The Role of Senescent Cells in Age-Related Skeletal Diseases

Compelling evidence obtained from many studies in mice show that the accumulation of senescent cells with age is a major contributing factor in all of the common, inflammatory age-related conditions: cardiovascular disease, dementia, degeneration of bone tissue, and so forth. Senescent cells are created throughout life, mostly as somatic cells reach the Hayflick limit on replication, but accumulate in later life in large part because the immune system falters in its clearance of senescent cells. It still performs this function, but less efficiently, and the balance between creation and destruction of senescent cells tips to allow growing numbers of senescent cells to accumulate in tissues throughout the body. Senescent cells energetically secrete pro-inflammatory signals, and this signaling maintained over the long term is highly disruptive to tissue structure and function. It is a contributing cause of aging. The animal data for the use of senolytic therapies to clear senescent cells is very compelling. Researchers have demonstrated rapid reversal of many aspects of aging and age-related conditions in mice. The results are impressive, larger, and more easily replicated than those produced by any other strategy to date, through epigenetic reprogramming may catch up as it becomes more widely assessed in the research community. There is a strong argument for greater investment in clinical trials for the proven first generation senolytic therapies, low-cost existing drugs...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs