Texas A&M scientists create nanoparticles to help reverse liver damage.
Across the globe, chronic liver disease affects more than a billion people, and it continues to be one of the world’s most common causes of premature death. In the United States alone, over 52,000 people die each year from liver failure, making it one of the country’s leading killers. Yet despite these staggering numbers, alcohol-related liver disease has long received less attention from medical research than other chronic conditions. A new study out of Texas A&M University may begin to change that with an innovative treatment built on tiny particles called nanoparticles.
The work, led by Dr. Jyothi Menon, a biomedical engineer at Texas A&M, focuses on developing a therapy that targets alcohol-related liver disease at its source. Rather than treating symptoms or relying only on lifestyle changes, her team designed microscopic particles that are a thousand times thinner than a human hair. These biodegradable nanoparticles can find their way to the liver, attach to specific immune cells, and help the organ repair itself.
The liver is known for its ability to regenerate even after severe damage. But when the damage continues over time—such as from heavy drinking—the healing process turns against the body. The cells responsible for protecting the liver, called Kupffer cells, begin to malfunction. Instead of calming inflammation, they start releasing chemical signals that inflame nearby tissue and trigger the buildup of scar tissue. This scarring, known as fibrosis, can ultimately lead to cirrhosis and cancer.
Dr. Menon’s tiny particles are designed to break this destructive cycle. Their outer coating allows them to recognize and bind only to Kupffer cells, leaving healthy tissue untouched. Once attached, the particles release anti-inflammatory medication directly inside the damaged cells. They also activate specific receptors that encourage the Kupffer cells to return to their original role—protecting the liver rather than harming it.
This approach represents a shift from the usual methods of treating liver disease. Traditional therapies rely mostly on alcohol abstinence and broad anti-inflammatory drugs that affect the whole body. By delivering treatment exactly where it is needed, Menon’s method could stop the chain reaction that leads from simple inflammation to life-threatening liver failure.
In early tests, the results have been encouraging. The nanoparticles not only reduced inflammation but also decreased fat accumulation in liver tissue, a key sign of improvement. Interestingly, none of the individual components of the treatment worked well on their own. It was only when all the parts—the coating, the drug, and the delivery system—were combined that the therapy showed a meaningful effect.
Creating the technology was a challenge in itself. Few scientists had tried to use nanoparticles to target liver immune cells in this way, leaving little research to guide Menon’s team. The group had to start from scratch, experimenting with different designs until they found one that successfully reached and affected the Kupffer cells. The first confirmed success was described by the researchers as an exciting turning point, offering the first real sign that this idea could work in living tissue.
Although the project currently focuses on alcohol-related liver disease, the potential applications extend much further. The same nanoparticle design could be adapted to treat many conditions that involve inflammation and scarring, from heart disease to kidney injury. Because the formulation can be modified to target different cell types, it could serve as a foundation for future therapies that repair damaged organs cell by cell.
Menon describes the research as still in its early stages but filled with promise. The nanoparticles’ ability to deliver medicine directly to a specific cell type represents a major step toward precision treatment for liver disease. If future studies confirm the results in humans, this technology could offer hope to millions suffering from chronic liver damage.
The work was published in Biomaterials and supported by Texas A&M University and the University of Rhode Island. While further testing is needed, the study marks an important milestone in the long search for effective therapies that can reverse, rather than simply slow, alcohol-related liver disease.
Sources:
Nanoparticles offer new hope for treating alcohol-related liver disease
A novel Kupffer cell-targeting nanoparticle system to Mitigate alcohol-associated liver disease
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