Review: cellular senescence and SASP in bladder ageing and dysfunction
This review integrates mainly preclinical, fragmented evidence on how cellular senescence and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype may contribute to age-related bladder dysfunction, and it evaluates emerging senolytic and senomorphic strategies as context- and cell-dependent. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
Bladder dysfunction is described as a prevalent age-related condition that severely impairs quality of life in older adults and often appears as lower urinary tract symptoms. [1]
Evidence linking cellular senescence and SASP to bladder dysfunction is described as fragmented and predominantly preclinical. [1]
The review synthesizes senolytic and senomorphic strategies and highlights context- and cell-dependent therapeutic responses. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Narrative review (abstract)
- Population / context
- Older adults with bladder dysfunction and preclinical bladder models across four conditions
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- September 17, 2026
Age-related bladder symptoms and senescent cells
The review starts from bladder dysfunction as a common age-related condition that impairs quality of life in older adults, often as lower urinary tract symptoms such as frequency, urgency, incontinence and nocturia. Cellular senescence means an irreversible cell-cycle arrest with persistent metabolic activity, and it is increasingly seen as a contributor to age-associated tissue degeneration. Senescent cells release inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, growth factors and matrix-remodeling enzymes, together called the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which can disturb tissue homeostasis through signaling to the same and neighboring cells.
Supporting source [1]
Bladder evidence across four conditions
The review critically integrates bladder-specific evidence across ageing-related dysfunction, radiation-induced bladder injury, chemotherapy-induced cystitis and interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. It separates direct mechanistic evidence from indirect or pathway-based associations. The authors stress that the bladder is relatively understudied and that evidence linking senescence and SASP to bladder dysfunction is fragmented and predominantly preclinical. Key open questions concern which cell types are the SASP sources, whether the relationship is causal, bladder-specific biomarkers, and validation in human tissues.
Supporting source [1]
Senolytics, senomorphics and an integrated framework
The review synthesizes emerging senescence-targeted strategies, including senolytics and senomorphics, and highlights that therapeutic responses are context- and cell-dependent. By defining the current strength and limitations of the evidence and identifying translational priorities, it offers an integrated framework for understanding how senescence and SASP may contribute to bladder dysfunction and for guiding mechanism-based, biomarker-informed interventions. This is a proposed framework, not a validated or approved therapy.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. The review itself describes the bladder evidence as fragmented and predominantly preclinical, with open questions on cell-specific SASP sources, causality, bladder-specific biomarkers and validation in human tissues.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Yan J, Zhang D, Zhao F. · europepmc.org · September 17, 2026