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Cellular senescence of angiofibroma stroma cells from patients with tuberous sclerosis.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by epilepsy, mental retardation and hamartomatous lesions in multiple organs. It has been shown that the genes responsible for TSC, TSC1 and TSC2, act as tumor suppressors, but the mechanism of hamartomatous growth in several tissues is not completely understood. The TSC hamartomas are essentially benign and they rarely progress to malignant tumors. In this report, we cultured the angiofibroma stroma cells of three adult TSC patients and compared these cells with normal skin fibroblasts for their proliferative capacity, cell morphology and mitotic cycle using a stain for microtubules and the expression of the senescent associated beta-galactosidase (SA beta-Gal). Cultured angiofibroma stroma cells from TSC patients displayed several characteristics observed in human senescent fibroblasts; a low proliferative capacity, an increase in cell size, increased binucleated cells in association with abnormal cytokinesis and increased SA beta-Gal positives. Growth of facial angiofibromas in TSC may be caused by a gain in enhanced sensitivity toward some of the potential mitogens and forced multiplication without loss of the cellular senescent program; this may be the reason why TSC hamartomas rarely progress to malignancy and why the growths are limited to a finite size.

Adult↗

Mammalian prohibitin proteins respond to mitochondrial stress and decrease during cellular senescence.

The two prohibitin proteins, Phb1p and Phb2p(BAP37), have been ascribed various functions, including cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, assembly of mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes, and aging. We show that the mammalian prohibitins are present in the inner mitochondrial membrane and are always bound to each other, with no free protein detectable. They are coexpressed during development and in adult mammalian tissues, and expression levels are indicative of a role in mitochondrial metabolism, but are not compatible with roles in the regulation of cellular proliferation or apoptosis. High level expression of the proteins is consistently seen in primary human tumors, while cellular senescence of human and chick fibroblasts is accompanied by heterogeneous decreases in both proteins. The two proteins are induced by metabolic stress caused by an imbalance in the synthesis of mitochondrial- and nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins, but do not respond to oxidative stress, heat shock, or other cellular stresses. The gene promoter sequences contain binding sites for the Myc oncoprotein and overexpression of Myc induces expression of the prohibitins. The data support conserved roles for the prohibitins in regulating mitochondrial respiratory activity and in aging.

Animals↗

Induction of p16/INK4a gene expression and cellular senescence by toyocamycin.

We constructed an assay system of a luciferase reporter with p16/lNK4a gene transcriptional regulatory domain to identify p16-inducing substances, and found toyocamycin to induce gene expression from the screening of culture fluids of Streptomyces. Toyocamycin is a nucleoside analog, and it increased the p16 mRNA level in human normal fibroblasts or synovial cells as assessed by Northern blot hybridization or real time RT-PCR. It also induced cellular senescence in normal human fibroblasts. The transcriptional regulatory regions of human p16 gene that were responsible for the induction were analyzed using deletion mutants of the transcriptional regulatory region of p16 linked to the luciferase gene. The DNA fragment -111 to +1 bp from the cap site was sufficient to drive toyocamycin-activated transcription of p16/luciferase reporter. Nucleotide sequences within this domain contained the Sp1- and Ets-binding sequences. Mutations were introduced into these sequences, and the Sp1 sequence was found to be critical for the induction, and this notion was confirmed from gel-mobility shift assay.

Base Sequence↗

The inhibition of apoptosis by alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and the role of AFP receptors in anti-cellular senescence.

