Restoring enzyme involved in cellular cleanup could reduce inflammation and scarring from liver disease MASH

by Laura Coverson, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

edited by Lisa Lock, reviewed by Robert Egan

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A team of investigators co-led by Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University has identified an enzyme that helps prevent the most common form of liver disease from progressing toward liver failure. Results of the preclinical study, published in Nature Metabolism, could point the way to new approaches for preventing serious organ damage.

An estimated 100 million people in the U.S. have metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, according to the American Liver Foundation. About 20% to 25% will progress to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a more aggressive form of the disease in which excess fat buildup in the liver leads to inflammation, cell damage and scarring.

Treatments focus on lifestyle changes and protecting the liver from further damage. Medications are available, but effective options remain limited, and there is no cure for MASH.

Previous research pointed to damaged mitochondria, which power cells, as a driver of MASH. In the new multicenter study, Cedars-Sinai investigators found that levels of the UBE2N enzyme in liver cells decrease as liver disease progresses.

"The UBE2N enzyme appears to protect the liver from the inflammation and damage associated with MASH by helping remove damaged mitochondria and supporting the breakdown of fat," said Ekihiro Seki, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and biomedical sciences at Cedars-Sinai and co-corresponding author of the study. "When levels of the enzyme fell, we saw more damaged cells and injury to the liver."

When investigators restored the UBE2N enzyme to normal levels in the livers of laboratory mice, fat buildup, scarring and inflammation were reduced. The findings suggest that the enzyme could be a promising target for preventing MASLD from progressing to MASH.

"The identification of this enzyme's role in regulating mitochondria in the liver is an important advance in understanding steatotic liver disease," said Shelly Lu, MD, the Women's Guild Chair in Gastroenterology and director of the Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Cedars-Sinai.

"Future studies can test whether enhancing this protective pathway can complement existing treatments, identify patients most likely to benefit and lead to new therapeutic approaches for preventing advanced disease."

Publication details

Feng Wang et al, UBE2N deficiency contributes to MASH development via p62-regulated mitophagy and PANoptosis, Nature Metabolism (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s42255-026-01590-0

Journal information: Nature Metabolism

Key medical concepts

Fatty Liver DiseaseNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Clinical categories

GastroenterologyCommon illnesses & Prevention Provided by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Who's behind this story?

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Citation: Restoring enzyme involved in cellular cleanup could reduce inflammation and scarring from liver disease MASH (2026, September 24) retrieved 27 September 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-enzyme-involved-cellular-cleanup-inflammation.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.