Senotherapeutic peptide treatment reduces biological age and senescence burden in human skin models

Author(s):Show less -

Zonari, Alessandra ; Brace, Lear E. E. ; Al-Katib, Kallie ; Porto, William F. F. ; Foyt, Daniel ; Guiang, Mylieneth ; Cruz, Edgar Andres Ochoa ; Marshall, Bailey ; Gentz, Melissa ; Guimaraes, Gabriela Rapozo ; Franco, Octavio L. L. ; Oliveira, Carolina R. R. ; Boroni, Mariana ; Carvalho, Juliana L. L.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: NPJ AGING; v. 9, n. 1, p. 15-pg., 2023-05-22.

Abstract

Cellular senescence is known to play a role in age-related skin function deterioration which potentially influences longevity. Here, a two-step phenotypic screening was performed to identify senotherapeutic peptides, leading to the identification of Peptide (Pep) 14. Pep 14 effectively decreased human dermal fibroblast senescence burden induced by Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), chronological aging, ultraviolet-B radiation (UVB), and etoposide treatment, without inducing significant toxicity. Pep 14 functions via modulation of PP2A, an understudied holoenzyme that promotes genomic stability and is involved in DNA repair and senescence pathways. At the single-cell level, Pep 14 modulates genes that prevent senescence progression by arresting the cell cycle and enhancing DNA repair, which consequently reduce the number of cells progressing to late senescence. When applied on aged ex vivo skin, Pep 14 promoted a healthy skin phenotype with structural and molecular resemblance to young ex vivo skin, decreased the expression of senescence markers, including SASP, and reduced the DNA methylation age. In summary, this work shows the safe reduction of the biological age of ex vivo human skins by a senomorphic peptide. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/22057-5 - Physiological effects and transgenerational inheritance induced by cholesterol-rich diet in Caenorhabditis elegans
• Grantee: Willian Goulart Salgueiro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 17/01184-9 - CAMeLEOm: cross-species analysis of metabolic, lifespan effects and omics of dietary restriction mimetics
• Grantee: Marcelo Alves da Silva Mori
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants