Comprehensive analysis of extracellular matrix remodelling via cyclophilin inhibition in human models of alcohol-related liver fibrosis.

Background and purpose: Chronic liver disease and hepatic fibrosis constitute a threat to global health. Clinical translation of preclinical research has been limited, highlighting an urgent need for novel treatments. Cyclophilin inhibitors have shown beneficial effects in liver disease; however, the underlying mechanism of action and the effect across different aetiologies remain elusive. Here, we investigate the impact of a pan-cyclophilin inhibitor (rencofilstat, RCF) in human models of fibrosis and alcohol-related liver disease.

Experimental approach: RCF was tested in human precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) and primary human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Fibrosis and cell activation were assessed using transcriptomic and protein analysis. A comprehensive characterisation of changes in extracellular matrix (ECM) biochemical and structural composition was performed in PCLS and HSC-derived matrix using proteomics, imaging and bioinformatic tools to study ECM alignment. PCLS stiffness upon treatment was assessed by atomic force microscopy.

Key results: Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of PCLS revealed a dramatic impact of RCF on ECM organisation and remodelling. Biochemical composition and fibre alignment analysis of the ECM obtained from HSCs showed a reduction in the amount of ECM core proteins and associated enzymes by RCF, reshaping the architecture of matrix fibres without affecting the HSC activation. The disordered matrix detected in RCF-treated HSC cultures reflected a less-stiff ECM, which was confirmed in the PCLS.

Conclusions and implications: This work provides evidence for a novel mechanism linking cyclophilins and ECM remodelling in advanced 3D models of liver disease, with potential applications in therapeutic development.