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The impacts of chronic infections on shaping cellular senescence.

Cellular senescence is a fundamental biological process characterized by stable cell cycle arrest, genomic instability, and the acquisition of a proinflammatory secretory phenotype. While senescence is traditionally associated with aging, growing evidence reveals that chronic infections such as viral, bacterial, and protozoan parasites can serve as powerful inducers of senescence, contributing to premature aging and long-term tissue damage. This review explores the diverse mechanisms by which persistent pathogens trigger or sustain senescence in host cells. We highlight how these chronic infections manipulate host DNA repair, mitochondrial dynamics, telomere maintenance, oxidative stress, and immune function to promote senescence and immunosenescence. Emerging findings also reveal how pathogens hijack the host cellular machinery to induce senescence across various tissue types. In many cases, senescence not only enables pathogen persistence but also drives pathological outcomes such as fibrosis, neurodegeneration, cardiomyopathy, and immune exhaustion. Collectively, this emerging evidence highlights a unifying strategy among diverse pathogens: the exploitation of cellular senescence to support chronic infection and promote disease. Understanding how infectious agents drive senescence offers new insights into age-related pathologies and highlights potential therapeutic targets, such as senolytic and senomorphic agents, to mitigate the long-term impacts of chronic infections.

Bacterial infection

Luteolin is associated with alleviation of cigarette smoke-induced cellular senescence and inflammation in mice involving the CREB/c-Fos/NQO1 pathway.

Cigarette smoke (CS) exposure is a major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is closely associated with cellular senescence. Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of luteolin in treating aging-related symptoms. This study aims to elucidate the therapeutic potential of luteolin against CS-induced cellular senescence. Using a CS-exposed mouse model and cigarette smoke extract (CSE) treated mouse lung epithelial cells (TC-1), we demonstrate that luteolin significantly attenuates CS-induced histopathological alterations and inflammatory cytokine release while alleviating cellular senescence. Transcriptome sequencing suggests that NQO1 and Fos may serve as a common molecular target for both CS-induced pathology and luteolin treatment. Subsequent Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) enrichment analysis and pathway validation experiments revealed that the cAMP agonist Forskolin inhibits senescence marker expression by activating the CREB pathway, exhibiting a mechanism similar to that of luteolin. Notably, luteolin activation of this pathway may not depend on PKA activation. Ultimately, the study found that luteolin mitigates inflammatory responses and prevents lung epithelial cell senescence via the CREB/c-Fos/NQO1 pathway. These findings not only suggest the pivotal role of NQO1 in regulating CS-induced cellular senescence but also underscore the potential of luteolin as a therapeutic drug.

Animals

Pharmacologic activation of Δ133p53α reduces cellular senescence in progeria patients-derived cells.

BACKGROUND: Patients with Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) show accelerated aging phenotypes and have shortened lifespan, with implications in physiological aging processes as well. While therapeutic approaches targeting the disease-causing abnormal protein, progerin, have been developed, further efforts to explore mechanistically distinct and complementary strategies are still critical to better treatment regimens. We previously showed that lentiviral vector-driven expression of Δ133p53α, a natural inhibitory isoform of p53, rescued HGPS patients-derived fibroblasts from early entry into cellular senescence, which is a downstream event of progerin-induced DNA damage. We also performed a quantitative high-throughput screen (qHTS) of approved drug and investigational agent libraries, leading to the identification of celastrol and AZD1981 as compounds that upregulate Δ133p53α protein levels. METHODS: To investigate whether celastrol and ADZ1981 upregulate endogenous Δ133p53α in HGPS-derived fibroblasts and reduce their senescence-associated phenotypes, we performed western blot assays (Δ133p53α, progerin, and p21WAF1, which mediates p53-induced senescence and is inhibited by Δ133p53α), senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IL-6, which is a proinflammatory cytokine secreted from senescent cells), and qRT-PCR assays (p21WAF1 and IL-6). RESULTS: Treatment with celastrol (0.1 μM for 24 h) or AZD1981 (10 μM for 24 h) reproducibly increased Δ133p53α expression and decreased p21WAF1 expression in two strains of fibroblasts derived from HGPS patients. These compounds reduced the percentage of SA-β-gal-positive senescent cells and the secretion of IL-6 into culture medium in both of these fibroblast strains, irrespective of their different basal levels of senescence and IL-6 secretion. These compounds had no effect on the level of progerin. CONCLUSION: Celastrol and ADZ1981 upregulate endogenous Δ133p53α and, reproducing the effects of its vector-driven expression, inhibit cellular senescence and IL-6 secretion in HGPS-derived fibroblasts. Their progerin-independent action suggests that they may synergize with currently available progerin-targeting therapies. This study also warrants further investigation of these compounds for potential applications in other diseases and conditions in which Δ133p53α-regulated senescence plays a role.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome

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

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

Contributions of cytoplasmic factors to in vitro cellular senescence.

