Sara Amjad1, Sabah Nisar2, Ajaz A Bhat2, Ab Rauf Shah3, Michael P Frenneaux4, Khalid Fakhro5, Mohammad Haris6, Ravinder Reddy7, Zoltan Patay8, Joseph Baur9, Puneet Bagga10. 1. Shibli National College, Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. 2. Functional and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Cancer Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar. 3. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA. 4. Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. 5. Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar; Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Doha, Qatar. 6. Functional and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Cancer Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar; Laboratory Animal Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar. 7. Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. 8. Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA. 9. Department of Physiology and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. 10. Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA. Electronic address: puneet.bagga@stjude.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a critical coenzyme present in every living cell, is involved in a myriad of metabolic processes associated with cellular bioenergetics. For this reason, NAD+ is often studied in the context of aging, cancer, and neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders. SCOPE OF REVIEW: Cellular NAD+ depletion is associated with compromised adaptive cellular stress responses, impaired neuronal plasticity, impaired DNA repair, and cellular senescence. Increasing evidence has shown the efficacy of boosting NAD+ levels using NAD+ precursors in various diseases. This review provides a comprehensive understanding into the role of NAD+ in aging and other pathologies and discusses potential therapeutic targets. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: An alteration in the NAD+/NADH ratio or the NAD+ pool size can lead to derailment of the biological system and contribute to various neurodegenerative disorders, aging, and tumorigenesis. Due to the varied distribution of NAD+/NADH in different locations within cells, the direct role of impaired NAD+-dependent processes in humans remains unestablished. In this regard, longitudinal studies are needed to quantify NAD+ and its related metabolites. Future research should focus on measuring the fluxes through pathways associated with NAD+ synthesis and degradation.
BACKGROUND: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a critical coenzyme present in every living cell, is involved in a myriad of metabolic processes associated with cellular bioenergetics. For this reason, NAD+ is often studied in the context of aging, cancer, and neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders. SCOPE OF REVIEW: Cellular NAD+ depletion is associated with compromised adaptive cellular stress responses, impaired neuronal plasticity, impaired DNA repair, and cellular senescence. Increasing evidence has shown the efficacy of boosting NAD+ levels using NAD+ precursors in various diseases. This review provides a comprehensive understanding into the role of NAD+ in aging and other pathologies and discusses potential therapeutic targets. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: An alteration in the NAD+/NADH ratio or the NAD+ pool size can lead to derailment of the biological system and contribute to various neurodegenerative disorders, aging, and tumorigenesis. Due to the varied distribution of NAD+/NADH in different locations within cells, the direct role of impaired NAD+-dependent processes in humans remains unestablished. In this regard, longitudinal studies are needed to quantify NAD+ and its related metabolites. Future research should focus on measuring the fluxes through pathways associated with NAD+ synthesis and degradation.