Protein That Stops Cell Division Could Serve as a Biomarker or Therapeutic Target for Liver Disease

 

 

      According to recent research published in The FASEB Journal, a protein that stops the cells from dividing in response to damage or stress could become a new biomarker or therapeutic target for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). This protein is called cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (CDKN1A), it was upregulated in patient datasets and models in animals of the disease, and the expression level correlated with the severity of the disease in the study. 

    With current technologies, only liver biopsies or medical imaging methods such as ultrasounds are used to diagnose MALSD, and no medication has been approved to treat the disease yet. To find a diagnostic biomarker or drug target, the researchers used bioinformatics methods to analyze public patient datasets for differentially regulated genes in MASLD patients and compared them with controls. They found that CDKN1A was upregulated in all of the datasets obtained. The study states that: 

"The protein encoded by this gene responds to cell stress and damage by preventing cells from dividing, shifting them to a senescent or inactive state. Further analysis of five patient datasets, including the initial three, demonstrated that CDKN1A transcript levels increased with disease severity."

    The expression of CDKN1A positively correlated with two clinical assessments: the disease's activity score and the fibrosis stage. In the patients' liver tissue, immunofluorescence staining showed the protein's higher expression compared to tissues from the control group. 

    The results from the study are consistent with previous reports, which suggest an association between CDKN1A and MASLD. The researcher said: 

“Functionally, CDKN1A may contribute to MASLD progression by promoting hepatocyte senescence, exacerbating lipid toxicity, and fostering chronic inflammation and fibrosis,”

    These findings will guide the study to a more effective way of using biomarkers for disease diagnosis and therapeutic intervention. 

WORKS CITED

MBT Desk (2025). Protein That Stops Cell Division Could Serve as a Biomarker or Therapeutic Target for Liver Disease. MedBound Times. https://www.medboundtimes.com/biotechnology/cdkn1a-as-biomarker-therapeutic-target-in-masld?utm_source=website&utm_medium=related-stories

Deng, L., Deng, J., Luo, L., et al. (2025). Identification of CDKN1A as a potential key risk factor in MASLD progression. FASEB. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.202402942R