Modulation of Bacterial Pathogenesis by Oppressive Aging Factors: Insights into Host-Pneumococcal Interaction Strategies

Figure 3

Hypothetic model of cell senescence induction in lung cells due to aging, genotoxic stress, and oxidative stress that causes phenotypic and functional alterations. (a) Normal lung parenchyma is affected by oppressive aging factors, such as DNA damage and oxidative stress, resulting in senescent phenotypes (b) With increased inflammatory mediators production and receptors that facilitate bacterial/bacterial components binding. These mediators affect the neighboring normal cells and alter their phenotypes as presenescent (c). These pre-senescent cells might transform into malignant cell types and induce tumor formation or might eventually become senescent, as proposed by Shivshankar et al. [19].