Human Rotator Cuff Tears Reveal an Age-Dependent Increase in Markers of Cellular Senescence and Selective Removal of Senescent Cells With Dasatinib + Quercetin Increases Genetic Expression of COL1A1 In Vitro

  • Benjamin C. Hawthorne
  • , Ian J. Wellington
  • , Joshua T. Sabitsky
  • , Kyle V. Murphy
  • , Owen P. Karsmarski
  • , Rohin O. Thomas
  • , Matthew R. LeVasseur
  • , Michael R. Mancini
  • , Maxwell T. Trudeau
  • , Sagar Gulati
  • , Mary Beth R. McCarthy
  • , Mark P. Cote
  • , Ming Xu
  • , Augustus D. Mazzocca

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: To quantify cellular senescence in supraspinatus tendon and subacromial bursa of humans with rotator cuff tears and to investigate the in vitro efficacy of the senolytic dasatinib + quercetin (D+Q) to eliminate senescent cells and alter tenogenic differentiation. Methods: Tissue was harvested from 41 patients (mean age, 62 years) undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs. In part 1 (n = 35), senescence was quantified using immunohistochemistry and gene expression for senescent cell markers (p16 and p21) and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) (interleukin [IL] 6, IL-8, matrix metalloproteinase [MMP] 3, monocyte chemoattractant protein [MCP] 1). Senescence was compared between patients <60 and ≥60 years old. In part 2 (n = 6), an in vitro model of rotator cuff tears was treated with D+Q or control. D+Q, a chemotherapeutic and plant flavanol, respectively, kill senescent cells. Gene expression analysis assessed the ability of D+Q to kill senescent cells and alter markers of tenogenic differentiation. Results: Part 1 revealed an age-dependent significant increase in the relative expression of p21, IL-6, and IL-8 in tendon and p21, p16, IL-6, IL-8, and MMP-3 in bursa (P < .05). A significant increase was seen in immunohistochemical staining of bursa p21 (P = .028). In part 2, D+Q significantly decreased expression of p21, IL-6, and IL-8 in tendon and p21 and IL-8 in bursa (P < .05). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis showed decreased release of the SASP (IL-6, MMP-3, MCP-1; P = .002, P = .024, P < .001, respectively). Tendon (P = .022) and bursa (P = .027) treated with D+Q increased the expression of COL1A1. Conclusions: While there was an age-dependent increase in markers of cellular senescence, this relationship was not consistently seen across all markers and tissues. Dasatinib + quercetin had moderate efficacy in decreasing senescence in these tissues and increasing COL1A1 expression. Clinical Relevance: This study reveals that cellular senescence may be a therapeutic target to alter the biological aging of rotator cuffs and identifies D+Q as a potential therapy.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)34-44
Number of pages11
JournalArthroscopy - Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery
Volume40
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2024
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Arthroscopy Association of North America

PubMed: MeSH publication types

  • Journal Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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