Targeting Mitochondria-Located circRNA SCAR Alleviates NASH via Reducing mROS Output.

Mitochondria, which play central roles in immunometabolic diseases, have their own genome. However, the functions of mitochondria-located noncoding RNAs are largely unknown due to the absence of a specific delivery system. By circular RNA (circRNA) expression profile analysis of liver fibroblasts from patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), we observe that mitochondrial circRNAs account for a considerable fraction of downregulated circRNAs in NASH fibroblasts. By constructing mitochondria-targeting nanoparticles, we observe that Steatohepatitis-associated circRNA ATP5B Regulator (SCAR), which is located in mitochondria, inhibits mitochondrial ROS (mROS) output and fibroblast activation. circRNA SCAR, mediated by PGC-1α, binds to ATP5B and shuts down mPTP by blocking CypD-mPTP interaction. Lipid overload inhibits PGC-1α by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced CHOP. In vivo, targeting circRNA SCAR alleviates high fat diet-induced cirrhosis and insulin resistance. Clinically, circRNA SCAR is associated with steatosis-to-NASH progression. Collectively, we identify a mitochondrial circRNA that drives metaflammation and serves as a therapeutic target for NASH.

Complement Signals Determine Opposite Effects of B Cells in Chemotherapy-Induced Immunity.

Understanding molecular mechanisms that dictate B cell diversity is important for targeting B cells as anti-cancer treatment. Through the single-cell dissection of B cell heterogeneity in longitudinal samples of patients with breast cancer before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, we revealed that an ICOSL+ B cell subset emerges after chemotherapy. Using three immunocompetent mouse models, we recapitulated the subset switch of human tumor-infiltrating B cells during chemotherapy. By employing B-cell-specific deletion mice, we showed that ICOSL in B cells boosts anti-tumor immunity by enhancing the effector to regulatory T cell ratio. The signature of ICOSL+ B cells is imprinted by complement-CR2 signaling, which is triggered by immunogenic cell death. Moreover, we identified that CD55, a complement inhibitory protein, determines the opposite roles of B cells in chemotherapy. Collectively, we demonstrated a critical role of the B cell subset switch in chemotherapy response, which has implications in designing novel anti-cancer therapies. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

Interferon-γ+ Th1 activates intrahepatic resident memory T cells to promote HBsAg loss by inducing M1 macrophage polarization.

The immune mechanism underlying hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss, particularly type I inflammatory response, during pegylated interferon-α (PEG-IFN) therapy remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to elucidate such immune mechanisms. Overall, 82 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), including 41 with HBsAg loss (cured group) and 41 uncured patients, received nucleos(t)ide analogue and PEG-IFN treatments. Blood samples from all patients, liver tissues from 14 patients with CHB, and hepatic perfusate from 8 liver donors were collected for immune analysis. Jurkat, THP-1 and HepG2.2.15 cell lines were used in cell experiments. The proportion of IFN-γ+ Th1 cells was higher in the cured group than in the uncured group, which was linearly correlated with HBsAg decline and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels during treatment. However, CD8+ T cells were weakly associated with HBsAg loss. Serum and intrahepatic levels of Th1 cell-associated chemokines (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand [CXCL] 9, CXCL10, CXCL11, IFN-γ) were significantly lower in the cured patients than in patients with a higher HBsAg quantification during therapy. Serum from cured patients induced more M1 (CD68+CD86+ macrophage) cells than that from uncured patients. Patients with chronic HBV infection had significantly lower proportions of CD86+ M1 and CD206+ M2 macrophages in their livers than healthy controls. M1 polarization of intrahepatic Kupffer cells promoted HBsAg loss by upregulating the effector function of tissue-resident memory T cells with increased ALT levels. IFN-γ+ Th1 activates intrahepatic resident memory T cells to promote HBsAg loss by inducing M1 macrophage polarization.

Saturable absorption properties and ultrafast photonics applications of HfS3.

