Publications by authors named "Claudia Gil-Pitarch"

Article Synopsis
  • Drug-induced liver injury (DILI), particularly from acetaminophen (APAP) overdose, is a major factor in acute liver failure and liver transplants in the Western world.
  • Research shows that neddylation, a modification important for mitochondrial function, is increased in liver samples from APAP injury patients and mice with APAP overdose.
  • The inhibitor MLN4924 reduces liver cell damage and enhances regeneration in APAP injury, and the study identifies crucial elements in this process, suggesting new avenues for targeted DILI treatments.
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Introduction: Ammonia is a pathogenic factor implicated in the progression of metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). The contribution of the glutaminase 1 (GLS) isoform, an enzyme converting glutamine to glutamate and ammonia, to hepatic ammonia build-up and the mechanisms underlying its upregulation in metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) remain elusive.

Methods: Multiplex transcriptomics and targeted metabolomics analysis of liver biopsies in dietary mouse models representing the whole spectra of MASLD were carried out to characterize the relevance of hepatic GLS during disease pathological progression.

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Marine algae are valuable sources of bioactive compounds that have the potential to be used in the management of various pathologies. Despite the increasing prevalence of NAFLD, the absence of an approved effective pharmacological treatment with demonstrable effectiveness persists. In this context, the aim of the present study is to assess the effect of red seaweed dietary supplementation on hepatic lipid accumulation, as well as on oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrosis- related markers on obese / Zucker rats fed with a standard diet, supplemented or not with 2.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Elevated levels of miR-873-5p were found in liver tissues of ALD patients, suggesting a role in NAD depletion and liver injury, while anti-miR-873-5p treatment showed promise in reducing liver damage and improving metabolic processes.
  • * Results suggest that targeting miR-873-5p could provide a new approach to treating ALD by enhancing NAD metabolism and liver health, hinting at its potential based on previous associations with other liver conditions.
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Background And Aims: Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) accounts for 70% of liver-related deaths in Europe, with no effective approved therapies. Although mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the earliest manifestations of alcohol-induced injury, restoring mitochondrial activity remains a problematic strategy due to oxidative stress. Here, we identify methylation-controlled J protein (MCJ) as a mediator for ALD progression and hypothesize that targeting MCJ may help in recovering mitochondrial fitness without collateral oxidative damage.

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Acetaminophen overdose is one of the leading causes of acute liver failure and liver transplantation in the Western world. Magnesium is essential in several cellular processess. The Cyclin M family is involved in magnesium transport across cell membranes.

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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes a multi-organ damage that includes hepatic dysfunction, which has been observed in over 50% of COVID-19 patients. Liver injury in COVID-19 could be attributed to the cytopathic effects, exacerbated immune responses or treatment-associated drug toxicity. Herein we demonstrate that hepatocytes are susceptible to infection in different models: primary hepatocytes derived from humanized angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 mice (hACE2) and primary human hepatocytes.

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Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) development is commonly associated with acetaminophen (APAP) overdose, where glutathione scavenging leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and hepatocyte death. DILI is a severe disorder without effective late-stage treatment, since N-acetyl cysteine must be administered 8 h after overdose to be efficient. Ammonia homeostasis is altered during liver diseases and, during DILI, it is accompanied by decreased glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) expression and S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) levels that suggest a reduced methionine cycle.

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Article Synopsis
  • Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major cause of early organ failure post-liver transplantation, particularly affecting aged or compromised donor livers due to restricted blood supply and damage to mitochondria.
  • Researchers investigated the effects of silencing a protein called methylation-controlled J protein (MCJ), which negatively regulates mitochondrial activity, finding that this leads to faster liver regeneration and reduced injury in mice models.
  • The study suggests that targeting MCJ can improve mitochondrial respiration and cell survival after IRI, offering potential therapeutic strategies for patients with metabolic issues and liver disease.
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Cysteine plays a major role in the redox homeostasis and antioxidative defense mechanisms of many parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa. Of relevance to human health is , the causative agent of toxoplasmosis. A major route of cysteine biosynthesis in this parasite is the reverse transsulfuration pathway involving two key enzymes cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine γ-lyase (CGL).

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