Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk Scores from Modeling to Real Clinical Practice in Areas Highly Endemic for Hepatitis B Infection.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for the majority of primary liver cancers and represents a global health challenge. Liver cancer ranks third in cancer-related mortality with 830,000 deaths and sixth in incidence with 906,000 new cases annually worldwide. HCC most commonly occurs in patients with underlying liver disease, especially chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in highly endemic areas.

Efficacy and safety of the siRNA JNJ-73763989 and the capsid assembly modulator JNJ-56136379 (bersacapavir) with nucleos(t)ide analogues for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection (REEF-1): a multicentre, double-blind, active-controlled, randomised, phase 2b trial.

Background: JNJ-73763989 (JNJ-3989), a small interfering RNA, targets all hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNAs, reducing all HBV proteins. JNJ-56136379 (JNJ-6379; also known as bersacapavir), a capsid assembly modulator, inhibits HBV replication. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy (ie, antiviral activity) and safety of these therapeutics in combination with nucleos(t)ide analogues in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Cell atlas of CCl -induced progressive liver fibrosis reveals stage-specific responses.

Chronic liver injury leads to progressive liver fibrosis and ultimately cirrhosis, a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, there are currently no effective anti-fibrotic therapies available, especially for late-stage patients, which is partly attributed to the major knowledge gap regarding liver cell heterogeneity and cell-specific responses in different fibrosis stages. To reveal the multicellular networks regulating mammalian liver fibrosis from mild to severe phenotypes, we generated a single-nucleus transcriptomic atlas encompassing 49 919 nuclei corresponding to all main liver cell types at different stages of murine carbon tetrachloride (CCl )-induced progressive liver fibrosis.

The development of a cSMART-based integrated model for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) generally arises from a background of liver cirrhosis (LC). Patients with cirrhosis and suspected HCC are recommended to undergo serum biomarker tests and imaging diagnostic evaluation. However, the performance of routine diagnostic methods in detecting early HCC remains unpromising.

The Landscape of Cell-Free HBV Integrations and Mutations in Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients.

Purpose: Intratumoral hepatitis B virus (HBV) integrations and mutations are related to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has shown itself as a powerful noninvasive biomarker for cancer. However, the HBV integration and mutation landscape on cfDNA remains unclear.

First line nucleos(t)ide analog monotherapy is more cost-effective than combination strategies in hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B patients in China.

Background: Nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) in combination with peginterferon (PegIFN) therapy in patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) shows better effectiveness than NA monotherapy in hepatitis B surface antigen loss, termed "functional cure," based on previous published studies. However, it is not known which strategy is more cost-effective on functional cure. The aim of this study was to analyze the cost-effectiveness of first-line monotherapies and combination strategies in HBeAg-positive CHB patients in China from a social perspective.

Chromobox homolog 8 (CBX8) Interacts with Y-Box binding protein 1 (YBX1) to promote cellular proliferation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins have recently been identified as critical regulators in tumor initiation and development. However, the function of CBX8 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains largely unknown. Our study was designed to explore the biological function and clinical implication of CBX8 in HCC.

Outcomes of Long-term Treatment of Chronic HBV Infection With Entecavir or Other Agents From a Randomized Trial in 24 Countries.

Background & Aims: Treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection with entecavir suppresses virus replication and reduces disease progression, but could require life-long therapy. To investigate clinical outcome events and safety associated with long-term treatment with entecavir, we followed up patients treated with entecavir or another standard-of-care HBV nucleos(t)ide analogue for up to 10 years. We assessed long-term outcomes and relationships with virologic response.

Accelerating the elimination of viral hepatitis: a Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology Commission.

Viral hepatitis is a major public health threat and a leading cause of death worldwide. Annual mortality from viral hepatitis is similar to that of other major infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis. Highly effective prevention measures and treatments have made the global elimination of viral hepatitis a realistic goal, endorsed by all WHO member states.

Sofosbuvir-velpatasvir for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in Asia: a single-arm, open-label, phase 3 trial.

Background: Treatment with combined sofosbuvir and velpatasvir has resulted in high sustained virological response rates in patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) with genotypes 1-6 in clinical trials and real-world settings, but its efficacy and safety has not been assessed in Asia, a region with diverse HCV genotypes.

Methods: In this single-arm, open-label, phase 3 trial, we recruited patients from 38 sites across China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia, who were chronically infected with HCV genotypes 1-6, and were HCV treatment-naive or treatment-experienced, either without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis. Patients self-administered a combined sofosbuvir (400 mg) and velpatasvir (100 mg) tablet once daily for 12 weeks.

HCV phylogenetic signature and prevalence of pretreatment NS5A and NS5B NI-Resistance associated substitutions in HCV-Infected patients in Mainland China.

Background & Aims: Resistance associated substitutions (RAS) can reduce the efficacy of some direct-acting antiviral HCV regimens. Here, prevalence of RAS in genotype (GT) 1b, 2, 3, and 6 HCV-infected patients from Asian counties, North America and Europe are described and compared.

Methods: Pretreatment HCV RAS were assessed with 15% cutoff from patients enrolled in clinical trials of sofosbuvir-containing regimens in Mainland China, Japan, Korea, and India.

Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir for treatment-naive and treatment-experienced Chinese patients with genotype 1 HCV: an open-label, phase 3b study.