In this Letter, we focus on investigating the ultrafast photonics applications of two-layer HfS3 nanosheets. We prepared two-layer HfS3 nanosheets and carried out experiments to study their nonlinear saturable absorption properties. The results showed that the two-layer HfS3-based saturable absorber exhibited a modulation depth of 16.8%. Additionally, we conducted theoretical calculations using first principles to estimate the structural and electronic band properties of the two-layer HfS3 material. Furthermore, we utilized the two-layer HfS3 materials as SAs in an erbium-doped fiber cavity to generate mode-locked laser pulses. We measured a repetition frequency of 8.74 MHz, a pulse duration of 540 fs, and a signal-to-noise ratio of 77 dB. Overall, our findings demonstrate that the two-layer HfS3 material can serve as a reliable saturable absorber, possessing properties comparable to currently used two-dimensional materials. This expands the application fields of HfS3 materials and highlights their potential for advanced optoelectronic devices.

Chromium oxide film for Q-switched and mode-locked pulse generation.

Chromium oxide (Cr2O3) is a promising material used in the applications such as photoelectrochemical devices, photocatalysis, magnetic random access memory, and gas sensors. But, its nonlinear optical characteristics and applications in ultrafast optics have not been studied yet. This study prepares a microfiber decorated with a Cr2O3 film via magnetron sputtering deposition and examines its nonlinear optical characteristics. The modulation depth and saturation intensity of this device are determined as 12.52% and 0.0176 MW/cm2. Meanwhile, the Cr2O3-microfiber is applied as a saturable absorber in an Er-doped fiber laser, and stable Q-switching and mode-locking laser pulses are successfully generated. In the Q-switched working state, the highest output power and shortest pulse width are measured as 12.8 mW and 1.385 µs, respectively. The pulse duration of this mode-locked fiber laser is as short as 334 fs, and its signal-to-noise ratio is 65 dB. As far as we know, this is the first illustration of using Cr2O3 in ultrafast photonics. The results confirm that Cr2O3 is a promising saturable absorber material and significantly extend the scope of saturable absorber materials for innovative fiber laser technologies.

Changes of cytokine levels and T cell surface molecules in patients with chronic hepatitis B and the association with functional cure.

This study aimed to examine changes in levels of cytokine and T cell surface molecules in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving sequential interferon therapy following 1-year nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) treatment. Cytokine levels were measured in 30 patients, and T cell surface molecule expression was measured in 48 patients receiving sequential interferon therapy and 24 patients only receiving NA mono-therapy. An HBsAg titer of <0.05 IU/ml was defined as a "functional cure." In the cured group (HBsAg < 0.05 IU/ml), a decreasing probability was observed in IFN-γ (after Week 0), and IL-22 and IP-10 (after Week 12). In the non-cured group (HBsAg ≥ 0.05 IU/ml), a probability of slightly decreasing was observed for IFN-γ (after Week 12), and a probability of increasing IP-10 concentration (after Week 0) was observed. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses showed significant differences in the levels of IL-10, IL-23, CCL-3, IL-1ß, IL-2, and IL-12P70 between the two groups. In GEE analysis, there were significant differences in expressions of CD45RO+ between the cured group and the non-cured group. The frequencies of T cells expressing Tim-3, CD62L, and CD152 were significantly lower in the sequential interferon therapy group than in the NA mono-therapy group. Changes in cytokine levels (IFN-γ, IP-10, IL-10, IL-23, CCL-3, IL-1ß, IL-2, and IL-12P70) and T cell surface molecules (CD45RO+ ) may predict HBsAg seroconversion in CHB patients receiving sequential interferon therapy. The period from Weeks 12 to 24 during sequential interferon therapy may be a critical time of immune status change.

Vanadium disulfide for ultrafast photonic application.

The investigation of two-dimensional (2D) nonlinear optical materials offers a promising way to construct the high-performance optical devices in fundamental and industrial applications because of their rich distinct optoelectronic properties. Herein, by utilizing the liquid exfoliation method, vanadium disulfide (VS2) nanosheets are prepared and the thickness is measured to be 3.16 nm. In addition, we have fabricated the VS2-based optical device and the nonlinear optical property is characterized with modulation depth of 23.97%. By using VS2 as saturable absorber, a high stable passively mode-locking Er-doped fiber laser is obtained with pulse duration of 169 fs and the largest average output power of 70.5 mW. The slope efficiency is up to 7.9%. In comparison to recent results of mode-locking fiber lasers with 2D materials, the VS2-based fiber laser demonstrates better performance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of using VS2 for generating femtosecond mode-locked laser pulse. Our experimental results not only reveal VS2 ultrafast photonics application, but also advance the high-performance applications for information science and nonlinear optics.

