NLRP3 inflammasome constrains liver regeneration through impairing MerTK-mediated macrophage efferocytosis | Science Advances

The NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome plays a crucial role in human acute and chronic liver diseases. However, the role and cell-specific contribution of NLRP3 in liver regeneration remains unclear. Here, we found that NLRP3 was highly activated during the early stage of liver regeneration via 70% partial hepatectomy (PHx) mice model and clinical data. Global NLRP3 depletion or pharmacologically blocking NLRP3 significantly enhanced liver regeneration, while NLRP3 overexpression impaired it after PHx. Furthermore, mice with myeloid-specific knockout of Nlrp3 ( Nlrp3 ^{Δ mye} ), rather than hepatocyte-specific knockout ( Nlrp3 ^{Δ hep} ), showed improved liver regeneration compared to control ( Nlrp3 ^fl/fl ). Mechanistically, deficiency of Nlrp3 promoted myeloid-epithelial-reproductive tyrosine kinase (MerTK)–mediated efferocytosis, thereby inducing macrophages toward a pro-reparative Ly6C ^lo phenotype. Notably, NLRP3 inhibition by MCC950 effectively reversed the impairment of liver regeneration after PHx in mice fed a high-fat diet. Our findings provide a potential therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of post-hepatectomy liver failure.