Lysyl Oxidase, Cellular Senescence and Tumor Suppression Available to Purchase

Replicative senescence may provide a mechanism of tumor suppression and tumor suppressor genes of the extracellular matrix, like lysyl oxidase, may play a role in cellular senescence. To test this hypothesis and determine whether the extracellular matrix may serve as a marker, the steady-state levels of human lysyl oxidase, α-I type III collagen and β-actin transcripts were assessed in various cell lines during in vitro passge. Northern hybridization analysis showed a significant increase in the levels of progeria fibroblast extracellular matrix mRNAs immediately preceding senescence. The levels of these mRNAs were unaffected in age-matched normal fibroblast and fetal fibroblast cell lines.