Polydopamine nanoparticles as a potential pharmaceutical tool in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), or hepatic steatosis, has become one of the most common pathologies among liver-related disorders. The rapid accumulation of fat in this organ, and the consequent increment in oxidative stress levels, have been recognized as one of the main factors involved in the pathological mechanism underlying hepatic steatosis, and progressive non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Experimental and epidemiological data have shown how antioxidant compounds rich in phenolic groups, such as resveratrol and quercetin, are particular efficient in contrasting the onset of this pathology. In this work, an in vitro model of NAFLD was established based on oleic acid-treated HepG2 cells. Steatotic cells were treated with polydopamine nanoparticles (PDNPs), biocompatible polymeric nanostructures rich in phenolic groups with high antioxidant power. PDNP treatment has shown to be effective in counteracting the hallmarks characterizing hepatic steatosis, and a reduction in the accumulation of lipids has been observed. Further analyses also showed a significant reduction in triglyceride and cholesterol levels, jointly to reduced levels of oxidative stress. Altogether, collected findings suggest PDNPs to be a promising pharmaceutical candidate for the prevention and treatment of hepatic steatosis.