Mitochondrial noncoding RNAs: new wine in an old bottle.

Mitochondrial noncoding RNAs (mt-ncRNAs) include noncoding RNAs inside the mitochondria that are transcribed from the mitochondrial genome or nuclear genome, and noncoding RNAs transcribed from the mitochondrial genome that are transported to the cytosol or nucleus. Recent findings have revealed that mt-ncRNAs play important roles in not only mitochondrial functions, but also other cellular activities. This review proposes a classification of mt-ncRNAs and outlines the emerging understanding of mitochondrial circular RNAs (mt-circRNAs), mitochondrial microRNAs (mitomiRs), and mitochondrial long noncoding RNAs (mt-lncRNAs), with an emphasis on their identification and functions.

Indium selenide saturable absorber for high-energy nanosecond Q-switched pulse generation.

As a kind of III/VI group compound 2D layered material, indium selenide (In2Se3) has attracted tremendous interest because of its favorable optoelectronic characteristics. Here, magnetron sputtering deposition (MSD) technology was employed to prepare an In2Se3-based saturable absorber (SA). The nonlinear optical properties of this SA, whose modulation depth (ΔT) is 6.18%, were studied. With the aid of its saturable absorption, a stable two-wavelength Q-switching Er-doped fiber (EDF) laser was established. When pump power was adjusted to 900 mW, the output power was increased to 63.84 mW. The shortest pulse duration and maximum pulse energy were estimated to be 556 ns and 376 nJ, respectively. The signal-to-noise ratio of 70 dB proves this fiber laser has high stability. In comparison with previous works, the laser performance in this study is improved significantly. These results indicate that the In2Se3 holds promise as an outstanding candidate for high-energy pulse generation and will advance the development of In2Se3-based nonlinear photonics devices.

Strain-dependent anisotropic nonlinear optical response in two-dimensional functionalized MXene Sc2CT2 (T = O and OH).

Tunable optical properties play an important role in the high performance of optoelectronic applications based on two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbide and nitride (MXene) materials. Herein, the optical properties of functionalized MXene monolayers Sc2CT2 (T = O and OH) are investigated by strain engineering. The strain-dependent linear optical properties of Sc2CT2 possess broadband optical response due to the geometry and orbital overlap effect. The peaks from the second-order nonlinear coefficient elements d (d15, d16, and d31) at around half the band-gap exhibit a redshift for Sc2CO2 (blueshift for Sc2C(OH)2) with the increase of strain. The strain-dependent d reveals that Sc2CO2 with -1268 pm V-1 %-1 has a larger photoelastic coefficient than that of Sc2C(OH)2 with -574 pm V-1 %-1 at 1% strain. Meanwhile, the photoelastic tensors can not only be increased but also reduced with the increase of strain due to the dispersion relation. Moreover, the azimuthal angle-dependent second harmonic generation (SHG) from strained Sc2CT2 monolayers depends highly on the strained states and the pumping photon energy. The results pave the way for the tunable, broadband, and anisotropic applications of nonlinear optoelectronic devices based on MXenes based on strain engineering.

Transcriptome alterations in HepG2 cells induced by shRNA knockdown and overexpression of TMEM2 gene.

Transmembrane 2 (TMEM2) gene inhibits chronic hepatitis-B virus (HBV) infection, while the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Transcriptome alterations in HepG2 cells following TMEM2 overexpression or silencing by shRNA were analyzed by next-generation sequencing. Both overexpression and knockdown of the TMEM2 gene caused wide-spread changes in gene expression in HepG2 cells. Differentially expressed genes caused by altered TMEM2 gene expression were associated with multiple biological processes linked with viral infection and various signaling pathways. KEGG analysis revealed that many of the differentially expressed genes were enriched in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Moreover, we show that genes related to the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, such as SYK, FLT4, AKT3, FLT1, and IL6, are biological targets regulated by TMEM2 in HepG2 cells. This is the first transcriptome-wide study in which TMEM2-regulated genes in HepG2 cells have been screened. Our findings elucidate the molecular events associated with TMEM2-mediated hepatocyte pathogenesis in chronic HBV infection.

