Tumour burden score combined with albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio predicts prognosis in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Tumour morphology (tumour burden score (TBS)) and liver function (albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR)) have been shown to correlate with outcomes in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). This study aimed to evaluate the combined predictive effect of TBS and AAPR on survival outcomes in ICC patients. We conducted a retrospective analysis using a multicentre database of ICC patients who underwent curative surgery from 2011 to 2018.

JNK signaling mediates acute rejection via activating autophagy of CD8 T cells after liver transplantation in rats.

Background: Acute rejection (AR) after liver transplantation (LT) remains an important factor affecting the prognosis of patients. CD8 T cells are considered to be important regulatory T lymphocytes involved in AR after LT. Our previous study confirmed that autophagy mediated AR by promoting activation and proliferation of CD8 T cells.

Comparison of long-term outcomes of splenectomy with periesophagogastric devascularization and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in treating cirrhotic portal hypertension patients with recurrent variceal bleeding.

Purpose: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and splenectomy with periesophagogastric devascularization (SPD) are widely used to treat cirrhotic portal hypertension (PH) and prevent variceal rebleeding. However, direct comparisons between these two approaches are rare. This study was designed to compare the long-term outcomes of TIPS and SPD in patients with cirrhotic PH and variceal rebleeding.

Hippo (YAP)-autophagy axis protects against hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury through JNK signaling.

Background: Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) remains a common complication during liver transplantation (LT) in patients. As a key downstream effector of the Hippo pathway, Yes-associated protein (YAP) has been reported to be involved in various physiological and pathological processes. However, it remains elusive whether and how YAP may control autophagy activation during ischemia-reperfusion.

Application of associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy for initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) in the treatment of initially unresectable hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to preliminarily explore the mechanism of rapid growth of the future liver remnant (FLR).

Methods: Twenty-four patients with HBV-associated HCC who underwent ALPPS in our hospital from August 2014 to January 2021 were retrospectively studied. Propensity score matching was used to compare oncologic outcomes of patients treated with ALPPS and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).

Prognostic significance of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase to albumin ratio in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after hepatectomy.

Inflammation has been reported to play an important role in tumour progression and prognosis. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic significance of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) to albumin ratio (GAR) in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) after hepatectomy. We retrospectively analysed 650 ICC patients underwent hepatectomy at three Chinese medical centres between January 2009 and September 2017.

Tumor location influences perioperative and oncologic outcomes in solitary intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma following curative resection: a multi-center analysis.

Background: To compare perioperative and oncologic outcomes of patients with different locations of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

Methods: A total of 352 ICC patients underwent curative intent hepatectomy were included. Clinical outcomes were compared between ICC patients with tumors located at subcapsular and non-subcapsular, perihepatic vein (pHV) and non-pHV, or periportal vein (pPV) and non-pPV.

Tumor Burden Score Stratifies Prognosis of Patients With Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma After Hepatic Resection: A Retrospective, Multi-Institutional Study.

Background: The prognostic significance of tumor burden score (TBS) on patients who underwent curative-intent resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) has not been evaluated. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of TBS and its synergistic effect with CA19-9 (combination of TBS and CA19-9, CTC grade) on long-term outcomes.

Methods: Patients who underwent radical resection of ICC between 2009 and 2017 were retrospectively identified from a multi-center database.

Importance of Normalization of Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 in Patients With Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

Background: Although carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) is an established prognostic marker for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients, the significance of elevated preoperative CA19-9 that normalized after resection remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate whether elevated preoperative CA19-9 that normalized after curative resection had an impact on prognosis among patients with ICC.

Methods: Patients who underwent curative resection for stage I to III ICC between 2009 and 2018 were identified.

IL-6-induced cGGNBP2 encodes a protein to promote cell growth and metastasis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Background And Aims: IL-6-induced tumor progression has been well established through the induction of antiapoptotic and proliferative genes. However, whether other mechanisms such as IL-6 regulation of circular RNAs (circRNAs) may also contribute to tumor development remains unknown.

Approach And Results: High-throughput RNA sequencing was used to identify the differentially expressed circRNAs on IL-6 stimulation in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) cells.

Combination of albumin-globulin score and skeletal muscle index predicts long-term outcomes of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients after curative resection.

Background & Aims: Sarcopenia is characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass and associated with poor postoperative outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of preoperative albumin-globulin score (AGS), skeletal muscle index (SMI) as well as their combination in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) treated with surgical resection.

Methods: A total of 613 newly diagnosed ICC patients from two centers were retrospectively analyzed (460 in discovery cohort and 153 in validation cohort).

Peritumoral Tertiary Lymphoid Structures Correlate With Protective Immunity and Improved Prognosis in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

The existence of intratumoral tertiary lymphoid structure (iTLS) has been reported to correlative with favorable clinical outcomes for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, little is known about the role of peritumoral TLS (pTLS). This study aimed to investigate the prognostic role of pTLS either alone or jointly with iTLS and the potential association with local immune response in HCC.