Mass populations of normal human lung fibroblasts were enucleated by centrifugation at greater than or equal to 25,000 g in 4 mug/ml cytochalasin B. The 1 per cent of cells that did not enucleate where rendered nonviable by treatment with mitomycin C. Whole cells were poisoned with a 99 per cent lethal dose of the sulfhydryl reagent iodoacetate. The washed cells were then mixed with the anucleate cytoplasms, fused with inactivated Sendai virus, and planted in rotenone for 20 hours. Whereas normal cells are able to survive this rotenone treatment, the 1 per cent surviving iodoacetate-treated cells cannot withstand this additional stress. However, iodoacetate treated cells that fuse to untreated cytoplasms receive sufficient amounts of active enzymes to allow them to survive. Since this selective system does not rely on using enzymatic mutants, it should permit the selection of hybrids between anucleate cytoplasms and any type of whole cell. Cytoplasmic hybrids were cultured in order to determine their proliferative capacity. The life-spans of cytoplasmic hybrids between young and old cells were compared to those of young/young and old/old controls. Cytoplasmic factors do not appear to control in vitro cellular senescence.

Cell Division

Senotypes define the diverse landscape of senescent cells.

Cellular senescence was initially defined in vitro as a stable cell-cycle arrest that occurs after repeated replication, but it is now recognized as a heterogeneous state shaped by cell type, species, senescence-inducing stress, tissue microenvironment and time. To organize this complexity, we propose the term 'senotype' to classify senescent cells by their inputs, molecular features and functional effects. We outline a practical framework incorporating: (1) cell identity and context; (2) inducing mechanism; (3) temporal stage; (4) multimodal molecular and structural features; and (5) physiological or pathological functions. Experimentally defined senotypes can serve as references for interpreting tissue-derived senotypes, where parameters may be incomplete. Senotypes should be anchored in combinations of core hallmarks (that is, durable cell-cycle arrest, altered secretory profiles, macromolecular or organelle damage, disrupted homeostasis) rather than single markers. Advances in single-cell, spatial, proteomic and computational methods enable rigorous senotype characterization, improving consistency and accelerating development of targeted senotherapeutics.

Cellular Senescence

DNA methylation as a driver of lung fibroblast senescence in COPD.

Cellular senescence is increasingly recognized as a hallmark of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with higher levels in lung fibroblasts from COPD patients. Upon senescence, both hypomethylation and hypermethylation have been described but not in COPD-derived fibroblasts yet. This study investigated whether altered DNA methylation can be a driver of fibroblast senescence in COPD. Genome-wide gene expression and DNA methylation data were generated from primary lung fibroblasts of 11 COPD stage IV patients and 10 matched controls. Gene expression of six well-known senescence genes was compared between COPD and control. COPD-associated senescence genes were correlated with their related CpG sites in an expression quantitative trait methylation (eQTM) analysis. Methylation levels of significant eQTMs were compared between COPD and control fibroblasts. A causal relationship between altered DNA methylation and senescence was validated in 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-2'-dC)-treated primary lung fibroblasts. Gene expression of CDKN1A, CDKN2A, and CDKN2B was higher, while LMNB1 expression was lower in COPD-derived fibroblasts compared to controls. A total of 19 eQTMs were found for the COPD-associated senescence genes CDKN1A (9), CDKN2A (1), and LMNB1 (9). Among these, seven CpG sites (4 for CDKN1A and 3 for LMNB1) exhibited differential methylation between COPD and control. Treatment with 5-Aza-2'-dC led to global demethylation and increased senescence and, importantly, confirmed the association between senescence and hypomethylation of the COPD-associated CpG site cg04924375. Altered DNA methylation is linked to fibroblast senescence in COPD, and seven CpG sites are identified as potential epigenetic regulators of the senescence genes CDKN1A and LMNB1.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study identifies DNA methylation as a mechanistic contributor to lung fibroblast senescence in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). By integrating DNA methylation data with the transcriptomic data of senescence-related genes, we uncovered seven COPD-associated CpG sites linked to the senescence regulators CDKN1A and LMNB1. Pharmacological demethylation induces fibroblast senescence and is consistent with a functional role for hypomethylation at cg04924375, providing new insight into epigenetic regulation of cellular senescence in COPD lung fibroblasts.

