A virtual scalable model of the Hepatic Lobule for acetaminophen hepatotoxicity prediction

NPJ Digit Med. 2024 Nov 28;7(1):340. doi: 10.1038/s41746-024-01349-5.

Abstract

Addressing drug-induced liver injury is crucial in drug development, often causing Phase III trial failures and market withdrawals. Traditional animal models fail to predict human liver toxicity accurately. Virtual twins of human organs present a promising solution. We introduce the Virtual Hepatic Lobule, a foundational element of the Living Liver, a multi-scale liver virtual twin. This model integrates blood flow dynamics and an acetaminophen-induced injury model to predict hepatocyte injury patterns specific to patients. By incorporating metabolic zonation, our predictions align with clinical zonal hepatotoxicity observations. This methodology advances the development of a human liver virtual twin, aiding in the prediction and validation of drug-induced liver injuries.