Downregulation of ubiquitous microRNA-320 in hepatocytes triggers RFX1-mediated FGF1 suppression to accelerate MASH progression

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a severe type of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), is a leading etiology of end-stage liver disease worldwide, posing significant health and economic burdens. microRNA-320 (miR-320), a ubiquitously expressed and...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Liu Yang, Wenjun Li, Yingfen Chen, Ru Ya, Shengying Qian, Li Liu, Yawen Hao, Qiuhong Zai, Peng Xiao, Seonghwan Hwang, Yong He
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383525004101
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849233554922274816
author Liu Yang
Wenjun Li
Yingfen Chen
Ru Ya
Shengying Qian
Li Liu
Yawen Hao
Qiuhong Zai
Peng Xiao
Seonghwan Hwang
Yong He
author_facet Liu Yang
Wenjun Li
Yingfen Chen
Ru Ya
Shengying Qian
Li Liu
Yawen Hao
Qiuhong Zai
Peng Xiao
Seonghwan Hwang
Yong He
author_sort Liu Yang
collection DOAJ
description Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a severe type of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), is a leading etiology of end-stage liver disease worldwide, posing significant health and economic burdens. microRNA-320 (miR-320), a ubiquitously expressed and evolutionarily conserved miRNA, has been reported to regulate lipid metabolism; however, whether and how miR-320 affects MASH development remains unclear. By performing miR-320 in situ hybridization with RNAscope, we observed a notable downregulation of miR-320 in hepatocytes during MASH, correlating with disease severity. Most importantly, miR-320 downregulation in hepatocytes exacerbated MASH progression as demonstrated that hepatocyte-specific miR-320 deficient mice were more susceptible to high-fat, high-fructose, high-cholesterol diet (HFHC) or choline-deficient, amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD)-induced MASH compared with control littermates. Conversely, restoration of miR-320 in hepatocytes ameliorated MASH-related steatosis and fibrosis by injection of adeno-associated virus 8 (AAV8) carrying miR-320 in different types of diet-induced MASH models. Mechanistic studies revealed that miR-320 specifically regulated fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) production in hepatocytes by inhibiting regulator factor X1 (RFX1) expression. Notably, knockdown of Rfx1 in hepatocytes mitigated MASH by enhancing FGF1-mediated AMPK activation. Our findings underscore the therapeutic potential of hepatic miR-320 supplementation in MASH treatment by inhibiting RFX1-mediated FGF1 suppression.
format Article
id doaj-art-8de137fe60bf4469af7e57b3d36dab80
institution Kabale University
issn 2211-3835
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
spelling doaj-art-8de137fe60bf4469af7e57b3d36dab802025-08-20T05:06:36ZengElsevierActa Pharmaceutica Sinica B2211-38352025-08-011584096411410.1016/j.apsb.2025.06.007Downregulation of ubiquitous microRNA-320 in hepatocytes triggers RFX1-mediated FGF1 suppression to accelerate MASH progressionLiu Yang0Wenjun Li1Yingfen Chen2Ru Ya3Shengying Qian4Li Liu5Yawen Hao6Qiuhong Zai7Peng Xiao8Seonghwan Hwang9Yong He10State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaDepartment of Hepatology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, ChinaCollege of Pharmacy and Research Institute for Drug Development, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of KoreaState Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Corresponding author.Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a severe type of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), is a leading etiology of end-stage liver disease worldwide, posing significant health and economic burdens. microRNA-320 (miR-320), a ubiquitously expressed and evolutionarily conserved miRNA, has been reported to regulate lipid metabolism; however, whether and how miR-320 affects MASH development remains unclear. By performing miR-320 in situ hybridization with RNAscope, we observed a notable downregulation of miR-320 in hepatocytes during MASH, correlating with disease severity. Most importantly, miR-320 downregulation in hepatocytes exacerbated MASH progression as demonstrated that hepatocyte-specific miR-320 deficient mice were more susceptible to high-fat, high-fructose, high-cholesterol diet (HFHC) or choline-deficient, amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD)-induced MASH compared with control littermates. Conversely, restoration of miR-320 in hepatocytes ameliorated MASH-related steatosis and fibrosis by injection of adeno-associated virus 8 (AAV8) carrying miR-320 in different types of diet-induced MASH models. Mechanistic studies revealed that miR-320 specifically regulated fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) production in hepatocytes by inhibiting regulator factor X1 (RFX1) expression. Notably, knockdown of Rfx1 in hepatocytes mitigated MASH by enhancing FGF1-mediated AMPK activation. Our findings underscore the therapeutic potential of hepatic miR-320 supplementation in MASH treatment by inhibiting RFX1-mediated FGF1 suppression.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383525004101miR-320MASLDRFX1FGF1AMPK
spellingShingle Liu Yang
Wenjun Li
Yingfen Chen
Ru Ya
Shengying Qian
Li Liu
Yawen Hao
Qiuhong Zai
Peng Xiao
Seonghwan Hwang
Yong He
Downregulation of ubiquitous microRNA-320 in hepatocytes triggers RFX1-mediated FGF1 suppression to accelerate MASH progression
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
miR-320
MASLD
RFX1
FGF1
AMPK
title Downregulation of ubiquitous microRNA-320 in hepatocytes triggers RFX1-mediated FGF1 suppression to accelerate MASH progression
title_full Downregulation of ubiquitous microRNA-320 in hepatocytes triggers RFX1-mediated FGF1 suppression to accelerate MASH progression
title_fullStr Downregulation of ubiquitous microRNA-320 in hepatocytes triggers RFX1-mediated FGF1 suppression to accelerate MASH progression
title_full_unstemmed Downregulation of ubiquitous microRNA-320 in hepatocytes triggers RFX1-mediated FGF1 suppression to accelerate MASH progression
title_short Downregulation of ubiquitous microRNA-320 in hepatocytes triggers RFX1-mediated FGF1 suppression to accelerate MASH progression
title_sort downregulation of ubiquitous microrna 320 in hepatocytes triggers rfx1 mediated fgf1 suppression to accelerate mash progression
topic miR-320
MASLD
RFX1
FGF1
AMPK
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383525004101
work_keys_str_mv AT liuyang downregulationofubiquitousmicrorna320inhepatocytestriggersrfx1mediatedfgf1suppressiontoacceleratemashprogression
AT wenjunli downregulationofubiquitousmicrorna320inhepatocytestriggersrfx1mediatedfgf1suppressiontoacceleratemashprogression
AT yingfenchen downregulationofubiquitousmicrorna320inhepatocytestriggersrfx1mediatedfgf1suppressiontoacceleratemashprogression
AT ruya downregulationofubiquitousmicrorna320inhepatocytestriggersrfx1mediatedfgf1suppressiontoacceleratemashprogression
AT shengyingqian downregulationofubiquitousmicrorna320inhepatocytestriggersrfx1mediatedfgf1suppressiontoacceleratemashprogression
AT liliu downregulationofubiquitousmicrorna320inhepatocytestriggersrfx1mediatedfgf1suppressiontoacceleratemashprogression
AT yawenhao downregulationofubiquitousmicrorna320inhepatocytestriggersrfx1mediatedfgf1suppressiontoacceleratemashprogression
AT qiuhongzai downregulationofubiquitousmicrorna320inhepatocytestriggersrfx1mediatedfgf1suppressiontoacceleratemashprogression
AT pengxiao downregulationofubiquitousmicrorna320inhepatocytestriggersrfx1mediatedfgf1suppressiontoacceleratemashprogression
AT seonghwanhwang downregulationofubiquitousmicrorna320inhepatocytestriggersrfx1mediatedfgf1suppressiontoacceleratemashprogression
AT yonghe downregulationofubiquitousmicrorna320inhepatocytestriggersrfx1mediatedfgf1suppressiontoacceleratemashprogression