Humans

p21-senescent cells drive pancreatic islet dysfunction through targetable paracrine signaling in type 2 diabetes.

Cellular senescence is an irreversible stress response, which leads to loss of cellular function and remodeling of the cellular secretory profile. In humans, pancreatic β cells undergo cellular senescence during the progression to type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the mechanism linking β cell senescence to islet dysfunction remains unknown, and thus the therapeutic potential of targeting senescent cells in T2D is not established. Herein, we identified a subpopulation of senescent β cells expressing p21, which emerged early in the progression of T2D in humans and mice. Spatial transcriptomics and proteomics analyses confirmed senescence and loss of cellular identity in this subpopulation in humans. Functional analysis revealed lack of glucose responsiveness, high basal insulin secretion, and transcription of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors. SASP factors from p21+ β cells induced secondary senescence in neighboring cells, characterized by dysfunction and loss of identity. JAK inhibitors counteracted the induction of secondary senescence and restored β cell function in islets from humans with T2D and in mice fed a high-fat diet. These findings reveal the critical role of p21+ β cells in T2D pathogenesis and the therapeutic potential of targeting this pathophysiological process.

Animals

Direct targeting of ORAI1 by ginsenoside Rg3 modulates calcium signaling and senescence-associated AMPK-NRF2 activation.

BACKGROUND: 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3(S)), a major saponin derived from red ginseng, exhibits diverse biological activities, including antioxidant and anti-senescence effects. However, the direct molecular targets through which Rg3(S) regulates calcium signaling and its role at membrane contact sites during cellular senescence remain largely unknown. METHODS: Plasma membrane (PM)-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contacts and related protein interactions were analyzed using proximity ligation assays and co-immunoprecipitation. Direct binding of Rg3(S) to ORAI1 was validated using cellular thermal shift assays and microscale thermophoresis. Molecular docking simulations followed by site-directed mutagenesis were used to define critical binding residues. Cytosolic calcium levels and cellular senescence were assessed using calcium imaging and senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining. RESULTS: Rg3(S) increased cytosolic calcium levels independently of ER calcium depletion and was accompanied by a reduction in PM-ER contacts. Rg3(S) directly bound to ORAI1 in a dose-dependent manner, identifying ORAI1 as a previously unrecognized molecular target of ginsenoside Rg3. Molecular docking revealed LYS204 and ILE229 within the extracellular loop of ORAI1 as key residues maintaining this interaction. Mutation of these residues abolished Rg3(S)-induced calcium influx, leading to impaired activation of the AMPK-NRF2 pathway and attenuation of the anti-senescence effect of Rg3(S). CONCLUSION: These findings identify ORAI1 as a key molecular mediator of ginsenoside Rg3(S)-induced calcium signaling linked to cellular senescence. By modulating PM-ER contact sites and cytosolic calcium dynamics, Rg3(S) attenuates senescence, providing new mechanistic insight into the anti-aging potential of ginseng-derived compounds beyond autophagy-centered pathways.

Calcium signaling

USP22 alleviates oxidative stress-induced BMSCs senescence by stabilizing SPI1 protein.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic efficacy of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation is often compromised by cellular senescence and diminished osteogenic potential induced by oxidative stress. Nevertheless, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study explores the role of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 22 (USP22) in regulating oxidative stress-induced BMSCs senescence. METHODS: BMSCs were exposed to H2O2 to mimics oxidative stress conditions. An ovariectomy‑induced osteoporotic rat model was established. Cell viability was assessed by CCK8 assay. ROS level and NAD+ level were measured by the DHE probe and kit, respectively. SA-β-gal staining was employed to detect cellular senescence. Mineralization was determined using ARS staining. Protein-DNA interactions (SPI1-NAMPT promoter) were examined through ChIP and luciferase reporter assays. Co-IP and ubiquitination assays were performed to validate USP22-SPI1 binding and post-translational modifications. RESULTS: SPI1 expression declined in H2O2-treated BMSCs and osteoporotic rat model, and its overexpression rescued H2O2-induced BMSCs senescence and osteogenic differentiation impairment. Mechanistically, SPI1 mediated protection on oxidative stress-induced BMSCs senescence by transcriptionally activating NAMPT expression and elevating NAD+ level. In addition, USP22 stabilized SPI1 protein through deubiquitination modification. As expected, USP22 overexpression alleviated oxidative stress-induced BMSCs senescence and osteogenic differentiation impairment, while these effects were reversed by SPI1 knockdown. CONCLUSION: USP22 mitigated oxidative stress-induced BMSCs senescence and preserved osteogenic capacity by promoting NAMPT transcription through deubiquitinating and stabilizing SPI1 protein.

