Wada, E. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2026

Quantum Dot-Based Non-invasive Monitoring of Sinusoidal Endothelial Scavenger Function in Steatohepatitis

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and its progressive form, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), represent urgent medical challenges. Current non-invasive assessments rely on serum indices or tissue stiffness, and none visualizes functional changes within the liver, hindering drug discovery and patient management. In this study, we developed a non-invasive technique using semiconductor quantum dots, as blood-borne foreign particle mimics, to evaluate the scavenger function of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) via near-infrared optical imaging. Progression from MASLD to MASH induced a significant decline in the scavenger capability of LSECs, resulting in a marked reduction of intrahepatic quantum dot retention. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that quantum dots are recognized and internalized by scavenger receptor class A (SR-A) on LSECs, and that SR-A-mediated uptake progressively diminishes with increasing MASH severity. Crucially, quantum dot retention levels significantly correlated with both the progression and regression of MASH pathology. These findings demonstrate that quantum dot-based optical evaluation of LSEC scavenger function offers a highly sensitive, non-invasive diagnostic platform for staging MASH and assessing therapeutic efficacy.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2026

Climate of origin constrains phenological tracking of temperature in a California endemic oak (Quercus lobata)

Premise of the study. Phenotypic plasticity is advantageous for many plants that experience environmental fluctuations, but strong selection pressures can establish limits to plasticity. In deciduous trees, the ability to time leaf elongation in response to spring temperatures can extend the length of the growing season for a given year's climate. However, emergence timing may have undergone strong selection by factors like cold temperatures, limiting the capacity of locally adapted populations to adjust via plasticity to new conditions. Methods. Using a nine-year dataset of 659 families of Quercus lobata in two common gardens, we tested how climate of origin and annual temperatures at the gardens affected variation in phenology. We then examined whether leaf emergence timing was under selection in the gardens by testing its effects on growth. Finally, we tested whether among-year plasticity in leaf emergence timing conferred a growth benefit. Key results. Year-to-year environmental variation explained more phenological variation than genetic differences associated with climate of origin, yet trees from cooler climates were more constrained in their ability to track temperature than trees from warmer climates. We found evidence of weak stabilizing and directional selection on phenology, suggesting that strong selection in favor of earlier phenology is unlikely. Finally, we found no evidence that selection has favored increased plasticity in Q. lobata. Conclusions. Phenological plasticity remains a key driver of plants' response to changing temperatures, but it is constrained by natural selection. As temperatures rise, these processes may disproportionately limit the ability of trees adapted to cooler climates to shift their phenology to match spring temperatures.

plant biology↗