A novel MSC-based immune induction strategy for ABO-incompatible liver transplantation: a phase I/II randomized, open-label, controlled trial.

Background: ABO-incompatible liver transplantation (ABO-i LT) has become a rescue therapeutic option for patients with severe hepatic failure. Although the use of rituximab greatly reduces the morbidity of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), severe adverse effects, such as infection and biliary complications, still seriously threaten the survival of transplant recipients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to replace rituximab in ABO-i LT.

β-Arrestin-2 attenuates hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury by activating PI3K/Akt signaling.

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) remains a common complication during liver transplantation (LT), partial hepatectomy and hemorrhagic shock in patients. As a member of the G protein-coupled receptors adaptors, ARRB2 has been reported to be involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. However, whether β-arrestin-2 affects the pathogenesis of hepatic IRI remains unknown.

Parenchyma-sparing hepatectomy improves salvageability and survival for solitary small intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of parenchyma-sparing hepatectomy (PSH) on solitary small intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

Methods: A total of 184 patients with solitary small ICC (≤ 5 cm) from 2009 to 2017 were included. Short- and long-term outcomes were compared between PSH and Non-PSH approach.

The scoring systems in predicting short-term outcomes in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Background: Hepatitis B virus related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) is a life-threatening syndrome characterized by acute and severe hepatic insults with high short-term mortality. This study aimed to compare the scoring systems which were used to predict short-term outcomes for HBV-ACLF patients.

Methods: A total of 529 patients diagnosed as HBV-ACLF were retrospectively analyzed and randomly divided, at a ratio of 3:1, into derivation cohort (n=397) and validation cohort (n=132).

De novo lipogenesis is elicited dramatically in human hepatocellular carcinoma especially in hepatitis C virus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Abnormal de novo lipogenesis is reported to be involved in hepatocarcinogenesis. In current study, de novo lipogenesis and its association with patient survival rate were investigated in human HCC samples induced by hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), or nonviral factors.

Assessment of Liver Function for Evaluation of Long-Term Outcomes of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Multi-Institutional Analysis of 620 Patients.

Liver function is a routine laboratory test prior to curative liver resection. It remains unclear whether the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade and albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) can predict long-term outcomes of surgically treated patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). This study investigated the correlation between ALBI grade and AAPR with overall survival (OS) after liver resection and then compared their accuracy to the Child-Pugh score.

Prognostic Value of Albumin-to-Alkaline Phosphatase Ratio in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Treated with Liver Transplantation.

: The albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) is a newly developed index which was used to predict prognosis of HCC patients. However, its prognostic role in HCC patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between AAPR and prognosis of these patients.

Existence of intratumoral tertiary lymphoid structures is associated with immune cells infiltration and predicts better prognosis in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma.

Tumor-associated tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) play a critical role in the progression of various tumors. However, the dynamics of lymphocyte recruitment during hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) clinical progression have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, tissue microarrays and hematoxylin-eosin staining were used to evaluate the existence and degree of TLS in HCC patients.

Preoperative elevated plasma fibrinogen level predicts tumor recurrence and poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Elevated plasma fibrinogen has been reported to be associated with poor prognosis in several cancers. The aim of present study was to investigate the prognostic value of preoperative plasma fibrinogen in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

Methods: Data were collected retrospectively from 302 HCC patients who received hepatectomy.

Feasibility of laparoscopic isolated caudate lobe resection for rare hepatic mesenchymal neoplasms.

Background: Mesenchymal tumors such as perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasm (PEComa) and inflammatory pseudotumor-like follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (IPT-like FDC sarcoma) are relatively uncommon in the liver and are particularly rare in the caudate lobe. The clinical manifestations and available imaging tests lack specificity for hepatic mesenchymal tumors. To the best of our knowledge, no caudate PEComa or IPT-like FDC sarcoma has been completely resected by laparoscopy.

Inhibition of Autophagy Prolongs Recipient Survival Through Promoting CD8 T Cell Apoptosis in a Rat Liver Transplantation Model.

In liver transplantation (LT), although various immunosuppressants have been used in clinical practice, acute rejection remains a common complication that significantly shortens recipient survival. In recent years, manipulating immune tolerance has been regarded as one of the promising solutions to rejection. Autophagy, an evolutionarily conserved protein degradation system, has been reported to be involved in immune rejection and may be a target to establish immune tolerance.

Three isoforms of exosomal circPTGR1 promote hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis via the miR449a-MET pathway.

Background: The role of exosomal circular RNAs (circRNAs) in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells with high metastatic potential has been little studied.

Methods: Exosomal circRNA from cells with non-metastatic (HepG2), low metastatic (97L), and high metastatic (LM3) potential were sequencing. Metastatic-related circRNAs in serum from HCC patients were measured and their association with clinical prognosis was evaluated.