Discovery of anti-SARS-CoV-2 S2 protein antibody CV804 with broad-spectrum reactivity with various beta coronaviruses and analysis of its pharmacological properties in vitro and in vivo.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic alerted the potential for significant harm due to future cross-species transmission of various animal coronaviruses to human. There is a significant need of antibody-based drugs to treat patients infected with previously unseen coronaviruses. In this study, we generated CV804, an antibody that binds to the S2 domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which is highly conserved across the coronavirus family and less susceptible to mutations.

Sphingomyelin synthase 2 loss suppresses steatosis but exacerbates fibrosis in the liver of mice fed with choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet.

Sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SMS2) regulates sphingomyelin synthesis and contributes to obesity and hepatic steatosis. Here, we investigated the effect of SMS2 deficiency on liver fibrosis in mice fed with choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD) or injected with carbon tetrachloride (CCl), respectively. SMS2 deficiency suppressed hepatic steatosis, but exacerbated fibrosis induced by CDAHFD feeding.

Evaluation of hepatic function using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in melanocortin 4 receptor-deficient mice as a model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Introduction: Melanocortin 4 receptor-deficient (MC4R-KO) mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) develop liver pathology similar to human nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, although liver histology and blood biochemistry have been reported, hepatic function has not been evaluated. In the present study, we evaluated hepatic function in MC4R-KO mice fed an HFD using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) with gadolinium‑ethoxybenzyl‑diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA).

Evaluation of hepatic integrin αvβ3 expression in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) model mouse by F-FPP-RGD PET.

Background: Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which express integrin αvβ3, are a major fibrogenic factor in NASH pathophysiology. F-labeled cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid penta-peptide (F-FPP-RGD) has been used as a PET probe for tumors expressing integrin αvβ3. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of PET with F-FPP-RGD to detect hepatic integrin αvβ3 expression in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) model mice.