The in vivo antitumor effects of type I-interferon against hepatocellular carcinoma: the suppression of tumor cell growth and angiogenesis.

Type I-interferon (IFN) is considered to exert antitumor effects through the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation and angiogenesis. Based on the species-specific biological activity of IFN, we evaluated each antitumor mechanism separately. We further examined the antitumor effects of type I-IFN combined with sorafenib.

Corrigendum to "An Increased Ratio of Glycated Albumin to HbA1c Is Associated with the Degree of Liver Fibrosis in Hepatitis B Virus-Positive Patients".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2014/351396.].

A new metabolism-related index correlates with the degree of liver fibrosis in hepatitis C virus-positive patients.

Background. Only a few biomarkers based on metabolic parameters for evaluating liver fibrosis have been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the relevance of an index obtained from three metabolic variables (glycated albumin: GA, glycated hemoglobin: HbA1c, and branched-chain amino acids to tyrosine ratio: BTR) to the degree of liver fibrosis in hepatitis C virus virus- (HCV-) positive patients.

Serum zinc value in patients with hepatitis virus-related chronic liver disease: association with the histological degree of liver fibrosis and with the severity of varices in compensated cirrhosis.

The relationships between the serum mineral concentrations and the endoscopic findings of esophageal varices have been poorly investigated. In this study, we investigated hepatitis virus-positive patients who had undergone a liver biopsy (n = 576) and 75 patients with compensated cirrhosis in order to evaluate the association of the zinc value with the severity of liver fibrosis and esophageal varices. The mean zinc values decreased with the progression of fibrosis (METAVIR score; F0-1: 71.

An Increased Ratio of Glycated Albumin to HbA1c Is Associated with the Degree of Liver Fibrosis in Hepatitis B Virus-Positive Patients.

Background. In hepatitis B virus- (HBV-) positive patients, the relationship between the metabolic variables and histological degree of liver fibrosis has been poorly investigated. Methods.

Thrombocytopenia in pegylated interferon and ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Background: This study aimed to examine the therapeutic effect and prognostic indicators of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy in thrombocytopenic patients with chronic hepatitis C, hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis, and those who underwent splenectomy or partial splenic embolization (PSE).

Methods: Of 326 patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease (252 with genotype 1b and 74 with genotype 2a/2b) treated with PEG-IFN/RBV, 90 were diagnosed with cirrhosis.

Results: Regardless of the degree of thrombocytopenia, the administration rate was significantly higher in the splenectomy/PSE group compared to the cirrhosis group.

Nationwide survey in Japan regarding splenectomy/partial splenic embolization for interferon treatment targeting hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease in patients with low platelet count.

Aim: In chronic liver disease associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV), a low platelet count is a major obstacle in carrying out interferon (IFN) treatment. We used a questionnaire to clarify the extent to which splenectomy/partial splenic embolization (PSE) is performed before IFN treatment, as well as the efficacy and complications thereof.

Methods: Two questionnaires were distributed to 413 medical institutes in Japan specializing in the treatment of liver diseases, and responses were obtained from 204 institutes.

New malignant grading system for hepatocellular carcinoma using the Sonazoid contrast agent for ultrasonography.

Background: The ultrasonography contrast agent Sonazoid provides parenchyma-specific contrast imaging (Kupffer imaging) based on its accumulation in Kupffer cells. This agent also facilitates imaging of the fine vascular architecture in tumors through maximum intensity projection (MIP). We examined the clinical utility of the malignancy grading system for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using a combination of 2 different contrast-enhanced ultrasonography images.

Hepatitis C virus relapse was suppressed by long-term self-injection of low-dose interferon in patients with chronic hepatitis C after pegylated interferon plus ribavirin treatment.

Aim: The recommended treatment for chronic hepatitis C is a combination of pegylated interferon (PEG IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV). However, the sustained virological response (SVR) rate of PEG IFN-RBV therapy was approximately 50% in patients with genotype 1b and a high viral load. Thus, we compared the efficiencies and side-effects of PEG IFN-RBV and self-injected low-dose natural (n) IFN-α in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Association of amino acid imbalance with the severity of liver fibrosis and esophageal varices.

Background: The relationships between the metabolic parameters and the endoscopic findings of esophageal varices have been poorly investigated. We investigated the association of the branched-chain amino acids to tyrosine ratio (BTR) with the severity of liver fibrosis and esophageal varices.

Material And Methods: We studied hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive chronic liver disease patients who had undergone liver biopsy (n = 149).

Elevation of the AST to ALT ratio in association with the severity of esophageal varices in patients with HCV-related compensated liver cirrhosis.

Background/aims: The development of esophageal varices depends on the progression of liver fibrosis. However, it has not yet been sufficiently clarified whether biomarkers of liver fibrosis can be used to predict the incidence of varices in cirrhotic patients with a well-maintained liver function (Child-Pugh class A).

Methodology: Three established markers of liver fibrosis, including AST-to-ALT ratios (AAR), FIB-4 and AST-to-platelet ratio indices (APRI), were analyzed in HCV-positive cirrhotic patients with Child-Pugh class A status, and the relationships between these markers and the risk of variceal bleeding were investigated.

Entecavir and interferon-α sequential therapy in Japanese patients with hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B.

Background: The outcomes of sequential therapy with lamivudine followed by interferon have been unsatisfactory in Japanese patients with hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B. However, the efficacy of sequential therapy with entecavir and interferon remains unclear.

Methods: Twenty-four HBeAg-positive patients (23 men and 1 woman; mean age 39 ± 7 years) received entecavir 0.

