal cells but also cancer cells will suffer premature aging. Next, we should study whether the change in ion composition of malignant cells can be used as a tool to reduce the growth rate of tumors.