Submit a comment

Targeting senescent cells to boost bone fracture healing
Lorenz C. Hofbauer, … , Ulrike Baschant, Christine Hofbauer
Lorenz C. Hofbauer, … , Ulrike Baschant, Christine Hofbauer
Published June 17, 2024
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2024;134(12):e181974. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI181974.
View: Text | PDF
Commentary

Targeting senescent cells to boost bone fracture healing

Abstract

Bone fracture healing is a complex process with distinct phases: the inflammatory phase, the soft and hard callus formation, and the remodeling phase. In older individuals, bone healing can be delayed or disturbed, leading to non-union fractures at worst. The initial healing phases require communication between immune cells and osteoprogenitor cells. However, senescence in these cell types impedes fracture healing by unknown mechanisms. In this issue of the JCI, Saul et al. showed that two distinct senescent p21-expressing cell populations, an osteochondroprogenitor cell and a neutrophil subpopulation, intrinsically impair fracture healing in mice irrespective of age. Genetic ablation of p21-positive cells accelerated fracture healing, while removal of a different senescent cell population, p16-positive cells, made no difference. Conceptually, this view of senescence in fracture healing with a spotlight on osteoimmune cross-talk provides a promising rationale for therapies to boost bone repair at all ages.

Authors

Lorenz C. Hofbauer, Ulrike Baschant, Christine Hofbauer

×

Guidelines

The Editorial Board will only consider comments that are deemed relevant and of interest to readers. The Journal will not post data that have not been subjected to peer review; or a comment that is essentially a reiteration of another comment.

  • Comments appear on the Journal’s website and are linked from the original article’s web page.
  • Authors are notified by email if their comments are posted.
  • The Journal reserves the right to edit comments for length and clarity.
  • No appeals will be considered.
  • Comments are not indexed in PubMed.

Specific requirements

  • Maximum length, 400 words
  • Entered as plain text or HTML
  • Author’s name and email address, to be posted with the comment
  • Declaration of all potential conflicts of interest (even if these are not ultimately posted); see the Journal’s conflict-of-interest policy
  • Comments may not include figures
This field is required
This field is required
This field is required
This field is required
This field is required
This field is required
Rich Text Editor, eletter_body