scholarly journals Intercellular transfer of mitochondria between senescent cells through cytoskeleton-supported intercellular bridges requires mTOR and Cdc42 signalling

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Walters ◽  
Lynne S Cox

AbstractCellular senescence is a state of irreversible cell proliferation arrest induced by various stressors including telomere attrition, DNA damage and oncogene induction. While beneficial as an acute response to stress, accumulation of senescent cells with increasing age is through to contribute adversely to development of cancer and a number of other age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases for which there are currently no effective disease-modifying therapies. Non-cell autonomous effects of senescent cells have been suggested to arise through the SASP, a wide variety of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and exosomes secreted by senescent cells. Here, we report an additional means of cell communication utilised by senescent cells via large numbers of membrane-bound intercellular bridges - or tunnelling nanotubes (TNTs) - containing the cytoskeletal components actin and tubulin, and which form direct physical connections between cells. We observe the presence of mitochondria in these TNTs, and show organelle transfer through the TNTs to adjacent cells. While transport of individual mitochondria along single TNTs appears unidirectional, we show by differentially labelled co-culture experiments that organelle transfer through TNTs can occur both between different cells within senescent cell populations, and also between senescent and proliferating cells. Using small molecule inhibitors, we demonstrate that senescent cell TNTs are dependent on signalling through the mTOR pathway, which we further show is mediated at least in part through downstream actin-cytoskeleton regulatory factor Cdc42. These findings have significant implications for development of senomodifying therapies, as they highlight the need to account for local direct cell-cell contacts as well as the SASP in order to treat cancer and diseases of ageing in which senescence is a key factor.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Hannah E. Walters ◽  
Lynne S. Cox

Cellular senescence is a state of irreversible cell proliferation arrest induced by various stressors including telomere attrition, DNA damage, and oncogene induction. While beneficial as an acute response to stress, the accumulation of senescent cells with increasing age is thought to contribute adversely to the development of cancer and a number of other age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases for which there are currently no effective disease-modifying therapies. Non-cell-autonomous effects of senescent cells have been suggested to arise through the SASP, a wide variety of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and exosomes secreted by senescent cells. Here, we report an additional means of cell communication utilised by senescent cells via large numbers of membrane-bound intercellular bridges—or tunnelling nanotubes (TNTs)—containing the cytoskeletal components actin and tubulin, which form direct physical connections between cells. We observe the presence of mitochondria in these TNTs and show organelle transfer through the TNTs to adjacent cells. While transport of individual mitochondria along single TNTs appears by time-lapse studies to be unidirectional, we show by differentially labelled co-culture experiments that organelle transfer through TNTs can occur between different cells of equivalent cell age, but that senescent cells, rather than proliferating cells, appear to be predominant mitochondrial donors. Using small molecule inhibitors, we demonstrate that senescent cell TNTs are dependent on signalling through the mTOR pathway, which we further show is mediated at least in part through the downstream actin-cytoskeleton regulatory factor CDC42. These findings have significant implications for the development of senomodifying therapies, as they highlight the need to account for local direct cell-cell contacts as well as the SASP in order to treat cancer and diseases of ageing in which senescence is a key factor.


Author(s):  
Andrea D. Rivera ◽  
Irene Chacon-De-La-Rocha ◽  
Francesca Pieropan ◽  
Maria Papanikolau ◽  
Kasum Azim ◽  
...  

AbstractWhite matter (WM) is a highly prominent feature in the human cerebrum and is comprised of bundles of myelinated axons that form the connectome of the brain. Myelin is formed by oligodendrocytes and is essential for rapid neuronal electrical communication that underlies the massive computing power of the human brain. Oligodendrocytes are generated throughout life by oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), which are identified by expression of the chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan NG2 (Cspg4), and are often termed NG2-glia. Adult NG2+ OPCs are slowly proliferating cells that have the stem cell–like property of self-renewal and differentiation into a pool of ‘late OPCs’ or ‘differentiation committed’ OPCs(COPs) identified by specific expression of the G-protein-coupled receptor GPR17, which are capable of differentiation into myelinating oligodendrocytes. In the adult brain, these reservoirs of OPCs and COPs ensure rapid myelination of new neuronal connections formed in response to neuronal signalling, which underpins learning and cognitive function. However, there is an age-related decline in myelination that is associated with a loss of neuronal function and cognitive decline. The underlying causes of myelin loss in ageing are manifold, but a key factor is the decay in OPC ‘stemness’ and a decline in their replenishment of COPs, which results in the ultimate failure of myelin regeneration. These changes in ageing OPCs are underpinned by dysregulation of neuronal signalling and OPC metabolic function. Here, we highlight the role of purine signalling in regulating OPC self-renewal and the potential importance of GPR17 and the P2X7 receptor subtype in age-related changes in OPC metabolism. Moreover, age is the main factor in the failure of myelination in chronic multiple sclerosis and myelin loss in Alzheimer’s disease, hence understanding the importance of purine signalling in OPC regeneration and myelination is critical for developing new strategies for promoting repair in age-dependent neuropathology.


Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 485
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Cuollo ◽  
Fabrizio Antonangeli ◽  
Angela Santoni ◽  
Alessandra Soriani

Cellular senescence represents a robust tumor-protecting mechanism that halts the proliferation of stressed or premalignant cells. However, this state of stable proliferative arrest is accompanied by the Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP), which entails the copious secretion of proinflammatory signals in the tissue microenvironment and contributes to age-related conditions, including, paradoxically, cancer. Novel therapeutic strategies aim at eliminating senescent cells with the use of senolytics or abolishing the SASP without killing the senescent cell with the use of the so-called “senomorphics”. In addition, recent works demonstrate the possibility of modifying the composition of the secretome by genetic or pharmacological intervention. The purpose is not to renounce the potent immunostimulatory nature of SASP, but rather learning to modulate it for combating cancer and other age-related diseases. This review describes the main molecular mechanisms regulating the SASP and reports the evidence of the feasibility of abrogating or modulating the SASP, discussing the possible implications of both strategies.


