The adverse effects of chemotherapy on bone mass are not prevented by senolytics

Abstract Cancer survivors experience many short- and long-term side effects caused by chemotherapy, including low bone mineral density and deterioration of bone microarchitecture. Administration of chemotherapy drugs to disease free mice causes rapid bone loss. However, whether the bone effects pers...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Md Mohsin Ali, Pilar Simmons, Aaron Warren, Landon B. Gatrell, Ana Resende-Coelho, Taylor McElroy, Antiño R. Allen, Maria Almeida
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01717-5
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849731774377099264
author Md Mohsin Ali
Pilar Simmons
Aaron Warren
Landon B. Gatrell
Ana Resende-Coelho
Taylor McElroy
Antiño R. Allen
Maria Almeida
author_facet Md Mohsin Ali
Pilar Simmons
Aaron Warren
Landon B. Gatrell
Ana Resende-Coelho
Taylor McElroy
Antiño R. Allen
Maria Almeida
author_sort Md Mohsin Ali
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Cancer survivors experience many short- and long-term side effects caused by chemotherapy, including low bone mineral density and deterioration of bone microarchitecture. Administration of chemotherapy drugs to disease free mice causes rapid bone loss. However, whether the bone effects persist throughout life and the mechanisms responsible remain unclear. One plausible cause of chemotherapy-induced bone loss is cellular senescence. Here, female mice were administered doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and docetaxel, a chemotherapy regimen commonly used in breast cancer patients, in combination with two types of drugs that kill senescent cells (senolytics), namely dasatinib + quercetin or piperlongumine. Mice receiving chemotherapy experienced a rapid decrease in trabecular bone mass, which was detectable two weeks after initiation of treatment and was associated with increased expression of senescence markers. None of the senolytics prevented the effects of chemotherapy on bone mass. In separate experiments, we examined the skeletal effects of chemotherapy six and twelve months after the cessation of treatment. The deleterious effects of chemotherapy on bone mass remained up to 12 months after cessation of treatment, while no markers of senescence could be detected in bone. Together, these results suggest that the deleterious effects of this chemotherapy regimen on bone health are not due to the accumulation of senescent cells.
format Article
id doaj-art-2d1b0f91a0124f0c8af513cccbb83a1b
institution DOAJ
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-2d1b0f91a0124f0c8af513cccbb83a1b2025-08-20T03:08:25ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111510.1038/s41598-025-01717-5The adverse effects of chemotherapy on bone mass are not prevented by senolyticsMd Mohsin Ali0Pilar Simmons1Aaron Warren2Landon B. Gatrell3Ana Resende-Coelho4Taylor McElroy5Antiño R. Allen6Maria Almeida7Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesDivision of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesDivision of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesDivision of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesDivision of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesDivision of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesDivision of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesDivision of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesAbstract Cancer survivors experience many short- and long-term side effects caused by chemotherapy, including low bone mineral density and deterioration of bone microarchitecture. Administration of chemotherapy drugs to disease free mice causes rapid bone loss. However, whether the bone effects persist throughout life and the mechanisms responsible remain unclear. One plausible cause of chemotherapy-induced bone loss is cellular senescence. Here, female mice were administered doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and docetaxel, a chemotherapy regimen commonly used in breast cancer patients, in combination with two types of drugs that kill senescent cells (senolytics), namely dasatinib + quercetin or piperlongumine. Mice receiving chemotherapy experienced a rapid decrease in trabecular bone mass, which was detectable two weeks after initiation of treatment and was associated with increased expression of senescence markers. None of the senolytics prevented the effects of chemotherapy on bone mass. In separate experiments, we examined the skeletal effects of chemotherapy six and twelve months after the cessation of treatment. The deleterious effects of chemotherapy on bone mass remained up to 12 months after cessation of treatment, while no markers of senescence could be detected in bone. Together, these results suggest that the deleterious effects of this chemotherapy regimen on bone health are not due to the accumulation of senescent cells.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01717-5
spellingShingle Md Mohsin Ali
Pilar Simmons
Aaron Warren
Landon B. Gatrell
Ana Resende-Coelho
Taylor McElroy
Antiño R. Allen
Maria Almeida
The adverse effects of chemotherapy on bone mass are not prevented by senolytics
Scientific Reports
title The adverse effects of chemotherapy on bone mass are not prevented by senolytics
title_full The adverse effects of chemotherapy on bone mass are not prevented by senolytics
title_fullStr The adverse effects of chemotherapy on bone mass are not prevented by senolytics
title_full_unstemmed The adverse effects of chemotherapy on bone mass are not prevented by senolytics
title_short The adverse effects of chemotherapy on bone mass are not prevented by senolytics
title_sort adverse effects of chemotherapy on bone mass are not prevented by senolytics
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01717-5
work_keys_str_mv AT mdmohsinali theadverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT pilarsimmons theadverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT aaronwarren theadverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT landonbgatrell theadverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT anaresendecoelho theadverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT taylormcelroy theadverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT antinorallen theadverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT mariaalmeida theadverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT mdmohsinali adverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT pilarsimmons adverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT aaronwarren adverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT landonbgatrell adverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT anaresendecoelho adverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT taylormcelroy adverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT antinorallen adverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics
AT mariaalmeida adverseeffectsofchemotherapyonbonemassarenotpreventedbysenolytics