Cellular senescence is increasingly recognized as a hallmark of aging, contributing to various age-related morbidities and decline. This review by Olinger and Basisty focuses on circulating biomarkers of senescence, particularly the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which is characterized by a pro-inflammatory secretome.
The authors highlight that SASP factors, when tracked in circulation, correlate with age-related clinical traits and diseases. This raises the intriguing possibility that the senescence burden could be assessed noninvasively in clinical settings, providing valuable insights into an individual’s susceptibility to age-related morbidity.
The review categorizes clinical parameters associated with the circulating senescence burden into four primary health domains: neurodegeneration, pulmonary disease, cardiometabolic disease, and musculoskeletal disorders. For each domain, the authors delve into the biological mechanisms underlying the negative impacts of senescence, supported by evidence from both clinical and preclinical models.
One significant finding is that the accumulation of senescent cells appears to suppress stemness throughout the body, suggesting a causal role for senescence in age-related decline. This highlights the potential for novel therapeutic avenues aimed at modulating senescence burden and improving clinical parameters.
Among the biomarkers discussed, GDF15 and Activin A are noted for their clinical relevance across multiple health domains, indicating their potential utility in understanding and addressing age-related morbidities.
Overall, this review provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the role of senescence in aging and the development of diagnostic biomarker panels that could enhance clinical care in the future.
What this study does not show
This review does not provide direct evidence from clinical trials demonstrating the effectiveness of specific therapeutic interventions based on the identified biomarkers of senescence.
Evidence scorecard
- Analytic validity: established
- Clinical validity: partial
- Clinical utility: not established
The evidence is based on a review of existing literature regarding biomarkers of senescence in humans.