Aging and senotherapeutics

Abstract

One of the key mechanisms of the aging process of an organism and of the dysfunctionality and chronic diseases related with aging is the so-called cell senescence. It implies irreversible cell cycle arrest that occurs in response to different forms of cellular stress. Senescent cells that accumulate over time are viable, subject to phenotypic changes and excrete different soluble factors, and may affect adjacent cells, resulting in tissue and organ function disorders. Since old age is an important risk factor for many diseases, the interest of the scientific community is to reduce or avoid the effects of the aging processes. Among numerous developed therapeutic strategies, the development of senotherapeutics (i.e. the targeting strategy) has a significant place and is based on the removal of senescent cells and the abolishment of their adverse effects. Although many questions are still open, based on numerous experimental studies, it is expected that the development of senotherapeutics will contribute to the healthy life of the elderly and the treatment of specific age-related diseases.