Senescence Research and new aging milestones

When our cells age and stop dividing but do not die, it is called Senescence. This is where the cell loses its power to divide and grow. Many cells in our body become senescent at some time or another. High fat intake, chemotherapy, radiation exposure causes cellular senescence.

Source: biospace.com

These cells give out inflammatory ‘SOS’ signals; calling out other healthy cells to come to their rescue. This inflammation even encourages healthy cells to become senescent. Increase in these senescent and zombie cells cause age related decline. In the lab of Professor Ming Xu at the U Conn Health Centre of Aging, senescent cells were transplanted into young mice. There was an immediate onset of physical weakness and frailty. It proved that young mice were quickly aging.

If these ‘unable to divide and grow’ cells can be removed or wiped or killed, age induced frailty and diseases can be suppressed or reversed. For removal of these cells, senolytic drugs like Quercetin and Dasatinib are used. Though they are being mass produced and cost less, their efficacy and widespread use are yet to be established.

According to a recent development at Buck Institute of Aging, researchers have discovered and are developing a novel non invasive biomarker test that can be used to measure and track performance of senolytic drugs. Buck Professor Dr. Judith Campisi is very optimistic about the role of this biomarker test in showing the efficacy of senolytic medicines in treating disease like arthritis to lung disease to Alzheimer’s to glaucoma.

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Source:

1. The first non invasive biomarket to track and verify efficacy of senolytics drugs

2. Senolytic Treatment with dasatinib and quercetin confirmed to reduce the burden of senescent cells in human patients.

3. Mayo clinic research news zombie cell edition