2. Academic Validation
  3. ROCK inhibition enhanced hepatocyte liver engraftment by retaining membrane CD59 and attenuating complement activation

ROCK inhibition enhanced hepatocyte liver engraftment by retaining membrane CD59 and attenuating complement activation

  • Mol Ther. 2023 Feb 28;S1525-0016(23)00116-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.02.018.
Haoxin Ma 1,  Chao Wang 1,  Shulong Liang 1,  Xinlu Yu 1,  Yuan Yuan 1,  Zhuanman Lv 1,  Jiqianzhu Zhang 2,  Caixia Jin 3,  Jiangbo Zhu 2,  Chao Wang 4,  Pingxin Sun 4,  Wenlin Li 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Cell Biology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
  • 2 Department of Health Toxicology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
  • 3 Department of Regenerative Medicine, College of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200433, China.
  • 4 Department of Cell Biology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China. Electronic address: liwenlin@smmu.edu.cn.
  • 5 Department of Cell Biology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China. Electronic address: liwenlin@smmu.edu.cn.
PMID: 36860134 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.02.018
Abstract

Hepatocyte transplantation can be an effective treatment for patients with certain liver-based metabolic disorders and liver injuries. Hepatocytes are usually infused into the portal vein, from which hepatocytes migrate into the liver and integrate into the liver parenchyma. However, early cell loss and poor liver engraftment represent the major hurdles to sustaining the recovery of diseased livers after transplantation. In the present study, we found that ROCK (Rho-associated kinase) inhibitors significantly enhanced in vivo hepatocyte engraftment. Mechanistic studies suggested that the isolation of hepatocytes caused substantial degradation of cell membrane proteins, including the complement inhibitor CD59, probably due to shear stress-induced endocytosis. ROCK inhibition by ripasudil, a clinically used ROCK Inhibitor, can protect transplanted hepatocytes by retaining cell membrane CD59 and blocking the formation of the membrane attack complex. Knockdown of CD59 in hepatocytes eliminates ROCK inhibition-enhanced hepatocyte engraftment. Ripasudil can accelerate liver repopulation of fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase-deficient mice. Our work reveals a mechanism underlying hepatocyte loss after transplantation and provides immediate strategies to enhance hepatocyte engraftment by inhibiting ROCK.

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