The mechanism of paradoxical growth enhancement by alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a nonmitogenic factor, was explored in HL-60 cells using novel AFP agonists, the 167H.1 and 167H.4 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to AFP receptor (AFPr) isoforms. The conditions underwhich AFP led to increases in thymidine incorporation were found to promote activation induced cell death (AICD) associated with adherence in 96 well plates. The ensuing death was judged to be apoptosis based on morphology, shrinkage of dying cells, inducibility, reversibility, a sensitivity to levels of FCS, kinetics, DNA fragmentation pattern and internal program (passage number) of the cells investigated. Both AFP and the 167H.1 MAb but not the 167H.4 MAb blocked the induction of cell death under these conditions indicating apparent growth enhancement by AFP relates to the abrogation of cell death and not that AFP contains bona fide growth factor-like activity. We additionally report that HL-60 cells spontaneously senescence during normal propagation in vitro which correlated with an increased susceptibility to and earlier kinetics of AICD. In substantiation of this was the correlation of the loss of expression of the AFPr with increasing passage number and the induction of AICD. Overall, our findings lend further support to the recent proposals that AFP by binding to AFP receptors may block cellular senescence and that there may be differential expression of AFPr isoforms related to commitment (167H.1 reactive) or resistance (167H.4 reactive) of cells to apoptosis/programmed cell death (PCD).

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Nucleostemin delays cellular senescence and negatively regulates TRF1 protein stability.

Nucleostemin (NS) encodes a nucleolar GTP-binding protein highly enriched in the stem cells and cancer cells. To determine its biological activity in vivo, we generated NS loss- and gain-of-function mouse models. The embryogenesis of homozygous NS-null (NS(-/-)) mice was aborted before the blastula stage. Although the growth and fertility of heterozygous NS-null (NS(+/-)) mice appeared normal, NS(+/-) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) had fewer NS proteins, a lower population growth rate, and higher percentages of senescent cells from passage 5 (P5) to P7 than their wild-type littermates. Conversely, transgenic overexpression of NS could rescue the NS(-/-) embryo in a dose-dependent manner, increase the population growth rate, and reduce the senescent percentage of MEFs. Cell cycle analyses revealed increased pre-G1 percentages in the late-passage NS(+/-) MEF cultures compared to the wild-type cultures. We demonstrated that NS could interact with telomeric repeat-binding factor 1 (TRF1) and enhance the degradation but not the ubiquitination of the TRF1 protein, which negatively regulates telomere length and is essential for early embryogenesis. This work demonstrates the roles of NS in establishing early embryogenesis and delaying cellular senescence of MEFs and reveals a mechanism of a NS-regulated degradation of TRF1.

Animals↗

Induction of cellular senescence by transfection of cytosolic mortalin cDNA in NIH 3T3 cells.

We have recently identified a novel member of hsp70 family (mortalin) as a mortality marker (Wadhwa, R., Kaul, S. C., Ikawa, Y., and Sugimoto, Y. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 6615-6621). It has distinct intracellular distribution in mortal and immortal fibroblasts. Here, we report that the cytosolic (mot-1) and the perinuclear (mot-2) forms of mortalin cDNA cloned from mortal and immortal cells, respectively, differ by only two bases in the open reading frame, resulting in two amino acid changes. The induced expression of the cytosolic form by transfection of mot-1 cDNA (isolate from CD1-ICR mouse embryonic fibroblasts) to NIH 3T3 cells induced cellular senescence. However, the perinuclear form expressed by mot-2 cDNA (isolate from NIH 3T3 cells) did not yield an equivalent effect. The data suggest the senescence-inductive function of cytosolic mortalin and implicitly point to a genetic event involved in immortalization.

3T3 Cells↗

Induction of cellular senescence in a telomerase negative human immortal fibroblast cell line, LCS-AF.1-3, by human chromosome 6.

In immortal cells (LCS-AF.1-3) which originated from cultured skin fibroblasts from a patient with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a specific deletion has been identified on chromosome 6. To examine the relationship between this deletion and the loss of function in aging genes, we performed microcell mediated chromosome transfer (MMCT) of normal human chromosome 6 into LCS-AF.1-3 cells and analyzed their characteristics. Transferred human chromosome 6 induced morphological changes in the cells and cellular senescence with growth suppression. In a revertant clone that had escaped from induced senescence, a specific deletion was found at D6S309 in the transferred chromosome 6. High molecular weight telomeric sequences were lost in a clone that had been induced to senescence by introduction of human chromosome 6. On the other hand, human chromosome 7 induces senescence in immortal cells by suppressing the alternative lengthening of telomere (ALT) mechanism. We also performed MMCT of chromosome 7 and discuss the effect of chromosome transfer by comparing the two chromosomes. LCS-AF.1-3 cells containing a transferred chromosome 7 showed no changes in immortality. These results suggest that genes which are new candidates for aging and which suppress the ALT mechanism are located in the region D6S309 in human chromosome 6.

