SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Senescent fibroblasts”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 721 records · Page 40Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

INK4a-deficient human diploid fibroblasts are resistant to RAS-induced senescence.

The CDKN2A tumour suppressor locus encodes two distinct proteins, p16(INK4a) and p14(ARF), both of which have been implicated in replicative senescence, the state of permanent growth arrest provoked in somatic cells by aberrant proliferative signals or by cumulative population doublings in culture. Here we describe primary fibroblasts from a member of a melanoma-prone family who is homozygous for an intragenic deletion in CDKN2A. Analyses of the resultant gene products imply that the cells are p16(INK4a) deficient but express physiologically relevant levels of a frameshift protein that retains the known functions of p14(ARF). Although they have a finite lifespan, the cells are resistant to arrest by oncogenic RAS. Indeed, ectopic expression of RAS and telomerase (hTERT) results in outgrowth of anchorage-independent colonies that have essentially diploid karyotypes and functional p53. We find that in human fibroblasts, ARF is not induced demonstrably by RAS, pointing to significant differences between the proliferative barriers implemented by the CDKN2A locus in different cell types or species.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Enhanced oxidative stress and accelerated cellular senescence in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficient human fibroblasts.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is involved in the generation of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and the maintenance of the cellular redox balance. The biological effects of G6PD deficiency in nucleated cells were studied using G6PD-deficient human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF). In contrast to that of normal HFF, the doubling time of G6PD-deficient cells increased readily from population doubling level (PDL) 15 to 63. This was accompanied by a significant increase in the percentage of G(1) cells. The slow-down in growth preceded an early entry of these cells into a nondividing state reminiscent of cellular senescence. These cells exhibited a significant increase in level of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-beta-gal) staining. The importance of G6PD activity in cell growth was corroborated by the finding that ectopic expression of active G6PD in the deficient cells prevented their growth retardation and early onset of senescence. Mechanistically, the enhanced fluorescence in dichlorofluorescin (H(2)DCF)-stained G6PD-deficient cells suggests the possible involvement of reactive oxygen species in senescence. Taken together, our results show that G6PD deficiency predisposes human fibroblasts to retarded growth and accelerated cellular senescence. Moreover, G6PD-deficient HFF provides a useful model system for delineating the effects of redox alterations on cellular processes.

Cell Cycle↗

PubMed2004

Histone deacetylase inhibitors induce a senescence-like state in human cells by a p16-dependent mechanism that is independent of a mitotic clock.

We show here that histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) sodium dibutyrate (SDB) and trichostatin A (TSA) induce a phenotype that has similarities to replicative senescence in human fibroblasts. There was no evidence that SDB accelerated a constitutive cell division counting mechanism as previously suggested because cells pretreated with SDB for three mean population doublings (MPDs) exhibited a similar overall proliferative life span to controls once SDB was withdrawn. SDB-treated cells upregulated the cell cycle inhibitors p21(WAF1) and p16(INK4A), but not p14(ARF), in the same sequential order as in senescence and the cells developed biochemical markers of senescence. However, the mechanism of senescence did not involve telomere dysfunction and there was no evidence for any posttranslational modification of p53. The expression of human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 E6 in human fibroblasts or targeted disruption of the p53 and p21(WAF) genes only weakly antagonized HDACI-induced senescence. However, expression of the E7 gene, which inhibits the function of pRb, cooperated with E6 to block SDB-induced senescence completely and human cells deficient in p16(INK4A) (but not p14(ARF)) were also resistant to SDB-induced senescence, suggesting that the p16(INK4A)/pRb pathway is the major mediator of HDACI-induced senescence in human cells. However, p53-/- mouse fibroblasts were resistant to HDACI-induced senescence, identifying p53 as the major pathway to senescence in this species.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Up-regulation of S100C in normal human fibroblasts in the process of aging in vitro.

S100 proteins belonging to the EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding protein family regulate a variety of cellular processes via interaction with different target proteins. Several diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer's disease, are related to a disorder of multifunctional S100 proteins, which are expressed in cell- and tissue-specific manners. We previously demonstrated that S100C could move to and accumulate in the nuclei of normal human fibroblasts but not in the nuclei of immortalized and neoplastic cells. In addition, we found that its nuclear accumulation resulted in suppression of DNA synthesis in normal cells at a confluent stage. In the present study, we investigated whether S100C was associated with cellular senescence in vitro. We found that S100C expression increased in normal human fibroblasts in the process of aging in culture and was accompanied by accumulation of its protein in the nuclei of senescent fibroblasts. In addition, the nuclear accumulation of S100C increased expression of a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(Sdi1), a strong inhibitor of cell growth. These findings suggest that an increase in the cells having nuclear accumulation of S100C is closely related to the process of cellular senescence of normal human fibroblasts.

