Aging as a Risk Factor and Target for Prevention of Liver Cancer

项目概要-总体 肝癌（主要是肝细胞癌（HCC））的发病率正在增加， 差因此，迫切需要新的治疗方法和更好的预防策略。年龄是个大问题 HCC的危险因素。根据老年科学假说，我们假设衰老会导致功能失调， 线粒体、表观遗传和代谢网络，促进和加剧与年龄相关的失调 肝脏的免疫功能和炎症。跨多个系统的稳态丧失是允许的， 肿瘤性肝病我们进一步假设，慢性干扰素信号失调是核心， 致病网络。我们将解剖这个网络，并测试慢性干扰素信号传导的后果， 了解为什么肝癌的发病率随着年龄的增长而增加。我们还将研究针对 这个网络的能力，以预防和打击肝癌。我们的总体具体目标是： 目的1.研究与年龄相关的线粒体、染色质、代谢（特别是胆汁酸）变化 以及先天性和适应性免疫，它们在HCC中的因果作用和潜在机制。 目标2.研究这些不同系统之间的相互作用和年龄依赖性的 这些相互作用导致HCC。 目标3.测试的假设，至少有一些这些年龄相关的变化和随之而来的 HCC的易感性依赖于老化组织中的慢性干扰素信号传导。 目标4.研究针对年龄失调的方法，例如慢性干扰素抑制剂 激活，促分裂干预，雷帕霉素，senolytics，胆汁酸调节剂和免疫调节剂， 它们抑制肝癌发作的能力，更好地对抗已形成的癌症。 由于年龄是HCC的最大单一风险因素，因此对年龄的分子理解- 肝癌的依赖性可以通过风险评估，早期发现， 冥想和治疗。此外，对HCC在衰老过程中如何发展的理解也可以导致 预防性干预。该PPG将定义支持年龄依赖性的关键分子机制， HCC。我们还将通过应用、测试和改进来推广改进风险评估的方法 基于转录组的“肿瘤发生指数”来量化HCC的风险。最后，根据我们的发现， 我们将测试一组候选干预措施，以预防和治疗HCC。

PROJECT SUMMARY – OVERALL The incidences of liver cancer (primarily hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)) are increasing and disease outcome is poor. Consequently, there is an urgent need for new therapies and better preventive strategies. Age is a major risk factor for HCC. In line with the geroscience hypothesis, we hypothesize that aging drives a dysfunctional mitochondrial, epigenetic and metabolic network that promotes and exacerbates age-associated dysregulation of immune function and inflammation in liver. Loss of homeostasis across multiple systems is permissive for neoplastic liver disease. We further hypothesize that dysregulated chronic interferon signaling is central to this pathogenic network. We will dissect this network and test the consequence of chronic interferon signaling, to understand why the incidence of liver cancer increases with age. We will also investigate approaches that target this network for their ability to prevent and combat liver cancer. Our overall specific objectives are: Objective 1. Investigate age-associated changes to mitochondria, chromatin, metabolism (specifically, bile acids) and innate and adaptive immunity, their causal role in HCC and underlying mechanisms. Objective 2. Investigate how interactions between these different systems and age-dependent dysregulation of these interactions contributes to HCC. Objective 3. Test the hypothesis that at least some of these age-associated alterations and consequent predisposition to HCC are dependent on chronic interferon signaling in aged tissue. Objective 4. Investigate approaches that target age dysregulation, for example suppressors of chronic interferon activation, mitohormetic interventions, rapamycin, senolytics, bile acid modulators and immune-modulators, for their ability to suppress the onset of liver cancer and better counter established cancer. Since age is the biggest single risk factor for HCC, it follows that a molecular understanding of the age- dependence of HCC can lead to improved disease management through risk assessment, early detection, prognostication and therapy. Moreover, an understanding of how HCC develops during aging can also lead to preventative interventions. This PPG will define critical molecular mechanisms underpinning age-dependence of HCC. We will also promote approaches for improved risk assessment through application, testing and refinement of a transcriptome-based “tumorigenic index” to quantitate the risk of HCC. Finally, based on our discoveries, we will test a panel of candidate interventions for those that can prevent and combat HCC.