Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 11, 2025

Live Imaging and Quantification of Viral Infection in K18 hACE2 Transgenic Mice Using Reporter-Expressing Recombinant SARS-CoV-2
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[Senolytics against Covid-19?]

Bertrand Jordan1

  • 1ADÉS (Anthropologie bioculturelle, droit, éthique et santé) UMR CNRS 7268, Aix Marseille université, Établissement français du sang. CoReBio PACA, case 901, Parc scientifique de Luminy, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, France.

Medecine Sciences : M/S
|December 1, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Senolytic compounds clear aging cells, improving health and reversing aging effects in mice. This approach also protects aged mice from viral infections, with ongoing clinical trials for COVID-19 patients.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Immunology
  • Virology

Background:

  • Senescent cells accumulate with age, contributing to age-related diseases and frailty.
  • Senolytic compounds selectively eliminate senescent cells, demonstrating therapeutic potential in preclinical models.
  • A novel microbial exposure system effectively models coronavirus infection in aged mice.

Discussion:

  • Eliminating senescent cells significantly enhances the healthspan of aged mice.
  • This senolytic strategy confers substantial protection against severe outcomes of viral infections in aged populations.
  • The findings highlight a potential therapeutic avenue for age-related diseases and infectious diseases.

Key Insights:

  • Senolytic therapy can reverse some aging phenotypes and improve overall health in aged mice.
  • Targeting senescent cells provides protection against viral infections, including those mimicking coronavirus.
  • Preclinical success strongly supports the translation of senolytics into human clinical applications.

Outlook:

  • Ongoing Phase II clinical trials are evaluating senolytics in COVID-19 patients.
  • Further research will explore senolytics for preventing and treating various age-related conditions and infectious diseases.
  • Senolytics represent a promising frontier in aging research and therapeutic interventions.

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