Hydrogen Peroxide-Releasing Hydrogel-Mediated Cellular Senescence Model for Aging Research

Abstract

Cellular senescence, a process that induces irreversible cell cycle arrest in response to diverse stressors, is a primary contributor to aging and age-related diseases. Currently, exposure to hydrogen peroxide is a widely used technique for establishing invitro cellular senescence models; however, this traditional method is inconsistent, laborious, and ineffective in vivo. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a hydrogen peroxide-releasing hydrogel that can readily and controllably induce senescence in conventional 2-dimensional cell cultures as well as advanced 3-dimensional microphysiological systems. Notably, we have established 2 platforms using our hydrogen peroxide-releasing hydrogel for investigating senolytics, which is a promising innovation in anti-geronic therapy. Conclusively, our advanced model presents a highly promising tool that offers a simple, versatile, convenient, effective, and highly adaptable technique for inducing cellular senescence. This innovation not only lays a crucial foundation for future research on aging but also markedly accelerates the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting age-related diseases. Copyright © 2025 Shibo Wei et al.