Reactive oxygen species, ageing and the hormesis police

For more than 50 years, the free radical theory served as the paradigm guiding most investigations of ageing. However, recent studies in a variety of organisms have identified conceptual and practical limitations to this theory. Some of these limitations are related to the recent discovery that caloric restriction(definition) and other experimental manipulations promote longevity by inducing hormesis effects in association with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS). The beneficial role of ROS in lifespan extension is consistent with the essential role of these molecules in cell signalling. However, the identity of specific forms of ROS that promote longevity remains unclear. In this article, we argue that in several model systems, hydrogen peroxide plays a crucial role in the induction of hormesis. We review accumulating evidence pointing to hydrogen peroxide as a major inducer of hormesis effects that protect against oxidative stress and impact aging in a variety of eukaryotic organisms.