In Situ and In Silico Methods for Senescence Identification in Human Liver Diseases

Area of Science:

• Cellular biology
• Gerontology
• Hepatology

Background:

• Cellular senescence and aging share characteristics, including lipofuscin accumulation, particularly in slow-dividing tissues like the liver.
• Distinguishing between these two processes is crucial for understanding age-related diseases and developing targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate methods for discriminating between cellular senescence and aging.
• To investigate the role of lipofuscin as a marker in liver disease.

Main Methods:

• Adjustment of an established in situ algorithm for detecting senescence in human liver disease samples.
• Development of a novel molecular signature for senescence identification using RNA data.
• In silico analysis of clinical RNA data to identify cellular senescence.

Main Results:

• Successful adaptation of an in situ senescence detection algorithm for human liver diseases.
• Identification of a novel molecular signature that complements the in situ algorithm.
• Demonstration of in silico capability to identify cellular senescence in RNA data.

Conclusions:

• The proposed methods enable accurate discrimination between cellular senescence and aging.
• These approaches offer valuable tools for research in liver diseases and aging.
• Lipofuscin accumulation serves as a key indicator at the intersection of senescence and aging.