biostudies-literatureUnknown23(9)Shen MIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive and age-related disease that results from impaired lung repair following injury. Targeting senescent myofibroblasts with senolytic drugs attenuates pulmonary fibrosis, revealing a detrimental role of these cells in pulmonary fibrosis. The mechanisms underlying the occurrence and persistence of senescent myofibroblasts in fibrotic lung tissue require further clarification. In this study, we demonstrated that senescent myofibroblasts are resistant to apoptosis by upregulating the proapoptotic protein BAX and antiapoptotic protein BCL-2 and BCL-XL, leading to BAX inactivation. We further showed that high levels of inactive BAX-mediated minority mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (minority MOMP) promoted DNA damage and myofibroblasts seAging celle14229https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11488301biostudies-literatureA novel senolytic drug for pulmonary fibrosis: BTSA1 targets apoptosis of senescent myofibroblasts by activating BAX.PMC11488301Shen MQiu YLi XLuo ZZhang YFu JShao MHan YZhou YChang YCheng HfalseA novel senolytic drug for pulmonary fibrosis: BTSA1 targets apoptosis of senescent myofibroblasts by activating BAX.Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive and age-related disease that results from impaired lung repair following injury. Targeting senescent myofibroblasts with senolytic drugs attenuates pulmonary fibrosis, revealing a detrimental role of these cells in pulmonary fibrosis. The mechanisms underlying the occurrence and persistence of senescent myofibroblasts in fibrotic lung tissue require further clarification. In this study, we demonstrated that senescent myofibroblasts are resistant to apoptosis by upregulating the proapoptotic protein BAX and antiapoptotic protein BCL-2 and BCL-XL, leading to BAX inactivation. We further showed that high levels of inactive BAX-mediated minority mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (minority MOMP) promoted DNA damage and myofibroblasts se2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Sep2025-04-04T01:12:04.33Z2025-04-04T01:12:04.33ZS-EPMC114883013883163510.1111/acel.14229