# A Novel Human Cellular System for Studying Normal Aging and for Anti‐Aging Discovery

## TL;DR

This study creates a human cell model of aging using placental cells that mimics aging features and responds to anti-aging treatments, helping bridge lab research to clinical applications.

## Contribution

A novel human cellular aging model using trophoblast stem cells that mimics in vivo aging features and responds to anti-aging compounds.

## Key findings

- The hTSC-STB system recapitulates key aging features like senescence and genomic instability.
- Anti-aging molecules such as mTOR inhibitors and senolytics reduce senescence in the model.
- The CGA-EGFP reporter system allows scalable screening of anti-aging candidates.

## Abstract

Aging studies using animal and cellular models have uncovered key proteins and pathways central to organismal aging. However, these models differ genetically and physiologically from human aging, posing challenges in translating discoveries to human contexts. In this study, we present a human normal cell aging model based on the development of cytotrophoblasts (CTBs) to syncytiotrophoblasts (STBs) in the placenta. The in vitro‐derived STBs from human trophoblast stem cells (hTSCs) recapitulate the maturation and major cellular aging features of in vivo CTB‐STB, including multinucleation, hormone secretion, cell cycle arrest, genome instability, epigenetic changes, activation of endogenous transposable elements, and senescence‐associated secretory phenotypes (SASPs). Notably, the progressive senescence in the trophoblast system closely matches the predicted aging trajectory of other human tissue stem cells. Known anti‐aging molecules, such as mTOR inhibitors and senolytics, attenuate senescence signals in STBs. The established CGA‐EGFP reporter hTSC line enables scalable and quantitative screening and identified candidates with it can be further extended to other context‐specific aging processes like that of skin fibroblasts. The hTSC‐STB system represents a novel physiologically accelerated cellular aging model, bridges the gap between fundamental aging research and interventions, and prioritizes anti‐aging candidates for clinical development.

This study introduces a human cellular aging model using placental trophoblasts (hTSC‐STBs) that mimics key aging features like senescence and genomic instability. It aligns with human tissue aging and responds to anti‐aging treatments, offering a scalable platform to screen potential therapies and bridge lab findings to clinical applications.