Isolation of senescent cells by iodixanol (OptiPrep) density gradient-based separation

Chemotherapeutic drugs induce senescence in cancer cells but, unlike replicative senescence or oncogene-induced senescence, do so rather inefficiently and depending on DNA damage. A thorough understanding of the biology of chemotherapy-induced senescent cells requires their isolation from a mixed population of adjacent senescent and non-senescent cancer cells.

We have developed and optimized a rapid iodixanol (OptiPrep)-based gradient centrifugation system to identify, isolate and characterize doxorubicin (DXR)-induced senescent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells (HepG2 and Huh-7) in vitro.

After cellular exposure to DXR, we used iodixanol gradient-based centrifugation to isolate and re-plate cells on collagen-coated flasks, despite their low or null proliferative capacity. The isolated cell populations were enriched for DXR-induced senescent HCC cells, as confirmed by proliferation arrest assay, and β-galactosidase and DNA damage-dependent γH2A.X staining.

Analysing pure cultures of chemotherapy-induced senescent versus non-responsive cancer cells will increase our knowledge on chemotherapeutic mechanisms of action, and help refine current therapeutic strategies.