Engineered human hepatocyte organoids enable CRISPR-based target discovery and drug screening for steatosis

Organoid models of early liver disease aid target discovery and drug screening. The lack of registered drugs for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is partly due to the paucity of human-relevant models for target discovery and compound screening. Here we use human fetal hepatocyte organoids to model the first stage of NAFLD, steatosis, representing three different triggers: free fatty acid loading, interindividual genetic variability (PNPLA3 I148M) and monogenic lipid disorders (APOB and MTTP mutations). Screening of drug candidates revealed compounds effective at resolving steatosis. Mechanistic evaluation of effective drugs uncovered repression of de novo lipogenesis as the convergent molecular pathway. We present FatTracer, a CRISPR screening platform to identify steatosis modulators and putative targets using APOB(-/-) and MTTP-/- organoids. From a screen targeting 35 genes implicated in lipid metabolism and/or NAFLD risk, FADS2 (fatty acid desaturase 2) emerged as an important determinant of hepatic steatosis. Enhancement of FADS2 expression increases polyunsaturated fatty acid abundancy which, in turn, reduces de novo lipogenesis. These organoid models facilitate study of steatosis etiology and drug targets.

Automated summary

Organoid models of early liver disease, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), are valuable for target discovery and drug screening. Using human fetal hepatocyte organoids, the first stage of NAFLD, steatosis, was successfully modeled with various triggers. Screening of drug candidates identified compounds that effectively resolved steatosis by repressing de novo lipogenesis. The study also introduced FatTracer, a CRISPR screening platform, to identify steatosis modulators and potential targets.