Cell Division↗

PubMed2001

SV40 Immortalization of feline fibroblasts as targets for MHC-restricted cytotoxic T-cell assays.

CTL assays in outbred cats have been difficult to perform because of a lack of a good source of syngeneic target cell. Primary fibroblasts from cats are widely used as target cells for MHC-restricted cytotoxic T-cell (CTL) assays, but their limited life-spans of 8-10 culture passages can be problematic for longitudinal studies. To circumvent the life-span limitations of primary fibroblast cultures, we developed a procedure for immortalizing feline primary fibroblast cells by transfection with a molecular clone of simian virus 40 (SV40). Fibroblast cultures from skin biopsies of 28 cats were immortalized using this procedure and have been passaged for longer than 6 months without showing any phenotypic difference from the original primary cells. Non-SV40 transfected feline fibroblasts from a selection of animals in the same group survived for only 6-8 weeks before reaching senescence. The immortalized fibroblasts expressed SV40 T-antigen and Class I MHC protein, and were successfully used as target cells in 51Cr release CTL assays in feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-infected cats and in vitro stimulated allogeneic T-cell cultures.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Effect of replicative age on transcriptional silencing near telomeres in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Individual yeasts have a finite replicative life span in similarity to normal human fibroblasts. Telomere loss is a hallmark of replicative senescence in normal human fibroblasts and has been proposed to play a role in cellular senescence, perhaps by affecting subtelomeric genes. While telomere loss does not occur with replicative age in yeast, subtelomeric genes are subject to transcriptional silencing. It is possible that components of the silencing machinery other than telomeres change with replicative age and that these changes then lead to alterations in gene expression that contribute to aging. In an initial test of this possibility, we have examined the silencing of the URA3 gene at two different telomeres as a function of yeast replicative age. Silencing declined rapidly and significantly at one telomere consistent with the involvement of silencing in aging, but it remained in comparison nearly constant at the other. These changes in silencing raise the possibility that the transcriptional status of genes in the subtelomeric region may be important for the senescence of both dividing cells and postmitotic cells, in which telomeres remain constant in length.

Centromere↗

PubMed1996

Impaired cAMP-mediated gene expression and decreased cAMP response element binding protein in senescent cells.

The capacity of various growth factors to induce c-fos expression is diminished with senescence. Because adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-mediated responses are also blunted with aging, we wondered whether cAMP-induced c-fos gene expression might be impaired with senescence. Using IMR fibroblasts, we found that prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and forskolin, stimulators of cAMP accumulation in young and senescent cells, increased abundance of c-fos and junB mRNA more in young than senescent cells. The abundance of the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), a transcription factor which enhances gene expression when phosphorylated by protein kinase A, was markedly decreased in both whole cell and nuclear extracts of senescent cells, in both Western blotting and in gel retardation assays. Also, PGE1-induced phosphorylation of CREB by protein kinase A was markedly attenuated in senescent cells. There is a marked decrement in expression of CREB with senescence, and the results suggest the possibility that the diminished expression of CREB may contribute to altered cAMP-mediated regulation of gene expression with senescence.

Aging↗

PubMed2005

Inhibitory role of peroxiredoxin II (Prx II) on cellular senescence.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were generated in all oxygen-utilizing organisms. Peroxiredoxin II (Prx II) as one of antioxidant enzymes may play a protective role against the oxidative damage caused by ROS. In order to define the role of Prx II in organismal aging, we evaluated cellular senescence in Prx II(-/-) mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF). As compared to wild type MEF, cellular senescence was accelerated in Prx II(-/-) MEF. Senescence-associated (SA)-beta-galactosidase (Gal)-positive cell formation was about 30% higher in Prx II(-/-) MEF. N-Acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) treatment attenuated SA-beta-Gal-positive cell formation. Prx II(-/-) MEF exhibited the higher G2/M (41%) and lower S (1.6%) phase cells as compared to 24% and 7.3% [corrected] in wild type MEF, respectively. A high increase in the p16 and a slight increase in the p21 and p53 levels were detected in PrxII(-/-) MEF cells. The cellular senescence of Prx II(-/-) MEF was correlated with the organismal aging of Prx II(-/-) mouse skin. While extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 activation was detected in Prx II(-/-) MEF, ERK and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation was detected in Prx II(-/-) skin. These results suggest that Prx II may function as an enzymatic antioxidant to prevent cellular senescence and skin aging.

