Effects of simvastatin administration on rodents with lipopolysaccharide‐induced liver microvascular dysfunction

Vincenzo La Mura, Marcos Pasarín, Cintia Z. Meireles, Rosa Miquel, Aina Rodríguez‐Vilarrupla, Diana Hide, Jorge Gracia‐Sancho, Juan Carlos García‐Pagán, Jaime Bosch, Juan G. Abraldes – 26 November 2012 – Endothelial dysfunction drives vascular derangement and organ failure associated with sepsis. However, the consequences of sepsis on liver sinusoidal endothelial function are largely unknown. Statins might improve microvascular dysfunction in sepsis. The present study explores liver vascular abnormalities and the effects of statins in a rat model of endotoxemia.

Sal‐like protein 4 (SALL4), a stem cell biomarker in liver cancers

Tsunekazu Oikawa, Akihide Kamiya, Mikio Zeniya, Hiromi Chikada, Ahn Dong Hyuck, Yuji Yamazaki, Eliane Wauthier, Hisao Tajiri, Lance D. Miller, Xin Wei Wang, Lola M. Reid, Hiromitsu Nakauchi – 23 November 2012 – Liver cancers, including hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), cholangiocarcinomas (CCs), and fibrolamellar HCCs (FL‐HCCs) are among the most common cancers worldwide and are associated with a poor prognosis. Investigations of genes important in liver cancers have focused on Sal‐like protein 4 (SALL4), a member of a family of zinc finger transcription factors.

High susceptibility to liver injury in IL‐27 p28 conditional knockout mice involves intrinsic interferon‐γ dysregulation of CD4+ T cells

Song Zhang, Ruifang Liang, Wei Luo, Chang Liu, Xiaoli Wu, Yanan Gao, Jianlei Hao, Guangchao Cao, Xi Chen, Jun Wei, Siyuan Xia, Zheng Li, Ti Wen, Yunyun Wu, Xinglong Zhou, Puyue Wang, Liqing Zhao, Zhengzhou Wu, Sidong Xiong, Xiaoming Gao, Xiang Gao, Yongyan Chen, Qing Ge, Zhigang Tian, Zhinan Yin – 23 November 2012 – Interleukin (IL)‐27, a newly discovered IL‐12 family cytokine, is composed of p28 and EBI3. In this study, CD11c‐p28f/f conditional knockout mice were generated to delete p28 specifically in dendritic cells (DCs).

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor contributes to ethanol‐induced liver injury by mediating cell injury, steatohepatitis, and steatosis

Mark A. Barnes, Megan R. McMullen, Sanjoy Roychowdhury, Sorana G. Pisano, Xiuli Liu, Abram B. Stavitsky, Richard Bucala, Laura E. Nagy – 23 November 2012 – Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a multipotent protein that exhibits both cytokine and chemotactic properties, is expressed by many cell types, including hepatocytes and nonparenchymal cells. We hypothesized that MIF is a key contributor to liver injury after ethanol exposure.

Role of patatin‐like phospholipase domain‐containing 3 on lipid‐induced hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance in rats

Naoki Kumashiro, Toru Yoshimura, Jennifer L. Cantley, Sachin K. Majumdar, Fitsum Guebre‐Egziabher, Romy Kursawe, Daniel F. Vatner, Ioana Fat, Mario Kahn, Derek M. Erion, Xian‐Man Zhang, Dongyan Zhang, Vara Prasad Manchem, Sanjay Bhanot, Glenn S. Gerhard, Kitt F. Petersen, Gary W. Cline, Varman T. Samuel, Gerald I. Shulman – 23 November 2012 – Genome‐wide array studies have associated the patatin‐like phospholipase domain‐containing 3 (PNPLA3) gene polymorphisms with hepatic steatosis.

Adult sea lamprey tolerates biliary atresia by altering bile salt composition and renal excretion

Shi‐Ying Cai, Daniël A. Lionarons, Lee Hagey, Carol J. Soroka, Albert Mennone, James L. Boyer – 23 November 2012 – The sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is a genetically programmed animal model for biliary atresia, as it loses its bile ducts and gallbladder during metamorphosis. However, in contrast to patients with biliary atresia or other forms of cholestasis who develop progressive disease, the postmetamorphosis lampreys grow normally to adult size.

MicroRNA‐657 promotes tumorigenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting transducin‐like enhancer protein 1 through nuclear factor kappa B pathways

Lisheng Zhang, Lixin Yang, Xiyong Liu, Wei Chen, Lufen Chang, Linling Chen, Sofia Loera, Peiguo Chu, Wei‐Chien Huang, Yun‐Ru Liu, Yun Yen – 23 November 2012 – Growing evidence indicates that deregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) contributes to tumorigenesis. Dysregulation of miR‐657 has been observed in several types of cancers, but its biological function is still largely unknown. Our results showed that miR‐657 expression can be induced by hepatitis viral proteins and is significantly increased in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues.

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