Scientists have just updated the role of senescent cells, these “zombie” cells that accumulate with age. Reputed to be responsible for aging, they could also prevent it in a certain way.
- As people age, senescent cells accumulate in the body. These are cells that are too old to divide, have lost their function, but are still active and can induce inflammation and oxidation in the body, which increases the risk of cancer or neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases.
- Loneliness, unhappiness, restless sleep and celibacy are factors that accelerate the rate of biological aging, according to a recent study published in the journal Aging-US.
As we age, senescent cells accumulate in our tissues. Unable to divide, they can cause inflammation and promote the production of toxic residues for the body, which increases the risk of developing diseases such as cancer or Alzheimer’s. Unsurprisingly, these so-called “zombie” cells have become over time a privileged target of anti-aging medicine, which considers that they should be eliminated to prevent pathologies and live longer in good health. But researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (United States), have just reassessed the role of these cells which, in reality, would not all be so harmful.
Aging Cells Can Damage…and Heal
Previous work has shown that eliminating these senescent cells in animals, using drugs called senolytics, can counteract or reduce age-related diseases, and thus prolong their life expectancy. The new study, published in the journal Sciencereveals on the contrary that killing “zombie” cells could in fact prove to be counterproductive in limiting the ravages of aging.
Indeed, the researchers discovered that some of these cells exist in young and healthy tissues, and can therefore participate in the repair of damaged tissues and the healing of the body. How ? “By stimulating nearby stem cells to grow and initiate repair” damage, says professor of medicine Tien Peng, lead author of the study, in a communicated of the University.
The scientific team observed in particular the advantages of these “zombie” cells in lung tissue, but also in other organs that act as a “barrier” in the body, such as the small intestine, the colon and the skin: the longer these cells were killed with senolytic drugs, the slower the tissue damage healed!
Distinguish between useful and harmful “zombie” cells
“Studies suggest that senolytic research should focus on the precise recognition and targeting of harmful senescent cells, perhaps at the earliest signs of disease, while leaving useful cells intact”Professor Leanne Jones, co-author of the study, said in a statement.
“These findings highlight the need to develop better drugs and small molecules that will target specific subsets of senescent cells involved in disease rather than regeneration.”