Progeria is one of the better known accelerated aging conditions. It isn't actually accelerated aging, but rather one specific runaway form of cell damage that gives rise to general dysfunction in cells throughout the body. Since degenerative aging is also a matter of general dysfunction in cells throughout the body, there is some overlap in the observed results, even though the root causes are completely different. So progeria patients appear, superficially at least, to be prematurely aged, and die from heart disease early in life.

The cause of progeria was discovered to be a mutation in the Lamin A (LMNA) gene, resulting in a malformed protein now called progerin. This protein is an important structural component of the cell nucleus. If it doesn't function correctly, the nucleus becomes misshapen, and near all processes involving nuclear DNA maintenance and gene expression - the production of needed proteins at the right time from their genetic blueprints - cease to work correctly. The cell becomes dysfunctional. When near all cells are in this state, the prognosis for the individual is dire. Interestingly, in the years since this discovery, it has become clear that progerin is also present in small amounts in genetically normal older individuals. There is some debate over whether or not this is important in the progression of aging. Does it cause enough damage, or is it insignificant in comparison to other harmful processes?

In this context, we can consider cellular senescence, a mechanism closely connected to DNA damage, by which a small number of problem cells can cause outsized amounts of harm. Another possibility is damage to stem cells, as they are also small in number but highly influential on tissue function. Cells become senescent in response to internal damage, including that produced by progerin, and then either self-destruct or linger to secrete a potent mix of inflammatory and other signals. It is these signals, the senescence-associated secretory phenotype, that allows a comparatively small number of cells to produce comparatively large problems. It is known that senescent cells are important in many age-related conditions, particular those with a strong inflammatory component. Is generation of progerin significant as a cause of cellular senescence in normal aging, however? In this open access paper, researchers consider some of the mechanisms involved.

GATA4-dependent regulation of the secretory phenotype via MCP-1 underlies lamin A-mediated human mesenchymal stem cell aging