ERK activation and autophagy impairment are central mediators of irinotecan-induced steatohepatitis.

Objective: Preoperative chemotherapy with irinotecan is associated with the development of steatohepatitis, which increases the risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality for liver surgery. The molecular mechanisms of this chemotherapeutic complication are widely unknown.

Design: Mechanisms of irinotecan-induced steatohepatitis were studied in primary human hepatocytes in vitro, in mice treated with irinotecan and in liver specimens from irinotecan-treated compared with control patients.

Enhanced expression of BMP6 inhibits hepatic fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Objective: Bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP6) has been identified as crucial regulator of iron homeostasis. However, its further role in liver pathology including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its advanced form non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and function of BMP6 in chronic liver disease.

Increased expression of c-Jun in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Overnutrition is the major cause of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its advanced form nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We aimed to develop and characterize a murine model, which resembles both the pathology and nutritional situation, of NASH patients in Western societies. Mice were fed with a NASH-inducing diet (ND) containing sucrose, cholesterol and fats rich in saturated fatty acids in a composition, which mimics Western food.

Expression and function of methylthioadenosine phosphorylase in chronic liver disease.

Unlabelled: To study expression and function of methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP), the rate-limiting enzyme in the methionine and adenine salvage pathway, in chronic liver disease.

Design: MTAP expression was analyzed by qRT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis. Levels of MTA were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Hop bitter acids inhibit tumorigenicity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro.

Bitter acids (BAs) from the hop plant Humulus lupulus L. exhibit multiple beneficial biological properties with promising effects in cancer therapy and prevention, but information regarding the effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is missing. Here, we used two different hop bitter acid extracts enriched for either α-acids or β-acids to obtain insight into whether biological activity varies between these two groups of BAs.

Hop bitter acids exhibit anti-fibrogenic effects on hepatic stellate cells in vitro.

Female inflorescences of the hop plant Humulus lupulus L. contain a variety of secondary metabolites with bitter acids (BA) as quantitatively dominating secondary metabolites. The use of hops in beer brewing has a long history due to the antibacterial effects of the BA and their typical bitter taste.

Expression of fatty acid synthase in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by hepatic lipid accumulation which starts with simple hepatic steatosis and may progress toward inflammation (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH]). Fatty acid synthase (FASN) catalyzes the last step in fatty acid biosynthesis, and thus, it is believed to be a major determinant of the maximal hepatic capacity to generate fatty acids by de novo lipogenesis. The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between hepatic steatosis and inflammation with FASN expression.

The differentiation and gene expression profile of human dental follicle cells.

Human dental follicle cells (DFCs) are progenitor cells. Recent studies supposed that osteogenic differentiation of DFCs is controlled by growth factors such as BMP2 and IGF2, but their influence on the differentiation of DFCs has not been investigated in detail. We examined DFCs after the induction of osteogenic differentiation with BMP2, IGF2 and a standard osteogenic differentiation medium (ODM) with dexamethasone.

Comparison of human dental follicle cells (DFCs) and stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) after neural differentiation in vitro.

Dental stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) and dental follicle cells (DFCs) are neural crest-derived stem cells from human dental tissues. Interestingly, SHED and DFCs can successfully differentiate into neuron-like cells. We hypothesized that SHED and DFCs have the same neural cell differentiation potentials.

Comparison of murine dental follicle precursor and retinal progenitor cells after neural differentiation in vitro.

Human dental stem or precursor cells can differentiate into multiple cell types like adipocytes, osteoblasts or chondrocytes. Recently, a number of different human dental stem cell lines were differentiated into neurons. This makes dental stem cells interesting as possible cell-based therapeutics for neural degenerative diseases.

Gene expression profiles of dental follicle cells before and after osteogenic differentiation in vitro.

Recently, osteogenic precursor cells were isolated from human dental follicles, which differentiate into cementoblast- or osteoblast-like cells under in vitro conditions after the induction with dexamethasone or insulin. However, mechanisms for osteogenic differentiation are not understood in detail. In a previous study, real-time RT-PCR results demonstrated molecular mechanisms in dental follicle cells (DFCs) during osteogenic differentiation that are different from those in bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.