Abstract
To identify the mechanism underlying macrosteatosis (MaS)-related graft failure (GF) in liver transplantation (LT) by multi-omics network analysis. The transcriptome and metabolome were assayed in graft and recipient plasma in discovery (n = 68) and validation (n = 89) cohorts. Differentially expressed molecules were identified by MaS and GF status. Transcriptional regulatory networks were generated to explore the mechanism for MaS-related inferior post-transplant prognosis. The differentially expressed molecules associated with MaS and GF were enriched in ferroptosis and peroxisome-related pathways. Core features of MaS-related GF were presented on decreased transferrin and impaired anti-oxidative capacity dependent upon dysregulation of transcription factors hepatocyte nuclear factor 4A (HNF4A) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1A (HIF1A). Furthermore, miR-362-3p and miR-299-5p inhibited transferrin and HIF1A expression, respectively. Lower M2 macrophages but higher memory CD4 T cells were observed in MaS-related GF cases. These results were validated in clinical specimens and cellular models. Systemic analysis of multi-omics data depicted a panorama of biological pathways deregulated in MaS-related GF. Transcriptional regulatory networks centered on transferrin and anti-oxidant responses were associated with poor MaS graft quality, qualifying as potential targets to improve prognosis of patients after LT.