Senescence is a permanent cell cycle
arrest that occurs in response
to cellular stress and promotes age-related disease. Because senescence
differs greatly depending on cell type and senescence inducer, continued
progress in the characterization of senescent cells is needed. Here,
we analyzed primary human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs), a model
system for aging and cancer, using mass spectrometry-based proteomics.
By integrating data from replicative senescence, immortalization by
telomerase reactivation, and quiescence, we identified a robust proteomic
signature of HMEC senescence consisting of 34 upregulated and 10 downregulated
proteins. This approach identified known senescence biomarkers including
β-galactosidase (GLB1) as well as novel senescence biomarkers
including catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT), synaptic
vesicle membrane protein VAT-1 homolog (VAT1), and plastin-1/3 (PLS1/PLS3).
Gene ontology enrichment analysis demonstrated that senescent HMECs
upregulated lysosomal proteins and downregulated RNA metabolic processes.
In addition, a classification model based on our proteomic signature
successfully discriminated proliferating and senescent HMECs at the
transcriptional level. Finally, we found that the HMEC senescence
signature was positively and negatively correlated with proteomic
alterations in HMEC aging and breast cancer, respectively. Taken together,
our results demonstrate the power of proteomics to identify cell type-specific
signatures of senescence and advance the understanding of senescence
in HMECs.