Mapping p16 and p21 Markers of Cellular Senescence in Humans by Tissue and Age

In that part of the research community focused on the role of cellular senescence in aging, the consensus is that the markers presently used to identify senescent cells are placeholders waiting for a better approach. They are not sufficiently universal. Senescent cells might be different enough in different tissues to require tissue specific approaches to assess their presence to a usefully exact degree. This point is illustrated by the results of a recent survey of p16 and p21 in humans by tissue type and age. That neither p16 nor p21 expressing cells increased in number with age in lung tissue strongly suggests that senescent cells in lungs are meaningfully different from those elsewhere in the body, at least in this aspect of their biochemistry. Humans should certainly be expected to have an increase in senescent cells in the lungs, as in all tissues, with advancing age. The same argument applies to the apparent absence of p16 and p21 expressing cells in muscle. Why do we want reasonably accurate measures of senescent cell burdens by tissue? Because this will be needed as a part of the development and validation of senolytic therapies capable of selectively destroying senescent cells. Early programs are getting by with the existing markers, but as the myriad age-related diseases that can be turned back via senolytic treatments are explored in greater depth, better assays will be needed. In clinical practice, people will want an assessment of senescence burden, ...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs