Inhibition of heat shock protein (molecular weight 90 kDa) attenuates proinflammatory cytokines and prevents lipopolysaccharide‐induced liver injury in mice

Aditya Ambade, Donna Catalano, Arlene Lim, Pranoti Mandrekar – 22 November 2011 – Endotoxin‐mediated proinflammatory cytokines play a significant role in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic liver diseases. Heat shock protein 90 (molecular weight, 90 kDa) (hsp90) functions as an important chaperone of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) signaling and is required for the production of proinflammatory cytokines. We hypothesized that inhibition of hsp90 would prevent LPS‐induced liver injury by decreasing proinflammatory cytokines.

Sixty‐five gene‐based risk score classifier predicts overall survival in hepatocellular carcinoma

Soo Mi Kim, Sun‐Hee Leem, In‐Sun Chu, Yun‐Yong Park, Sang Cheol Kim, Sang‐Bae Kim, Eun Sung Park, Jae Yun Lim, Jeonghoon Heo, Yoon Jun Kim, Dae‐Ghon Kim, Ahmed Kaseb, Young Nyun Park, Xin Wei Wang, Snorri S. Thorgeirsson, Ju‐Seog Lee – 22 November 2011 – Clinical application of the prognostic gene expression signature has been delayed due to the large number of genes and complexity of prediction algorithms. In the current study we aimed to develop an easy‐to‐use risk score with a limited number of genes that can robustly predict prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Loss of microRNA 122 expression in patients with hepatitis B enhances hepatitis B virus replication through cyclin G1‐modulated P53 activity

Saifeng Wang, Lipeng Qiu, Xiaoli Yan, Wensong Jin, Yanzhong Wang, Lizhao Chen, Erjie Wu, Xin Ye, George F. Gao, Fusheng Wang, Yu Chen, Zhongping Duan, Songdong Meng – 22 November 2011 – Hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes chronic infection in about 350 million people worldwide. Given the important role of the most abundant liver‐specific microRNA, miR‐122, in hepatic function and liver pathology, here we investigated the potential role and mechanism of miR‐122 in regulating HBV replication.

Prevalence of chronic hepatitis B among foreign‐born persons living in the United States by country of origin

Kris V. Kowdley, Chia C. Wang, Sue Welch, Henry Roberts, Carol L. Brosgart – 22 November 2011 – Estimates of the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in the United States differ significantly, and the contribution of foreign‐born (FB) persons has not been adequately described. The aim of this study was to estimate the number of FB persons in the United States living with CHB by their country of origin. We performed a systematic review for reports of HBsAg seroprevalence rates in 102 countries (covering PubMed from 1980 to July 2010).

Caveolin‐1 orchestrates the balance between glucose and lipid‐dependent energy metabolism: Implications for liver regeneration

Manuel Alejandro Fernández‐Rojo, Christina Restall, Charles Ferguson, Nick Martel, Sally Martin, Marta Bosch, Adam Kassan, Gary M. Leong, Sheree D. Martin, Sean L. McGee, George E.O. Muscat, Robin L. Anderson, Carlos Enrich, Albert Pol, Robert G. Parton – 22 November 2011 – Caveolin‐1 (CAV1) is a structural protein of caveolae involved in lipid homeostasis and endocytosis.

Thrombospondin‐1 is a novel negative regulator of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy through transforming growth factor‐beta1 activation in mice

Hiromitsu Hayashi, Keiko Sakai, Hideo Baba, Takao Sakai – 22 November 2011 – The matricellular protein, thrombospondin‐1 (TSP‐1), is prominently expressed during tissue repair. TSP‐1 binds to matrix components, proteases, cytokines, and growth factors and activates intracellular signals through its multiple domains. TSP‐1 converts latent transforming growth factor‐beta1 (TGF‐β1) complexes into their biologically active form. TGF‐β plays significant roles in cell‐cycle regulation, modulation of differentiation, and induction of apoptosis.

Glucokinase links Krüppel‐like factor 6 to the regulation of hepatic insulin sensitivity in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Lars P. Bechmann, Amalia Gastaldelli, Diana Vetter, Gillian L. Patman, Laura Pascoe, Rebekka A. Hannivoort, Ursula E. Lee, Isabel Fiel, Ursula Muñoz, Demetrio Ciociaro, Young‐Min Lee, Emma Buzzigoli, Luca Miele, Kei Y. Hui, Elisabetta Bugianesi, Alastair D. Burt, Christopher P. Day, Andrea Mari, Loranne Agius, Mark Walker, Scott L. Friedman, Helen L.

Rapid generation of mature hepatocyte‐like cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells by an efficient three‐step protocol

Yu‐Fan Chen, Chien‐Yu Tseng, Hsei‐Wei Wang, Hung‐Chih Kuo, Vincent W. Yang, Oscar K. Lee – 16 November 2011 – Liver transplantation is the only definitive treatment for end‐stage cirrhosis and fulminant liver failure, but the lack of available donor livers is a major obstacle to liver transplantation. Recently, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from the reprogramming of somatic fibroblasts, have been shown to resemble embryonic stem (ES) cells in that they have pluripotent properties and the potential to differentiate into all cell lineages in vitro, including hepatocytes.

Subscribe to