Cited by 1,819Telomeres, Telomerase, and SenescenceGenetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model OrganismsHematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Clearance of senescent cells by ABT263 rejuvenates aged hematopoietic stem cells in mice

Open access
Chang, Jianhui, Wang, Yingying, Shao, Lijian, Laberge, Remi-Martin, Demaria, Marco, Campisi, Judith, Janakiraman, Krishnamurthy, Sharpless, Norman E +10 more·2016·Nature Medicine

Abstract

Senescent cells (SCs) accumulate with age and after genotoxic stress, such as total-body irradiation (TBI). Clearance of SCs in a progeroid mouse model using a transgenic approach delays several age-associated disorders, suggesting that SCs play a causative role in certain age-related pathologies. Thus, a 'senolytic' pharmacological agent that can selectively kill SCs holds promise for rejuvenating tissue stem cells and extending health span. To test this idea, we screened a collection of compounds and identified ABT263 (a specific inhibitor of the anti-apoptotic proteins BCL-2 and BCL-xL) as a potent senolytic drug. We show that ABT263 selectively kills SCs in culture in a cell type- and species-independent manner by inducing apoptosis. Oral administration of ABT263 to either sublethally irradiated or normally aged mice effectively depleted SCs, including senescent bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and senescent muscle stem cells (MuSCs). Notably, this depletion mitigated TBI-induced premature aging of the hematopoietic system and rejuvenated the aged HSCs and MuSCs in normally aged mice. Our results demonstrate that selective clearance of SCs by a pharmacological agent is beneficial in part through its rejuvenation of aged tissue stem cells. Thus, senolytic drugs may represent a new class of radiation mitigators and anti-aging agents.

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  • UBX0101 was recently found to selectively eliminate senescent cells.

    “a senolytic (UBX0101) that was recently found to selectively eliminate SnCs16,29.”

    From Local clearance of senescent cells attenuates the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis and creates a pro-regenerative environment (2017) · cites this paper as [16]

    The Abstract identifies ABT263—not UBX0101—as the senolytic this study found to selectively kill senescent cells. A search of our copy for UBX0101 found no passage identifying it as a drug studied here. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • ABT-263 can cause thrombocytopenia and neutropenia even after brief exposure.

    “N can cause thrombocytopenia and neutropenia, even after brief exposures57,88–91”

    From Cellular senescence and senolytics: the path to the clinic (2022) · cites this paper as [88]

    The paper’s concluding discussion (indexed under Abstract; page unavailable) identifies thrombocytopenia and neutropenia as common, transient toxicities of ABT263 treatment in patients. It does not say that either occurs after brief exposure. The Online Methods describe short treatment cycles in mice but do not link those cycles to these toxicities. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Senescent cells resist apoptotic death more than normal cells because survival pathways, including BCL-2 family antiapoptotic proteins, are upregulated, even after exogenous stress.

    “Senescent cells have increased resistance to apoptotic cell death owing to upregulation of cell survival pathways, including the BCL-2 family of antiapoptotic proteins, even on exogenous stress exposure14,15”

    From Cellular senescence in ageing: from mechanisms to therapeutic opportunities (2021) · cites this paper as [15]

    In the passage labeled Abstract (page unavailable), the paper reports increased BCL-xL in senescent cells and experiments suggesting that BCL-2 and BCL-xL protect them from apoptosis. It does not establish greater resistance to apoptotic death than normal cells after exogenous stress exposure; it also reports no increase in BCL-2 expression. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Senescent cells often increase negative regulators of apoptosis, such as BCL-2, BCL-W, and BCL-XL, making them resistant to apoptosis-inducing signals.

    “Senescent cells frequently upregulate negative modulators of apoptosis, including members of the BCL-2 family (including BCL-2, BCL-W and BCL-XL), which confers resistance to apoptosis-inducing signals14,15.”

    From Cellular senescence in ageing: from mechanisms to therapeutic opportunities (2021) · cites this paper as [15]

    The paper’s results passage (indexed under Abstract; page unavailable) reports increased anti-apoptotic BCL-xL in senescent cells and suggests that BCL-2 and BCL-xL protect them from apoptotic death. It does not report increased BCL-2—indeed, it says the observed sensitivity did not correlate with increased BCL-2—or establish increased BCL-W. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The p16-3MR transgenic mouse harbors a p16INK4a promoter driving expression of a fusion protein containing Renilla luciferase and monomeric red fluorescent protein domains, as well as a truncated form of herpes simplex virus 1 thymidine kinase.

    “we used the p16-3MR transgenic mouse, which harbors a p16INK4a (Cdkn2a) promoter driving the expression of a fusion protein containing synthetic Renilla luciferase and monomeric red fluorescent protein domains, as well as a truncated form of herpes simplex virus 1 thymidine kinase (HSV-TK)15,16.”

    From Local clearance of senescent cells attenuates the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis and creates a pro-regenerative environment (2017) · cites this paper as [16]

    The passage labeled Abstract (page unavailable) describes p16-3MR mice as carrying a reporter driven by the Cdkn2a/p16 promoter and identifies Renilla luciferase, monomeric red fluorescent protein, and HSV-TK as its components. It does not specify that the luciferase is synthetic or that HSV-TK is truncated, so those details are not supported by our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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  1. [39]Finney DJ Probit Analysis 1952 Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press

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Authors
Chang, J., Wang, Y., Shao, L., Laberge, R.-M., Demaria, M., Campisi, J., Janakiraman, K., Sharpless, N. E., Ding, S., Feng, W., Luo, Y., Wang, X., Aykin-Burns, N., Krager, K., Ponnappan, U., Hauer-Jensen, M., Meng, A., & Zhou, D.
Affiliations
  • University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (US)
  • Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (CN)
  • Buck Institute for Research on Aging (US)
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
  • Gladstone Institutes (US)
Corresponding author
Zhou, Daohong
Venue
Nature Medicine
Published
2015-12-14
Volume
22
Issue
1
Pages
78-83
ISSN
  • 1078-8956 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-170X
OpenAlex
W2224886002
Cited by
1,819
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 149 · 2025: 168 · 2024: 200 · 2023: 192 · 2022: 199 · 2021: 210 · 2020: 206 · 2019: 150 · 2018: 161 · 2017: 111 · 2016: 69 · 2015: 1
FWCI
83.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) (submittedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
  • UNC Libraries
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5r01ag024379-15)
  • National Institute on Aging (R01-AG024379, R37AG009909)
  • National Cancer Institute (R01CA122023)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (P20GM109005)
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01AI080421)
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 › Hematology › Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Keywords
senolytics, navitoclax, senescent cells, hematopoietic stem cells, muscle stem cells, BCL-2 inhibition, apoptosis, total body irradiation, premature aging, tissue rejuvenation, healthspan, anti-aging agents
MeSH terms
Aniline Compounds, Animals, Antineoplastic Agents, Antiviral Agents, B-Lymphocytes, Cell Cycle, Cell Line, Cell Survival, Colony-Forming Units Assay, DNA Damage, Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Humans, Microscopy, Rejuvenation, RNA, Messenger, Sulfonamides, Whole-Body Irradiation, Blotting, Western, Ganciclovir, Cellular Senescence, Apoptosis, Muscle, Skeletal, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2, Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16, Myoblasts, bcl-X Protein, Mice, Gene Knockdown Techniques

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