A new study presents a novel technique for detecting senescent cells through urine, using a non-invasive method to keep track of aging and the efficacy of senolytic treatments. The findings could revolutionize methods to handling age-related conditions, highlighting the potential for urinary treatments to reduce cellular senescence and enhance health outcomes.New research assists to comprehend the aging process much better and establish brand-new methods to reverse the degenerative procedures associated with aging.A collaborative effort involving researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València, Universitat de València, the CIBER divisions of Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), and Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBER-NED), along with the Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe (CIPF), has led to the advancement of an innovative probe for finding senescent cells in urine. This advancement could boost our understanding of aging procedures, facilitating the monitoring and development of new strategies to combat degenerative aging-related conditions. The findings were published in Nature Communications.As the researchers explain, one of the trademarks of aging is the increased frequency of senescent cells in a lot of organs, resulting in tissue dysfunction. The existence of these cells is likewise associated with lots of age-related illness.” The primary objective of cellular senescence is to prevent the expansion of damaged cells that can cause cancer. When damage persists or during aging, senescent cells build up unusually, impacting tissue function and accelerating aging. This is why it is essential to develop brand-new systems to find these cells easily and efficiently,” states Ramón Martínez Máñez, deputy director of the Inter-University Research Institute for Molecular Recognition Research and Technological Development (IDM) at the UPV and scientific director of CIBER-BBN. The scientists. Credit: UPVWhen injected into mice, the probe interacts with an enzyme especially abundant in senescent cells, producing a fluorescent substance quickly excreted in the urine. “And depending on the strength of the signal in the urine, we can understand the concern of senescent cells in the organism,” points out Isabel Fariñas of the UV and deputy director of CIBERNED, and scientist Mar Orzáez of the CIPF.Monitoring and Implications for TreatmentIn their research study, they likewise kept track of senolytic treatment with drugs that eliminate senescent cells and can rejuvenate tissues. They observed that the intensity of the signal in the urine was associated with the decrease of senescence in the animals and the reduction of age-related anxiety.” When administered, a fluorophore is released, which is ultimately excreted by the kidneys and can be measured in the urine. The intensity of the fluorophore shows the level of cellular senescence load, and we have actually seen that this associates with age-related anxiety throughout aging and senolytic treatment,” explains Isabel Fariñas of UV and deputy director of CIBERNED.The outcomes acquired by the team from the Universitat Politècnica de València, Universitat de València, CIBER-BBN, CIBERNED, and the Príncipe Felipe Research Centre open up a way to much better understand aging and its results on health. “It could help us to develop more reliable ways of dealing with age-related issues, in addition to simple urinary treatments aimed at eliminating or decreasing cellular senescence, even in humans,” concludes Ramón Martínez Máñez.Reference: “A kidney clearable fluorogenic probe for in vivo β-galactosidase activity detection throughout aging and senolysis” by Sara Rojas-Vázquez, Beatriz Lozano-Torres, Alba García-Fernández, Irene Galiana, Ana Perez-Villalba, Pablo Martí-Rodrigo, M. José Palop, Marcia Domínguez, Mar Orzáez, Félix Sancenón, Juan F. Blandez, Isabel Fariñas and Ramón Martínez-Máñez, 26 January 2024, Nature Communications.DOI: 10.1038/ s41467-024-44903-1.