Methods of Cellular Senescence Induction Using Oxidative Stress

Normal somatic cells do not divide indefinitely and have their finite replicative lifespan. This property leads to an eventual arrest of cell division termed cell senescence. Human diploid fibroblasts offer a typical model for studying cell senescence in vitro. Various approaches to evoke oxidative stresses, such as the exposures of cells to ultraviolet light, ethanol, tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP), and peroxide hydrogen (H2O2), have been used to study the onset of cellular senescence. The early onset of cellular senescence induced by these stresses is termed stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS). In this manuscript, we will mainly summarize the basic knowledge and experimental approaches important for the induction of SIPS by H2O2, since H2O2 is the most commonly used inducer of SIPS in vitro and an endogenous source of cellular oxidative stress. Several assays methods generally used for testifying cell senescence are introduced.