Impaired glycoRNA biogenesis in metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease

Glycosylated proteins and lipids regulate multiple cellular processes and play key roles in organ damage and regeneration. Recently, glycosylated non-coding small RNAs (glycoRNA) have been identified, however, their expression in the liver and their involvement in hepatic pathology has not yet been reported.

We detected the presence of glycoRNAs by northern blot and an imaging approach called sialic acid aptamer and RNA in situ hybridization-mediated proximity ligation assay that enables direct visualization of glycoRNAs. Restoration of key mediators of glycoRNA biosynthesis was achieved in vivo, via adeno-associated viral vectors (AAV).

Here, we show that glycoRNAs are synthesized in human liver tissue, primary hepatocytes and hepatic tumor cells. In tissues from patients with key features of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseases (MASLD), the most prevalent liver disease worldwide, expression of most glycoRNAs was reduced. Mechanistically, we found that reduced expression of SID1 transmembrane family member 1 (SIDT1) and DTW domain containing 2 (DTWD2), two key mediators of glycoRNA biosynthesis, contribute to loss of glycoRNAs in MASLD. Inhibition of SIDT1 and DTWD2 increased fatty acid load in primary human hepatocytes and enhanced inflammation signals upon co-culture with macrophages. Importantly, AAV-mediated in vivo restoration of SIDT1 and DTWD2 attenuated metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis in mice. Furthermore, sequencing of enriched glycoRNA samples identified eight glycoRNAs that were downregulated in steatotic human liver and hepatocytes.

Collectively, our study demonstrates the presence of glycoRNAs in human hepatocytes and human liver tissues and their dysregulated expression in experimental steatosis models and in patients with MASLD.

Recent estimates suggest that up to 24% of the world's population is affected by metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseases (MASLD). Our study reports for the first time that glycosylated RNAs (glycoRNA), a recently discovered class of RNA, are present in the liver and their expression is dysregulated in fatty liver injury. Importantly, in vivo restoration of glycoRNA biogenesis, attenuated fatty liver injury in preclinical models of MASLD. Furthermore, our results suggest that glycoRNA expression is dysregulated in human livers with MASLD, indicating their potential as novel biomarkers of liver injury.