LncRNA NKILA suppresses TGF-ß-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition by blocking NF-κB signaling in breast cancer.

TGF-ß plays a central role in mediating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by activating the Smad pathway. In addition, accumulating evidence suggests that TGF-ß-induced EMT is NF-κB-dependent in various cancer types. However, it is largely unclear if NF-κB mediates TGF-ß-induced EMT in breast cancer, and if this mediation occurs, the regulatory mechanisms are unknown. In our study, we found that TGF-ß activates the NF-κB pathway. Inhibition of NF-κB signaling markedly abrogates TGF-ß-induced EMT. By studying the regulatory mechanism of TGF-ß-induced NF-κB signaling, we found that lncRNA NKILA was upregulated by TGF-ß and was essential for the negative feedback regulation of the NF-κB pathway. Accordingly, overexpression of NKILA significantly reduced TGF-ß-induced tumor metastasis in vivo. Consistent with the results from mice, the expression of NKILA was negatively correlated with EMT phenotypes in clinical breast cancer samples. Collectively, our study indicated that the NKILA-mediated negative feedback affects TGF-ß-induced NF-κB activation and that NKILA may be a therapeutic molecule in breast cancer metastasis via inhibition of EMT.

Efficient mixed-solvent exfoliation of few-quintuple layer Bi2S3 and its photoelectric response.

A scalable liquid exfoliation of layered Bi2S3 employing a mixed-solvent strategy was used for the fabrication of Bi2S3 nanosheets. We found that 10% deionized water in 90% isopropyl alcohol is the best mixed solvent for the efficient and effective exfoliation of layered Bi2S3. These results are consistent with the absorbance spectra and enthalpy of mixing theory. The obtained Bi2S3 nanosheets had few-quintuple layers and were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. These Bi2S3 nanosheets can be used to fabricate large-scale thin films by filtration method; the films demonstrated sensitive photoelectric response with the rise and decay response of photocurrent on the sub-second scale under visible light excitation. The electronic structures of bulk and one-quintuple layer Bi2S3 are calculated by first-principle calculation for better understanding of the photoelectric response. A green mixed-solvent processing of Bi2S3 opens up the potential application of Bi2S3 optoelectric films to photoelectric detection and solar energy conversion devices.

The paradoxical changes of membrane and soluble herpes virus entry mediator in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) network has become new directions in targeting novel checkpoint inhibitors for cancer therapy. However, the changes of membrane-bound HVEM (mHVEM) and soluble HVEM (sHVEM) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not fully understood. This study aims to study the changes of mHVEM and sHVEM in HCC patients. METHODS: Serum samples were collected from 65 HCC patients, from which sHVEM levels were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expressions of mHVEM on peripheral lymphocytes from 20 HCC patients were determined using flow cytometry, and associations between mHVEM on T and B cells were analyzed. RESULTS: The levels of mHVEM were downregulated on peripheral lymphocytes in HCC patients, with a strong positive correlation between mHVEM expression on T and B cells. In contrast, the levels of soluble HVEM were upregulated in the serum of HCC patients. Furthermore, we found that the increase in sHVEM level was correlated with advanced stages HCC. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrated paradoxical changes of membrane and soluble HVEM in the peripheral blood of HCC patients for the first time. These data supported the notion that roles of HVEM are likely to be immunosuppressive rather than activating tumor immunity. Future studies are warranted to further explore the translational values of mHVEM and sHVEM in peripheral blood as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets.

