Cited by 796Telomeres, Telomerase, and SenescenceGenetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model OrganismsMitochondrial Function and Pathology

Mitochondria are required for pro-ageing features of the senescent phenotype

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Correia‐Melo, Clara, Marques, Francisco DM, Anderson, Rhys, Hewitt, Graeme, Hewitt, Rachael, Cole, John, Carroll, Bernadette M, Miwa, Satomi +20 more·2016·The EMBO Journal

Abstract

Cell senescence is an important tumour suppressor mechanism and driver of ageing. Both functions are dependent on the development of the senescent phenotype, which involves an overproduction of pro‐inflammatory and pro‐oxidant signals. However, the exact mechanisms regulating these phenotypes remain poorly understood. Here, we show the critical role of mitochondria in cellular senescence. In multiple models of senescence, absence of mitochondria reduced a spectrum of senescence effectors and phenotypes while preserving ATP production via enhanced glycolysis. Global transcriptomic analysis by RNA sequencing revealed that a vast number of senescent‐associated changes are dependent on mitochondria, particularly the pro‐inflammatory phenotype. Mechanistically, we show that the ATM, Akt and mTORC1 phosphorylation cascade integrates signals from the DNA damage response (DDR) towards PGC‐1β‐dependent mitochondrial biogenesis, contributing to a ROS‐mediated activation of the DDR and cell cycle arrest. Finally, we demonstrate that the reduction in mitochondrial content in vivo , by either mTORC1 inhibition or PGC‐1β deletion, prevents senescence in the ageing mouse liver. Our results suggest that mitochondria are a candidate target for interventions to reduce the deleterious impact of senescence in ageing tissues.

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Crossref · 10.15252/embj.201592862

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  • There is evidence for reciprocal influence between nuclear DNA damage and mitochondrial dysfunction.

    “There is evidence in support of a reciprocal influence between nuclear DNA damage and mitochondrial dysfunction48”

    From Cellular senescence in ageing: from mechanisms to therapeutic opportunities (2021) · cites this paper as [48]

    The Results sections on PGC-1β-dependent biogenesis and ROS-driven DNA damage foci (page not provided) show influence in both directions: DNA damage response increases mitochondrial mass, while mitochondrial biogenesis and ROS help maintain DNA damage foci. The paper does not establish that nuclear DNA damage causes mitochondrial dysfunction specifically; the mitochondrial change it demonstrates is increased biogenesis. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Targeting aspects of mitochondrial biology such as the electron transport chain, complex I assembly, mitochondrial fission rates, biogenesis, mitochondrial sirtuins, and/or disruption of the TCA cycle can trigger senescence.

    “Targeting aspects of mitochondrial biology, such as the electron transport chain (ETC), complex I assembly, mitochondrial fission rates, and biogenesis, mitochondrial sirtuins and/or disruption of the TCA cycle can trigger senescence (Correia-Melo et al., 2016; Jiang et al., 2013; Kaplon et al., 2013; Miwa et al., 2014; Moiseeva et al., 2009; Park et al., 2010; Wiley et al., 2016).”

    From Cellular Senescence: Defining a Path Forward (2019) · cites this paper as Correia-Melo et al., 2016

    The Discussion says interventions affecting the electron transport chain enhance oncogene-induced senescence, and the Introduction links PGC-1β-dependent mitochondrial biogenesis to cellular senescence. These passages support the ETC and biogenesis examples, but they do not establish that targeting complex I assembly, fission rates, mitochondrial sirtuins, or the TCA cycle triggers senescence. Page numbers are not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Mitochondrial dysfunction during senescence can result in ROS-driven lipid damage, lipid deposits, and lipofuscin accumulation.

    “Mitochondrial dysfunction during senescence can result in ROS-driven lipid damage, lipid deposits (Correia-Melo et al., 2016; Ogrodnik et al., 2017), and lipofuscin accumulation (Gorgoulis et al., 2018).”

    From Cellular Senescence: Defining a Path Forward (2019) · cites this paper as Correia-Melo et al., 2016

    The Results section reports that depleting mitochondria reduced ROS generation in senescent cells, supporting the mitochondrial ROS part of the claim. It does not report ROS-driven lipid damage or lipid deposits. Lipofuscin accumulation is attributed to a different citation in the citing sentence. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Interventions known to increase health span such as dietary restriction, exercise, rapamycin and 17β-oestradiol can reduce the frequency of cells with TAFs.

    “First, interventions known to increase health span such as dietary restriction41, exercise42, rapamycin43,44 and 17β-oestradiol45 can reduce the frequency of cells with TAFs.”

    From Telomere dysfunction in ageing and age-related diseases (2022) · cites this paper as [43]

  • Mitophagy in senescent cells appears to suppress the SASP.

    “Mitophagy (mitochondrial clearance) in senescent cells appears to suppress the SASP (Correia-Melo et al., 2016).”

    From Cellular Senescence: Defining a Path Forward (2019) · cites this paper as Correia-Melo et al., 2016

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Authors
Correia‐Melo, C., Marques, F. D., Anderson, R., Hewitt, G., Hewitt, R., Cole, J., Carroll, B. M., Miwa, S., Birch, J., Merz, A., Rushton, M. D., Charles, M., Jurk, D., Tait, S. W., Czapiewski, R., Greaves, L., Nelson, G., Bohlooly‐Y, M., Rodriguez‐Cuenca, S., Vidal‐Puig, A., Mann, D., Saretzki, G., Quarato, G., Green, D. R., Adams, P. D., von Zglinicki, T., Korolchuk, V. I., & Passos, J. F.
Affiliations
  • Universidade do Porto (PT)
  • Newcastle University (GB)
  • Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute (GB)
  • Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research (GB)
  • AstraZeneca (Sweden) (SE)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
  • St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (US)
Corresponding author
Passos, João F
Venue
The EMBO Journal
Published
2016-02-04
Volume
35
Issue
7
Pages
724-742
ISSN
  • 0261-4189 (ISSN-L)
  • 1460-2075
OpenAlex
W2267737556
Cited by
796
References
66
Citations by year
2026: 71 · 2025: 104 · 2024: 91 · 2023: 83 · 2022: 82 · 2021: 92 · 2020: 74 · 2019: 59 · 2018: 66 · 2017: 48 · 2016: 25
FWCI
53.15
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The EMBO Journal (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Explore Bristol Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (acceptedVersion)
  • Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Newcastle University ePrints (Newcastle Univesity) (cc-by)
Funders
  • FP7‐MITIN (HEALTH‐F4‐2008‐223450)
  • Medical Research Council Centre for Obesity and Related Metabolic Diseases
  • BBSRC (BB/I020748/1, BB/K019260/1, BB/H022384/1, BB/K017314/1)
  • Royal Society University Fellowship
  • Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Portugal
  • GABBA Program
  • University of Porto
  • Newcastle University
  • David Phillips Fellowship
  • AstraZeneca
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Aging › Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
Keywords
cellular senescence, mitochondria, aging, pro-inflammatory phenotype, mitochondrial biogenesis, PGC-1β, mTORC1, ATM, Akt, DNA damage response, reactive oxygen species, glycolysis, cell cycle arrest, transcriptomics
MeSH terms
Aging, Animals, Cell Line, Humans, Mitochondria, Models, Biological, Phenotype, Mice

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