Author(s):  
А. Г. Гунин ◽  
Н. Н. Голубцова ◽  
Н. К. Корнилова

Целью работы стало исследование содержания белка теплового шока 90 ( HSP 90) в фибробластах дермы человека от эмбрионального развития и до глубокой старости (от 20 нед беременности до 85 лет), а также определение значения HSP 90 для возрастных изменений численности фибробластов в дерме человека. HSP 90, ядерный антиген пролиферирующих клеток ( PCNA ) выявляли в срезах кожи непрямым иммуногистохимическим методом. Результаты показали, что в коже человека от 20 нед беременности до 20 лет доля фибробластов дермы с положительной окраской на HSP 90 остается постоянной. С 21 года до 60 лет наблюдают планомерное уменьшение доли фибробластов дермы, имеющих положительную окраску на HSP 90. У людей 61-85 лет происходит резкое увеличение доли фибробластов дермы с положительной окраской на HSP 90. Возрастные изменения содержания HSP 90 положительных фибробластов в дерме статистически не связаны с возрастным уменьшением общего количества и доли PCNA -положительных фибробластов в дерме. The aim of this work was to examine the content of heat shock protein 90 ( HSP 90) in fibroblasts of human dermis from the development until deep aging (from 20 weeks of pregnancy until 85 years old), and defining of a role of HSP 90 in age-dependent changes in the number of fibroblasts in the dermis. HSP 90, proliferating cells nuclear antigen ( PCNA ) were detected with indirect immunohistochemical technique. Results showed that a portion of fibroblasts with positive staining for HSP 90 in the dermis is not changed from 20 weeks of development to 20 years old. Percent of HSP 90 positive fibroblasts in dermis is decreased from 21 to 60 years old. From 61 year, the number of HSP 90 positive fibroblasts in dermis is increased. Age-related changes in the number of HSP 90 positive fibroblasts is not statistically associated with an age-related decrease in a total number and percent of PCNA positive fibroblasts the dermis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (18) ◽  
pp. 9867
Author(s):  
Yi-Chun Huang ◽  
Chao-Yung Wang

Clinical evidence suggests that conventional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors cannot explain all CVD incidences. Recent studies have shown that telomere attrition, clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP), and atherosclerosis (telomere–CHIP–atherosclerosis, TCA) evolve to play a crucial role in CVD. Telomere dynamics and telomerase have an important relationship with age-related CVD. Telomere attrition is associated with CHIP. CHIP is commonly observed in elderly patients. It is characterized by an increase in blood cell clones with somatic mutations, resulting in an increased risk of hematological cancer and atherosclerotic CVD. The most common gene mutations are DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha (DNMT3A), Tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (TET2), and additional sex combs-like 1 (ASXL1). Telomeres, CHIP, and atherosclerosis increase chronic inflammation and proinflammatory cytokine expression. Currently, their epidemiology and detailed mechanisms related to the TCA axis remain incompletely understood. In this article, we reviewed recent research results regarding the development of telomeres and CHIP and their relationship with atherosclerotic CVD.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matiss Ozols ◽  
Alexander Eckersley ◽  
Kieran T Mellody ◽  
Venkatesh Mallikarjun ◽  
Stacey Warwood ◽  
...  

AbstractAlthough dysfunctional protein homeostasis (proteostasis) is a key factor in many age-related diseases, the untargeted identification of structural modifications in proteins remains challenging. Peptide location fingerprinting is a proteomic analysis technique capable of identifying structural modification-associated differences in mass spectrometry (MS) datasets of complex biological samples. A new webtool (Manchester Peptide Location Fingerprinter), applied to photoaged and intrinsically aged skin proteomes, can relatively quantify peptides (spectral counting) and map statistically significant differences to regions within protein structures. New photoageing biomarkers were identified in multiple proteins including matrix components (collagens and proteoglycans), oxidation and protease modulators (peroxiredoxins and SERPINs) and cytoskeletal proteins (keratins). Crucially, for many extracellular biomarkers, structural modification-associated differences were not correlated with relative abundance (by ion intensity). By applying peptide location fingerprinting to published MS datasets, (identifying biomarkers including collagen V and versican in ageing tendon) we demonstrate the potential of the MPLF webtool to discover novel biomarkers.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Gao ◽  
Haiyi Liu ◽  
Ying Zha ◽  
Lijie Wei ◽  
Xuan Zhou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The etiology of about half of the patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) remains unclear, and the imbalance of the immune inflammatory response at the mother-foetal interface may be one of the keys to the onset. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is thought to have a protective effect on pregnancy, and its absence may lead to pregnancy failure, but the evidence is scant. This study aims at investigating whether the loss of G-CSF induced RSA by affecting cell communication at the maternal-foetal interface. Results G-CSF was mainly expressed in villus rather than decidua, and the expression in RSA tissues was lower than that in normal tissues. Down-regulation of G-CSF in trophoblasts resulted in decreased cell activity. Trophoblast-derived exosomes inhibited macrophage activation, while G-CSF free exosomes did not. Intraperitoneal injection of G-CSF improved the pregnancy outcome of RSA mice, and the expression of G-CSF and its receptor at the mother-foetal interface also changed. Conclusion The expression of G-CSF was found to be decreased in villi of patients with RSA. The absence of G-CSF weakens the immune suppression of trophoblasts against macrophages, and the function of trophoblasts is impaired, which may be a key factor in the occurrence of RSA. G-CSF decreased the rate of abortion in RSA mice, and might provide some assistance in the treatment of patients with RSA.


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