Daucosterol combined with umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes can alleviate liver damage in liver failure mice by regulating the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway

Daucosterol is a phytosterol glycoside with hepatoprotective properties. The objective of the present study was to confirm the role of daucosterol in liver failure. Exosomes were isolated from primary mouse umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs). A liver failure mouse model was generated by injecting lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine. Mice were treated with exosomes alone or in combination with daucosterol (5, 10, or 20 mg/kg). Liver tissue damage was examined by hematoxylin-eosin, Masson’s trichrome, and TUNEL staining. The levels of genes, proteins, and inflammatory factors were determined using real-time qPCR, western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Compared with normal mice, we noted severe damage, fibrosis, and apoptosis in the liver tissues of liver failure-induced mice. UCMSC-derived exosomes effectively alleviated hepatic damage in the mouse model. Compared with exosome treatment alone, exosomes combined with daucosterol significantly and dose-dependently reduced pathological changes in model mice. Exosome treatment alone or combined with daucosterol also markedly decreased the liver index and reduced levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 in model mice. Exosome treatment alone or combined with daucosterol suppressed mRNA expression levels of IL-6 and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) and STAT3 protein expression in model mice. Our findings revealed that treatment with daucosterol combined with UCMSC-derived exosomes was superior to exosomes alone for alleviating hepatic damage in mice with liver failure by regulating the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway. Accordingly, daucosterol combined with UCMSC-derived exosomes may be a prospective treatment strategy for liver failure.