Development of NAFLD-Specific Human Liver Organoid Models on a Microengineered Array Chip for Semaglutide Efficacy Evaluation

Abstract

Progressive non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may culminate in severe complications, including fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, yet therapeutic breakthroughs remain elusive, necessitating novel pharmacological strategies. Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist clinically approved for type 2 diabetes and obesity management, has demonstrated pleiotropic effects in preclinical NAFLD models. In this study, we investigated semaglutide's therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms in a human liver organoids (hLOs) model of NAFLD. Utilising microengineered array chips, human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) were differentiated into hLOs with functional hepatic properties. NAFLD pathology was induced via free fatty acid (FFA) exposure, recapitulating disease hallmarks such as steatosis, inflammatory cytokine elevation and fibrogenic activation. Semaglutide treatment at 50 nM significantly attenuated lipid deposition caused by FFAs and reduced triglyceride levels by 8-fold and cholesterol levels by 1.8-fold. It also inhibited the expression of pro-inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α) by about 1.5–2 fold and increased the level of lipolytic genes by about 45%. These findings elucidate the therapeutic potential of semaglutide in attenuating key NAFLD-associated pathologies and establish a robust in vitro platform for preclinical drug evaluation. The study provides critical insights into targeted NAFLD interventions and supports the translation of GLP-1-based therapies into clinical practice, addressing an unmet need in hepatology.

Keywords

array chip / drug assessment / non-alcoholic fatty liver / organoid / semaglutide

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2025 The Author(s). Cell Proliferation published by Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.