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Reprogramming cellular senescence and aging clocks for advanced cancer immunotherapy

Cellular senescence has gradually been recognized as a key process, which not only inhibits the occurrence of early tumors but also promotes advanced malignant progression through secretory and immunomodulatory functions. Initially, cellular senescence manifested as irreversible cell cycle arrest, but now it encompasses a broader phenotype regulated by the p53-p21CIP1 and p16INK4A-Rb pathways. Although secretory phenotypes related to aging can recruit immune effectors to clear new tumor cells, persistent senescent cell populations often trigger chronic inflammation, promoting immune escape and fibrosis. In this review, we first discuss the molecular underpinnings of cellular senescence, highlighting its induction pathways and diverse physiological or pathological roles. We then examine the composition of the tumor microenvironment, where senescent cells accumulate and secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines, reshaping immune surveillance and extracellular matrix architecture. Against this backdrop, we explore how aging clocks refine our understanding of individual susceptibility to malignancy by distinguishing biological from chronological aging. We also present current therapeutic prospects, including senolytic agents targeting senescent stromal cells that promote tumor growth, and the utilization of aging clock metrics to tailor immunotherapies more effectively for older patients. Finally, we consider the major challenges facing clinical translation, from standardizing multi-omics data pipelines to clarifying the ethical implications of measuring biological age. By bridging senescence biology with geroscience and cutting-edge oncology, we posit that aging clocks may catalyze a transformation in cancer care, enabling more personalized, effective, and age-conscious treatment strategies.

Fine Particulate (PM2.5) Exposure Negatively Impacts Hallmarks Of Aging: What’s Optimal?

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Brain shape changes could offer early warning signs of dementia

A new study led by University of California, Irvine’s Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory researchers found that aging changes the brain’s overall shape in measurable ways. Instead of focusing only on the size of specific regions, the team used a new analytic method to see how the brain’s form shifts and distorts over time.

The analysis revealed substantial alterations in brain shape, which were closely associated with declines in memory, reasoning and other cognitive functions. This suggests that the shape of the brain can serve as a reliable indicator of its overall health. The study appears in Nature Communications.

“Most studies of brain aging focus on how much tissue is lost in different regions,” said Niels Janssen, Ph.D., senior author and professor at Universidad de La Laguna in Spain and visiting faculty at the CNLM. “What we found is that the overall shape of the brain shifts in systematic ways, and those shifts are closely tied to whether someone shows cognitive impairment.”

DNA Study of 117-Year-Old Woman Reveals Clues to a Long Life

There’s no escaping the unrelenting passage of time, but supercentenarians who live to see their 110th birthday have a peculiar ability to postpone the inevitable.

A thorough health evaluation of one of the world’s oldest people, Maria Branyas, suggests that one of the reasons she lived to 117 was that she possessed an exceptionally young genome.

Some of her rare genetic variants are linked to longevity, immune function, and a healthy heart and brain.

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