Oxidative Stress

Destabilizing heterochromatin by APOE mediates senescence.

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) is a component of lipoprotein particles that function in the homeostasis of cholesterol and other lipids. Although APOE is genetically associated with human longevity and Alzheimer's disease, its mechanistic role in aging is largely unknown. Here, we used human genetic, stress-induced and physiological cellular aging models to explore APOE-driven processes in stem cell homeostasis and aging. We report that in aged human mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs), APOE accumulation is a driver for cellular senescence. By contrast, CRISPR-Cas9-mediated deletion of APOE endows human MPCs with resistance to cellular senescence. Mechanistically, we discovered that APOE functions as a destabilizer for heterochromatin. Specifically, increased APOE leads to the degradation of nuclear lamina proteins and a heterochromatin-associated protein KRAB-associated protein 1 via the autophagy-lysosomal pathway, thereby disrupting heterochromatin and causing senescence. Altogether, our findings uncover a role of APOE as an epigenetic mediator of senescence and provide potential targets to ameliorate aging-related diseases.

Humans

Multiomics analysis reveals that senescent CXCL16+ macrophages promote lung adenocarcinoma progression through TGF-β signalling.

BACKGROUND: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common histological subtype of lung cancer and remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Although, immunotherapy has become a cornerstone of first-line treatment, only 20-30% of patients achieve a durable clinical benefit, largely because of the complexity and heterogeneity of the tumour immune microenvironment. Emerging evidence indicates that cellular senescence, particularly within immune cells, contributes to tumour progression by impairing antitumour immunity; however, its mechanistic role in LUAD remains incompletely understood. METHODS: We performed an integrative multiomics analysis incorporating genome-wide association studies (GWASs), bulk RNA sequencing, single-cell RNA sequencing, and spatial transcriptomics to characterize immune heterogeneity in LUAD. Cellular senescence was validated by performing staining for senescence-associated β-galactosidase and the canonical markers p16 and p21. SHAP analysis was applied to evaluate the contribution of CXCL16+ macrophages. Functional roles were assessed using coculture assays, in vitro and in vivo tumour models, orthotopic tumour implantation, and multiplex immunofluorescence staining of clinical specimens. RESULTS: A summary data-based on Mendelian randomization analysis integrating GWAS and TCGA data identified CXCL16 as a senescence-associated gene that is causally linked to the LUAD risk. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that CXCL16 is predominantly expressed in macrophages, and the pseudotime analysis together with β-galactosidase staining confirmed its association with macrophage senescence. Spatial transcriptomics and immunofluorescence staining showed the marked enrichment of CXCL16+ macrophages in LUAD tissues. The cell-cell communication analysis further revealed a strong association between the number of CXCL16+ macrophages and the activation of the TGF-β signalling pathway within the tumour microenvironment. Functionally, CXCL16+ macrophages promoted LUAD progression via TGF-β signalling, as validated in vitro and in subcutaneous and orthotopic tumour models. Molecular dynamics simulations additionally suggested that LUAD patients with high levels of CXCL16+ macrophage infiltration may exhibit increased sensitivity to bosutinib. CONCLUSIONS: CXCL16 promotes macrophage senescence, and senescent CXCL16+ macrophages drive LUAD progression through TGF-β signalling. These findings identify CXCL16+ macrophages as a biologically and therapeutically relevant immune cell population, highlighting a potential target for precision intervention in LUAD.

Humans

Nebivolol treatment improves hypertension-induced endothelial cell dysfunction by reducing TGF-β1-dependent senescence and normalizing mitochondrial indices.

