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Substrate Stiffness and Viscoelasticity Influence Fibroblast Senescence

delete2026-06-23
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OA
AI
M
Mackenzie L. Skelton
T
Tanvi Bhat
E
Ethan Yu
A
Afia Ofori
S
Steven R. Caliari *
DOI:10.1002/jbm.a.70111delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Senescent cell accumulation has been implicated in aging and fibrotic disease, which are both characterized by increased tissue stiffness. However, the direct connection between tissue mechanics and senescence induction remains disputed in the literature. Thus, this work investigates the influence of hydrogel stiffness and viscoelasticity in promoting fibroblast senescence directly and in combination with genotoxic stress. We show that while lung fibroblast YAP/TAZ signaling declines with senescence induction, senescent fibroblasts maintain their mechanosensing capabilities with increased YAP/TAZ nuclear localization on higher stiffness hydrogels. Most notably, we find a unique role for hydrogel viscoelasticity in senescence induction, with soft (2 kPa) viscoelastic substrates promoting both the onset and amplification of senescence, even in the absence of genotoxic stress. These changes are not associated with a decline in YAP/TAZ activity, but instead with a decline in nuclear DAPI intensity, suggesting a role of nuclear organization in driving this phenotype. Overall, this work highlights the influence of mechanics, and viscoelasticity in particular, on the induction of fibroblast senescence.
Keywords:
hydrogels
mechanobiology
senescence
viscoelasticity

Journal

Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A cover
Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A
IF:
3.9
Papers:
7.8K
Citations:
1.6W

Organization

U
university of virginia
Scholars:
3.7K
Papers: 1.7K
Citations: 0
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