Liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) drives graft dysfunction and postsurgical morbidity. We show that hepatocellular MST1 is markedly upregulated in IRI and exacerbates damage by blocking PINK1-dependent mitophagy. Defective mitochondrial clearance causes mtDNA leakage, which activates macrophage cGAS-STING signaling and fuels inflammatory injury. Curcumin inhibits this MST1-PINK1 axis, restoring mitophagy and limiting mtDNA release. To translate these insights, we engineered Curcumin@EV@Se-stem-cell-derived extracellular vesicles surface-modified with diselenide-PEG for ROS-responsive, "stealth" delivery. In oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation models, Curcumin@EV@Se improved hepatocyte viability, preserved mitochondrial potential, reduced ROS and inflammatory cytokines, and promoted reparative/angiogenic programs. In a murine hepatic IRI model, systemic Curcumin@EV@Se decreased necrosis and TUNEL positivity and improved serum transaminases and histology, indicating enhanced liver function and regeneration. These data identify MST1-mediated mitophagy blockade with secondary cGAS-STING activation as a central pathogenic axis in IRI and present Curcumin@EV@Se as a mechanism-guided therapy that restores mitochondrial quality control and dampens innate immune activation, with translational promise for liver transplantation and acute hepatic injury.
Zhou et al. (2026) studied this question.