[Research progress on cellular senescence and liver diseases]

Cellular senescence, a stable state of proliferative arrest induced by stressors such as telomere shortening and DNA damage, is often accompanied by a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) that is closely related to the imbalance of liver homeostasis and the progression of chronic liver diseases. This article outlines the main phenotypes and signaling pathways of cellular senescence, reviews research progress on the senescence of different liver cell populations and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, liver fibrosis/cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, discusses their "double-edged sword" effects at different etiologies and stages, and summarizes intervention strategies such as senolytic drugs and their potential in combination with antiviral, antifibrotic, and immunotherapy. Concurrently, it also points out needs still to be established unifying evaluation system and translatable biomarkers.