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Updated: May 12, 2026
Techniques to Induce and Quantify Cellular Senescence
Published on: May 1, 2017
Profiling microRNA expression during senescence and aging: mining for a diagnostic tool of senescent-cell burden
Abstract:
In the last decade cellular senescence, a hallmark of aging, has come into focus for pharmacologically targeting aging processes. Senolytics are one of these interventive strategies that have advanced into clinical trials, creating an unmet need for minimally invasive biomarkers of senescent cell load to identify patients at need for senotherapy. We created a landscape of miRNA and mRNA expression in five human cell types induced to senescence in-vitro and provide proof-of-principle evidence that miRNA expression can track senescence burden dynamically in-vivo using transgenic p21 high senescent cell clearance in HFD fed mice. Finally, we profiled miRNA expression in seven different tissues, total plasma, and plasma derived EVs of young and 25 months old mice. In a systematic analysis, we identified 22 candidate senomiRs with potential to serve as circulating biomarkers of senescence not only in rodents, but also in upcoming human clinical senolytic trials.
Insights
Researchers identified novel microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers to track cellular senescence, a key aging process. These senomiRs show promise for monitoring senolytic therapy effectiveness in clinical trials.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical research
- Aging and longevity
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Cellular senescence is a hallmark of aging and a target for pharmacological interventions like senolytics.
- Current clinical trials for senolytics require minimally invasive biomarkers to assess senescent cell load.
- Understanding senescence at a molecular level is crucial for developing effective anti-aging therapies.
Approach:
- Generated comprehensive miRNA and mRNA expression profiles in five human cell types induced into senescence in-vitro.
- Demonstrated the potential of miRNA expression to dynamically track senescence burden in-vivo in mice undergoing senescent cell clearance.
- Profiled miRNA expression across various tissues, plasma, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) in young and aged mice.
Key Points:
- Identified 22 candidate senomiRs with potential as circulating biomarkers for senescence.
- Validated the dynamic tracking of senescence burden using miRNA expression in-vivo.
- Established a comprehensive expression landscape of senescence-associated miRNAs and mRNAs.
Conclusions:
- The identified senomiRs can serve as minimally invasive biomarkers for senescence in both preclinical models and human clinical trials.
- This study provides a foundation for developing novel diagnostic tools for senotherapy.
- Circulating miRNAs offer a promising avenue for non-invasively monitoring aging and treatment responses.
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