Myeloid Mas drives pyruvate kinase M2-mediated Spi1 lactylation to fuel inflammatory senescence in MASLD
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is driven by unresolved inflammation, yet precise mechanisms linking immune metabolism to disease progression remain elusive. Here, we identified myeloid-expressed Mas, a G protein-coupled receptor, as a critical metabolic checkpoint in MASLD. Mas expression is elevated in hepatic myeloid cells from patients and diet-induced mouse models. Myeloid-specific Mas1 deletion attenuated MASLD by restraining glycolytic reprogramming and inflammatory senescence. Single-cell RNA sequencing analyses revealed that this deletion specifically impaired the glycolytic flux and subsequent pathogenic differentiation of FN1⁺CCR2⁺ monocyte precursors. Mechanistically, Mas interacts with the glycolytic enzyme PKM2, enhancing lactate production that drives lactylation of the transcription factor Spi1 at lysine 208. Spi1-K208 lactylation promotes its nuclear localization and transcriptional activation of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) genes. Myeloid-specific Pkm2 ablation phenocopied the protective effect of Mas1 deletion, and PKM2 overexpression rescued the metabolic and transcriptional defects caused by Mas loss. Virtual screening identified theaflavin-3,3'-digallate (TFDG) as a Mas inhibitor that disrupts the Mas-PKM2 interaction. A macrophage membrane-coated nanoparticle (MM@NP-TFDG) delivered TFDG specifically to hepatic macrophages, suppressed the Mas-PKM2-Spi1 lactylation axis, and ameliorated MASLD pathology in vivo. Our findings define a novel Mas-PKM2-Spi1 lactylation axis that orchestrates glycolytic reprogramming, monocyte precursor differentiation, and macrophage-driven inflammation in MASLD, presenting a targeted nanotherapeutic strategy for its treatment.
Authors
- 王勝嵐
- Li Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0745-6919)
- Jing Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6520-0704)
- Zhe Wang
- Shuo Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6975-5655)
- Shujing Xu
- Shanshan Li
- Xiaokun Zhang
- Changqing Yang
- Luying Zhao
- Lu Xia
- Peng Wang
- Yongping Zhou
- Chun Liu
- Shikai Qiao
- Xianghua Sun
- Chengxi Hu
Institutions
- Jiangnan University (CN)
- Tongji University (CN)
- Army Medical University (CN)
- Second Military Medical University (CN)
- Wuxi Fourth People's Hospital (CN)
- Xinqiao Hospital (CN)
- Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital (CN)
- Tongji Hospital (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy
- Published
- 2026-05-19
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-026-02704-6
- Primary Topic
- Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- China Postdoctoral Science Foundation