Intrahepatic NK cells function suppressed in advanced liver fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Although numerous epidemiological studies indicate that hepatitis B virus-related liver fibrosis (HBV-LF), particularly cirrhosis, represents the main risk factor for liver cancer development, the mechanisms determining the persistence of fibrosis and liver cancer pathogenesis are still poorly defined. Few studies have investigated the status of NK cells during different stages of HBV-LF. METHODS: Liver tissues at least 3 cm away from the tumour site and peripheral blood were obtained simultaneously from 32 HBV-infected patients undergoing surgery for HCC at the medical centre of Sun Yat-sen University. We detected the amount of NK cells and analysed the phenotype and function of NK cells by flow cytometry. RESULTS: We found that there was no difference in the amount of circulating and intrahepatic NK cells between early and advanced HBV-LF. However, NKp46 expression on intrahepatic NK cells decreased and productions of IFN-γ and perforin of intrahepatic NK cells declined apparently in patients with advanced HBV-LF. CONCLUSION: In the present study, we displayed that in patients with advanced HBV-LF, the expression of NKp46 on intrahepatic NK cells as well as productions of IFN-γ and perforin of intrahepatic NK cells decreased significantly. These results indicated that the immune function of intrahepatic NK cells in patients with advanced HBV-LF was suppressed distinctly, which provided new insight into the potential role of NK cells in the persistence of fibrosis and into the occurrence of HCC following cirrhosis.

Decreases in activated CD8+ T cells in patients with severe hepatitis B are related to outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Many studies on T helper (Th)1, Th2, T regulatory and Th17 cells have been carried out in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). However, CD8(+) T cell, as a main participant in immune-mediated injuries and defense against microorganisms, has seldom been studied in ACLF. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the CD8(+) T cell function, and the outcomes of patients with severe hepatitis [SH; serum bilirubin (SB) ≥ 10 mg/dl and prothrombin activity (PTA) < 60 %]. METHODS: Thirty-six patients with chronic HBV-associated SH were included. Twenty normal chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients (2 < SB < 10 (mg/dl) and PTA ≥ 60 %) and 28 healthy volunteers were enrolled as control groups. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients with SH were diagnosed with ACLF (SB ≥ 10 mg/dl and PTA ≤ 40 %). The non-recovered ACLFs (NR-ACLF) had higher HBV DNA loads than recovered ACLFs (R-ACLF) (6.03 ± 1.79 vs. 4.36 ± 1.61 (log10, IU/L)). The NR-ACLFs had the highest neutrophil:lymphocyte ratios (5.10 ± 2.37) (all P < 0.001; a = 0.05). The CHBs had higher perforin(+) and TCM (CD45RA(-)CD62L(hi)CCR7(+)) proportions [31.28 ± 19.51, 5.32 ± 3.57 (%)] compared to R-ACLFs (11.75 ± 15.35, 0.78 ± 0.76 (%); P = 0.004, 0.001, respectively), or NR-ACLFs (11.61 ± 5.79, 1.14 ± 0.67 (%); P = 0.006, 0.003). The non-ACLF SHs had higher CD38(+) proportions than R-ACLFs or NR-ACLFs (25.46 ± 8.02 vs. 16.24 ± 7.77 or 16.81 ± 6.30 (%), P = 0.039, 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: High neutrophil:lymphocyte ratios and a decrease in activated CD8(+) T cells may be related to poor outcomes in patients with SH.

Liver myofibroblasts from hepatitis B related liver failure patients may regulate natural killer cell function via PGE2.

BACKGROUND: Natural killer (NK) cells are abundant in the liver and constitute a major innate immune component that contributes to immune-mediated liver injury. However, few studies have investigated the phenotypes and functions of NK cells involved in hepatitis B related liver failure (LF), and the precise mechanism underlying NK cell regulation is not fully understood. METHODS: We detected the percentage and function of peripheral NK cells both in hepatitis B related LF patients and healthy volunteers by flow cytometry and isolated the liver myofibroblasts (LMFs) from hepatitis B related LF livers. To determine the possible effects of LMFs on NK cells, mixed cell cultures were established in vitro. RESULTS: We found a down-regulated percentage of peripheral NK cells in hepatitis B related LF patients, and their NK cells also displayed decreased activated natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs) and cytokine production. In a co-culture model, LMFs sharply attenuated IL-2-induced NK cell triggering receptors, cytotoxicity, and cytokine production. The inhibitory effect of LMFs on NK cells correlated with their ability to produce prostaglandin (PG) E2. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that LMFs may protect against immune-mediated liver injury in hepatitis B related LF patients by inhibiting NK cell function via PGE2.

Liver myofibroblasts up-regulate monocyte CD163 expression via PGE2 during hepatitis B induced liver failure.

