Study finds senescent cells slow bone healing in aging animals

We’ve known for years that cellular senescence occurs as we age. DNA gets damaged, which leads to ineffective cellular processes, intracellular damage and senescent cells.

This cellular senescence plays an important role in human diseases, including cancer, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. 

Now a new study suggests that using senolytic drugs to induce the death of senescent cells may help to speed bone healing.

The study used mice to test the impact of senolytics. 

Researchers found that aged callus senescent cells inhibit the growth and proliferation of mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs), which give rise to bone cells. MPCs were suppressed because the senescent cells expressed high levels of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), which inhibits them. Researchers determined that reducing the TGF-β1 would speed bone growth.

Short-term administration of two senolytics, dasatinib and quercetin, reduced the number of senescent callus cells, reducing the amount of TGF-β1, and accelerating fracture healing in aged mice.

While more research is needed to determine how effective senolytic drugs are with fractures in aged humans, this study offers a clear example of why Methuselah Foundation supports companies focused on finding ways to remove senescent cells from the body.

Our strategy, Get the Crud Out, focuses on technologies that clear harmful substances from the body at both the microscopic (cellular), and macroscopic (organ) level. Destruction of ineffective or harmful cells, as well as removal of toxic proteins and metabolites is necessary to restore youthful health. Some of the companies in which we have invested are working on novel ways to get rid of those senescent cells.

Oisin Biotechnologies has created a technology that can be used to identify a senescent cell based on its DNA expression, and then kill it. OncoSenX is working on technology to target cancer cells and use DNA to kill them.

There is no single silver bullet that will solve all the problems of aging. That’s why we developed seven strategies that focus on different problems people experience as they age. Focusing on all seven strategies means that we can address all the now-untreatable age-related conditions and, ultimately, make 90 the new 50 by 2030.

It is exciting to see further evidence that a focus on senescence can make a difference. We are hopeful that continued research will soon enable us to live longer and healthier lives.

Join us to bring this dream to life.  Donate to Methuselah Foundation.