Title:Impact of Cellular Senescence in Aging and Cancer
Volume: 19
Issue: 9
Author(s): Mauro Provinciali, Maurizio Cardelli, Francesca Marchegiani and Elisa Pierpaoli
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Cellular senescence, cancer, aging, extrinsic stress, growth arrest, tumour growth, age-related changes, tumor suppressor genes, epigenetic changes, immune functions
Abstract: Cellular senescence is a response to nonlethal intrinsic or extrinsic stress that results in persistent growth arrest with a distinct
morphological and biochemical phenotype. The engagement of senescence may represent a key component for therapeutic intervention in
the eradication of cancer. Nevertheless, for many years, the role of senescence in opposing tumour growth in vivo had previously been
underestimated. The potential role of cellular senescence in anti-cancer therapy may be particularly attractive in advanced age, because of
the age-related changes occurring at the level of both tumor suppressor genes and immune functions. This review, which is focused on
the impact of cellular senescence in aging and cancer, summarises the intrinsic pathways and the molecular and epigenetic changes involved
in the induction of cellular senescence, and analyzes the changes occurring at the level of these pathways during aging and cancer.
