Intercompartmental communication in senescence

Mar 30, 2026FEBS open bio

Communication Between Cell Parts During Aging

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Abstract

Cellular senescence is associated with profound remodeling of cellular compartments and altered intracellular communication networks.

Senescence leads to persistent growth arrest and a robust pro-inflammatory response known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP).
Changes in senescent cells include remodeling of the plasma membrane, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, and cytoskeleton.
Impaired communication between cellular compartments may increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) and exacerbate stress related to protein folding.
Disruptions in vesicular trafficking and organelle contact sites are linked to the activation of pathways that enhance resistance to cell death.
Emerging technologies are being highlighted to study the connections between organelles in senescent cells and to identify potential therapeutic targets.

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Cellular senescence represents a response to sublethal damage, characterized by persistent growth arrest and a robust pro-inflammatory trait, the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Senescent cells accumulate in the body with age, promoting tissue dysfunction and age-related disease. In addition to profound reprogramming of gene expression patterns, senescent cells undergo broad remodeling of cellular compartments, including the plasma membrane, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi apparatus, endolysosomal system, mitochondria, biomolecular condensates, and cytoskeleton. These changes alter the intracellular communication networks required for homeostasis. Here, we review how senescence alters (i) vesicular trafficking along secretory, endocytic, and autophagic routes, (ii) interorganelle contact sites such as those among mitochondria, ER, and lysosomes to modulate lipid and calcium exchange, and (iii) diffusion and transport of regulatory signals across the cytosol and membranes. We discuss how the impaired crosstalk among compartments increases ROS, exacerbates proteostatic stress, impairs clearance of damaged components, and activates p53/p21, p16/Rb, cGAS-STING, NF-κB, and mTOR pathways, enhancing apoptosis resistance and the SASP. Finally, we highlight emerging technologies to study the senescent organelle 'interactome' and identify therapeutic vulnerabilities in age-associated declines and diseases linked to senescence. Impact statement We synthesize evidence that cellular senescence arises not only from gene expression changes but also from disrupted interorganelle communication. We discuss defects in vesicle trafficking and organelle contact sites that redefine senescence as failure of the organellar interactome, highlighting future mechanistic work and therapeutic opportunities in age-related disease.

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Intercompartmental communication in senescence

Abstract

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