Project description:Modulation of metabolic, inflammatory, and fibrotic pathways by semaglutide in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a chronic liver disease strongly associated with cardiometabolic risk factors. Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, improves liver histology in MASH, but the underlying signals and pathways driving semaglutide-induced MASH resolution are not well understood. We show that, in two preclinical MASH models, semaglutide improved histological markers of fibrosis and inflammation, and reduced hepatic expression of fibrosis- and inflammation-related gene pathways.
Project description:Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a chronic liver disease strongly associated with cardiometabolic risk factors. Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, improves liver histology in MASH, but the underlying signals and pathways driving semaglutide-induced MASH resolution are not well understood. We show that, in two preclinical MASH models, semaglutide improved histological markers of fibrosis and inflammation, and reduced hepatic expression of fibrosis- and inflammation-related gene pathways.
Project description:Abstract. Background and aims: Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, is an antidiabetic medication that has recently been approved for treatment of obesity as well. Semaglutide is also postulated to be a promising candidate for treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Here, we evaluated the effects of semaglutide in a translational diet-induced model with advanced NASH and fibrosis. Methods: Ldlr-/-.Leiden mice received a fast food diet (FFD) for 25 weeks, followed by another 12 weeks on FFD with daily subcutaneously injections of semaglutide or vehicle (control). Plasma parameters were evaluated, livers and hearts were examined and hepatic transcriptome analysis was performed. Results: In the liver, semaglutide significantly reduced macrovesicular steatosis (-74%, p<0.001), inflammation (-73%, p<0.001) and completely abolished microvesicular steatosis (-100%, p<0.001). Histological and biochemical assessment of hepatic fibrosis showed no significant effects of semaglutide. However, digital pathology revealed significant improvements in the degree of collagen fiber reticulation (-12%, p<0.001). Semaglutide did not affect atherosclerosis relative to controls. Additionally, we compared the transcriptome profile of FFD-fed Ldlr-/-.Leiden mice with a human gene set that differentiates human NASH patients with severe fibrosis from those with mild fibrosis. In FFD-fed Ldlr-/-.Leiden control mice, this gene set was upregulated as well, while semaglutide predominantly reversed this gene expression. Conclusions: Using a translational model with advanced NASH, we demonstrated that semaglutide is a promising candidate with particular potential for treatment of hepatic steatosis and inflammation, while for reversal of advanced fibrosis, combinations with other NASH agents may be necessary.
Project description:Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has emerged as a major challenge for public health because of high global prevalence and lack of evidence-based therapies. Most animal models of NASH lack sufficient validation regarding disease progression and pharmacological treatment. The Gubra-Amylin NASH (GAN) diet-induced obese (DIO) mouse demonstrate clinical translatability with respect to disease etiology and hallmarks of NASH. This study aimed to evaluate disease progression and responsiveness to clinically effective interventions in GAN DIO-NASH mice. Disease phenotyping was performed in male C57BL/6J mice fed the GAN diet high in fat, fructose and cholesterol for 28-88 weeks. GAN DIO-NASH mice with biopsy-confirmed NASH and fibrosis received low-caloric dietary intervention, semaglutide (30 nmol/kg/day, s.c.) or lanifibranor (30 mg/kg/day, p.o.) for 8 and 12 weeks, respectively. Within-subject change in NAFLD Activity Score (NAS) and fibrosis stage was evaluated using automated deep learning-based image analysis. GAN DIO-NASH mice showed clear and reproducible progression in NASH, fibrosis stage and tumor burden with high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma. Consistent with clinical trial outcomes, semaglutide and lanifibranor improved NAS, while only lanifibranor induced regression in fibrosis stage. Dietary intervention also demonstrated substantial benefits on metabolic outcomes and liver histology. Differential therapeutic efficacy of dietary intervention, semaglutide and lanifibranor was supported by quantitative histology, RNA sequencing, and blood/liver biochemistry. In conclusion, the GAN DIO-NASH mouse model recapitulates various histological stages of NASH and faithfully reproduces histological efficacy profiles of compounds in advanced clinical development for NASH. Collectively, these features highlight the utility of GAN DIO-NASH mice in preclinical drug development.
