Targeting Senescent Cells in Blood Vessels Shows Promise for Diabetes Treatment
A new study suggests eliminating “zombie cells” – senescent cells that stop dividing but don’t die – from blood vessels could offer a novel approach to treating diabetes and other age-related metabolic diseases. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have demonstrated that removing these cells in mice improved glucose tolerance and reduced signs of metabolic dysfunction. Early findings from tissue samples of human adults with obesity mirrored these results.
The research, published recently, centers on the idea that the accumulation of senescent cells disrupts normal metabolic processes. “Cellular metabolism gets altered, and that translates into abnormal tissue and then abnormal whole-body metabolism,” explained Dr. Nicolas Musi, a study author, to Live Science. This dysfunction isn’t limited to a single organ, suggesting a broader application for therapies targeting these cells.
The study involved two groups of mice with diet-induced obesity. Researchers then treated both groups with fisetin,a senolytic drug known to eliminate senescent cells. Both groups exhibited a reduction in senescent blood vessel cells and improved glucose tolerance following treatment. Similar results were observed when the drug was tested on tissue samples from six adults in their 40s and 50s with obesity.
“Metabolic dysfunction is a whole-body problem. You have nutrient utilization alterations in a lot of tissues,” said Dr. Catalina Aguayo-Mazzucato, lead researcher on the study. She believes targeting senescent vascular cells throughout the body could address a range of diseases, moving beyond treating individual conditions like diabetes, Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s. “The idea is saying thay’re all age-related and there are pathways that are common to all age-related diseases,” Aguayo-Mazzucato added.
Researchers emphasize the need for further investigation, including clinical trials, to confirm these findings in humans. Dr. Kevin Suda, a study author, stated that future research should determine if senescence impacts human blood vessels in the same way it does in mice.
this article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.