Blotting, Southern↗

MKK7 couples stress signalling to G2/M cell-cycle progression and cellular senescence.

During the development of multicellular organisms, concerted actions of molecular signalling networks determine whether cells undergo proliferation, differentiation, death or ageing. Here we show that genetic inactivation of the stress signalling kinase, MKK7, a direct activator of JNKs in mice, results in embryonic lethality and impaired proliferation of hepatocytes. Beginning at passage 4-5, mkk7(-/-) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) display impaired proliferation, premature senescence and G2/M cell cycle arrest. Similarly, loss of c-Jun or expression of a c-JunAA mutant in which the JNK phosphorylation sites were replaced with alanine results in a G2/M cell-cycle block. The G2/M cell-cycle kinase CDC2 was identified as a target for the MKK7-JNK-c-Jun pathway. These data show that the MKK7-JNK-c-Jun signalling pathway couples developmental and environmental cues to CDC2 expression, G2/M cell cycle progression and cellular senescence in fibroblasts.

Animals↗

Increased AMP:ATP ratio and AMP-activated protein kinase activity during cellular senescence linked to reduced HuR function.

Cytoplasmic export of the RNA-binding protein HuR, a process that critically regulates its function, was recently shown to be inhibited by the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In the present investigation, treatment of human fibroblasts with AMPK activators such as 5-amino-imidazole-4-carboxamide riboside, antimycin A, and sodium azide inhibited cell growth and lowered the expression of proliferative genes. As anticipated, AMPK activation also decreased both the cytoplasmic HuR levels and the association of HuR with target radiolabeled transcripts encoding such proliferative genes. HuR function was previously shown to be implicated in the maintenance of a "young cell" phenotype in models of replicative cellular senescence. We therefore postulated that AMPK activation in human fibroblasts might contribute to the implementation of the senescence phenotype through mechanisms that included a reduction in HuR cytoplasmic presence. Indeed, AMP:ATP ratios were 2-3-fold higher in senescent fibroblasts compared with young fibroblasts. Accordingly, in vitro senescence was accompanied by a marked elevation in AMPK activity. Evidence that increased AMPK activity directly contributed to the implementation of the senescent phenotype was obtained through two experimental approaches. First, use of AMPK activators triggered senescence characteristics in fibroblasts, such as the acquisition of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) activity and increased p16INK4a expression. Second, infection of cells with an adenoviral vector that expresses active AMPK increased senescence-associated beta-gal activity, whereas infection with an adenovirus that expresses dominant-negative AMPK decreased senescence-associated beta-gal activity. Together, our results indicate that AMPK activation can cause premature fibroblast senescence through mechanisms that likely involve reduced HuR function.

AMP-Activated Protein Kinases↗

Modelling cellular senescence as a result of telomere state.

Telomeres in mammalian cells end in large duplex T loops. These loops protect the single-strand overhangs from degradation and/or interactions with signalling proteins. This protection is sometimes referred to as capping. At each cell division, telomeres shorten and there is a general consensus that telomere shortening triggers cell cycle exit. However, the exact mechanism by which telomere shortening causes cell cycle arrest is not known. Mathematical models of telomere shortening have been developed to help us understand the processes involved. Until now most models have assumed that the trigger for cell cycle arrest is the first telomere or a group of telomeres reaching a critically short length. However, there is evidence that cells stop cycling over a wide range of telomere lengths. This suggests that telomere length per se may not in fact be the trigger for cellular senescence. In this paper we develop a model which examines the hypothesis that uncapping of a telomere is the main trigger. By letting the probability of uncapping depend upon telomere length, we show that the hypothesized model provides a good fit to experimental data.

