Changes in oxidative phosphorylation during development of cellular senescence

Cellular senescence represents a state of permanent cell cycle arrest. It is considered to be an active response of the cell to various extrinsic and intrinsic types of stress, which are damaged and/or uncapped telomeres, activation of certain oncogenes, DNA damage and effects of several cytokines. This thesis describes current mechanisms which may result in establishment of senescence phenotype, putting those facts in association with changes in oxidative phosphorylation. In thesis are also mentioned features of senescence cells and their impact on the neighborhood. Special attention is focused on the role of reactive oxygen species in promotion of cellular senescence, mechanisms of their elevation, the role of NADPH oxidases and the inhibition of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation complexes by activity of cytokine signaling pathways STAT3 and TGFbeta. Key words: cellular senescence, reactive oxygen species, cytokines, mitochondria, oxidative phosphorylation chain, NADPH oxidases, Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3), TGF-β, DNA damage response (DDR