Senolytic treatment to rescue hallmarks of senescence in lymph node fibroblasts from patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Implications for premature aging and potential therapeutic intervention in early rheumatoid arthritis

T A de Jong; J F Semmelink; J W Bolt; C Grasso; R A Hoebe; P M Krawczyk; L G M van Baarsen

doi:10.1093/cei/uxaf029

Senolytic treatment to rescue hallmarks of senescence in lymph node fibroblasts from patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Implications for premature aging and potential therapeutic intervention in early rheumatoid arthritis

Clin Exp Immunol. 2025 May 8:uxaf029. doi: 10.1093/cei/uxaf029. Online ahead of print.

Authors

T A de Jong^{1

2

3}, J F Semmelink^{1

2

3}, J W Bolt^{1

2

3}, C Grasso^{1

2

3}, R A Hoebe⁴, P M Krawczyk⁴, L G M van Baarsen^{1

2

3

5}

Affiliations

¹ Amsterdam UMC location, University of Amsterdam, Department of Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology and Laboratory for Experimental Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
² Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Inflammatory Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
³ Amsterdam Rheumatology & Immunology Center (ARC), Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁴ Amsterdam UMC location, University of Amsterdam, Department of Medical Biology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁵ Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Tissue Function and Regeneration, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

PMID: 40336246
DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxaf029

Abstract

Introduction: Cellular senescence, a state of proliferation arrest, is implicated in the pathogenesis of age-related diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The pathogenesis of RA, characterized by immune dysregulation and systemic autoimmunity preceding clinical onset of disease, may involve early accumulation of senescent lymph node (LN) fibroblasts driving immune tolerance breakdown. This study aims to explore the hallmarks of senescence in LN fibroblasts during the earliest phases of RA and evaluate the effects of dasatinib.

Methods: Human LN fibroblasts were isolated from inguinal LN needle biopsies from autoantibody-positive individuals at risk of developing RA (RA-risk individuals), RA patients and seronegative healthy volunteers. Senescence hallmarks and the effects of dasatinib treatment were assessed using quantitative PCR, flow cytometry, microscopy, and live-cell imaging.

Results: Cell size, granularity and autofluorescence were significantly greater in RA LN fibroblasts compared with controls. Altered gene expression of senescence-associated genes was observed in RA LN fibroblasts. Elevated senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, more lipofuscin-positive granules and DNA damage were observed in RA-risk and RA LN fibroblasts. Notably, RA(-risk) LN fibroblasts presented impaired DNA damage repair capacity. Dasatinib treatment significantly improved the size and ability of the LN fibroblast pool to repair DNA damage. We observed multiple senescence hallmarks in RA LN fibroblasts and, to a lesser extent, in RA-risk LN fibroblasts, which could be partially restored by senescent cell removal via dasatinib treatment.

Conclusion: These findings suggest a role for senescent LN fibroblasts in RA pathogenesis and highlights the potential of dasatinib as a potential therapeutic intervention to mitigate senescence-associated defects in RA.

Keywords: Autoimmunity; RA-risk individuals; lymph node fibroblasts; senescence.