First experience of high‐intensity focused ultrasound combined with transcatheter arterial embolization as local control for hepatoblastoma

Shan Wang, Chao Yang, Jun Zhang, Xiang‐ru Kong, Hui Zhu, Feng Wu, Zhibiao Wang – 28 June 2013 – The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in treating pediatric hepatoblastoma. Twelve patients with initially unresectable hepatoblastoma were enrolled in the study. All patients received chemotherapy, TACE, and HIFU ablation. Follow‐up materials were obtained in all patients. The tumor response, survival rate, and complications were analyzed.

Overactivation of the TGF‐β pathway confers a mesenchymal‐like phenotype and CXCR4‐dependent migratory properties to liver tumor cells

Esther Bertran, Eva Crosas‐Molist, Patricia Sancho, Laia Caja, Judit Lopez‐Luque, Estanislao Navarro, Gustavo Egea, Raquel Lastra, Teresa Serrano, Emilio Ramos, Isabel Fabregat – 28 June 2013 – Transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β) is an important regulatory suppressor factor in hepatocytes. However, liver tumor cells develop mechanisms to overcome its suppressor effects and respond to this cytokine by inducing other processes, such as the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), which contributes to tumor progression and dissemination.

A novel role of nucleostemin in maintaining the genome integrity of dividing hepatocytes during mouse liver development and regeneration

Tao Lin, Wessam Ibrahim, Cheng‐Yuan Peng, Milton J. Finegold, Robert Y.L. Tsai – 28 June 2013 – During liver development and regeneration, hepatocytes undergo rapid cell division and face an increased risk of DNA damage associated with active DNA replication. The mechanism that protects proliferating hepatocytes from replication‐induced DNA damage remains unclear. Nucleostemin (NS) is known to be up‐regulated during liver regeneration, and loss of NS is associated with increased DNA damage in cancer cells.

NLRP3 inflammasome activation results in hepatocyte pyroptosis, liver inflammation, and fibrosis in mice

Alexander Wree, Akiko Eguchi, Matthew D. McGeough, Carla A. Pena, Casey D. Johnson, Ali Canbay, Hal M. Hoffman, Ariel E. Feldstein – 28 June 2013 – Inflammasome activation plays a central role in the development of drug‐induced and obesity‐associated liver disease. However, the sources and mechanisms of inflammasome‐mediated liver damage remain poorly understood. Our aim was to investigate the effect of NLRP3 inflammasome activation on the liver using novel mouse models.

Bile acids trigger cholemic nephropathy in common bile‐duct–ligated mice

Peter Fickert, Elisabeth Krones, Marion J. Pollheimer, Andrea Thueringer, Tarek Moustafa, Dagmar Silbert, Emina Halilbasic, Min Yang, Hartmut Jaeschke, Geurt Stokman, Rebecca G. Wells, Kathrin Eller, Alexander R. Rosenkranz, Gosta Eggertsen, Carsten A. Wagner, Cord Langner, Helmut Denk, Michael Trauner – 28 June 2013 – Tubular epithelial injury represents an underestimated but important cause of renal dysfunction in patients with cholestasis and advanced liver disease, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear.

Renal impairment is frequent in chronic hepatitis C patients under triple therapy with telaprevir or boceprevir

Stefan Mauss, Dietrich Hueppe, Ulrich Alshuth – 28 June 2013 – In clinical trials with telaprevir (TLV) and boceprevir (BOC) renal impairment was not reported as a relevant adverse event. The PAN study is a noninterventional study enrolling patients treated with peginterferon alfa‐2a/ribavirin (PEG/RBV) with or without TVL or BOC. Here we restrict the analysis to hepatitis C virus genotype 1 patients having completed 12 (n = 895) or 24 weeks (n = 591) of treatment.

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