N-acetylcysteine protects against age-related increase in oxidized proteins in mouse synaptic mitochondria.

Since it has been proposed that oxidized protein accumulation plays a critical role in brain aging, we have investigated the effect of a thiolic antioxidant on protein carbonyl content in synaptic mitochondria from female OF-1 mice. At 48 weeks of age, a control group was fed standard food pellets and another group received pellets containing 0.3% (w/w) of N-acetylcysteine. A 24-week treatment resulted in a significant decrease in protein carbonyl content in synaptic mitochondria of the N-acetylcysteine-treated animals as compared to age-matched controls.