Loss of cisPTase function in the liver promotes a highly penetrant form of fatty liver disease that rapidly transitions to hepatocellular carcinoma [scRNA-seq]
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ABSTRACT: In developed countries, obesity-linked fatty liver is a significant risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, the molecular mechanisms underlying the transition from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to HCC remains unclear. The present study explores the role of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated protein NgBR, an essential component of the cis-prenyltransferases (cis-PTase) enzyme, in chronic liver disease. Here we show that genetic depletion of NgBR in hepatocytes ofmice (N-LKO) intensifies triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation, inflammatory responses, ER/oxidative stress, and liver fibrosis, ultimately resulting in HCC development with 100% penetrance after four months on a high-fat diet. Comprehensive genomic and single cell transcriptomic atlas from affected livers provides a detailed molecular analysis of the transition from liver pathophysiology to HCC development. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition of diacylglycerol acyltransferase-2 (DGAT2), a key enzyme in hepatic TAG synthesis, abrogates diet-induced liver damage and HCC burden in N-LKO mice. Overall, our findings establish NgBR/cisPTase as a critical suppressor of NAFLD- HCC conversion and suggests that DGAT2 inhibition may serve as a promising therapeutic approach to delay HCC formation in patients with advanced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE230616 | GEO | 2026/01/21
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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