Tumour suppressors and cellular senescence

Cellular senescence is a stable cell cycle arrest that normal cells undergo in response to a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli, including progressive telomere shortening, changes in telomeric structure or other forms of genotoxic as well nongenotoxic stress. Senescence is thought to have originated as a remodelling program that is active in embryonic development and acts as a key tumour suppressor mechanism during the reproductive stage in early adult life, by leading to the removal of potentially cancerous cells. However, in later adult life, it promotes organismal aging by compromising tissue repair and regeneration due to the accumulation of senescent cells, depletion of stem/progenitor cells and secretion of an array of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and matrix metalloproteases. Whilst suppressing tumour formation in the senescent cells, these inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and metalloproteases can promote tumour progression and metastasis in the neighbouring cells. Herein, we review the molecular pathways that underlie cellular senescence and how it contributes towards tumour suppression.

Cellular senescence and aging: the role of B-MYB

Cellular senescence is a stable cell cycle arrest, caused by insults, such as: telomere erosion, oncogene activation, irradiation, DNA damage, oxidative stress, and viral infection. Extrinsic stimuli such as cell culture stress can also trigger this growth arrest. Senescence is thought to have evolved as an example of antagonistic pleiotropy, as it acts as a tumor suppressor mechanism during the reproductive age, but can promote organismal aging by disrupting tissue renewal, repair, and regeneration later in life. The mechanisms underlying the senescence growth arrest are broadly considered to involve p16(INK4A) -pRB and p53-p21(CIP1/WAF1/SDI1) tumor suppressor pathways; but it is not known what makes the senescence arrest stable and what the critical downstream targets are, as they are likely to be key to the establishment and maintenance of the senescent state. MYB-related protein B (B-MYB/MYBL2), a member of the myeloblastosis family of transcription factors, has recently emerged as a potential candidate for regulating entry into senescence. Here, we review the evidence which indicates that loss of B-MYB expression has an important role in causing senescence growth arrest. We discuss how B-MYB acts, as the gatekeeper, to coordinate transit through the cell cycle, in conjunction with the multivulval class B (MuvB) complex and FOXM1 transcription factors. We also evaluate the evidence connecting B-MYB to the mTOR nutrient signaling pathway and suggest that inhibition of this pathway leading to an extension of healthspan may involve activation of B-MYB.

Friend or foe: emerging role of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells in cell senescence

The nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) proteins are a family of ubiquitously expressed transcription factors that regulate the response to cellular stress. They mediate innate and adaptive immunity through the initiation of an inflammatory response to pro-inflammatory signals. The role of persistent inflammation in aiding tumor development has led to the NF-κB family of transcription factors being strongly implicated in promoting cancer. However, recent studies have now revealed that NF-κB can also function as a tumor suppressor through the induction of cellular senescence. Cellular senescence is a stable cell cycle arrest that normal cells undergo in response to a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli including: progressive telomere shortening, changes in telomeric structure, or other forms of genotoxic stress. Senescence can compromise tissue repair and regeneration, contributing to tissue and organismal aging via the accumulation of senescent cells, depletion of stem/progenitor cells and secretion of an array of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and matrix metalloproteinases. Senescence can also lead to the removal of potentially cancerous cells, thereby acting as a potent tumor suppressor mechanism. Herein, we review the evidence indicating a role for NF-κB in tumor suppression via cellular senescence and suggest that depending upon the subunit expressed, the biological context, and the type and intensity of the signal, NF-κB can indeed promote senescence growth arrest.