December 6, 2024
Keio University
Aichi Medical University
University of Tsukuba
An interdisciplinary research team of medicine, science, and engineering, led by Professor Hideaki Kano of the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University, Lecturer Makoto Inoko of the School of Medicine at Aichi Medical University, and Shigeo Ishibashi, a third-year doctoral student in the Degree Programs in Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Tsukuba, has jointly developed a microscopic observation method to visualize cellular senescence without labeling agents, using a special optical phenomenon called Raman scattering.
Cellular senescence is considered to be at the root of the aging process. Clear examples of aging include age-related changes and functional decline, such as loss of muscle mass, decreased bone density, and reduced skin elasticity. Cellular senescence causes the depletion of stem cells, which underlies these aging phenomena. Moreover, recent studies have revealed that senescent cells are also involved in various age-related diseases, including cancer, by releasing harmful substances. Therefore, visualizing senescent cells without labeling agents and evaluating their extent is crucial as a fundamental technology for elucidating the mechanisms of aging, for basic medical research on related diseases, and for the future development of diagnostic methods that can assess aging through imaging.
This visualization focused on the structure of denatured and aggregated proteins characteristic of the nucleus (nucleolus) of senescent cells. These aggregates, also known as amyloid, are known to be collections of a characteristic folded structure called aβ-sheet.
In this study, we succeeded in the direct visualization of β-sheets within small amyloid aggregates in senescent cells using a Raman microscopic imaging method. This led to the development of a highly sensitive method for detecting cellular senescence and evaluating its extent. This technology is expected to contribute broadly to research on physiology and pathology based on amyloid, as well as to medical development.
The results of this research were published inScientific Reportson November 11, 2024.
For the full press release, please see below.