Acetylcysteine↗

PubMed1994

The biological clock that measures the mitotic life-span of mouse embryo fibroblasts continues to function in the presence of simian virus 40 large tumor antigen.

Normal mammalian fibroblasts cultured in vitro undergo a limited number of divisions before entering a senescent phase in which they can be maintained for long periods but cannot be induced to divide. In rodent fibroblasts senescence can be prevented by expression of simian virus 40 large tumor antigen (T antigen). Cells expressing T antigen can proliferate indefinitely; however, such cells are absolutely dependent upon continued expression of T antigen for maintenance of growth; inactivation of T antigen results in a rapid and irreversible entry into a postmitotic state. To determine when, after the initial expression of T antigen, fibroblasts become dependent upon it for continued growth, we serially cultivated embryonic fibroblasts prepared from H-2Kb-tsA58 transgenic mice. We show that these fibroblasts become dependent upon T antigen for maintenance of proliferation only when their normal mitotic life-span has elapsed and that the biological clock that limits the mitotic potential continues to function normally, even in cells expressing this immortalizing gene. Our results suggest that random accumulation of cellular damage is unlikely to be the factor that limits fibroblast division but support the hypothesis that senescence is regulated via a genetic program.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Normal telomere erosion rates at the single cell level in Werner syndrome fibroblast cells.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the accelerated replicative senescence seen in Werner syndrome (WS) fibroblasts is due to accelerated telomere loss per cell division. Using single telomere length analysis (STELA) we show that the mean rate of telomere shortening in WS bulk cultures ranges between that of normal fibroblasts [99 bp/population doubling (PD)] and four times that of normal (355 bp/PD). The telomere erosion rate in the fastest eroding strain slows in the later stages of culture to that observed in normal fibroblasts, and appears to be correlated with a reduction in the heterogeneity of the telomere-length distributions. Telomere erosion rates in clones of WS cells are much reduced compared with bulk cultures, as are the variances of the telomere-length distributions. The overall lack of length heterogeneity and the normal erosion rates of the clonal populations are consistent with simple end-replication losses as the major contributor to telomere erosion in WS cells. We propose that telomere dynamics at the single cell level in WS fibroblasts are not significantly different from those in normal fibroblasts, and suggest that the accelerated replicative decline seen in WS fibroblasts does not result from accelerated telomere erosion.

Cells, Cultured↗

PubMed1994

Cloning mammalian genes by expression selection of genetic suppressor elements: association of kinesin with drug resistance and cell immortalization.

We describe a general strategy for cloning mammalian genes whose downregulation results in a selectable phenotype. This strategy is based on expression selection of genetic suppressor elements (GSEs), cDNA fragments encoding either specific peptides that act as dominant inhibitors of protein function or antisense RNA segments that efficiently inhibit gene expression. Since GSEs counteract the gene from which they are derived, they can be used as dominant selectable markers for the phenotype associated with downregulation of the corresponding gene. A retroviral library containing random fragments of normalized (uniform abundance) cDNA expressed in mouse NIH 3T3 cells was used to select for GSEs inducing resistance to the anticancer drug etoposide. Three GSEs were isolated, two of which are derived from unknown genes and the third encodes antisense RNA for the heavy chain of a motor protein kinesin. The kinesin-derived GSE induces resistance to several DNA-damaging drugs and immortalizes senescent mouse embryo fibroblasts, indicating that kinesin is involved in the mechanisms of drug sensitivity and in vitro senescence. Expression of the human kinesin heavy-chain gene was decreased in four of four etoposide-resistant HeLa cell lines, derived by conventional drug selection, indicating that downregulation of kinesin represents a natural mechanism of drug resistance in mammalian cells.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed2003

High intensity ras signaling induces premature senescence by activating p38 pathway in primary human fibroblasts.

