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Updated: Sep 11, 2025

Development of an Ethanol-induced Fibrotic Liver Model in Zebrafish to Study Progenitor Cell-mediated Hepatocyte Regeneration
Published on: May 13, 2016
Homeostatic remodeling platform for reprogramming Iron Intraspatial orientation to reverse liver fibrosis
Bo-Wen Duan1, Yan-Jun Liu1, He-Yuan Hong1
1State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmaceutics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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Chronic alcohol consumption disrupts iron homeostasis, leading to iron overload in liver parenchymal cells and activation of hepatic stellate cells, ultimately contributing to the development of alcoholic liver fibrosis. Due to the differing iron requirements of these two cell types, current treatment strategies often fail to effectively restore iron balance in the liver and may even exacerbate disease progression. To address this challenge, we developed a targeting-intelligent regulation platform composed of iron-depleting micelles (Met/Gal) and iron-redirecting micelles (Sor/DVA) for the treatment of alcoholic liver fibrosis and other disorders associated with iron dysregulation. Specifically, the Met/Gal micelles suppressed iron excretion in liver parenchymal cells and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration. Concurrently, the Sor/DVA micelles captured iron and directed it toward hepatic stellate cells, leading to their selective elimination through ferroptosis. This dual strategy successfully restored iron homeostasis in the liver and significantly alleviated fibrosis. Notably, the platform also demonstrated therapeutic potential in other iron-related conditions, including pulmonary fibrosis. These findings highlight a novel and broadly applicable approach for the treatment of diseases driven by iron imbalance.

