Search

Objective Emerging evidence demonstrates that excessive accumulation of senescent cells is associated with some chronic diseases and suggests a pathogenic role of cellular senescence in fibrotic processes, such as that occurring in ageing or in SSc. Recently we demonstrated that parvovirus B19 (B19V) activates normal human dermal fibroblasts and induces expression of different profibrotic/pro-inflammatory genes. This observation prompted us to investigate whether it is also able to induce fibroblast senescence as a potential pathogenetic mechanism in B19V-induced fibrosis. Methods Primary cultures of fibroblasts were infected with B19V and analysed for the acquisition of senescence markers, such as morphological modifications, senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity, DNA damage response and expression of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP)-related factors. Results We demonstrated that B19V-infected fibroblasts develop typical senescence features such as enlarged and flat-shaped morphology and SA-β-gal activity similar to that observed in SSc skin fibroblasts. They also developed an SASP-like phenotype characterized by mRNA expression and release of some pro-inflammatory cytokines, along with activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor κB. Moreover, we observed B19V-induced DNA damage with the comet assay: a subpopulation of fibroblasts from B19V-infected cultures showed a significantly higher level of DNA strand breaks and oxidative damage compared with mock-infected cells. An increased level and nuclear localization of γH2AX, a hallmark of DNA damage response, were also found. Conclusions B19V-induced senescence and production of SASP-like factors in normal dermal fibroblasts could represent a new pathogenic mechanism of non-productive B19V infection, which may have a role in the fibrotic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senescent cells are characterized by an increased secretion of inflammatory and growth factors, known as the "senescence-associated secretory phenotype" (SASP), producing a pro-tumoral and pro-angiogenic microenvironment. This work proposes chronic resveratrol treatment (5 µM for 5 weeks, termed R5) of senescent MRC5 fibroblasts as a mean to mimic and target the angiogenic trait of stromal fibroblast SASP. Senescent fibroblast conditioned medium (CM sen) was effective in enhancing the angiogenic properties of endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs), that is, invasive activity and capillary morphogenesis capability in vitro, that were significantly reduced when conditioned media were collected after resveratrol pretreatment (CM senR5). The attenuation of ECFC angiogenic phenotype induced by CM senR5 was accompanied by reduced protein levels of epidermal growth factor and urokinase plasminogen activator receptors (EGFR, uPAR), and by a related decreased activation of receptor-tyrosine-kinase signaling pathways. IL8 levels were found reduced in CM senR5 compared to CM sen, with the associated reduction of IL8-CXCR2 binding in ECFCs. IL8-subtraction mitigated the pro-angiogenic features of CM sen and the associated intracellular signaling in ECFCs, indicating a prominent role of IL8 in the pro-angiogenic effects of CM sen. IL8 modulation is an important mechanism underlying the antiangiogenic activity of resveratrol on MRC5 SASP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Parvovirus B19 induces cellular senescence in human dermal fibroblasts: putative role in systemic sclerosis-associated fibrosis," published online in 2021 is presented.