Systems biology perspectives on cellular senescence and inflammation

Sabalic, Alda

Systems biology perspectives on cellular senescence and inflammation

Document Type

Doctoral thesis
Published Version

Author

Sabalic, Alda

Director

García Ojalvo, Jordi

Publication Date

2024-06-21

Pages

120 p.

Citation

Sabalic, A. Systems biology perspectives on cellular senescence and inflammation. Universitat Pompeu Fabra; 2024. handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10803/691531

This citation was generated automatically.

Doctoral program

Programa de Doctorat en Biomedicina

Abstract

This thesis examines inflammation from the perspective of systems biology in two different situations: cellular senescence resulting from unresolved tissue damage and the acute immune response to the invasion of a pathogen, particularly influenza A infection. Cellular senescence, a process marked by halted cell proliferation and inflammation, was explored through network analysis techniques, revealing key genes and their roles in senescence pathways and offering possible molecular hallmarks of senescence. In turn, the immune response to viral infection was studied from the point of view of the digital nature of interferon release and its role in acute inflammation. By investigating both individual and collective cellular behaviors, this thesis provides insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of inflammation in mammalian tissues, the propagation of infection in cellular populations, and the antiviral response of mammalian cells. Overall, this research contributes to understanding inflammation dynamics within tissues, laying a foundation for future studies on inflammation-related disorders and disease management strategies.
En esta tesis exploramos la inflamación desde dos perspectivas: la senescencia celular, consecuencia del daño tisular, y la respuesta inmune aguda ante la invasión patógena, especialmente por la influenza A. La senescencia celular fue estudiada mediante técnicas de análisis de redes, identificando genes clave y sus funciones en las vías de la senescencia, así como posibles marcadores moleculares. Además, se examinó la respuesta inmune ante la infección viral, resaltando la naturaleza digital de la secreción de interferón y su impacto en la inflamación. Finalmente, este estudio brinda valiosos descubrimientos sobre la dinámica espacio-temporal de la inflamación, la propagación de la infección y la respuesta antiviral, ofreciendo las bases para futuras investigaciones sobre trastornos inflamatorios y estrategias de manejo de enfermedades.