Keywords

cellular senescence; cancer biology; triple negative breast cancer (TNBC); aging; senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP)

Abstract

Cellular senescence is a biological process in which damaged cells exit the cell cycle while remaining metabolically active and accumulating within tissues. Senescence plays a complex role in breast cancer progression, largely through the secretion of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors. These factors include a broad range of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and signaling molecules that can influence the tumor microenvironment.

Studies suggest that senescence may significantly promote cancer metastasis. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the genes involved in cancer progression and to improve understanding of how SASP is regulated, which is critical for improving breast cancer outcomes. The central hypothesis is that SASP factors released by senescent cells exert pro-tumorigenic effects across multiple breast cancer subtypes, including triple-negative breast cancer. To test our hypothesis, we first established senescence models in multiple breast cancer cell lines by exposing them to varying doses of radiation. We then performed co-culture experiments to evaluate how senescent cells influence the behavior of neighboring cancer cells. Additionally, we isolated exosomes from these senescent cells to investigate their role in modulating cancer cell growth. The results showed that senescent tumor cells increase proliferation and migration in non-senescent tumor cells, and thus effectively worsen outcomes through growth and metastasis.

Thesis Completion Year

2026

Thesis Completion Semester

Spring

Thesis Chair

Masternak, Michal

College

College of Medicine

Department

Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences

Thesis Discipline

Biomedical Sciences

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus Access

None

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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