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CELL SENESCENCE

Rejuvenating senolytics

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology volume 19, page 543 (2018)Cite this article

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Cellular senescence, which is induced by a variety of stresses, is a state of proliferative arrest that is characterized by changes in gene expression and the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors — known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). The SASP can contribute to local and systemic dysfunction and disease, and as senescent cells accumulate during ageing, the authors hypothesized that targeting senescent cells could improve healthspan.

First, the authors tested whether senescent cells are a direct cause of physical dysfunction. They transplanted senescent pre-adipocytes (a cell type that often becomes senescent in older humans) into the abdominal cavity of healthy young (6-month-old) mice and measured their maximal walking speed, muscle strength, physical endurance, daily activity, food intake and body weight — which are the criteria used in clinical practice to assess physical function. By 1 month after transplantation of senescent cells, walking speed, endurance and muscle strength were all significantly reduced. This physical weakening was proportional to the number of transplanted cells, indicating that senescent cells can impair physical function in a dose-dependent manner.

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  1. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology http://www.nature.com/nrm/

    Kim Baumann

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  1. Kim Baumann
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Correspondence to Kim Baumann.

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Baumann, K. Rejuvenating senolytics. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 19, 543 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41580-018-0047-5

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