Key Points
Scientists have identified a protein in the immune system that could potentially help prevent multi-organ failure in patients with severe liver injury...
This process, known as senescence, occurs when cells become dysfunctional and stop working effectively..
The study, led by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, UK, found that in mice and human liver tissues from patients with acute liver disease, senescence not only affected the liver but also spread to other organs, including the kidneys and lungs..
Published in Nature Cell Biology, the study provides new insights into why severe liver injury leads to the failure of multiple organs, including the brain and kidneys, and increases the risk of death..
The authors concluded, We identify the TGF- pathway as a critical mediator of the systemic spread of senescence and demonstrate that inhibiting TGF- prevents senescence transmission to other organs, thereby preventing liver senescence-induced kidney dysfunction..
