Murine liver repair via transient activation of regenerative pathways in hepatocytes using lipid nanoparticle-complexed nucleoside-modified mRNA

Nat Commun. 2021 Jan 27;12(1):613. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-20903-3.

Abstract

Induction of intrinsic liver regeneration is an unmet need that can be achieved by temporally activating key hepatocyte regenerative pathways. Here, we establish an efficient, safe, non-integrative method to transiently express hepatocyte-growth-factor (HGF) and epidermal-growth-factor (EGF) in hepatocytes via nucleoside-modified, lipid-nanoparticle-encapsulated mRNA (mRNA-LNP) delivery in mice. We confirm specific hepatotropism of mRNA-LNP via intravenous injection of firefly luciferase encoding mRNA-LNP, with protein expression lasting about 3 days. In the liver, virtually all hepatocytes are transfected along with a subpopulation of endothelial and Kupffer cells. In homeostasis, HGF mRNA-LNP efficiently induce hepatocyte proliferation. In a chronic liver injury mouse model recapitulating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, injections of both HGF and EGF mRNA-LNP sharply reverse steatosis and accelerate restoration of liver function. Likewise, HGF and EGF mRNA-LNP accelerate liver regeneration after acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury with rapid return to baseline ALT levels. This study introduces mRNA-LNP as a potentially translatable safe therapeutic intervention to harness liver regeneration via controlled expression of endogenous mitogens in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetaminophen
  • Animals
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Chronic Disease
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor / pharmacology
  • Hepatocytes / drug effects
  • Hepatocytes / pathology*
  • Homeostasis / drug effects
  • Injections
  • Lipids / chemistry*
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / injuries
  • Liver / pathology*
  • Liver / physiopathology
  • Liver Function Tests
  • Liver Regeneration / drug effects
  • Liver Regeneration / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nucleosides / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism*

Substances

  • Lipids
  • Nucleosides
  • RNA, Messenger
  • enhanced green fluorescent protein
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Acetaminophen
  • Epidermal Growth Factor
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor