Methods to Study MYC-Regulated Cellular Senescence

Studies in primary and tumor cells suggest that MYC plays an important role in regulating cellular senescence, thereby impacting on tumor development. Here we describe different common methods to measure senescence in cell cultures and in tissues. These include measurement of senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity (SA-β-gal), senescence-associated heterochromatin foci (SAHFs), proliferative arrest, morphological changes, and expression and activity of proteins involved in the senescence process, such as p53 and Rb pathway proteins and secretory proteins. It is important to note that there is no unique marker that unambiguously defines a senescent state, and it is therefore necessary to combine measurements of several different markers that together determine whether cells are senescent or not. Measurement of senescence is an important aspect of studies of MYC biology and will improve our understanding of MYC function and regulation both in preclinical and clinical settings. This may form the basis for new concepts of pro-senescence therapy to combat MYC in cancer.