Джайн Чжон, доктор философии.

Премия за пилотное исследование
50,000 XNUMX долларов США за год

Йельский университет

Hepatic Lymphatic Vessels in Liver Regeneration: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential

The liver has a remarkable ability to regrow after resection or injury, a process known as liver regeneration, which is essential for recovery after liver surgery and transplantation. However, many patients experience delayed or incomplete recovery, and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Our research focuses on the liver lymphatic system, the body’s “sewer” network that removes excess fluid and cellular waste products, including lipids and lipid-derived metabolites, from the liver. While blood vessels in the liver have been extensively studied, the role of lymphatic vessels (LVs) in liver regeneration remains largely unknown. Our preliminary studies show that hepatic LVs actively expand and increase their drainage capacity during liver regeneration, and that this response persists until liver recovery is complete. Surprisingly, experimentally blocking hepatic lymphatic drainage in mice undergoing liver resection significantly delays liver regeneration and functional recovery. These mice also develop persistent fat accumulation and abnormal retention of lipid metabolites in the liver, suggesting that hepatic LVs are important for maintaining metabolic balance during regeneration. During the early stages of liver regeneration, increased lipid utilization provides an important source of energy but also generates lipid-derived byproducts and metabolites that must subsequently be cleared for full functional recovery. We hypothesize that hepatic LVs promote efficient liver regeneration by enhancing lymphatic drainage and facilitating the clearance of lipids and their metabolites. This study will investigate how hepatic LVs maintain metabolic homeostasis and support normal liver recovery by clearing lipid byproducts. Our studies may uncover new biological mechanisms that regulate liver recovery and identify potential therapeutic strategies to improve regeneration after liver resection or transplantation.