Senescent glia link mitochondrial dysfunction and lipid accumulation

Abstract Senescence is a cellular state linked to ageing and age-onset disease across many mammalian species 1,2 . Acutely, senescent cells promote wound healing 3,4 and prevent tumour formation 5 ; but they are also pro-inflammatory, thus chronically exacerbate tissue decline. Whereas senescent cells are active targets for anti-ageing therapy 6–11 , why these cells form in vivo, how they affect tissue ageing and the effect of their elimination remain unclear 12,13 . Here we identify naturally occurring senescent glia in ageing Drosophila brains and decipher their origin and influence. Using Activator protein 1 (AP1) activity to screen for senescence 14,15 , we determine that senescent glia can appear in…