Association of Epigenetic Aging Biomarkers With Risk of MASLD-Related HCC

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a growing health concern, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Epigenetic aging biomarkers, reflecting cellular and tissue aging, have been linked to various age-related pathologies, but their association with MASLD-HCC is unknown. We investigated associations between five epigenetic aging biomarkers and MASLD-HCC risk.

We performed whole blood DNA methylation assay (Infinium 850k array) and calculated principal components-based (PC) versions of HorvathAge, HannumAge, PhenoAge and GrimAge and the DunedinPACE aging rate. We further calculated relative age accelerations for PCHorvathAge, PCHannumAge, PCPhenoAge and PCGrimAge. The aging biomarkers were modelled as continuous variables and categorised into tertiles based on distributions among controls. Associations between each aging biomarker and MASLD-HCC were examined using logistic regression, calculating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for covariates.

Data on 272 MASLD-HCC cases and 316 cancer-free MASLD controls recruited from six sites and matched on chronological age, sex and study site were analysed. Higher relative age accelerations of PCPhenoAge (OR_{T3 vs. T1} = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.45-3.50; OR_continuous = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02-1.07, p = 0.009), PCGrimAge (OR_{T3 vs. T1} = 3.97, 95% CI: 2.41-6.64; OR_continuous = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.10-1.24, p = 8.76 × 10^-07) and DunedinPACE (OR_{T3 vs. T1} = 3.45, 95% CI: 2.17-5.55; OR_continuous = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.43-2.10, p = 2.58 × 10^-08) were associated with MASLD-HCC, but not PCHorvathAge or PCHannumAge.

Higher relative age accelerations of PCPhenoAge, PCGrimAge and DunedinPACE aging rate are associated with risk of MASLD-HCC. These aging biomarkers could improve HCC risk assessment and facilitate risk stratification in patients with MASLD.