Kupffer cell‐derived IL‐10 plays a key role in maintaining humoral immune tolerance in hepatitis B virus‐persistent mice

Long Xu, Wenwei Yin, Rui Sun, Haiming Wei, Zhigang Tian – 8 August 2013 – The liver is considered as a unique lymphoid organ favoring the induction of immune tolerance, rather than immunity. Biologists and clinicians alike have a long‐standing interest in how the liver induces systemic immune tolerance, but the mechanism has not yet been well elucidated.

RNA interference against cancer/testis genes identifies dual specificity phosphatase 21 as a potential therapeutic target in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Qing Deng, Kun‐Yu Li, Hui Chen, Ji‐Hong Dai, Yang‐Yang Zhai, Qun Wang, Niu Li, Yu‐Ping Wang, Ze‐Guang Han – 8 August 2013 – Cancer/testis (CT) antigens have been considered therapeutic targets for treating cancers. However, a central question is whether their expression contributes to tumorigenesis or if they are functionally irrelevant by‐products derived from the process of cellular transformation. In any case, these CT antigens are essential for cancer cell survival and may serve as potential therapeutic targets.

Novel RNA oligonucleotide improves liver function and inhibits liver carcinogenesis in vivo

Vikash Reebye, Pål Sætrom, Paul J. Mintz, Kai‐Wen Huang, Piotr Swiderski, Ling Peng, Cheng Liu, Xiaoxuan Liu, Steen Lindkær‐Jensen, Dimitris Zacharoulis, Nikolaos Kostomitsopoulos, Noriyuki Kasahara, Joanna P. Nicholls, Long R. Jiao, Madhava Pai, Duncan R. Spalding, Malkhaz Mizandari, Tinatin Chikovani, Mohamed M. Emara, Abdelali Haoudi, Donald A. Tomalia, John J. Rossi, Nagy A. Habib – 8 August 2013 – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurs predominantly in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Maelstrom promotes hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis by inducing epithelial‐mesenchymal transition by way of Akt/GSK‐3β/Snail signaling

Lulu Liu, Yongdong Dai, Jinna Chen, Tingting Zeng, Yan Li, Leilei Chen, Ying‐Hui Zhu, Jiangchao Li, Yan Li, Stephanie Ma, Dan Xie, Yun‐Fei Yuan, Xin‐Yuan Guan – 8 August 2013 – Amplification of 1q is one of the most frequent chromosomal alterations in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study we identified and characterized a novel oncogene, Maelstrom (MAEL), at 1q24. Amplification and overexpression of MAEL was frequently detected in HCCs and significantly associated with HCC recurrence (P = 0.031) and poor outcome (P = 0.001).

Antismooth muscle and antiactin antibodies are indirect markers of histological and biochemical activity of autoimmune hepatitis

Claudia A. Couto, Paulo L. Bittencourt, Gilda Porta, Clarice P. Abrantes‐Lemos, Flair J. Carrilho, Bianca D. Guardia, Eduardo L.R. Cançado – 8 August 2013 – Reactivity and titers of autoantibodies vary during the course of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), and some autoantibodies have been associated with disease activity and adverse outcomes after treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the autoantibody behavior in AIH and its significance as predictors of biochemical and histological remission.

Mesenchymal stem cells alleviate bacteria‐induced liver injury in mice by inducing regulatory dendritic cells

Yi Zhang, Wei Cai, Qingrong Huang, Yuting Gu, Yufang Shi, Jiefang Huang, Fang Zhao, Qiang Liu, Xunbin Wei, Min Jin, Changping Wu, Qing Xie, Yi Zhang, Bing Wan, Yanyun Zhang – 8 August 2013 – Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) is a clinical syndrome characterized by sudden and severe impairment of liver function. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been proposed as a promising therapeutic approach for FHF. In this study we used Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes)‐primed, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced liver injury in mice as an animal model of human FHF.

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