First published @ Senescent CELL blog
In recent times, scientific findings on cellular senescence have made headlines. The majority of these highly publicized articles are concerned with the potential health benefits of removing senescent cells from our bodies. Destroying senescent cells in mice can reverse aspects of ageing and prevent side effects in response to chemotherapy.
In an attempt to simplify the term "cell senescence" for public consumption, the media incorrectly use words such as "old", "aged" and "elderly" to describe such cells. This is understandable since "senescence" means "to grow old".
The term "senescence" regarding cells was first used over fifty years ago to describe cells that could no longer proliferate after extended time in culture. Without our current understandings, this inability to proliferate was thought to be due to processes related to cell ageing and so such cells were labelled as "senescent". Although now inaccurate, this labeling is still in use today.
So what is the difference between cell "ageing" and cell "senescence"?
Cell ageing results from the accumulation of random damage leading to impairment in cell function with time. Cell ageing may result from the build up of damage to cellular lipids (i.e. peroxidation), damage to proteins leading to altered protein folding and aggregation, damage to the mitochondria resulting in abnormal metabolic processes and changes (epigenetic) to DNA causing alterations in gene expression.
In contrast to cell ageing, cell senescence is a programmed change in cell state often initiated by persistent damage to DNA.
Although the initial factors which trigger DNA damage in cells may itself be random, the accompanying cellular changes associated with cell senescence are not random. In an orchestrated response, cells permanently stop dividing, they secrete molecules that can attract immune cells and express immune proteins on their cell surface. As such, cell senescence can be considered as a mechanism to eliminate unwanted cells by the immune system.
Part of the reason why senescent cells stay in our bodies and promote ageing may be due to a failure in the ability of an aged immune system to kill senescent cells. The molecules that were once beneficial in attracting immune cells now become destructive over time.