Astragalus polysaccharide alleviated hepatocyte senescence via autophagy pathway.

Aging is characterized by inevitable organ function decline over time, with consequent body deterioration and increased susceptibility to death. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) has been reported to have anti-oxidative, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. We investigated the potential protective effects of APS on hydrogen peroxide (H O ) induced hepatocyte senescence and identified related mechanisms in L02, Huh7, and LM3 cell lines.

HOXA10 knockdown inhibits proliferation, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells through HDAC1.

Background: Homeobox A10 (HOXA10) has been implicated in the development and progression of various human cancers. However, the precise biological functions of HOXA10 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been defined.

Methods: In this study, we examined mRNA expression by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) of HOXA10 as well as histone deacetylase (HDAC) and protein levels by Western blot of HOXA10, HDAC1, Cyclin D1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Survivin and p53 acetylation in HCC tissues and cell lines.

TRIM52 up-regulation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells promotes proliferation, migration and invasion through the ubiquitination of PPM1A.

Background: Many tripartite motif (TRIM) family proteins have been reported to be of great importance in the initiation and progression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the biological role and regulatory mechanism of tripartite motif containing 52 (TRIM52) in HCC development and progression are poorly defined.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry (IHC), quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) or Western blot analysis was used to detect TRIM52, p21, matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), protein phosphatase, Mg/Mn dependent 1A (PPM1A), p-Smad2/3 and Smad2/3 levels in HCC tissues and cell lines.

Tripartite Motif Containing 52 (TRIM52) Promotes Cell Proliferation in Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV X protein (HBx) plays a crucial role in the development of HCC. Moreover, many tripartite motif (TRIM) family proteins exert diverse biological functions in hepatocarcinogenesis.

TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION MIGHT INCREASE THE RISK OF INVASIVE CANDIDIASIS IN AN IMMUNOCOMPETENT PATIENT.

Deep Candida infections commonly occur in immunosuppressed patients. A rare case of a multiple deep organ infection with Candida albicans and spinal tuberculosis was reported in a healthy young man. The 19-year-old man complained of month-long fever and lower back pain.

Characterization of Full-Length Genomes of Hepatitis B Virus Quasispecies in Sera of Patients at Different Phases of Infection.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection results in different clinical presentation due to different levels of immune response. Our study aimed to characterize HBV full-length genome quasispecies (QS) in patients with different phases of infection to better understand its pathogenesis. Forty treatment-naive HBV-infected patients were enrolled, including 10 cases of acute hepatitis B (AHB), 9 cases of immunotolerant (IT) HBV carriers, 11 cases of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and 10 cases of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).

Round pneumonia in an adult.

Round pneumonia is an uncommon form of pulmonary infection usually found in children. It may resemble pulmonary neoplasm on radiographs. We present a case of round pneumonia in a 43-year-old male with a history of smoking and a family history of lung cancer.

The Fusion Protein of CTP-HBcAg18-27-Tapasin Mediates the Apoptosis of CD8(+)T Cells and CD8(+) T Cell Response in HLA-A2 Transgenic Mice.

Background: HBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity is believed to play a critical role in controlling HBV infection. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway manipulates cell fate decisions in many different cell types by regulating the activity of downstream effectors. We have previously testified that the fusion protein of CTP-HBcAg18-27--Tapasin could enter the cytoplasm of dendritic cells and efficiently induce robust specific CTL response in vitro.

Prognostic performance of a series of model for end-stage liver disease and respective Δ scores in patients with hepatitis B acute-on-chronic liver failure.

The present study aimed to compare the short-term prognostic performance of a series of model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and respective delta (∆) scores scoring systems in a population with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure (ACHBLF), and to investigate the potential effects from antivirals. A total of 77 patients with ACHBLF of mean age 46 years, 82% male, with 58.4% receiving antivirals, were recruited for this study.

Serum hepatitis B surface antigen quantification as a useful assessment for significant fibrosis in hepatitis B e antigen-positive hepatitis B virus carriers.

Background And Aims: The role of serum quantitative hepatitis B surface antigen (qHBsAg) in identifying hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers with significant fibrosis is unknown. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic value of qHBsAg for hepatic fibrosis in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive HBV carriers.

Methods: Consecutive biopsy-proven HBeAg-positive HBV carriers were prospectively recruited in our center from 2009 to 2011 and were randomly divided into training and validation set.

Inhibition of hepatitis B virus production in vitro by proteasome inhibitor MG132.

Background/aims: To investigate the suppressive effects of proteasome inhibitor MG132 on hepatitis B virus production.

Methodology: HepG2 2.2.

Lentivirus-mediated silencing of rhomboid domain containing 1 suppresses tumor growth and induces apoptosis in hepatoma HepG2 cells.

Rhomboids were identified as the first intramembrane serine proteases about 10 years ago. Since then, the study of the rhomboid protease family has blossomed. Rhomboid domain containing 1 (RHBDD1), highly- expressed in human testis, contains a rhomboid domain with unknown function.

Suboptimal performance of simple noninvasive tests for advanced fibrosis in Chinese patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of some noninvasive fibrosis models in Chinese patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Methods: Consecutive biopsy-proven NAFLD patients were recruited from a single center from January 2005 to December 2010. Advanced fibrosis (stage 3 and 4) was defined using Kleiner criteria.

Listeria monocytogenes meningitis in an immunocompetent adult: a case report.

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is an uncommon cause of bacterial meningitis in immunocompetent adults. Patients with immunosuppression are at increased risk of developing serious invasive diseases, particularly meningitis.

Enhancement of CTLs induced by DCs loaded with ubiquitinated hepatitis B virus core antigen.

Aim: To investigate whether hepatitis B virus (HBV) could induce a hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBcAg)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response in vitro by dendritic cells (DCs) transduced with lentiviral vector-encoding ubiquitinated hepatitis B virus core antigen (LV-Ub-HBcAg).

Methods: Recombinant LV-Ub-HBcAg were transfected into highly susceptible 293 T cells to obtain high virus titres. Bone marrow-derived DCs isolated from BALB/c mice were cultured with recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and recombinant interleukin (IL)-4.