Treatment of liver cirrhosis using hepatocyte-derived liver progenitor-like cells: a prospective, open-label, single-arm, safety trial.

ABSTRACT: Liver transplantation remains constrained by the scarcity of donor organs and the risks inherent in the procedure, underscoring the urgent need for novel cirrhosis therapies. We developed a protocol to convert human primary hepatocytes into expandable hepatocyte-derived liver progenitor-like cells (HepLPCs), which secrete high levels of matrix metalloproteinases and hepatocyte growth factor. In a thioacetamide-induced rat model of cirrhosis, human HepLPCs demonstrated potent anti-fibrotic properties and promoted liver regeneration. Biodistribution studies revealed that most xenogenic HepLPCs were cleared from the body within one week, suggesting that their therapeutic benefits likely arise from paracrine signaling rather than long-term engraftment. We initiated a first-in-human clinical tr

SUBMITTER: He K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12589444 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature