SIRT3-Mediated Mitochondrial Regulation and Driver Tissues in Systemic Aging

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a defining hallmark of aging that connects redox imbalance, metabolic decline, and inflammatory signaling across organ systems. The mitochondrial deacetylase SIRT3 preserves oxidative metabolism and proteostasis, yet its age-related decline transforms metabolically demanding organs into sources of pro-senescent cues. This review synthesizes evidence showing how SIRT3 loss in select “driver tissues”—notably liver, adipose tissue, vascular endothelium, bone-marrow macrophages, and ovary—initiates systemic aging through the release of cytokines, oxidized metabolites, and extracellular vesicles. We discuss molecular routes and mediators of senescence propagation, including the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), mitochondrial-derived vesicles, and circulating mitochondrial DNA, as well as sex-specific modulation of SIRT3 by hormonal and intrinsic factors. By integrating multi-tissue and sex-dependent data, we outline a framework in which SIRT3 activity defines the mitochondrial threshold separating local adaptation from systemic aging spread. Targeting SIRT3 and its NAD+-dependent network may offer a unified strategy to restore mitochondrial quality, dampen chronic inflammation, and therefore recalibrate the aging dynamics of an organism.