On May 8th, the international top magazine Nature • Medicine (IF = 30.357) published online the latest research results of Professor Li Hongliang’s team. This is the third research paper of the team published on the journal.

The title of the research paper is Tmbim1 is a multivesicular body regulator that protects against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice and monkeys by targeting lysosomal degradation of Tlr4.This study, for the first time, reveals a key negative regulatory role of multi-foam (MVB) regulatory protein Tmbim1 in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and elucidates its molecular mechanisms. Dr. Li Hongliang is the corresponding author, and Dr. Zhao Guangnian, Dr. Zhang Peng, Dr. Zhang Xiaochen and doctoral students Gong Jun are the co-first authors. The research is funded by the National Science Fund for outstanding young people, the National Natural Science Foundation, the National Science and Technology Support Program and the national key R & D program.

NAFLD is a chronic liver disease with the highest incidence in China. At present, there are over 150 million patients with NAFLD, 10 - 20% of which will be further developed into NASH, manifested as severe inflammatory response and liver cell damage, often accompanied by fibrosis. The course of NASH is rapid, with a relatively higher risk for the development of serious liver disease such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. At present, there are no effective clinical drugs to treat NASH in the world and its pathogenesis is not clear.

Dr. Li Hongliang’s team has been committed to cardiovascular and liver metabolic disease research. The paper published on “Nature • Medicine” in February this year, pointed out that CFLAR blocks the activation of ASK1 by inhibiting the formation of ASK1 N-terminal dimerization, thereby improving and reversing the process of NASH. And this paper on Tmbiml is the synchronizing research of CFLAR research.

This study is another important finding in the field of liver metabolic disease research, suggesting that the regulation of lysosomal-mediated protein degradation by targeting MVB regulators is an effective means of treating NASH. This study provides a new understanding of the pathogenesis of NASH and provides new targets and strategies for clinical prevention and treatment of NASH and related diseases. （Author: Wu Xia; Song Min)