Biphasic JNK-Erk Signaling Separates Induction and Maintenance of Cell Senescence after DNA Damage

Abstract

Genotoxic stress in mammalian cells, including that caused by anti-cancer chemotherapy, can induce temporary cell cycle arrest, DNA damage-induced senescence (DDIS) or apoptotic cell death. Despite obvious clinical importance, it is unclear how the signals emerging from DNA damage are integrated together with other cellular signaling pathways monitoring the cells environment and/or internal state to control these different cell fates. Here, using a combination of single cell-based signaling measurements and tensor PLSR/PCA computational approaches, we show that the JNK and Erk MAPK signaling pathways regulate the initiation of senescence through the transcription factor AP-1 at early times after extrinsic DNA damage, and the Senescence Associated Secretory Phenotype, a hallmark of DDIS, at late times after damage. These results identify a time-based separation of function for the same signaling pathways beyond the classic DNA damage response that control the cell senescence decision and modulate the tumor microenvironment following genotoxic stress, and reveal a fundamental similarity between signaling mechanisms responsible for oncogene-induced senescence and senescence caused by extrinsic DNA damaging agents.