Klotho modulates the stress response in human senescent endothelial cells

Lack of Klotho expression in mice leads to premature aging and age-related diseases, including vascular diseases. The aim of this study was to determine how endothelial cell line senescence affects Klotho expression and whether intra- or extracellular Klotho has any effect on the response of senescent cells to oxidative stress. The study was performed using human endothelial cells (HUVEC); cell aging was obtained by prolongation of cell division to 42 population doublings (PD). Senescence was also obtained by exposure to TNFα, which causes cell changes resembling cellular senescence. The decline in Klotho preceded the manifestations of cell ageing: telomere shortening and β-galactosidase expression. Klotho was also reduced in cells exposed to the proinflammatory cytokine TNFα. The addition of exogenous Klotho to aging cells did not modify the proportion of cells with short telomeres or any other feature of cell aging; however, exogenous Klotho prevented the changes resembling premature cellular senescence associated with TNFα, such as the decrease in telomere length and the increase in β-galactosidase-positive cells. Likewise exogenous Klotho prevented the increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity, mitochondrial potential and cell apoptosis induced by TNFα.