Sorafenib and triptolide as combination therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Introduction: Sorafenib is the only drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Triptolide, a diterpene triepoxide, exhibits antineoplastic properties in multiple tumor cell types. In this study, we examined the effects of these agents and their combination on HCC in vitro and in vivo models.

Gastric bypass after liver transplantation.

Few data are available for assessing the outcomes of bariatric surgery for patients who have undergone orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). The University of Minnesota bariatric surgery database and transplant registry were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients who had undergone OLT and then open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery between 2001 and 2009. Comorbidity-appropriate laboratory values, body mass indices (BMIs), histopathology reports, and immunosuppressive regimens were collected.

The lipophilic metal chelators DP-109 and DP-460 are neuroprotective in a transgenic mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

One of the hypotheses for the development of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is that mutations in the superoxide dismutase 1 enzyme lead to aberrant properties of the copper within the active site of the enzyme which then causes increased oxidative damage. The lipophilic metal chelators DP-109 and DP-460 which chelate calcium, copper, and zinc were tested in the G93A-transgenic ALS mouse model. Both compounds significantly extended survival, DP-109 (5 mg/kg/day) by 10%, DP-460 (10 mg/kg/day) by 9%.