They also look for increased enzyme activity such as senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal), which can help identify aging cells.
Targeting Aging Cells: New DNA Tools for Precise Senescence Treatment
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Scientists have been studying cellular senescence, a natural process where cells stop dividing and enter a state of permanent rest. This process helps prevent the growth of damaged cells, but too many senescent cells can cause inflammation. This can lead to aging problems and diseases like arthritis or cancer. Researchers are now focusing on how to selectively remove these harmful aging cells using specialized tools called senolytics.
Aging Cells: Understanding Cell Senescence and Its Challenges
Cellular senescence happens when cells permanently stop growing but do not die off. While this protects the body from cancer, the buildup of these cells over time creates inflammation. This happens through the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). SASP involves harmful chemicals that increase tissue damage and disease risk, often exacerbated by the presence of aging cells.
The main problem in treating senescent cells is that they share many features with healthy non-dividing cells. This makes it hard to target them without affecting normal tissues. In addition, there isn’t a single universal marker that identifies all senescent cells. Scientists typically look for combinations of markers like proteins p16 and p21. They also look for increased enzyme activity such as senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal), which can help identify aging cells.
Aptamers: Special DNA Tools for Identifying Senescent Cells
A recent breakthrough uses a technique called Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX). This helps select DNA molecules known as aptamers. These aptamers can specifically bind to markers present only on senescent cells, allowing for targeted detection and treatment.
This method lets researchers create aptamers tailored to bind strongly to aging cells but not healthy ones. In lab tests with mouse fibroblasts—common connective tissue cells—they successfully found aptamers that prefer binding to senescent over normal cells. These findings illustrate the power of aptamers in targeting aging cells effectively.
The Importance of Selective Senolytics Delivery
Selective delivery means only the harmful senescent cells are destroyed while leaving healthy or resting cells intact. Current approaches combine aptamers with special drug carriers like liposomes. They also use antibody-drug conjugates that release drugs precisely at targeted sites after recognizing cell markers, including those on aging cells.
Why This Research Matters for Future Health and Aging Cells
The accumulation of senescent cells is linked with age-related diseases and chronic inflammation. Therefore, therapies that can clear these problematic cells may slow aging effects and improve quality of life.
This new aptamer-based method shows promise because it does not rely on predefined cell targets. Instead, it evolves molecules that adaptively find key differences between healthy and aging cells. Such adaptability opens doors for safer, more effective treatments targeting specific cell subpopulations involved in conditions like osteoarthritis or fibrosis.
The Connection Between Aptamer Binding and Aging Cells
One remarkable finding from this research is showing how aptamer binding intensity correlates with age-related burden of senescence in living animals. This provides a useful way to measure therapy progression or disease levels non-invasively in real time, focusing particularly on aging cells.
The Road Ahead: Clinical Applications and Beyond
The success of this research lays foundations for developing novel therapies aimed directly at cellular aging processes. This has the potential to extend human health span. It also highlights how innovative DNA technologies like aptamers can contribute beyond diagnostics into precise treatment delivery platforms targeting aging cells.
Additionally, to stay updated with the latest developments in STEM research, visit ENTECH Online. Basically, this is our digital magazine for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Further, at ENTECH Online, you’ll find a wealth of information.
Reference:
- Pearson, K. S., Jachim, S. K., Doherty, C. D., Wilbanks, B. A., Prieto, L. I., Dugan, M., Baker, D. J., LeBrasseur, N. K., & James Maher, L. (2025). An Unbiased Cell‐Culture Selection Yields DNA Aptamers as Novel Senescent Cell‐Specific Reagents. Aging Cell. https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.70245
- Author
- Latest Posts
I’m a web developer and science writer with a Master’s degree in Computer Applications (MCA) from Pune University.
I work in tech, building websites and staying updated with the latest developments. I also love writing about physics, chemistry, technology, robotics, mathematics, and breakthrough innovations. My passion is breaking down complex scientific topics into simple, easy-to-understand stories.
My goal is to help everyone stay informed about the exciting changes happening in science and technology. I believe understanding science shouldn’t be complicated—it should be accessible to all.
