liver fibrosis

[Communications Biology] Researchers investigated how liver fibrosis and features of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) could be modelled using an in vitro microphysiological system (MPS). The NASH MPS model comprised a co-culture of primary human liver cells, which were cultured in a variety of conditions including +/− excess sugar, fat, exogenous TGFβ or LPS.

[Cell Death Discovery] The authors showed dual regulatory functions of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in attenuating hepatic fibrosis by promoting Ly6Chi/Ly6Clo subset conversion and Ly6Clo macrophage restoration through secreting antifibrogenic-cytokines and activating the apoptotic pathway.

[Journal of Clinical Investigation] Deletion of cannabinoid receptor-1 receptors in hepatocytes did not alter the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in mice fed a high sucrose high fat diet or high fat diet.

[Inventiva] Inventiva, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of oral small molecule therapies for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), mucopolysaccharidoses and other diseases, announced the initiation of its NATiV3 Phase III clinical trial evaluating lanifibranor for the treatment of NASH.

[Journal of Hepatology] Researchers investigated restoration of hepatocyte functions by HNF4A mRNA transfection in vitro, and analyzed the attenuation of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in multiple mouse models, by delivering hepatocyte-targeted biodegradable lipid nanoparticles encapsulating HNF4A mRNA.

[Stem Cells] Investigators demonstrated that treatment of liver fibrosis with both human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived macrophage populations and especially M2 subtype significantly reduced fibrogenic gene expression and disease associated histological markers in immunodeficient Rag2−/−γc−/− mice model, making this approach a promising cell-based avenue to ameliorate fibrosis.