Statistics also shows an increased mortality rate of cancer with age. To understand the contribution of aging to cancer, we have developed a co-culture system to study the role of cellular senescence in tumor promotion based on the concept of the multistage carcinogenesis. We have found that senescent cells or senescent-like cells benefit the growth of initiated cells, indicating that these cells may function like an endogenous tumor promoter. We are exploring the mechanism and implication of this phenomenon. The Role of Oxidative Stress in Heart Failure.
Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer worldwide.
The heart often undergoes remodeling as a result of aging, heart attack and many other heart diseases. Pathological analysis reveals cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, apoptosis of cardiomyocytes or fibrosis in failing hearts. We isolate cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts from the heart and determine the cellular and molecular changes produced by oxidants in these cells. We have found that oxidants can cause hypertrophy or apoptosis of rat cardiomyocytes in culture. Whether these molecules can serve as therapeutic targets against cardiac hypertrophy is under investigation.