Cellular senescence in an aged murine bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model

ERS Congress 2025 -- Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease of unmet clinical need, characterized by progressive scarring of lung tissue over time, leading to difficulty in breathing and reduced oxygen levels in the blood. Cellular senescence is a contributing factor to the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis with age being the most prominent risk factor. Oligonucleoside-based therapeutic approaches are being developed to reset mRNA splicing factor levels and reprogram senescent cells. The removal of senescent cells promotes tissue rejuvenation and improves lung function. Historically, within our laboratory, the most commonly used animal model of lung fibrosis, the bleomycin model, had only been studied in 8- to 10-week-old mice. This study aimed to explore the relationship between tissue biomarkers of pulmonary fibrosis, lung mechanics and cellular senescence in a bleomycin-challenged aged mouse model.