Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most frequently used anti-cancer drugs and the front line option for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. However, the clinical applications of DOX are restricted largely due to its toxicity and chemoresistance. Here, we report that miR-375 and DOX were co-delivered by liposomes (named L-miR-375/DOX-NPs) for combination therapy of HCC and drug resistance reversion of DOX. In vitro, L-miR-375/DOX-NPs could deliver DOX and miR-375 efficiently and simultaneously into HCC cells and ensure the successful release of mature miR-375 and DOX. Then, the released miR-375 suppressed the malignant hallmarks of HCC by significantly decreasing the expression of AEG-1, YAP1, and ATG7, while the released DOX evidently accelerated cell apoptosis and blocked cycle at a G2/M stage by activating the P53/Bax/Bcl-2, caspase-3, and P-JNK, P-P38 pathway. Furthermore, miR-375 dramatically inhibited drug resistance of DOX by reducing the expression of multidrug resistance gene 1 (MDR1). In vivo, L-miR-375/DOX-NPs exhibited enhanced anti-tumor efficiency in xenograft HCC mouse models with mild adverse effects compared with doxorubicin or miR-375 alone. In conclusion, our research demonstrated that L-miR-375/DOX-NPs had significant synergetic anti-tumor effects and added values in overcoming drug resistance, which may represent a promising approach for the therapy of HCC.

Granulomatous and fibrosing inflammation in response to soluble egg antigen (SEA) from Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) is the main pathological process of S. japonicum infection. Inflammasome activation has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of liver disease. However, the role of inflammasome activation in schistosomiasis-associated liver fibrosis (SSLF) has not been extensively studied. In this study, it is demonstrated that the NLRP3 inflammasome is markedly activated in mouse HSCs both in vivo and in vitro during S. japonicum infection. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome significantly alleviates the liver inflammation and collagen deposition that are induced by infection with S. japonicum. The mechanism of SEA-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation is studied in isolated, cultured mouse HSCs and it is shown that SEA-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation in HSCs is dependent upon the activities of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk), an enzyme usually associated with a pathogen recognition receptor for fungal pathogens. Moreover, it is demonstrated that Dectin-1 and JNK signaling are also involved in SEA-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation in HSCs. These data shed new light on the mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome activation during an infection with S. japonicum, and further characterize its role in schistosomiasis-associated liver fibrosis (SSLF).