This technology is a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and treatment of liver disease, and a food composition for improvement and prevention, containing the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and either platelet-type 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) or a recombinant vector containing a nucleic acid encoding 12-LOX as active ingredients. It also includes a screening method for selecting therapeutic agents for liver disease to be used in combination with DHA based on their ability to increase 12-LOX expression in cells.
Liver diseases such as steatosis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are increasing due to high-calorie and high-fat diets, with NASH in particular significantly increasing the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. While studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids like DHA reduce lipid accumulation in the liver, their limited efficacy in clinical trials has hindered their development as therapeutic agents.
Based on the discovery that 12-LOX acts as a co-factor that enhances the liver-protective effects of DHA, this technology combines DHA with 12-LOX protein or a recombinant vector that increases its expression. It also enables the discovery of new combination drugs through a screening system that identifies substances that increase 12-LOX expression in cells. Applicable to NASH combination therapies, omega-3-based liver health functional foods, and platforms for discovering DHA efficacy enhancers, this technology can revitalize DHA as a practical therapeutic agent for liver disease.
This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT for the discovery of novel long noncoding RNA-based targets for fatty liver disease and therapeutic strategies.
WO2020-149727A2
