Scientists have discovered a biochemical switch that seals a cell’s fate.
A buildup of the protein GATA4 forces cells to enter a permanently static state known as senescence, researchers report in the Sept. 25 Science. The discovery sheds light on a complex biological process linked to aging and cancer, and may help scientists better understand and treat aging-related diseases.
Senescence — in which cells stop growing and dividing — results from serious stress and genetic damage, says study coauthor Stephen Elledge, a geneticist at Harvard Medical School. GATA4 helps turn on this response in cells. The researchers found that senescent cells contained higher levels of GATA4, and producing the protein in human connective tissue cells turned the cells senescent.
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