Although oncogenic ras plays a pivotal role in neoplastic transformation, it triggers an anti-oncogenic defense mechanism known as premature senescence in normal cells. In this study, we investigated the induction of cellular responses by different expression levels of oncogenic ras in primary human fibroblasts. We found that a moderate, severalfold increase in ras expression promoted cell growth. Further elevation of ras expression initially enhanced proliferation but eventually induced p16INK4A expression and senescence. The induction of these opposing cellular responses by ras signals of different intensity was achieved through differential activation of the MAPK pathways that mediated these responses. Whereas moderate ras activities only stimulated the mitogenic MEK-ERK pathway, high intensity ras signals induced MEK and ERK to higher levels, leading to stimulation of the MKK3/6-p38 pathway, which had been shown previously to act downstream of Ras-MEK to trigger the senescence response. Thus, these studies have revealed a mechanism for the differential effects of ras on cell proliferation. Furthermore, moderate ras activity mediated transformation in cooperation with E6E7 and hTERT, suggesting that a moderate intensity ras signal can provide sufficient oncogenic activities for tumorigenesis. This result also implies that the ability of ras to promote proliferation and oncogenic transformation can be uncoupled with that to induce senescence in cell culture and that the development of tumors with relatively low ras activities may not need to acquire genetic alterations that bypass premature senescence.

Blotting, Southern↗

PubMed1993

Accumulation of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 in conditioned medium of human fibroblasts increases with chronologic age of donor and senescence in vitro.

We have found that insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) accumulates to higher levels in medium conditioned by a strain of normal fibroblasts at late passage (LP) and a strain derived from subjects with Werner syndrome (WS) of premature aging, compared to medium conditioned by the same normal cells at early passage (EP) (Goldstein et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 88:9680-9684, 1991). To explore the generality of this phenomenon with respect to chronological age of donor (in vivo aging) and LP (in vitro senescence) we assayed IGFBP-3 in medium conditioned by 18 normal fibroblast strains at EP and LP and two WS strains at the midpoint of their curtailed replicative lifespans and assessed IGFBP-3 mRNA levels in cells by Northern analysis. The lowest accumulations of IGFBP-3 were found in medium conditioned by fetal cells with progressively increasing amounts postnatally; direct correlations between IGFBP-3 levels and donor age were seen in EP cells 3 days after subculture (during logarithmic growth) r = 0.80, P < 0.001, and 7 days after subculture (at confluence) r = 0.77, P < 0.001. With two exceptions, conditioned medium of cell strains accumulated more IGFBP-3 at LP; IGFBP-3 levels correlated with chronological age after 3 days, r = 0.50, P = 0.05, and after 7 days, r = 0.75, P < 0.001. IGFBP-3 content of WS culture medium fell within the range of LP normal cells. Cumulative IGFBP-3 levels were inversely proportional to the thymidine labeling index, a measure of proliferative vigor. With some exceptions IGFBP-3 mRNA levels were commensurate with the amount of IGFBP-3 accumulated in the medium, suggesting that distal translational and posttranslational mechanisms also regulate IGFBP-3 production in some strains. The trend toward augmented IGFBP-3 output of fibroblasts as a direct function of chronological age and in vitro senescence and as an inverse function of proliferative vigor is consistent with the known inhibitory effect of excess IGFBP-3 on IGF-mediated DNA synthesis and the reduced regenerative potential that is evident during biological aging in vivo.

Aging↗

PubMed2002

Human dermal fibroblasts escape from the long-term phenocopy of senescence induced by psoralen photoactivation.

We have previously shown that following psoralen photoactivation (PUVA treatment) human dermal fibroblasts undergo long-term growth arrest as well as morphological and functional changes reminiscent of cellular senescence [ 1 ]. In the absence of molecular data on what constitutes normal senescence, it has been difficult to decide whether these PUVA-induced changes reflect cellular senescence or rather a mimic thereof. We herein report that PUVA-induced growth arrest, the senescent phenotype with long-term induction of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase, as well as increased expression of matrix metalloprotease-1 are fully reversible at days 100 to 130 post PUVA treatment in four independently tested fibroblast strains. The late returning growth capacity in PUVA-treated fibroblasts is not due to immortalization, as shown by continued lack of telomerase activity, accelerated telomere shortening, and a decrease in overall growth rates in fibroblasts in their regrowing phase post PUVA treatment. Lack of anchorage-independent growth additionally suggests that the cells are also not tumorigenically transformed. Collectively, our data suggest that PUVA-induced changes do not fully reflect replicative senescence but rather represent a long-term transient phenocopy of senescence. The model reported here is particularly suited to elucidating mechanisms underlying long-term transient growth arrest, the related functional changes, and the release of cells thereof.

