A pioneering research on the identification and isolation of senescent cells, led by the Professor of Medicine of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the British University of Dundee, Vassilis Gorgoulis, paves the way for personalized cancer treatment.

THE cellular aging (cellular senescence) is a response mechanism of cells to stress and other toxic and potentially carcinogenic stimuli. Cells stop multiplying and their genome changes in order to prevent the damage to their genetic material from being passed on to the next generation. However, in some cases these cells are not removed from the body and can potentially lead to the creation of neoplastic disease or other diseases, such as autoimmune diseases.

During his many years of research, Mr. Gorgoulis focuses his interest on the fundamental question of how cells react to stimuli that cause damage to the genome. Through previous publications in international scientific journals, such as Nature, Science and Cancer Cell, he has presented, among others, the dynamic model of carcinogenesis, which has been established as one of the main models for understanding and treating cancer. Also, with his research he has contributed to overturning the view that cellular senescence is an irreversible state of cell inactivity and to establishing cellular senescence as a fundamental feature of cancer.

At the center of the recent research he conducted with his collaborators was the concern that until now senescent cells were only found in biopathological laboratories during cell culture and it was not possible to isolate them.

As an answer, the group of Greek researchers created an innovative chemical compound-reagent (GLF16) with the help of which senescent cells are located directly in the human body, as well as in living tissues.

“Once we identify where the damage is with the senescent cells, we can then develop technology to neutralize them, and their neutralization is done with a group of drugs called senolytic drugs,” Vassilis Gorgoulis explains to APE-MPE.

After creating the reagent, the researchers incorporated it into a nanoparticle, in order to introduce it into the body and it would locate the aging cells, through the substance lipofuscin they contain.

With this method the researchers managed not only to locate but also to isolate the senescent cells.

This isolation will help destroy them without affecting healthy cells. Thus, it will be able to be provided to the patient personalized treatment reducing the risk of relapses and side effects.

The next research goal of Mr. Gorgoulis and his collaborators, “which will be a big revolution in the field”, as he explains, is to connect the senolytic drugs with the reagent they synthesized, integrate them inside the nanoparticle and administer it to the human organism, “so that we can identify and destroy these foci of senescent cells that are directly related to the dysfunction of the organism”.

The research was published in the scientific journal “Molecular Cell”.