Background: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant medical burden in China, affecting more than 10 million persons. In clinical trials and real-world settings, treatment with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir in patients with genotype 1 HCV infection resulted in high sustained virologic response rates. Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir may provide a highly effective, short-duration, single-tablet regimen for Chinese patients with HCV infection.

Daclatasvir plus asunaprevir in treatment-naïve patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1b infection.

Aim: To assess daclatasvir plus asunaprevir (DUAL) in treatment-naïve patients from mainland China, Russia and South Korea with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b infection.

Methods: Patients were randomly assigned (3:1) to receive 24 wk of treatment with DUAL (daclatasvir 60 mg once daily and asunaprevir 100 mg twice daily) beginning on day 1 of the treatment period (immediate treatment arm) or following 12 wk of matching placebo (placebo-deferred treatment arm). The primary endpoint was a comparison of sustained virologic response at posttreatment week 12 (SVR12) compared with the historical SVR rate for peg-interferon plus ribavirin (70%) among patients in the immediate treatment arm.

Sofosbuvir plus ribavirin with or without peginterferon for the treatment of hepatitis C virus: Results from a phase 3b study in China.

Background And Aim: Sofosbuvir is a nucleotide analog inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5B RNA polymerase with pangenotypic potency. This phase 3b study evaluated the safety and efficacy of sofosbuvir + ribavirin ± peginterferon in Chinese patients infected with HCV genotype 1, 2, 3, or 6.

Methods: Patients with genotype 1 or 6 received sofosbuvir + peginterferon/ribavirin for 12 weeks or sofosbuvir + ribavirin for 24 weeks, depending on prior treatment and interferon eligibility.

[A recombinant adenovirus vector carrying murine interleukin-21 gene controls chronic HBV infection in mice].

Objective: To investigate the effect of an adenovirus vector containing murine interleukin-21 gene (Ad-GFP-mIL-21) in virus clearance and on the production of HBV-specific antibodies in mice with persistent HBV infection.

Methods: ELISA and Western blot analysis were used to detect the expression of mIL-21 in the supernatant and cytoplasm of cultured HepG2.2.

Stepwise application of fibrosis index based on four factors, red cell distribution width-platelet ratio, and aspartate aminotransferase-platelet ratio for compensated hepatitis B fibrosis detection.

Background And Aim: Fibrosis index based on four factors (FIB-4) and aspartate aminotransferase-platelet ratio (APRI) were validated with unsatisfactory efficiency. Routine hematology index red cell distribution width-platelet ratio (RPR) had been tried in liver fibrosis detection. This study tries to evaluate the stepwise application of FIB-4, RPR, and APRI in detecting chronic hepatitis B (CHB) fibrosis.

[Characteristics of lymphocyte phenotypes in HBV transgenic mice and the effect of interferon-α: a preliminary study].

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of lymphocyte phenotypes in hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgenic mice and the effect of exogenous interferon-α on virological profiles and lymphocytes phenotypes of the mice.

Methods: HBV transgenic mice and wild-type (WT) mice were examined for serum levels of HBsAg, HBcAb, IL-21, and IL-6 using ELISA. The frequencies of CD4(+)T and CD19(+)B cells separated from the liver, spleen, and peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry.

Will Sofosbuvir/Ledipasvir (Harvoni) Be Cost-Effective and Affordable for Chinese Patients Infected with Hepatitis C Virus? An Economic Analysis Using Real-World Data.

Background: Little is known on the cost-effectiveness of novel regimens for hepatitis C virus (HCV) compared with standard-of-care with pegylated interferon (pegIFN) and ribavirin (RBV) therapy in developing countries. We evaluated cost-effectiveness of sofosbuvir/ledipasvir for 12 weeks compared with a 48-week pegIFN-RBV regimen in Chinese patients with genotype 1b HCV infection by economic regions.

Methods: A decision analytic Markov model was developed to estimate quality-adjusted-life-years, lifetime cost of HCV infection and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs).

Combining routine markers improves the accuracy of transient elastography for hepatitis B cirrhosis detection.

Background And Aim: Vibration Controlled Transient Elastography (VCTE) is a non-invasive test for liver fibrosis and cirrhosis but may be inaccurate in some patients, especially in those with chronic hepatitis B. This study aims at improving the accuracy of VCTE in cirrhosis detection by combining ultrasound and routine blood parameters.

Methods: Hepatitis B patients with liver biopsies samples ≥20mm underwent VCTE, ultrasound and blood tests, and were divided into training set (n=170) and validation set (n=75).

Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection: Disease Revisit and Management Recommendations.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection evolves from immune-tolerance phase, through immune clearance phase to a quiescent phase or reactivation as hepatitis B e antigen-negative hepatitis. Persistent infection may result in the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Host factors including gender, age, family history, HLA-DP, and viral factors including HBV DNA, genotypes, precore mutations, pre-S deletions, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) level are associated with the development of these complications.

Fibrosis assessment: impact on current management of chronic liver disease and application of quantitative invasive tools.

Fibrosis, a common pathogenic pathway of chronic liver disease (CLD), has long been indicated to be significantly and most importantly associated with severe prognosis. Nowadays, with remarkable advances in understanding and/or treatment of major CLDs such as hepatitis C, B, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, there is an unprecedented requirement for the diagnosis and assessment of liver fibrosis or cirrhosis in various clinical settings. Among the available approaches, liver biopsy remains the one which possibly provides the most direct and reliable information regarding fibrosis patterns and changes in the parenchyma at different clinical stages and with different etiologies.