Cell Division↗

Cellular senescence and the analysis of generation time distributions.

Generation time analysis by time lapse cinematography is an important method for investigating cellular senescence in culture, but its interpretation is complicated by several types of bias and artifact, including small sample size, cut-off bias, changes in global growth rate, and phase of the population growth cycle. When these factors are considered, interpretation of the data base used by previous investigators changes considerably, and does not reveal any differences in growth behavior between middle and late passage WI-38 cells. Nor does it support the transition probability theory either of cell cycle transit or of culture senescence.

Cell Cycle↗

Cellular senescence: factors modulating cell proliferation in vitro.

In our view, two major areas of the investigation of the aging process have been most fruitful over the past few years: namely, the genetic and hormonal strategies aimed at the understanding of in vitro cellular senescence. The genetic studies have primarily utilized cell fusion techniques and viral probes. Along with cell cycle studies involving the induction of thymidine kinase activity and TTP synthesis, the cell fusion studies are most consistent with a late G1 block in senescent cells. This effect would appear to be distinct from the G0 arrest of density-inhibited or mitogen-restricted cell populations. The hormonal studies which have centered on the regulation of cell proliferation have recently focused on peptide hormones. EGF has been of particular interest since it is so well characterized. This receptor system remains largely unchanged throughout the lifespan with the notable exception of the purified receptor-associated, autocatalytic, tyrosine-specific kinase activity, which decreases with age. The functional significance of this decrease in enzyme activity is unknown, although its growth regulatory importance is implicated in several systems, and may well represent a critical early G0/G1 event which is absent in senescent cells.

Aging↗

Identification of altered expression of ADP/ATP translocase during cellular senescence in vitro.

In this study, we have used the mRNA differential display technique to investigate the changes in gene expression that occur in the process of cellular aging. A number of cDNAs whose corresponding mRNAs are either increasingly or decreasingly expressed in senescent cells were thereby isolated. Through DNA sequencing, one of these differentially displayed mRNAs was identified as mitochondrial ADP/ATP translocase. The altered expression of ADP/ATP translocase in different stages of senescent fibroblasts was further confirmed by Northern blots and semiquantitative RT-PCR. Our results demonstrate that expression of ADP/ATP translocase is progressively decreased during the process of in vitro cellular senescence. Further analyses with MTT assays indicate that the decreased expression of ADP/ATP translocase in senescent cells is in parallel with the decline of mitochondrial functions, suggesting that altered expression of this important mitochondrial enzyme might play an active role in the process of cellular senescence.

Base Sequence↗

Further studies on the genetic and biochemical basis of cellular senescence.

Cell fusion analysis, exploiting the fact that the phenotype of immortality is recessive in hybrids, has allowed the assignment of 26 different immortal human cell lines to at least four complementation groups for indefinite division. This indicates that there are at least four sets of genes or processes involved in the mechanisms leading to cellular senescence. We have also observed alterations in gene expression accompanying senescence that induce the expression of a protein inhibitor of DNA synthesis, expression of new cell surface epitopes as identified by monoclonal antibodies specific to senescent cells, and changes in the extracellular matrix. We have yet to determine whether these changes in gene expression are casual or the result of senescence. The assignment of immortal cell lines to specific complementation groups now allow for a focused approach to identify the normal growth regulatory genes that have been modified to yield immortal cells and determine whether certain senescent cell specific patterns of gene expression continue to be expressed in immortal cells within a group. In addition, the isolation of senescent cell-specific antibodies provides for the first time the tools with which to probe the relationship between in vitro and in vivo aging.

Cell Fusion↗

Reversible cellular senescence: implications for immortalization of normal human diploid fibroblasts.

