Pseudo-DNA damage response in senescent cells

Cellular senescence is currently viewed as a response to DNA damage. In this report, we showed that non-damaging agents such as sodium butyrate-induced p21 and ectopic expression of either p21 or p16 cause cellular senescence without detectable DNA breaks. Nevertheless, senescent cells displayed components of DNA damage response (DDR) such as gamma H2AX foci and uniform nuclear staining for p-ATM. Importantly, there was no accumulation of 53BP1 in gamma H2AX foci of senescent cells. Consistently, comet assay failed to detect DNA damage. Rapamycin, an inhibitor of mTOR, which was shown to suppress cellular senescence, decreased gamma H2AX foci formation. Thus, cellular senescence leads to activation of atypical DDR without detectable DNA damage. Pseudo-DDR may be a marker of general over-activation of senescent cells.