The interplay of cellular senescence and reprogramming shapes the biological landscape of aging and cancer revealing novel therapeutic avenues

Cellular senescence and cellular reprogramming represent two fundamentally intertwined processes that profoundly influence aging and cancer. This paper explores how the permanent cell-cycle arrest of senescent cells and the identity-resetting capacity of reprogramming jointly shape biological outcom...

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Main Authors: Fuan Ding, Ying Yu, Jiangqi Zhao, Shibo Wei, Yan Zhang, Jung Ho Han, Zhuo Li, Hong-Bo Jiang, Dongryeol Ryu, Minkyoung Cho, Sung-Jin Bae, Wonyoung Park, Ki-Tae Ha, Bo Gao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1593096/full
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author Fuan Ding
Ying Yu
Jiangqi Zhao
Shibo Wei
Yan Zhang
Jung Ho Han
Zhuo Li
Hong-Bo Jiang
Dongryeol Ryu
Minkyoung Cho
Sung-Jin Bae
Wonyoung Park
Wonyoung Park
Ki-Tae Ha
Ki-Tae Ha
Bo Gao
author_facet Fuan Ding
Ying Yu
Jiangqi Zhao
Shibo Wei
Yan Zhang
Jung Ho Han
Zhuo Li
Hong-Bo Jiang
Dongryeol Ryu
Minkyoung Cho
Sung-Jin Bae
Wonyoung Park
Wonyoung Park
Ki-Tae Ha
Ki-Tae Ha
Bo Gao
author_sort Fuan Ding
collection DOAJ
description Cellular senescence and cellular reprogramming represent two fundamentally intertwined processes that profoundly influence aging and cancer. This paper explores how the permanent cell-cycle arrest of senescent cells and the identity-resetting capacity of reprogramming jointly shape biological outcomes in later life and tumor development. We synthesize recent findings to show that senescent cells, while halting the proliferation of damaged cells, can paradoxically promote tissue dysfunction and malignancy via their secretory phenotype. Conversely, induced reprogramming of somatic cells—exemplified by Yamanaka factors—resets cellular age and epigenetic marks, offering a potential to rejuvenate aged cells. Key findings highlight shared mechanisms (e.g., DNA damage responses and epigenetic remodeling) and bidirectional crosstalk between these processes: senescence signals can facilitate neighboring cell plasticity, whereas reprogramming attempts can trigger intrinsic senescence programs as a barrier. In aging tissues, transient (partial) reprogramming has been shown to erase senescence markers and restore cell function without inducing tumorigenesis, underlining a novel strategy to combat age-related degeneration. In cancer, we discuss how therapy-induced senescence of tumor cells may induce stem-cell-like traits in some cells and drive relapse, revealing a delicate balance between tumor suppression and tumor promotion. Understanding the interplay between senescence and reprogramming is crucial for developing innovative therapies. By targeting the senescence–reprogramming axis–for instance, via senolytic drugs, SASP inhibitors, or safe reprogramming techniques–there is significant therapeutic potential to ameliorate aging-related diseases and improve cancer treatment. Our findings underscore that carefully modulating cellular senescence and rejuvenation processes could pave the way for novel regenerative and anti-cancer strategies.
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spelling doaj-art-69e786cb15bf47bd998a947219428aa02025-08-20T02:29:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology2296-634X2025-04-011310.3389/fcell.2025.15930961593096The interplay of cellular senescence and reprogramming shapes the biological landscape of aging and cancer revealing novel therapeutic avenuesFuan Ding0Ying Yu1Jiangqi Zhao2Shibo Wei3Yan Zhang4Jung Ho Han5Zhuo Li6Hong-Bo Jiang7Dongryeol Ryu8Minkyoung Cho9Sung-Jin Bae10Wonyoung Park11Wonyoung Park12Ki-Tae Ha13Ki-Tae Ha14Bo Gao15Department of Vascular Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaDepartment of Surgery, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, ChinaDepartment of Dermatology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaDepartment of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of KoreaKorean Medicine Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daegu, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, ChinaDepartment of Dermatology, Qingdao Women and Children’s Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaDepartment of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Molecular Biology and Immunology, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea0Department of Korean Medical Science, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea1Research Institute for Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea0Department of Korean Medical Science, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea1Research Institute for Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Vascular Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaCellular senescence and cellular reprogramming represent two fundamentally intertwined processes that profoundly influence aging and cancer. This paper explores how the permanent cell-cycle arrest of senescent cells and the identity-resetting capacity of reprogramming jointly shape biological outcomes in later life and tumor development. We synthesize recent findings to show that senescent cells, while halting the proliferation of damaged cells, can paradoxically promote tissue dysfunction and malignancy via their secretory phenotype. Conversely, induced reprogramming of somatic cells—exemplified by Yamanaka factors—resets cellular age and epigenetic marks, offering a potential to rejuvenate aged cells. Key findings highlight shared mechanisms (e.g., DNA damage responses and epigenetic remodeling) and bidirectional crosstalk between these processes: senescence signals can facilitate neighboring cell plasticity, whereas reprogramming attempts can trigger intrinsic senescence programs as a barrier. In aging tissues, transient (partial) reprogramming has been shown to erase senescence markers and restore cell function without inducing tumorigenesis, underlining a novel strategy to combat age-related degeneration. In cancer, we discuss how therapy-induced senescence of tumor cells may induce stem-cell-like traits in some cells and drive relapse, revealing a delicate balance between tumor suppression and tumor promotion. Understanding the interplay between senescence and reprogramming is crucial for developing innovative therapies. By targeting the senescence–reprogramming axis–for instance, via senolytic drugs, SASP inhibitors, or safe reprogramming techniques–there is significant therapeutic potential to ameliorate aging-related diseases and improve cancer treatment. Our findings underscore that carefully modulating cellular senescence and rejuvenation processes could pave the way for novel regenerative and anti-cancer strategies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1593096/fullagingcancercellular senescencereprogrammingtumor progression
spellingShingle Fuan Ding
Ying Yu
Jiangqi Zhao
Shibo Wei
Yan Zhang
Jung Ho Han
Zhuo Li
Hong-Bo Jiang
Dongryeol Ryu
Minkyoung Cho
Sung-Jin Bae
Wonyoung Park
Wonyoung Park
Ki-Tae Ha
Ki-Tae Ha
Bo Gao
The interplay of cellular senescence and reprogramming shapes the biological landscape of aging and cancer revealing novel therapeutic avenues
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
aging
cancer
cellular senescence
reprogramming
tumor progression
title The interplay of cellular senescence and reprogramming shapes the biological landscape of aging and cancer revealing novel therapeutic avenues
title_full The interplay of cellular senescence and reprogramming shapes the biological landscape of aging and cancer revealing novel therapeutic avenues
title_fullStr The interplay of cellular senescence and reprogramming shapes the biological landscape of aging and cancer revealing novel therapeutic avenues
title_full_unstemmed The interplay of cellular senescence and reprogramming shapes the biological landscape of aging and cancer revealing novel therapeutic avenues
title_short The interplay of cellular senescence and reprogramming shapes the biological landscape of aging and cancer revealing novel therapeutic avenues
title_sort interplay of cellular senescence and reprogramming shapes the biological landscape of aging and cancer revealing novel therapeutic avenues
topic aging
cancer
cellular senescence
reprogramming
tumor progression
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1593096/full
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