摘要Objective To investigate the fate and underlying mechanisms of G2 phase arrest in cancer cells elicited by ionizing radiation(IR).Methods Human melanoma A375 and 92-1 cells were treated with X-rays radiation or Aurora A inhibitor MLN8237(MLN)and/or p21 depletion by small interfering RNA(siRNA).Cell cycle distribution was determined using flow cytometry and a fluorescent ubiquitin-based cell cycle indicator(FUCCI)system combined with histone H3 phosphorylation at Ser10(pS10 H3)detection.Senescence was assessed using senescence-associated-β-galactosidase(SA-β-Gal),Ki67,and γH2AX staining.Protein expression levels were determined using western blotting.Results Tumor cells suffered severe DNA damage and underwent G2 arrest after IR treatment.The damaged cells did not successfully enter M phase nor were they stably blocked at G2 phase but underwent mitotic skipping and entered G1 phase as tetraploid cells,ultimately leading to senescence in G1.During this process,the p53/p21 pathway is hyperactivated.Accompanying p21 accumulation,Aurora A kinase levels declined sharply.MLN treatment confirmed that Aurora A kinase activity is essential for mitosis skipping and senescence induction.Conclusion Persistent p21 activation during IR-induced G2 phase blockade drives Aurora A kinase degradation,leading to senescence via mitotic skipping.