Senolysis by glutaminolysis inhibition ameliorates various age-associated disorders

Removal of senescent cells (senolysis) has been proposed to be beneficial for improving age-associated pathologies, but the molecular pathways for such senolytic activity have not yet emerged. Here, we identified glutaminase 1 (GLS1) as an essential gene for the survival of human senescent cells. The intracellular pH in senescent cells was lowered by lysosomal membrane damage, and this lowered pH induced kidney-type glutaminase (KGA) expression. The resulting enhanced glutaminolysis induced ammonia production, which neutralized the lower pH and improved survival of the senescent cells. Inhibition of KGA-dependent glutaminolysis in aged mice eliminated senescent cells specifically and ameliorated age-associated organ dysfunction. Our results suggest that senescent cells rely on glutaminolysis, and its inhibition offers a promising strategy for inducing senolysis in vivo.

Source: ScienceNOW - January 14, 2021 Category: Science Authors: Johmura, Y., Yamanaka, T., Omori, S., Wang, T.-W., Sugiura, Y., Matsumoto, M., Suzuki, N., Kumamoto, S., Yamaguchi, K., Hatakeyama, S., Takami, T., Yamaguchi, R., Shimizu, E., Ikeda, K., Okahashi, N., Mikawa, R., Suematsu, M., Arita, M., Sugimoto, M., Nak Tags: Cell Biology reports Source Type: news