Preclinical study demonstrates that engineered bacterial extracellular vesicles mitigate alcoholic liver injury in mice, highlighting a liver-targeted antioxidant strategy.
Key Points
To evaluate whether engineered Bacillus subtilis extracellular vesicles displaying superoxide dismutase can protect against alcoholic liver injury and identify their underlying protective mechanisms.
Engineered Bacillus subtilis 168-derived extracellular vesicles to surface-display superoxide dismutase (SEVs) and tested their stability in simulated digestive fluids and in vivo biodistribution.
Evaluated antioxidant and antisteatotic efficacy in ethanol-exposed hepatocytes in vitro and in a murine model of alcoholic liver disease in vivo.
SEVs remained stable against digestive fluid breakdown and demonstrated targeted biodistribution to liver tissue.
SEV treatment significantly reduced reactive oxygen species and lipid deposition in ethanol-exposed hepatocytes.
In mice with alcoholic liver disease, SEVs reduced hepatic steatosis, serum transaminase levels, and inflammatory cell infiltration by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway without inducing secondary hepatic toxicity.