Methylglyoxal (MG) is a ubiquitous metabolite that spontaneously reacts with biopolymers forming advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). AGEs are strongly associated with aging-related diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes. As the formation of AGEs is nonenzymatic, the damage caused by MG and AGEs has been regarded as unspecific. This may have resulted in the field generally been regarded as unappealing by many researchers, as detailed mechanisms have been difficult to probe. However, accumulating evidence highlighting the importance of MG in human metabolism and disease, as well as data revealing how MG can elicit its signaling function via specific protein AGEs, could change the current mindset, accelerating the field to the forefront of future research.

中文翻译：

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甲基乙二醛代谢与衰老相关疾病：从相关性走向因果关系

甲基乙二醛 (MG) 是一种普遍存在的代谢物，可自发地与生物聚合物反应形成晚期糖基化终产物 (AGEs)。AGEs 与衰老相关疾病密切相关，包括癌症、神经退行性疾病和糖尿病。由于AGEs的形成是非酶促的，MG和AGEs造成的损害被认为是非特异性的。这可能导致该领域被许多研究人员普遍认为没有吸引力，因为详细的机制很难探究。然而，越来越多的证据表明 MG 在人类代谢和疾病中的重要性，以及揭示 MG 如何通过特定蛋白质 AGEs 引发其信号功能的数据，可能会改变当前的思维方式，加速该领域成为未来研究的前沿。