Ambient PM2.5 exposure causes cellular senescence via DNA damage, micronuclei formation, and cGAS activation

Ambient PM2.5 is one of the environmental risk factors and was correlated with senescence-related diseases based on the epidemiologic investigation. However, little is known about senescence induced by PM2.5 as well as the underlying mechanisms. In this study, we demonstrated that PM2.5 exposure aggravated cellular senescence in vivo and in vitro, and disrupted micronuclei (MN) played a vital role in this process. Our results suggested that the nuclear envelope (NE) of PM2.5-induced MN was ruptured. Subsequently, cGAS was found to localize to approximately 80% of the disrupted MN but few for intact MN. Upon examination of cGAMP and SA-beta-Gal, the cGAS-STING pathway was found activated and related to cellular senescence induced by PM2.5. Taken together, we reported a novel finding that PM2.5 exposure causes cellular senescence via DNA damage, MN formation, and cGAS activation. These results revealed the potential toxicity of PM2.5 and its related mechanisms in cellular senescence.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates that PM2.5 exposure aggravates cellular senescence and reveals the crucial role of micronuclei. The results indicate that the nuclear envelope of PM2.5-induced micronuclei is ruptured, leading to the activation of the cGAS-STING pathway, which is associated with cellular senescence.