Chronic social stress induces p16-mediated senescent cell accumulation in mice
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ABSTRACT: Life stress can shorten lifespan and increase risk for aging-related diseases, but the biology underlying this phenomenon remains unclear. We assessed the effect of chronic stress on cellular senescence — a hallmark of aging. Exposure to restraint stress, a psychological non-social stress model, increased p21Cip1 exclusively in the brains of male, but not female mice, and in a p16Ink4a-independent manner. Conversely, exposure to chronic subordination stress (CSS; males only were tested) increased key senescent cell (SNC) markers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, adipose tissue and brain, in a p16Ink4a-dependent manner. p16Ink4a-positive cells in the brain of CSS-exposed mice were primarily hippocampal and cortical neurons with evidence of DNA damage that could be reduced by p16Ink4a cell clearance. Clearance of p16Ink4a-positive cells was not sufficient to ameliorate the adverse effects of social stress on measured metrics of healthspan. Overall, our findings indicate that social stress induces an organ-specific and p16Ink4a-dependent accumulation SNCs, illuminating a fundamental way by which the social environment can contribute to aging.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE278620 | GEO | 2024/10/02
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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