Cure for accelerated repair of damaged liver is found

Activation of a particular protein with a new drug accelerates liver regeneration even after partial removal in mice. The results of a study by scientists from the Pittsburgh Research Center were published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine.

The biologists mapped the activation of genes that change activity during liver damage and found two genes, Wnt2 and Wnt9b, that controlled the others, activating them during damage. The scientists "turned off" these two genes in the mice, causing the liver cells to completely stop dividing, and recovery of the organ stopped after it was partially removed.

Scientists also discovered a drug, an antibody called FL6.13, which performs similar functions to the products of the Wnt genes and stimulates liver regeneration. They used it to stimulate regeneration in mice lacking the Wnt genes.

The new drug was then tested on mice with toxic liver damage. Just one dose reduced biomarkers of liver damage and stopped the organ from dying.

Despite the liver's ability to regenerate itself, its possibilities are not limitless: Excessive alcohol consumption, obesity or toxic drugs can lead to liver failure. The only treatment is liver transplantation, but there is a severe shortage of donor organs around the world. Scientists' work will reduce the number of transplants if trials on humans are successful.

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