Cited by 2,363Telomeres, Telomerase, and SenescenceGenetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model OrganismsSirtuins and Resveratrol in Medicine

Cellular senescence in aging and age-related disease: from mechanisms to therapy

Open access
Childs, Bennett G, Durik, Matej, Baker, Darren J, van Deursen, Jan M·2015·Nature Medicine

Abstract

Cellular senescence, a process that imposes permanent proliferative arrest on cells in response to various stressors, has emerged as a potentially important contributor to aging and age-related disease, and it is an attractive target for therapeutic exploitation. A wealth of information about senescence in cultured cells has been acquired over the past half century; however, senescence in living organisms is poorly understood, largely because of technical limitations relating to the identification and characterization of senescent cells in tissues and organs. Furthermore, newly recognized beneficial signaling functions of senescence suggest that indiscriminately targeting senescent cells or modulating their secretome for anti-aging therapy may have negative consequences. Here we discuss current progress and challenges in understanding the stressors that induce senescence in vivo, the cell types that are prone to senesce, and the autocrine and paracrine properties of senescent cells in the contexts of aging and age-related diseases as well as disease therapy.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nm.4000

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  • Even in whole tissues with a small senescent cell fraction (1-3%), some core signature genes can be identified as differentially regulated.

    “These findings suggest that even in whole tissues where the number of senescent cells is small (most aged or diseased tissues contained 1%–3% senescent cells [33]), some of the genes of our core signature can be identified as differentially regulated.”

    From Unmasking Transcriptional Heterogeneity in Senescent Cells (2017) · cites this paper as [33]

    The citation is attached to the parenthetical claim about the proportion of senescent cells, not to the citing authors’ finding about core-signature genes. The source’s “Senescence in normal aging” section (page unavailable) describes senescent cells as rare in aged tissues, but our copy does not give the claimed 1%–3% figure for most aged or diseased tissues. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The SASP composition and strength varies substantially, depending on the duration of senescence, origin of the pro-senescence stimulus, and cell type.

    “The SASP composition and strength varies substantially, depending on the duration of senescence, origin of the pro-senescence stimulus, and cell type (Childs et al., 2015).”

    From Cellular Senescence: Defining a Path Forward (2019) · cites this paper as Childs et al., 2015

    In “Origin and identification of senescent cells in vivo,” the paper says the SASP could vary with time spent in senescence, the nature of the stress, and cell type. It presents this as a prediction rather than an established finding that the composition and strength vary substantially; it does report differing SASP profiles in two mouse models. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The role of senescence in human disease is clear from cellular studies, while in vivo evidence is only now catching up.

    “The role of senescence in human disease is clear from cellular studies, while in vivo evidence is only now catching up”

    From Cellular Senescence: Defining a Path Forward (2019) · cites this paper as Childs et al., 2015

    The Abstract contrasts a wealth of knowledge from cultured cells with a poor understanding of senescence in living organisms, supporting the claim that in vivo evidence lags. But it calls senescence only a potentially important contributor to age-related disease, and the Senescence in normal aging section says in vitro evidence suggests mechanisms rather than establishing a clear role in human disease. The indexed passages provide section labels but no page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Evidence links senescence to other common age-associated human diseases including neurodegenerative disorders, glaucoma, cataract, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, pulmonary, and renal and liver fibrosis.

    “Evidence linking senescence to other common age-associated human diseases has recently emerged. These diseases include neurodegenerative disorders, glaucoma, cataract, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, pulmonary, and renal and liver fibrosis”

    From Cellular Senescence: Defining a Path Forward (2019) · cites this paper as Childs et al., 2015

    The “Senescence in age-related disease” section (page unavailable) links senescence to glaucoma, cataracts, atherosclerosis, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and pulmonary and liver fibrosis; the “Aging and atherosclerosis” section also discusses cardiovascular disease. The passages found do not establish the claimed links to neurodegenerative disorders or renal fibrosis. The paper also says senescent cells restrict, rather than drive, liver fibrosis, and cautions that senescence at sites of pathology may be a consequence rather than a cause. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Senescent cells contribute to aging and age-related pathologies through SASP.

    “Senescent cells contribute to aging and age-related pathologies21,22,23 through their senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP).24,25,26”

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Cites

1 retracted

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [152]Baker DJ Opposing roles for p16Ink4a and p19Arf in senescence and ageing caused by BubR1 insufficiency Nat. Cell Biol 2008 10 825 836 18516091 PMC2594014

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Authors
Childs, B. G., Durik, M., Baker, D. J., & van Deursen, J. M.
Affiliations
Mayo Clinic (US)
Venue
Nature Medicine
Published
2015-12
Volume
21
Issue
12
Pages
1424-1435
ISSN
  • 1078-8956 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-170X
OpenAlex
W2193792657
Cited by
2,363
References
170
Citations by year
2026: 257 · 2025: 278 · 2024: 275 · 2023: 278 · 2022: 259 · 2021: 266 · 2020: 246 · 2019: 191 · 2018: 153 · 2017: 106 · 2016: 51 · 2015: 1 · 2012: 1
FWCI
12.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Aging (AG41122-01P2, P01AG041122, R37AG013925)
  • National Cancer Institute (R01CA166347, R01CA096985)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Aging › Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Geriatrics and Gerontology › Sirtuins and Resveratrol in Medicine
Keywords
cellular senescence, aging, age-related diseases, senescent cells, senescence induction, senolytics, anti-aging therapy, paracrine signaling, autocrine signaling, proliferative arrest
MeSH terms
Aging, Animals, Disease, Health, Humans, Longevity, Signal Transduction, Cellular Senescence

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