Fig. 8
Schematic summary of the main findings of this research. a Targeting Sox2+ stem cells from young adults, or Hesx1+ embryonic precursors to express oncogenic β-catenin, results in formation of senescent cell clusters and a robust SASP. This leads to cell transformation and generation of the cell-of-origin of the paracrine tumours, thus the tumours are not derived from the mutation-sustaining cells. b In contrast, the expression of oncogenic β-catenin in Sox2+ stem cells of older mice leads to a reduced tumour incidence or the failure to produce tumours. In addition, upregulation of the WNT pathway through the deletion of Apc in young adult stem cells or embryonic precursors also fails to induce tumours. In all cases described in b, there is attenuated senescence and SASP activation