Relationship between elevation of glycated albumin to glycated hemoglobin ratio in patients with a high bleeding risk of esophageal varices.

Background/aims: Variceal hemorrhaging due to portal hypertension is a severe complication of liver cirrhosis. Although several biomarkers have been reported as predictors of the presence of varices, it is still difficult to assess the risk of variceal bleeding without esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). The ratio of glycated albumin (GA) to glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was reported to increase with the progression of liver fibrosis.

Elevation of the glycated albumin to glycated hemoglobin ratio during the progression of hepatitis C virus related liver fibrosis.

Aim: To analyze the relationship between the glycated albumin (GA) to glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ratio and the histological grading of liver fibrosis.

Methods: The study retrospectively included consecutive hepatitis C virus positive chronic liver disease patients (n = 142) who had undergone percutaneous liver biopsy between January 2008 and March 2010 at our institution. The ratios of GA/HbA1c were calculated in all patients to investigate the relationship with the degree of the liver fibrosis.

Cost-effectiveness analysis on the surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma in liver cirrhosis patients using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography.

Aim:   Sonazoid is a new contrast agent for ultrasonography (US). Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) using Sonazoid enables Kupffer imaging, which improves the sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) detection. However, there are no studies on the cost-effectiveness of HCC surveillance using Sonazoid.

Development of a new in situ hybridization method for the detection of global bacterial DNA to provide early evidence of a bacterial infection in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

Background & Aims: Despite the importance of identifying the causative pathogen(s), ascitic fluid cultures are occasionally negative in patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). A novel strategy using the in situ hybridization (ISH) method was introduced to detect the bacterial genomic DNA phagocytized in the blood of patients with sepsis. In the present study, we developed a new ISH probe to detect global bacterial DNA (named as GB probe) and evaluated its utility for detecting the phagocytized bacterial DNA in SBP ascites.

Crucial role of impaired Kupffer cell phagocytosis on the decreased Sonazoid-enhanced echogenicity in a liver of a nonalchoholic steatohepatitis rat model.

Aims: To evaluate the dynamics of Kupffer cell (KC) phagocytosis by performing both in vivo and in vitro studies using Sonazoid (GE Healthcare, Oslo) in a rat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) model.

Methods: Contrast enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) was performed on a rat NASH model induced by a methionine choline deficient diet (MCDD) and control rats, and Sonazoid was used to measure the signal intensity in the liver parenchyma. The uptake of Sonazoid by the KCs was observed by intravital microscopy.

[A case of hepatocellular carcinoma with autoimmune hepatitis showing marked reduction of tumors by oral administration of UFT-E].

We report a case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in association with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). In May 2003, a 66- year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of acute liver dysfunction. He was diagnosed with AIH, and his liver function was normalized by oral administration of the corticosteroid.

Long-term interferon therapy after radiofrequency ablation is effective in treating patients with HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: This study investigates the usefulness of long-term interferon (IFN) therapy following radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: This is a retrospective observational study. Patients underwent pegylated IFN-α/ribavirin combination therapy for 48 weeks and then were maintained on IFN-α administration on average for 68 weeks (mean total duration 116 weeks).

Hepatoma-derived growth factor is induced in liver regeneration.

Aim: Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is a heparin-binding protein, which has been suggested to be involved in the development of kidneys, the cardiovascular system and the liver. We have shown that HDGF is highly expressed in parenchymal hepatocytes in the developing liver and promotes fetal hepatocyte proliferation. In the present study, we asked whether HDGF expression was related to liver regeneration.

Vitamin K2 downregulates the expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Aim: Vitamin K2 exerts an antitumor activity on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, its inhibitory mechanism has not yet been clarified. This study was designed to identify the attractive target molecule of vitamin K2 and shed some light on its effects on fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)3 in HCC cells.

Methods: The changes in the gene expression of HuH-7 after vitamin K2 treatment were evaluated by a DNA chip analysis.

Involvement of hepatoma-derived growth factor in the growth inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by vitamin K(2).

Background: Vitamin K(2) has been reported to suppress the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in vitro and hepatocarcinogenesis in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis in vivo. Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is a unique nuclear targeting growth factor that is highly expressed in HCC cells and is a possible prognostic factor for patients with HCC. We investigated the regulation of HDGF expression by vitamin K(2).

Vitamin K2 inhibits the proliferation of HepG2 cells by up-regulating the transcription of p21 gene.

Aim: Vitamin K2 has been reported to inhibit the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in vitro and suppress hepatocarcinogenesis in vivo. However, its inhibitory mechanism has not yet been clarified.

Methods: Different concentrations of vitamin K2 (30, 10, 1, 0.

Chemoprevention of spontaneous development of hepatocellular carcinomas in fatty liver Shionogi mice by a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor.

Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha) are suggested to have roles in carcinogenesis. COX-2 inhibitors have been reported to suppress growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines in vitro. However, little is known about the preventive effect of these drugs on spontaneous hepatocarcinogenesis in vivo.

Recombinant HBsAg inhibits LPS-induced COX-2 expression and IL-18 production by interfering with the NFkappaB pathway in a human monocytic cell line, THP-1.

Background/aims: Hepatitis B virus suppresses the human immune-system and HBsAg inhibits the induction of cytokines by LPS in human macrophages, but the mechanisms involved remain unclear. COX-2 and its product, PGE2, play a role in hepatitis B and IL-18 has also been shown to inhibit HBV infection in vivo. We investigated whether rHBsAg affects induction of COX-2 and IL-18 by LPS and, if so, which signal pathways are involved in a human monocytic cell line, THP-1.