Taurine-conjugated bile acids and their link to hepatic S1PR2 play a significant role in hepatitis C-related liver disease.

Background: Bile acids mediate gut-liver cross-talk through bile acid receptors. Serum, hepatic, and microbial bile acid metabolism was evaluated in HCV-compensated chronic liver disease.

Methods: Patients underwent liver biopsy; portal and peripheral blood were obtained before (HCVi), and 6 months after sustained virologic response (SVR), splenic blood was obtained only after SVR.

Dynamic Elevation of Aromatic Amino Acids in Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Cirrhosis After a Standard Meal.

Introduction: Perturbations in aromatic (AAAs) and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are seen in decompensated liver disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dynamic, postprandial relationship between hepatitis C virus-induced liver disease and amino acid concentrations in patients with compensated liver disease.

Methods: Patients infected with hepatitis C virus underwent a baseline liver biopsy to determine Ishak Fibrosis Score and evaluate the liver transcriptome.

Non-selective dampening of the host immune response after hepatitis C clearance and its association with circulating chemokine and endotoxin levels.

Background & Aims: Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy has revolutionized treatment for the hepatitis C virus (HCV). While DAA therapy is common, little is known about the intrahepatic immunological changes after sustained virologic response (SVR). We aim to describe transcriptional alterations of the gut microbiome and the liver after SVR.

Clinical, Endoscopic, and Histopathologic Gastrointestinal Disease in an American Cohort With Behçet's Disease.

Introduction: Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic systemic vasculitis characterized by oral and genital ulcers, uveitis, and skin lesions. Patients with BD may develop gastrointestinal (GI) disease; however, characterization of GI disease in American cohorts is lacking. In this article, we present clinical, endoscopic, and histopathologic GI findings in an American cohort of patients with BD.

Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Setting of Liver Transplantation: A Review.

The emerging field of immuno-oncology has brought exciting developments in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It has also raised urgent questions about the role of immunotherapy in the setting of liver transplantation, both before and after transplant. A growing body of evidence points to the safety and efficacy of immunotherapeutic agents as potential adjuncts for successful down-staging of advanced HCCs to allow successful transplant in carefully selected patients.

Longitudinal multi-omics analyses of the gut-liver axis reveals metabolic dysregulation in hepatitis C infection and cirrhosis.

The gut and liver are connected via the portal vein, and this relationship, which includes the gut microbiome, is described as the gut-liver axis. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) can infect the liver and cause fibrosis with chronic infection. HCV has been associated with an altered gut microbiome; however, how these changes impact metabolism across the gut-liver axis and how this varies with disease severity and time is unclear.

Exploring the Link Between Platelet Numbers and Vascular Homeostasis Across Early and Late Stages of Fibrosis in Hepatitis C.

Background: Thrombocytopenia is a hallmark of advanced liver disease. Platelets, growth factors (GFs), and vascular integrity are closely linked factors in disease pathogenesis, and their relationship, particularly in early disease stages, is not entirely understood. The aim was to compare circulating platelets, growth factors, and vascular injury markers (VIMs) in hepatitis C-infected (HCV) patients with early fibrosis and cirrhosis.

Bacterial Translocation and Host Immune Activation in Chronic Hepatitis C Infection.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects 71 million individuals, and barriers to treatment remain. Bacterial translocation is a complication of chronic HCV infection, and this study evaluated circulating microbial components including lipopolysaccharide, peptidoglycan, and β-D-glucan in addition to their pattern recognition receptors and degree of hepatic macrophage uptake. The findings suggest that regulation of serum peptidoglycan and β-D-glucan differs from that of lipopolysaccharide.