Sugar-coated ‘sticky’ stem cells could unlock surgery-free liver treatments

A new process could help to treat liver disease without needing an organ transplant, a new study reveals.

Hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) can help to repair the liver, but they often don’t stick well to the existing tissue, making treatment less effective.

Scientists at the University of Birmingham have now developed a method to coat HPCs with natural sugars (polysaccharides) – such as hyaluronic acid and alginate – making the cells ‘stickier’.

The coated cells showed a significant increase in their ability to stick to liver tissues and other cells - meaning the cells are more likely to stay in place and help repair the liver. The coating does not harm the cells or stop them from working properly. Coated HPCs can still turn into liver cells and perform their functions, like producing important proteins.

Publishing their findings today (10 July) in Communications Biology, scientists from the University of Birmingham and InSphero AG (Switzerland) outline how the HPCs are coated with polysaccharides using a special technique that doesn’t require modifying their genes.

Lead author Dr Maria Chiara Arno, from the University of Birmingham, commented: “Liver transplants are the only option for many severe liver diseases, but there aren’t enough donor livers available. This new method could provide an alternative by making cell therapy more effective, potentially helping many people with liver disease.”

Researchers used a technique called metabolic oligosaccharide engineering (MOE) to coat the cells, which were tested - in lab conditions mimicking the human body - on various surfaces, including liver microtissues and endothelial cells, which line blood vessels. The coated HPCs demonstrated a much higher adhesion rate to liver microtissues and other cells compared to uncoated cells.

This study reveals that hyaluronic acid -coated cells spread out more and formed structures that help them stick. Moreover, coating cells increased their levels of certain proteins (integrins) that help cells attach and sense their environment. Importantly, these coatings were temporary, lasting just long enough to help the cells settle in after transplantation, without interfering with their normal functions.

“Our approach avoids genetic modification, making it easier to use in the clinic,” added Dr Arno. “We believe this method could be adapted for other cell types and are planning further studies explore its impact on cell health and immune responses.”

ENDS 

For more information, please contact the University of Birmingham press office pressoffice@contacts.bham.ac.uk or +44 (0) 121 414 2772.

Notes to editor:    

• The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 8,000 international students from over 150 countries.

• ‘Sweet and sticky: increased cell adhesion through click-mediated functionalization of regenerative liver progenitor cells’ - Amaziah R. Alipio, Melissa R. Vieira, Tamara Haefel, Lisa Hoelting, Olivier Frey, Alicia J. El Haj, and Maria C. Arno is published by Communications Biology.

• Participating institutions: University of Birmingham, UK; InSphero AG, Switzerland.