# Targeting PFKFB3 to restore glucose metabolism in acute pancreatitis via nanovesicle delivery

## TL;DR

This study shows that inhibiting PFKFB3 using nanovesicles can restore glucose metabolism and reduce inflammation in acute pancreatitis.

## Contribution

The study introduces nanovesicle-based PFKFB3 inhibition as a novel therapeutic strategy for metabolic complications in acute pancreatitis.

## Key findings

- PFKFB3 inhibition via nanovesicles restored glycolytic function and improved glucose metabolism in AP models.
- Nanovesicle delivery reduced inflammation and metabolic disturbances in acute pancreatitis.
- PFKFB3 is identified as a key therapeutic target for glucose metabolism disorders in AP.

## Abstract

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a severe inflammatory disease frequently accompanied by disturbances in glucose metabolism, which further complicate the disease prognosis. This study aims to explore the role of PFKFB3, a key glycolytic enzyme, in regulating glucose metabolism in AP and assess the potential of PFKFB3 inhibition via nanovesicle delivery to mitigate metabolic dysfunction.

Transcriptomic data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), including single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk RNA sequencing, were analyzed to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in glucose metabolism dysregulation in AP. The therapeutic effects of PFKFB3 inhibition via nanovesicle-based delivery were evaluated using both in vivo and in vitro AP models.

PFKFB3 inhibition significantly restored normal glycolytic function and improved glucose metabolism in AP models. Moreover, nanovesicle-mediated delivery also alleviated both inflammation and metabolic disturbances, highlighting its promise as a therapeutic strategy for managing glucose dysfunction in AP.

Our findings identify PFKFB3 as a critical therapeutic target for treating glucose metabolism disorders in acute pancreatitis. Nanovesicle-based PFKFB3 inhibition may serve as an innovative approach to address metabolic complications associated with AP, offering a new direction for therapeutic interventions in inflammatory diseases.

Molecular Mechanism of EVs-mediated Delivery of PFKFB3 Inhibitor in Ameliorating Glucose Metabolism Disorder Post-AP.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s10020-025-01261-y.