Angiopoietin‐2 Promotes Pathological Angiogenesis and Is a Therapeutic Target in Murine Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Sander Lefere, Frederique Van de Velde, Anne Hoorens, Sarah Raevens, Sanne Van Campenhout, Astrid Vandierendonck, Sara Neyt, Bert Vandeghinste, Christian Vanhove, Charlotte Debbaut, Xavier Verhelst, Jo Van Dorpe, Christophe Van Steenkiste, Christophe Casteleyn, Bruno Lapauw, Hans Van Vlierberghe, Anja Geerts, Lindsey Devisscher – 26 September 2018 – Angiogenesis contributes to the development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and promotes inflammation, fibrosis, and progression to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Angiopoietin‐2 (Ang‐2) is a key regulator of angiogenesis.

Inhibition of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 Attenuates Hepatic Steatosis but Does Not Prevent Progressive Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Mice

Anne S. Henkel, Sadiya S. Khan, Shantel Olivares, Toshio Miyata, Douglas E. Vaughan – 26 September 2018 – Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI‐1), an essential regulator of fibrinolysis, is increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders, such as obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Pharmacologic inhibition of PAI‐1 is emerging as a highly promising therapeutic strategy for obesity and its sequelae.

Differing Impact of Sarcopenia and Frailty in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Alcoholic Liver Disease

Rahima A. Bhanji, Praveena Narayanan, Michael R. Moynagh, Naoki Takahashi, Mounika Angirekula, Cassie C. Kennedy, Kristin C. Mara, Ross A. Dierkhising, Kymberly D. Watt – 26 September 2018 – Sarcopenia and frailty are commonly encountered in patients with end‐stage liver disease and are associated with adverse clinical outcomes, including decompensation and wait‐list mortality. The impact of these entities in patients with differing disease etiologies has not been elucidated.

Randomized, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled, Single Ascending Dose Trial of Synthetic Preimplantation Factor in Autoimmune Hepatitis

Christopher B. O’Brien, Eytan R. Barnea, Paul Martin, Cynthia Levy, Eden Sharabi, Kalyan R. Bhamidimarri, Eric Martin, Leopold Arosemena, Eugene R. Schiff – 26 September 2018 – Preimplantation factor (PIF) is an evolutionary conserved peptide secreted by viable embryos which promotes maternal tolerance without immune suppression. Synthetic PIF (sPIF) replicates native peptide activity. The aim of this study was to conduct the first‐in‐human trial of the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of sPIF in patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH).

CEACAM1 Is Associated With the Suppression of Natural Killer Cell Function in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C

Takahiro Suda, Tomohide Tatsumi, Akira Nishio, Tadashi Kegasawa, Teppei Yoshioka, Ryoko Yamada, Kunimaro Furuta, Takahiro Kodama, Minoru Shigekawa, Hayato Hikita, Ryotaro Sakamori, Takasuke Fukuhara, Yoshiharu Matsuura, Tetsuo Takehara – 25 September 2018 – Natural killer cells (NK cells) play an essential role in the immunological mechanism underlying chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Impairment of NK cell function facilitates persistent infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatocellular carcinogenesis.

The Use of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Modeling Liver Development and Disease

James A. Heslop, Stephen A. Duncan – 25 September 2018 – The use of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) has transformed the investigation of liver development and disease. Clinical observations and animal models have provided the foundations of our understanding in these fields. While animal models remain essential research tools, long experimental lead times and low throughput limit the scope of investigations.

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