Targeted clearance of p21- but not p16-positive senescent cells prevents radiation-induced osteoporosis and increased marrow adiposity

Cellular senescence, which is a major cause of tissue dysfunction with aging and multiple other conditions, is known to be triggered by p16^Ink4a or p21^Cip1, but the relative contributions of each pathway toward inducing senescence are unclear. Here, we directly addressed this issue by first developing and validating a p21-ATTAC mouse with the p21^Cip1 promoter driving a “suicide” transgene encoding an inducible caspase-8 which, upon induction, selectively kills p21^Cip1-expressing senescent cells. Next, we used the p21-ATTAC mouse and the established p16-INK-ATTAC mouse to directly compare the contributions of p21^Cip1 versus p16^Ink4a in driving cellular senescence in a condition where a tissue phenotype (bone loss and increased marrow adiposity) is clearly driven by cellular senescence—specifically, radiation-induced osteoporosis. Using RNA in situ hybridization, we confirmed the reduction in radiation-induced p21^Cip1- or p16^Ink4a-driven transcripts following senescent cell clearance in both models. However, only clearance of p21^Cip1+, but not p16^Ink4a+, senescent cells prevented both radiation-induced osteoporosis and increased marrow adiposity. Reduction in senescent cells with dysfunctional telomeres following clearance of p21^Cip1+, but not p16^Ink4a+, senescent cells also reduced several of the radiation-induced pro-inflammatory senescence-associated secretory phenotype factors. Thus, by directly comparing senescent cell clearance using two parallel genetic models, we demonstrate that radiation-induced osteoporosis is driven predominantly by p21^Cip1- rather than p16^Ink4a-mediated cellular senescence. Further, this approach can be used to dissect the contributions of these pathways in other senescence-associated conditions, including aging across tissues.