The negative effect of senescent cells and targeted treatments for
osteoarthritis and aging
MONDAY, 08 MAY 2017
The negative effect of senescent cells and targeted treatments for osteoarthritis and aging
Cellular Senescence is a state of cells where cells stop taking an active dividing role in the tissue, but at the same time refuse to react to the natural signals to apoptosis (“cellular suicide”). This state does not only leave them as useless and inactive cells, but they also secrete substances (cytokines and extracellular vesicles) which scientists now know have negative effects. This secretion became infamous under the “Senescence Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASPs)”. More than just a negative stimuli for all surrounding cells and the immune system, the state of senescence and SASPs are now regarded as one of the pillars of aging itself, possibly even the single most important one. Enough senescent cells will kill you, but the more common mechanism is that they induce age-related fatal diseases which then end life (if no other cause of death occurs).
Osteoarthritis (OA) effects large parts of the population. It is one of the main causes of pain and disability in our aging population. Classified as a chronic inflammatory disease, the mystery in OA was where the inflammatory molecules were coming from. New work published in the journal Nature Medicine brings at least partialy an answer to this question. The main driving factors for OA appear to be senescent cells and their SASPs. In their study, they could show that clearance of these cells can potentially result in significant and life long lasting improvement in a mouse model even after a single injection.
There are a few types of new drug candidates to induce senescent cell clearing. They range from nutrition supplements (Quercitin), particular chemotherapeutic agents and experimental small molecules (ABT263). But also gene therapeutic approaches and designed specific peptides are among the candidates for as a senescent cell clearing substance.
In another Nature Paper, the regenerative factors for the Stem Cell Secretome, namely extracellular vesicles, is described. In combination, senescent cell clearing followed by the proliferation inducing paracrine effects of the Stem Cell Secretome are likely to fundamentally change the way medicine think about and treat OA.
Links:
Local clearance of senescent cells attenuates the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis and creates a pro-regenerative environment
Extracellular vesicles — new tool for joint repair and regeneration
News & Insights
Rejuvenation Therapy – An Overview of Anti-Aging Stem Cell Therapies
Rejuvenation therapy is a form of medical treatment with the focus to halt, alter and even reverse the aging process. While there is currently no scientifically proven way to delay our internal aging processes themselves, there are ways to alter or delay some of the effects we experience as we age. Stem cell therapy is on the rise as a rejuvenation treatment. In this article, we discuss the differences between the various stem cell therapies for anti-aging.
What are alternative therapies for Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is one of the most common diseases of the nervous system. There is currently no cure for the disease. Common treatments aim at easing symptoms and reducing side effects as much as possible. A big part of the therapy usually includes medication. But are there other options? Can alternative treatments enhance the effect of typical PD therapies, or even stop the progression of the disease? Here we provide an overview of treatment options for PD.
Does stem cell therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis work?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a very serious disease of the central and peripheral nervous system. With the exception of the rare hereditary forms, its cause is still unknown. Even though they are often compared, ALS has nothing to do with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) - they are two completely different diseases.
About one to two out of 100,000 people develop ALS each year. The disease usually begins between the ages of 50 and 70; younger adults are rarely affected. Men are affected slightly more often than women (1.6:1). The frequency of ALS appears to be increasing worldwide. Disease progress varies greatly from patient to patient, and life expectancy is significantly shortened.
Currently, there is no known cure for ALS, but stem cell-based therapies may give patients, their doctors and scientists hope in dealing with this condition.
The Power of Exosomes
The term “exosomes” has frequently been in the news in recent years. They have been known to biologists since their discovery in the 1980s, but they remain something unknown to most other people. As their relevance in the pharmaceutical and medical field increases, we want to explain in simple ways what exosomes are, and why they are disrupting science.
Stem Cell Treatment Improves Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) and Chronic Back Pain
Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is one of the most common sources of back pain and affects approximately 30 million people every year. It can lead to a chronic debilitating condition and can have a serious negative impact on a person's quality of life. Although several structures within the spine have been identified as sources of pain, the intervertebral disc accounts for approx. 40-50% of all chronic lower back pain. When pain from DDD is severe, traditional non-operative treatment may be ineffective.
Recent research has shown that the injection of bone marrow stem cells into degenerating discs can halt and in some cases even reverse their degeneration. This is important, because this in turn slows down or halts the cascade of secondary problems resulting from a degenerating discs, such as chronic back pain, restricted motion, spinal cord and nerve root compression with radiating pain in arms and legs, deformation and inflammation in vertebral bodies (osteochondrosis), facet joint arthrosis and others.