OBJECTIVES: Serum from patients with hypertension (HT) causes endothelial cell (EC) damage, leading to senescence and dysfunctional phenotype. This study investigated whether serum from patients treated with the antihypertensive drugs could normalize EC activity. METHODS: This study involved 71 patients with newly diagnosed HT, who were randomly assigned to one of three groups based on the antihypertensive treatment: amlodipine, nebivolol, or perindopril. Serum samples collected before and 6 weeks after treatment were applied to ECs in vitro to assess their angiogenic activity, cellular senescence, mitochondrial metabolism, and oxidative stress. RESULTS: Results showed that exposure of ECs to serum from patients treated for 6 weeks significantly altered EC function, with varying effects among the drugs. Serum from nebivolol-treated patients produced the most consistent benefits, reducing EC proliferation and HIF-1α expression, likely due to lower levels of angiogenic factors such as angiopoietin-1, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Additionally, this serum contained reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (E-selectin, P-selectin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)) and lower TGF-β1, which are linked to HT-related EC senescence. Nebivolol treatment decreased senescence biomarkers such as SA-β-Gal, 53BP1, and p16, with SA-β-Gal reduction comparable to that of TGF-β1 neutralizing antibodies. Oxidative stress was reduced, indicated by lower oxidized DNA product levels. CONCLUSIONS: Nebivolol was the most effective at reducing the factors, associated with HT induced cellular senescence of endothelium, through reducing TGF-β1.

Humans

Targeting innovative therapeutic approaches to the hallmarks of aging to combat Alzheimer's disease.

Aging is the leading risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. Mounting evidence implicates twelve interconnected hallmarks of aging, such as genomic instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, and altered intercellular communication, as core contributors to cognitive decline. In this review, we will first delineate the hallmarks of aging and their mechanistic roles according to their functions in the aging brain and Alzheimer's disease. These hallmarks can be grouped into four major functional clusters: (i) Genomic and epigenomic instability, (ii) proteostasis and organelle dysfunction, (iii) cellular fate and regenerative decline, and (iv) cellular senescence. Then, we provide an overview of innovative therapeutic approaches aimed at modifying these hallmarks, focusing on the emerging paradigm of supplementation of rejuvenation factors that are derived from young plasma, stem cell secretomes, or their derivatives (e.g., extracellular vesicles). Finally, we discuss key aging-related biological factors that can influence Alzheimer's disease progression and evaluate their potential as therapeutic targets.

Alzheimer’s disease

Changes in type of collagen synthesized as clones of chick chondrocytes grow and eventually lose division capacity.

Clones of embryonic chick chondrocytes have been isolated and collagen biosynthesis has been followed as the clones grow and eventually lose division capacity. Analysis of collagen type at each successive subculture until the time of cellular senescence has shown that a change in synthesis occurs from the cartilage-specific Type II collagen (chain composition [alpha1(II)]3) to a mixture of Type I collagen (chain composition [alpha1(I)2alpha2) and the Type I trimer (chain composition[alpha1(I)]3). The results demonstrate unequivocally that the expression of the chick chondrocyte phenotype is unstable in vitro, and that previous experiments with mass cultures of chondrocytes cannot be accounted for by overgrowth of fibroblasts. Since similar morphological changes and a similar "switching" in collagen biosynthesis have been observed after growth of chondrocytes for a few days in 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine, it is proposed that growth in this analog accelerates those changes that eventually lead to cellular senescence.

Aging

Inhibiting cyclin D1-CDK6 suppresses senescence-associated inflammatory gene expression and age-related functional decline.

Cellular senescence contributes to aging and age-related diseases by driving chronic inflammation through the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), including interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Here we confirm and extend previous observations that cyclin D1 (CCND1), a key cell cycle regulator, is paradoxically upregulated across models of nonproliferating senescent cells. We show that CCND1 and its kinase partner CDK6 drive SASP and ISG expression in senescent cells by promoting DNA damage accumulation. This leads to the formation of cytoplasmic chromatin fragments that activate pro-inflammatory cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling. In aged mouse livers, senescent hepatocytes show increased Ccnd1 expression. Hepatocyte-specific Ccnd1 knockout or treatment with the clinical grade CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib reduces DNA damage and ISGs in aged mouse liver. Further, palbociclib suppresses frailty and improves physical performance of aged mice. These findings demonstrate a role for CCND1/CDK6 in regulating DNA damage and inflammation in senescence and aging, highlighting it as a promising target for therapeutic repurposing.

Animals