A new definition of sarcopenia in patients with cirrhosis undergoing liver transplantation

Nicolas Golse, Petru Octav Bucur, Oriana Ciacio, Gabriella Pittau, Antonio Sa Cunha, René Adam, Denis Castaing, Teresa Antonini, Audrey Coilly, Didier Samuel, Daniel Cherqui, Eric Vibert – 7 November 2016 – Although sarcopenia is a common complication of cirrhosis, its diagnosis remains nonconsensual: computed tomography (CT) scan determinations vary and no cutoff values have been established in cirrhotic populations undergoing liver transplantation (LT). Our aim was to compare the accuracy of the most widely used measurement techniques and to establish useful cutoffs in the setting of LT.

Reduction in liver transplant wait‐listing in the era of direct‐acting antiviral therapy

Jennifer A. Flemming, W. Ray Kim, Carol L. Brosgart, Norah A. Terrault – 5 November 2016 – Direct‐acting antiviral (DAA) therapy, recently approved for patients with decompensated cirrhosis (DC) secondary to hepatitis C virus (HCV), is associated with improved hepatic function. We analyzed trends in liver transplant (LT) wait‐listing (WL) to explore potential impact of effective medical therapy on WL registration. This is a cohort study using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database from 2003 to 2015.

Shp2 promotes liver cancer stem cell expansion by augmenting β‐catenin signaling and predicts chemotherapeutic response of patients

Daimin Xiang, Zhuo Cheng, Hui Liu, Xue Wang, Tao Han, Wen Sun, Xiaofeng Li, Wen Yang, Cheng Chen, Mingyang Xia, Na Liu, Shengyong Yin, Guangzhi Jin, Terence Lee, Liwei Dong, Heping Hu, Hongyang Wang, Jin Ding – 5 November 2016 – Src‐homology 2 domain–containing phosphatase 2 (Shp2) has been reported to play an important role in the maintenance and self‐renewal of embryonic and adult stem cells, but its role in cancer stem cells (CSCs) remains obscure. Herein, we observed high expression of Shp2 in both chemoresistant hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and recurrent HCCs from patients.

Low‐level viremia and the increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients receiving entecavir treatment

Jung Hee Kim, Dong Hyun Sinn, Wonseok Kang, Geum‐Youn Gwak, Yong‐Han Paik, Moon Seok Choi, Joon Hyeok Lee, Kwang Cheol Koh, Seung Woon Paik – 5 November 2016 – The long‐term clinical impact of low‐level viremia (LLV; <2,000 IU/mL) is not well understood. As a result, it is unclear whether the development of LLV during entecavir monotherapy requires a change in therapy.

Loss of the transforming growth factor‐β effector β2‐Spectrin promotes genomic instability

Jian Chen, Vivek Shukla, Patrizia Farci, Jaclyn Andricovich, Wilma Jogunoori, Lawrence N. Kwong, Lior H. Katz, Kirti Shetty, Asif Rashid, Xiaoping Su, Jon White, Lei Li, Alan Yaoqi Wang, Boris Blechacz, Gottumukkala S. Raju, Marta Davila, Bao‐Ngoc Nguyen, John R. Stroehlein, Junjie Chen, Sang Soo Kim, Heather Levin, Keigo Machida, Hidekazu Tsukamoto, Peter Michaely, Alexandros Tzatsos, Bibhuti Mishra, Richard Amdur, Lopa Mishra – 5 November 2016 – Exposure to genotoxins such as ethanol‐derived acetaldehyde leads to DNA damage and liver injury and promotes the development of cancer.

Farnesoid X receptor ablation sensitizes mice to hepatitis b virus X protein–induced hepatocarcinogenesis

Yongdong Niu, Meishu Xu, Betty L. Slagle, Haihua Huang, Song Li, Grace L. Guo, Ganggang Shi, Wenxin Qin, Wen Xie – 5 November 2016 – Chronic hepatitis B virus infection is a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) is a hepatitis B virus protein that has multiple cellular functions, but its role in HCC pathogenesis has been controversial. Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a nuclear receptor with activities in anti‐inflammation and inhibition of hepatocarcinogenesis.

Functional defect of variants in the adenosine triphosphate–binding sites of ABCB4 and their rescue by the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator potentiator, ivacaftor (VX‐770)

Jean‐Louis Delaunay, Alix Bruneau, Brice Hoffmann, Anne‐Marie Durand‐Schneider, Véronique Barbu, Emmanuel Jacquemin, Michèle Maurice, Chantal Housset, Isabelle Callebaut, Tounsia Aït‐Slimane – 5 November 2016 – ABCB4 (MDR3) is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)‐binding cassette (ABC) transporter expressed at the canalicular membrane of hepatocytes, where it mediates phosphatidylcholine (PC) secretion.

Optimal timing of hepatitis C treatment for patients on the liver transplant waiting list

Jagpreet Chhatwal, Sumeyye Samur, Brian Kues, Turgay Ayer, Mark S. Roberts, Fasiha Kanwal, Chin Hur, Drew Michael S. Donnell, Raymond T. Chung – 5 November 2016 – The availability of oral direct‐acting antivirals has altered the hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment paradigm for both pre–liver transplant (LT) and post‐LT patients. There is a perceived trade‐off between pre‐LT versus post‐LT treatment of HCV—treatment may improve liver function but potentially decrease the likelihood of a necessary LT.

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