IMR-90 normal human diploid fibroblasts, transfected with a steroid inducible mouse mammary tumor virus-driven simian virus 40 T antigen, were carried through crisis to yield an immortal cell line. Growth was dependent on the presence of the inducer (dexamethasone) during both the extended precrisis life span of the cells and after immortalization. After dexamethasone removal, immortal cells divided once or twice and then accumulated in G1. These results are best explained by a two-stage model for cellular senescence. Mortality stage 1 (M1) causes a loss of mitogen responsiveness and arrest near the G1/S interface and can be bypassed or overcome by the cellular DNA synthesis-stimulating activity of T antigen. Mortality stage 2 (M2) is an independent mechanism that is responsible for the failure of cell division during crisis. The inactivation of M2 is a rare event, probably of mutational origin in human cells, independent of or only indirectly related to the expression of T antigen. Under this hypothesis, T-antigen-immortalized cells contain an active but bypassed M1 mechanism and an inactivated M2 mechanism. These cells are dependent on the continued expression of T antigen for the maintenance of immortality for the same reason that precrisis cells are dependent on T antigen for growth: both contain an active M1 mechanism.

Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming↗

Cellular senescence involves stochastic processes causing loss of expression of differentiated function genes: visualization by in situ hybridization for steroid 17 alpha-hydroxylase in bovine adrenocortical cells.

When grown for long periods in culture, bovine adrenocortical cells lose the expression of a differentiated function gene, steroid 17 alpha-hydroxylase. Previously, we documented a decline in 17 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA with increasing culture passage level after induction with cyclic AMP (P. J. Hornsby et al., 1987, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84, 1580). We used in situ hybridization to investigate the loss of expression of this gene during cellular senescence at an individual cell level. In primary cultures, cells were uniformly positive for hybridization with cDNA for 17 alpha-hydroxylase after cyclic AMP induction. After two passages, cultures comprised a mixture of hybridizing and nonhybridizing cells. Cells appeared either to hybridize at a level comparable to that in primary cultures or to be nonhybridizing. When in situ hybridization was combined with immunofluorescence, cells positive for immunofluorescence were also positive for hybridization. Senescing mass cultures showed decreasing numbers of positive cells, and after 30 passages cultures comprised entirely nonhybridizing cells. Thus, the previously observed decline in overall 17 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA levels results from a decline in the fraction of expressing cells in the culture, and the rate of loss of expressing cells is in agreement with the rate of loss of total 17 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA. Primary clones, even when isolated at an early stage of clonal expansion, had mixtures of subclones of hybridizing and nonhybridizing cells. On recloning, hybridizing subclones usually produced uniformly nonhybridizing sub-subclones. Some subclones within primary clones had a morphology associated with replicative senescence (flattened cells with sparse intercellular contacts), yet had high numbers of hybridizing cells. We conclude that, in both mass and clonal populations, cells initially expressing 17 alpha-hydroxylase rapidly give rise to clones of nonexpressing cells. Such cells are continually derived by a stochastic process from cells originally expressing the gene.

Adrenal Cortex↗

Quantitative proteomics reveals coordinated changes in the proteome during replicative senescence.

Cellular senescence is a state of irreversible cell cycle arrest triggered by telomere erosion, persistent DNA damage or chronic stress. The accumulation of senescent cells disrupts tissue function and contributes to aging and disease. Here, we employ mass spectrometry-based proteomics to systematically interrogate dynamic proteome changes at multiple levels during the progression of replicative cellular senescence. We demonstrate that proteome changes during senescence occur in a coordinated manner, characterized by widespread protein depletion on chromatin. Moreover, components of the cytoplasmic translation machinery are depleted, while mitochondrial proteins display increased insolubility. Autophagic and proteasome activity is compromised in senescent cells along with remodeling of ubiquitin linkages and depletion of ubiquitin E3 ligases. Comparison of the senescent proteome with different pathophysiological cellular states reveals a distinctive senescent signature shaped by changes in the proteostasis network. Collectively, we provide a resource for the exploration of temporally resolved changes in the senescent proteome.

Cellular Senescence↗