BACKGROUND: Although patients with liver failure exhibit a generalized inflammatory-imbalance status, substantial evidence indicates that this immunosuppressive or anti-inflammatory state may be deleterious. Increased expression of CD163 (known to be involved in several anti-inflammatory functions of the immune system) in patients with liver failure is significantly correlated with a fatal outcome. However, little is known of the regulatory mechanisms that influence the expression of CD163. METHODS: We assessed the expression of CD163 on monocytes from both circulating cells and the liver tissues of patients with hepatitis B induced liver failure using flow cytometry and isolated the myofibroblasts from diseased livers. The ability of human liver myofibroblasts to regulate CD163 expression on monocytes was studied in vitro. RESULTS: We showed that CD163⁺ monocytes were enriched primarily in diseased livers and that they were associated with liver myofibroblasts in the same area. Accordingly, liver myofibroblasts were significantly superior to normal skin fibroblasts in inducing the expression of CD163 on monocytes in vitro. Moreover, we found that liver myofibroblasts triggered the activation of monocytes by secreting PGE2. Inhibition of PGE2 production in liver myofibroblasts using NS-398 markedly reduced CD163 expression in vitro. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that liver myofibroblasts play a direct role in regulating the expression of CD163 on monocytes in human liver tissues and thereby may regulate monocyte function during hepatitis B induced liver failure.

Activated CD69+ T cells foster immune privilege by regulating IDO expression in tumor-associated macrophages.

Substantial evidence indicates that immune activation at stroma can be rerouted in a tumor-promoting direction. CD69 is an immunoregulatory molecule expressed by early-activated leukocytes at sites of chronic inflammation, and CD69(+) T cells have been found to promote human tumor progression. In this study, we showed that, upon encountering autologous CD69(+) T cells, tumor macrophages (MΦs) acquired the ability to produce much greater amounts of IDO protein in cancer nests. The T cells isolated from the hepatocellular carcinoma tissues expressed significantly more CD69 molecules than did those on paired circulating and nontumor-infiltrating T cells; these tumor-derived CD69(+) T cells could induce considerable IDO in monocytes. Interestingly, the tumor-associated monocytes/MΦs isolated from hepatocellular carcinoma tissues or generated by in vitro culture effectively activated circulating T cells to express CD69. IL-12 derived from tumor MΦs was required for early T cell activation and subsequent IDO expression. Moreover, we found that conditioned medium from IDO(+) MΦs effectively suppressed T cell responses in vitro, an effect that could be reversed by adding extrinsic IDO substrate tryptophan or by pretreating MΦs with an IDO inhibitor 1-methyl-DL-tryptophan. These data revealed a fine-tuned collaborative action between different types of immune cells to counteract T cell responses in tumor microenvironment. Such an active induction of immune tolerance should be considered for the rational design of effective immune-based anticancer therapies.

Interferon-α could induce liver steatosis to promote HBsAg loss by increasing triglyceride level.

Background: The correlation between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss remains to be further elucidated, particularly in patients receiving pegylated interferon-α (PEG-IFN) treatment. Methods: 758 patients with low HBsAg quantification who had received nucleos(t)ide analog (NUC) therapy for at least one year and subsequently switched to or add on PEG-IFN therapy over an unfixed course were enrolled. 412 patients were obtained with baseline data matched. A total of 206 patients achieved HBsAg loss (cured group) within 48 weeks. Demographic and biochemical data associated with MetS were gathered for analysis. HepG2.2.15 cell line was used in vitro experiments to validate the efficacy of interferon-α (IFN-α). Results: The proportion of patients with diabetes or hypertension in the uncured group was significantly higher than in the cured group. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycated albumin remained elevated in the uncured group over the 48 weeks. In contrast, the levels of blood lipids and uric acid remained higher in the cured group within 48 weeks. Triglycerides levels and liver steatosis of all patients increased after PEG-IFN therapy. Baseline elevated uric acid levels and hepatic steatosis may be beneficial for HBsAg loss. IFN-α could induce hepatic steatosis and indirectly promote HBsAg loss by increasing triglyceride level through upregulation of acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 1(ACSL1). Conclusions: IFN-α could induce liver steatosis to promote HBsAg loss by increasing triglyceride level through upregulation of ACSL1. Comorbid diabetes may be detrimental to obtaining HBsAg loss with PEG-IFN therapy in CHB patients.