Project description:In this study, we compared the treatment with one of 2 GLP-1 receptor agonists, Liraglutide and Semaglutide on the gene expression in 6 different DIO rat brain areas known to express the GLP-1 receptor. DIO rats were treated with vehicle, liraglutide, semaglutide or weight-matched for 23 days and tissue from the brain areas LS, PVH, ARH, DMH, AP and NTS was obtained with LCM.
Project description:Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a chronic liver disease associated with hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Inflammasome-mediated IL-18 signaling is enhanced under MASH condition. IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) is a soluble protein that can block IL-18 actions and therapeutic potential of IL-18BP for MASH-induced fibrosis is largely unknown. We newly developed a human IL-18BP biologics (APB-R3) and injected it to mice to evaluate its pharmacologic efficacy. APB-R3 strikingly abolished hepatic fibrosis and reduced collagen markers. We further investigated whether APB-R3 could inhibit fibrotic activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). This study proposes that abrogation of IL-18 signaling by boosting IL-18BP can strongly inhibit the development of MASH-induced fibrosis and our engineered IL-18BP biologics can become promising therapeutic candidate for curing MASH.
Project description:We applied RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to study the gene expression profile in the liver of mice fed the CDAA-HFD for 3 weeks (n=9), 6 weeks (n=10), 12 weeks (n=8) and 20 weeks (n=8) and lean chow controls (n=8). At all timepoints, CDAA-HFD mice displayed a widespread increase in the expression of MASH candidate genes related to inflammation, hepatocellular injury and ECM organization as compared to chow-fed controls. Gene expression was further studied in response to chow reversal (n=9), semaglutide (n=9) and lanifibranor (n=10) as compared to Vehicle (n=10). Chow reversal and lanifibranor, induced wide-spread transcriptional changes in MASH candidate genes while semaglutide showed only discrete effects on candidate genes.
Project description:Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) are characterized by excessive triglyceride accumulation in the liver. However, due to an incomplete understanding of its pathogenesis, more efforts are still needed to identify specific and effective treatments. N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) is a newly discovered RNA modification to regulate mRNA stability post-transcriptionally. N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10), the sole enzyme catalyzing mRNA acetylation, has not been fully explored in human diseases, especially in MASLD and MASH. In the current study, abundant RNA acetylation was found in lipid metabolism-related genes in the livers of leptin receptor-deficient (db/db) mice. Besides, hepatic NAT10 expression is significantly increased in multiple mouse models of MASLD and MASH. NAT10 expression is also elevated in patients with MASLD and positively correlated with clinical characteristics. Genetic NAT10 knockdown protects against diet-induced hepatic steatosis and steatohepatitis in mice, while its overexpression exacerbates steatosis. Mechanistically, NAT10 could bind to Srebp-1c mRNA to promote its stability and expression, thereby upregulating lipogenic enzymes. In addition, the translational significance of our findings is that treatment of Remodelin, an NAT10 inhibitor, could improve liver steatosis and dyslipidemia in a preclinical mouse model. Together, these findings highlight the significance of ac4C modification and NAT10 in MASLD and MASH, offering a potential therapeutic target for disease treatment.
Project description:Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) are characterized by excessive triglyceride accumulation in the liver. However, due to an incomplete understanding of its pathogenesis, more efforts are still needed to identify specific and effective treatments. N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) is a newly discovered RNA modification to regulate mRNA stability post-transcriptionally. N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10), the sole enzyme catalyzing mRNA acetylation, has not been fully explored in human diseases, especially in MASLD and MASH. In the current study, abundant RNA acetylation was found in lipid metabolism-related genes in the livers of leptin receptor-deficient (db/db) mice. Besides, hepatic NAT10 expression is significantly increased in multiple mouse models of MASLD and MASH. NAT10 expression is also elevated in patients with MASLD and positively correlated with clinical characteristics. Genetic NAT10 knockdown protects against diet-induced hepatic steatosis and steatohepatitis in mice, while its overexpression exacerbates steatosis. Mechanistically, NAT10 could bind to Srebp-1c mRNA to promote its stability and expression, thereby upregulating lipogenic enzymes. In addition, the translational significance of our findings is that treatment of Remodelin, an NAT10 inhibitor, could improve liver steatosis and dyslipidemia in a preclinical mouse model. Together, these findings highlight the significance of ac4C modification and NAT10 in MASLD and MASH, offering a potential therapeutic target for disease treatment.