Cell Differentiation↗

PubMed1997

Regulatory mechanisms of replication growth limits in cellular senescence.

Normal human diploid fibroblasts cannot divide indefinitely in culture. At the end of their lifespan they withdraw from the cell cycle permanently by a process termed cellular senescence. Recent molecular studies indicate that upregulation of two inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases, p16 and p21, is responsible for blocking the G1/S transition in senescent cells. Although the state of senescence resembles terminal differentiation in that both exhibit irreversible growth arrest and resistance to apoptosis, other molecular changes are seen only in senescent cells. This suggests that the signal pathway specific for senescence is present in normal cells. Changes in chromosomes, such as progressive shortening of the telomeres and erosive damage by detrimental by-products in metabolism, may be the signals that trigger senescence, leading to the inactivation of cell cycle progression. On the other hand, it seems that a dominant genetic program is intrinsically preset to ensure a growth limit in the normal cell. This notion is supported by cell fusion and microcell transfer experiments which show that escaping from senescence requires recessive mutations in senescence-specific genes. Identification of these participating genes and clarification of their mode of action will provide the basis for understanding the mechanisms governing the differences between mortality in normal cells and immortality in cancer cells.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Inactivation of p16INK4a, with retention of pRB and p53/p21cip1 function, in human MRC5 fibroblasts that overcome a telomere-independent crisis during immortalization.

Recent investigations, including our own, have shown that specific strains of fibroblasts expressing telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) have an extended lifespan, but are not immortal. We previously demonstrated that hTERT-transduced MRC5 fetal lung fibroblasts (MRC5hTERTs) bypassed senescence but eventually succumbed to a second mortality barrier (crisis). In the present study, 67 MRC5hTERT clones were established by limiting dilution of a mass culture. Whereas 39/67 clones had an extended lifespan, all 39 extended lifespan clones underwent crisis. 11 of 39 clones escaped crisis and were immortalized. There was no apparent relationship between the fate of clones at crisis and the level of telomerase activity. Telomeres were hyperextended in the majority of the clones analyzed. There was no difference in telomere length of pre-crisis compared with post-crisis and immortal clones, indicating that hyperextended telomeres were conducive for immortalization and confirming that crisis was independent of telomere length. Immortalization of MRC5hTERT cells was associated with repression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p16INK4a and up-regulation of pRB. However, the regulation of pRB phosphorylation and the response of the p53/p21cip1/waf1 pathway were normal in immortal cells subject to genotoxic stress. Overexpression of oncogenic ras failed to de-repress p16INK4a in immortal cells. Furthermore, expression of ras enforced senescent-like growth arrest in p16INK4a-positive, but not p16INK4a-negative MRC5hTERT cells. Immortal cells expressing ras formed small, infrequent colonies in soft agarose, but were non-tumorigenic. Overall, these results implicate the inactivation of p16INK4a as a critical event for overcoming telomere-independent crisis, immortalizing MRC5 fibroblasts and overcoming ras-induced premature senescence.

Cell Cycle Proteins↗

PubMed1996

In vitro senescence enhances IL-6 production in human gingival fibroblasts induced by lipopolysaccharide from Campylobacter rectus.

The production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in human gingival fibroblasts (Gin cells) is increased by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Campylobacter rectus (C. rectus), which is associated with adult periodontitis; however, the age-related changes in the susceptibility of Gin cells to C. rectus LPS remain unclear. We examined the influence of in vitro senescence on C. rectus LPS-stimulated IL-6 production in Gin cells. LPS was prepared from C. rectus ATCC 33238 using hot phenol-water. The Gin cells were established from healthy gingival tissue removed from three patients, aged 10-12 years. The cells were cultured until confluence then stimulated with LPS (0.01, 0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 micrograms/ml). Levels of IL-6 released in the medium were measured after incubation for 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 h. In both young (5-6 population doublings) and senescent (17-20 population doublings) cells, LPS stimulated IL-6 production in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In response to 0.01-10.0 micrograms/ml of LPS, IL-6 production in the senescent cells was higher than that in the young cells. Using cells from each of the three donors, we found that this phenomenon of higher LPS-stimulated IL-6 production in senescent cells was reproducible. The greater capacity of the senescent cells to synthesize IL-6 in response to LPS was a higher production of mRNA for IL-6. This increase of IL-6 production induced by C. rectus LPS in senescent Gin cells could help to explain the increased susceptibility to periodontal diseases shown by aged individuals.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

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↗