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Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Techniques to Induce and Quantify Cellular Senescence
Published on: May 1, 2017
Integrative Approaches to Treating Cellular Senescence in Kidney Disease
Tomoka Misawa1, Amruta A2, LaTonya J Hickson3,4
1School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Abstract:
Cellular senescence in the kidney plays a crucial role in the progression of acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. Therapeutic approaches targeting senescent cells, such as small molecule senolytic and senomorphic drugs, display efficacy in preclinical models. However, such drugs pose a risk of adverse effects and only partially mitigate disease progression, highlighting the need for new therapeutic approaches that more comprehensively and safely address disease pathways in aging kidney disease. This review discusses the potential of extracellular vesicles and longevity proteins, such as α-klotho and silencing information regulator 2-related enzyme 1 (SIRT1), in regulating cellular senescence and alleviating kidney fibrosis. Particularly, combination therapy that simultaneously targets inflammation, tissue damage, and senescence is promising for kidney disease, given the potential to synergistically overcome the limitations of current unimodular treatment modalities and pave the way for more effective management of kidney disease. This review highlights the mechanisms of cellular senescence in kidney disease, particularly in diabetic kidney disease, the latest knowledge on senotherapy, and the potential and challenges of new therapeutic strategies, including combining extracellular vesicles and longevity proteins.
Insights
Cellular senescence drives kidney disease progression. Novel therapies combining extracellular vesicles and longevity proteins show promise for safer, more effective kidney disease management by targeting multiple disease pathways.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Gerontology
- Cellular Biology
Background:
- Cellular senescence is a key driver in acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease progression.
- Current senotherapy (senolytic/senomorphic drugs) shows efficacy but has limitations, including adverse effects and partial disease mitigation.
- Aging kidney disease necessitates advanced therapeutic strategies beyond current unimodular treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of cellular senescence in kidney disease, focusing on diabetic kidney disease.
- To explore novel therapeutic strategies, including extracellular vesicles and longevity proteins (e.g., α-klotho, SIRT1), for kidney disease.
- To discuss the potential of combination therapies targeting inflammation, tissue damage, and senescence for improved kidney disease management.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of cellular senescence mechanisms in kidney disease.
- Analysis of preclinical data on senolytic and senomorphic drugs.
- Exploration of the therapeutic potential of extracellular vesicles and longevity proteins.
- Evaluation of combination therapy approaches for aging kidney disease.
Main Results:
- Cellular senescence significantly contributes to kidney fibrosis and disease progression.
- Extracellular vesicles and longevity proteins offer novel mechanisms to regulate senescence and alleviate kidney fibrosis.
- Combination therapies targeting multiple pathways show synergistic potential to overcome limitations of single-modality treatments.
Conclusions:
- Targeting cellular senescence is crucial for managing kidney disease.
- Combining extracellular vesicles with longevity proteins presents a promising avenue for advanced senotherapy.
- Multimodal therapeutic strategies are essential for comprehensive and safe management of aging kidney disease.
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Replicative Cell Senescence

