NLRP3 inflammasome constrains liver regeneration through impairing MerTK-mediated macrophage efferocytosis.

Abstract

The NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome plays a crucial role in human acute and chronic liver diseases. However, the role and cell-specific contribution of NLRP3 in liver regeneration remains unclear. Here, we found that NLRP3 was highly activated during the early stage of liver regeneration via 70% partial hepatectomy (PHx) mice model and clinical data. Global NLRP3 depletion or pharmacologically blocking NLRP3 significantly enhanced liver regeneration, while NLRP3 overexpression impaired it after PHx. Furthermore, mice with myeloid-specific knockout of <i>Nlrp3</i> (<i>Nlrp3</i>^Δ<i>mye</i>), rather than hepatocyte-specific knockout (<i>Nlrp3</i>^Δ<i>hep</i>), showed improved liver regeneration compared to control (<i>Nlrp3^fl/fl</i>). Mechanistically, deficiency of <i>Nlrp3</i> promoted myeloid-epithelial-reproductive tyrosine kinase (MerTK)-mediated efferocytosis, thereby inducing macrophages toward a pro-reparative Ly6C^lo phenotype. Notably, NLRP3 inhibition by MCC950 effectively reversed the impairment of liver regeneration after PHx in mice fed a high-fat diet. Our findings provide a potential therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of post-hepatectomy liver failure.