Stem cell-based therapeutic strategies for liver aging

Abstract

Aging is characterized by a gradual deterioration of the physiological integrity of cells, tissues, and organs, resulting in a decrease in the body's physiological functions and an acceleration of the onset of age-related diseases, ultimately leading to death. The aging of the liver, which is a critical metabolic organ, is closely linked to various chronic liver diseases, such as hepatitis, liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis, and it exacerbates their prognosis and is a primary risk factor for their development at all stages. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the causes, mechanisms, and potential therapeutic targets associated with liver aging holds significant clinical importance for delaying or potentially reversing liver aging and for treating chronic liver diseases. Stem cells, which are potential anti-aging agents, present a promising and effective alternative for managing liver aging. In this review, we systematically assess the driving factors, characteristics, and underlying mechanisms of liver aging. We then discuss the current status of the use of stem cells to mitigate liver senescence and address related liver diseases. The review reveals that a stem cell-based approach represents a promising therapeutic strategy for combating liver aging and associated diseases.

Keywords

Aging / Liver aging / Chronic liver disease / Stem cell / Anti-aging / Anti-liver aging

Authors’ contributions

Huan Niu and Yan-Nan Wang contributed equally to this work and should be considered co-first authors. Huan Niu: Writing e review & editing, Writing e original draft, Software, Investigation. Yan-Nan Wang: Writing e review & editing, Writing e original draft, Software, Investigation. Yu Ding: Writing e original draft, Investigation. Yu-Qing Lin: Software, Investigation. Jian Qin: Writing e review & editing, Validation. Jian-Cheng Wang: Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Writing e review & edit-ing, Supervision.

Declaration of competing interest

All authors declare that there are no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of China (2023B1515020016), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Sun Yat-sen University (23ykbj003), Research Start-up Fund of The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University (ZSQYRSSFAR0003), Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission (SZSTI) Basic Research Program (JCYJ20210324123200001) and Shenzhen Med-ical Research Fund (00201314003). We would also like to thank Mr. Adham Sameer A. Bardeesi for his revisions to the text of the article.

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