p16INK4a (a.k.a p16) is encoded be the Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) is a Tumor Suppressor that induces Cellular Senescence.
Plasma T cell measurement of p16INK4a levels is a much better measurement of Cellular Senescence than Telomere mean or median length or % short Telomeres via the Telomere Test. It includes oxidative Stress-Induced Cellular Senescence, Oncogenic Ras or Raf induced, XRT, induced, Senescence, UV induced Senescence, Heat Shock Protein/mis-folded protein induced Senescence, and IL-6/IL-8 induced Senescence, all which can occur with longer Telomeres which have reached the critical length that induces the DNA Damage Response.
Doing plasma T cell p16INK4a levels is now becoming much cheaper since the discovery that this HPV-induced oropharyngeal carcinoma (base of tongue biopsy test for this Cancer). Applying it to blood T cells will soon be readily available. [p16](/data/entry/update/o
