Recovery of senescent endothelial cells from injury

Percutaneous coronary intervention is increasingly performed in elderly patients. Because the procedure is associated with endothelial cell (EC) denudation, we compared recovery of young and old ECs from scratch injuries inflicted in culture. Although senescent ECs displayed markedly reduced potential to proliferate and migrate, they repopulated the wounds as fast as young cells. Morphometric analysis revealed that senescent cells were significantly larger and as a result far fewer senescent cells managed to cover the lesion. Compared with young EC, senescent cells displayed increased expression of senescence-associated β-galactosidase, nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and AKT kinase, and secreted increased amounts of growth factors (VEGF, TGF-β), cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1), adhesion molecules (sICAM-1), and matrix proteins (fibronectin). This secretory phenotype rather than the rate of wound closure per se may contribute to unfavorable vascular remodeling in the elderly undergoing coronary catheterization.