Senopathies-Diseases Associated with Cellular Senescence

Cellular senescence describes a stable cell cycle arrest state with a characteristic phenotype. Senescent cells accumulate in the human body during normal aging, limiting the lifespan and promoting aging-related, but also several non-related, pathologies. We propose to refer to all diseases whose pathogenesis or progression is associated with cellular senescence as senopathies. Targeting senescent cells with senolytics or senomorphics is likely to mitigate these pathologies. Examples of senopathies include cardiovascular, metabolic, musculoskeletal, liver, kidney, and lung diseases and neurodegeneration. For all these pathologies, animal studies provide clear mechanistic evidence for a connection between senescent cell accumulation and disease progression. The major persisting challenge in developing novel senotherapies is the heterogeneity of senescence phenotypes, causing a lack of universal biomarkers and difficulties in discriminating senescent from non-senescent cells.

Automated summary

Cellular senescence refers to a stable cell cycle arrest state with specific characteristics. Senescent cells accumulate in the body during normal aging, limiting lifespan and promoting aging-related as well as unrelated diseases. Diseases associated with cellular senescence are referred to as senopathies, and targeting senescent cells through senolytics or senomorphics may help mitigate these diseases. Animal studies provide mechanistic evidence for the connection between senescent cell accumulation and disease progression in various senopathies, including cardiovascular, metabolic, musculoskeletal, liver, kidney, lung diseases, and neurodegeneration. The development of novel senotherapies is hindered by the heterogeneity of senescence phenotypes, resulting in a lack of universal biomarkers and difficulties in distinguishing senescent from non-senescent cells.