Targeting CCl4‐induced liver fibrosis by RNA interference–mediated inhibition of cyclin E1 in mice

Jörg‐Martin Bangen, Linda Hammerich, Roland Sonntag, Maike Baues, Ute Haas, Daniela Lambertz, Thomas Longerich, Twan Lammers, Frank Tacke, Christian Trautwein, Christian Liedtke – 18 May 2017 – Initiation and progression of liver fibrosis requires proliferation and activation of resting hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Cyclin E1 (CcnE1) is the regulatory subunit of the cyclin‐dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2) and controls cell cycle re‐entry. We have recently shown that genetic inactivation of CcnE1 prevents activation, proliferation, and survival of HSCs and protects from liver fibrogenesis.

Biases in the reporting of hepatocellular carcinoma tumor sizes on the liver transplant waiting list

Mariya L. Samoylova, Mark J. Nigrini, Jennifer L. Dodge, John P. Roberts – 18 May 2017 – We investigated the possibility that patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) listed for liver transplant with tumors just outside stage T2 size criteria may be inaccurately reported as just meeting the tumor size criteria for transplant. The United Network for Organ Sharing/Standard Transplant Analysis and Research database identified 12,958 patients listed for liver transplants with HCC exception points from 2006 to 2013, 9,168 of whom were listed with one tumor.

Large‐scale computational models of liver metabolism: How far from the clinics?

Tanja Cvitanović, Matthias C. Reichert, Miha Moškon, Miha Mraz, Frank Lammert, Damjana Rozman – 18 May 2017 – Understanding the dynamics of human liver metabolism is fundamental for effective diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases. This knowledge can be obtained with systems biology/medicine approaches that account for the complexity of hepatic responses and their systemic consequences in other organs.

The PNPLA3 variant associated with fatty liver disease (I148M) accumulates on lipid droplets by evading ubiquitylation

Soumik BasuRay, Eriks Smagris, Jonathan C. Cohen, Helen H. Hobbs – 18 May 2017 – A sequence variation (I148M) in patatin‐like phospholipase domain‐containing protein 3 (PNPLA3) is strongly associated with fatty liver disease, but the underlying mechanism remains obscure. In this study, we used knock‐in (KI) mice (Pnpla3148M/M) to examine the mechanism responsible for accumulation of triglyceride (TG) and PNPLA3 in hepatic lipid droplets (LDs). No differences were found between Pnpla3148M/M and Pnpla3+/+ mice in hepatic TG synthesis, utilization, or secretion.

Clinical burden of liver disease from hemochromatosis at an academic medical center

Sergio A. Sánchez‐Luna, Kyle E. Brown – 18 May 2017 – Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) can cause cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the frequency of these complications is controversial. To address this question, we reviewed the experience with HH at an academic medical center that is the sole liver transplantation center in a state with a population that is >90% Caucasian.

The Braden Scale, A standard tool for assessing pressure ulcer risk, predicts early outcomes after liver transplantation

Vinay Sundaram, Jane Lim, Danielle M. Tholey, Sentia Iriana, Irene Kim, Vignan Manne, Nicholas N. Nissen, Andrew S. Klein, Tram T. Tran, Walid S. Ayoub, Barry Schlansky – 17 May 2017 – The Braden Scale is a standardized tool to assess pressure ulcer risk that is reported for all hospitalized patients in the United States per requirements of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Previous data have shown the Braden Scale can predict both frailty and mortality risk in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Hepatic natural killer T‐cell and CD8+ T‐cell signatures in mice with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Jashdeep Bhattacharjee, Michelle Kirby, Samir Softic, Lili Miles, Rosa‐Maria Salazar‐Gonzalez, Pranav Shivakumar, Rohit Kohli – 16 May 2017 – Hepatic inflammation is a key pathologic feature of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Natural killer T (NKT) cells and clusters of differentiation (CD)8+ T‐cells are known to play an important role in obesity‐related adipose tissue inflammation. We hypothesized that these same inflammatory phenotypes would be present in progressive NASH.

Risk factors for recurrence of primary biliary cholangitis after liver transplantation in female patients: A Japanese multicenter retrospective study

Tomomi Kogiso, Hiroto Egawa, Satoshi Teramukai, Makiko Taniai, Etsuko Hashimoto, Katsutoshi Tokushige, Shotaro Sakisaka, Satomi Sakabayashi, Masakazu Yamamoto, Koji Umeshita, Shinji Uemoto – 16 May 2017 – Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is diagnosed mainly in female individuals, and risk factors for PBC recurrence (rPBC) after liver transplantation (LT) from cadaveric donors have been reported. We conducted a retrospective multicenter study of rPBC in female patients after living‐donor LT (LDLT).

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