Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 29, 2026

A Sensitive Method to Quantify Senescent Cancer Cells
Published on: August 2, 2013
Olaparib induced senescence under P16 or P53 dependent manner in ovarian cancer
Zehua Wang1,2, Jianwen Gao3,4, Jiabing Zhou1,2
1Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Objective:
Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is an important molecule in the early stress response of DNA damage, which is involved in DNA damage repair and cellular senescence. Olaparib, as PARP inhibitor, has an anti-tumor effect on high grade serous ovarian cancer, but its effects on cellular senescence have not been reported. This study intends to explore the role of olaparib in the regulation of senescence in ovarian cancer cells.
Methods:
The effects of olaparib on the senescence of ovarian cancer cells were detected by using the senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) and senescence-associated heterochromatin aggregation (SAHF). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. The effect of olaparib on tumor growth was analyzed in a nude mouse xenograft transplantation model.
Results:
Long-term (6 days) treatment with olaparib (5 μ) significantly inhibited the growth of ovarian cancer cells, leading to arrest the cell cycle at G0/G1 phase, significant increase the number of positive SA-β-Gal stained cells and positive SAHF cells. The expression of P16 and retinoblastoma protein (p-RB) were significantly enhanced in SKOV3 cells under olaparib treated, meanwhile, the expression of P53 and p-RB were upregulated in A2780 cells. In OVCAR-3 cells, the expression of P53 was downregulated and p-RB was upregulated. Mice with SKOV3 xenograft transplantation was given olaparib (10 mg/kg/day) via abdominal cavity administration, the tumor volume was reduced (p<0.01).
Conclusion:
Continuous low dosage administration of olaparib induced senescence under P16 or P53 dependent manner in ovarian cancer.
Related Concept Videos
Replicative Cell Senescence
Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers
Frequency-dependent Selection
Ovarian Cycle
Drug Dependence
Contact-dependent Signaling
Gap Junctions
In animal cells, gap junctions are formed...

