Hepatocyte cell-surface receptors

Hepatocyte cell-surface receptors represent a broad category of proteins located on the plasma membrane of liver cells, serving as vital interfaces for metabolic, signaling, and transport processes (PMID: 8428960). This group includes several high-profile therapeutic targets, most notably the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR; UniProt P07306), which is utilized for the targeted delivery of N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-conjugated RNA interference (RNAi) and antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) drugs such as givosiran and inclisiran (PMID: 30305311). Another critical member is the sodium/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP; UniProt Q14973), which acts as the primary entry point for hepatitis B and D viruses and is targeted by the entry inhibitor bulevirtide (PMID: 32659211). Additionally, receptors like the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR; UniProt P01130) and scavenger receptor class B member 1 (SR-BI; UniProt Q8WTV0) are essential for lipid homeostasis and are involved in the entry of the hepatitis C virus (PMID: 24436984). Because this term encompasses a wide array of proteins with distinct structures and functions, it is considered a functional category rather than a single molecular target. Consequently, drug development efforts are typically focused on specific individual receptors within this class to achieve precise therapeutic outcomes in liver-related diseases.

Other names

Liver cell surface receptorsHepatic cell surface receptorsHepatocyte receptorsHepatocyte-specific surface proteins

Receptor-mediated endocytosis for targeted drug delivery; inhibition of viral attachment and entry; modulation of lipoprotein clearance and bile acid transport.