Open AccessCharacterization of cellular senescence in aging skeletal muscle
Author(s) -
Xu Zhang,
Leena Habiballa,
Zaira Aversa,
Yan Er Ng,
Ayumi Sakamoto,
Davis A. Englund,
Vesselina Pearsall,
Thomas A. White,
Matthew M. Robinson,
Donato A. Rivas,
Surendra Dasari,
Adam Hruby,
Anthony B. Lagnado,
Sarah K. Jachim,
Antoneta Granic,
Avan A. Sayer,
Diana Jurk,
Ian R. Lanza,
Sundeep Khosla,
Roger A. Fielding,
K. Sreekumaran Nair,
Marissa J. Schafer,
João F. Passos,
Nathan K. LeBrasseur
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
nature aging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2662-8465
DOI - 10.1038/s43587-022-00250-8
Subject(s) - senescence , phenotype , biology , skeletal muscle , microbiology and biotechnology , chromatin , cellular senescence , gene , genetics , anatomy
Senescence is a cell fate that contributes to multiple aging-related pathologies. Despite profound age-associated changes in skeletal muscle (SkM), whether its constituent cells are prone to senesce has not been methodically examined. Herein, using single cell and bulk RNA-sequencing and complementary imaging methods on SkM of young and old mice, we demonstrate that a subpopulation of old fibroadipogenic progenitors highly expresses p16 Ink4a together with multiple senescence-related genes and, concomitantly, exhibits DNA damage and chromatin reorganization. Through analysis of isolated myofibers, we also detail a senescence phenotype within a subset of old cells, governed instead by p2 Cip1 . Administration of a senotherapeutic intervention to old mice countered age-related molecular and morphological changes and improved SkM strength. Finally, we found that the senescence phenotype is conserved in SkM from older humans. Collectively, our data provide compelling evidence for cellular senescence as a hallmark and potentially tractable mediator of SkM aging.