Risk Factors for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Liver Injury and the Significance of Liver Biopsy.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-induced liver injury (LI) is a common adverse event, but the clinical characteristics based on the classification of hepatocellular injury and cholestatic types are not fully evaluated. This study aims to analyze risk factors and histological findings in relation to the classification of ICI-induced LI. In total, 254 ICI-induced LI patients among 1086 treated with ICIs between September 2014 and March 2022 were classified according to the diagnostic criteria for drug-induced LI (DILI), and their risk factors and outcomes were evaluated.

Clinical Significance and Remaining Issues of Anti-HBc Antibody and HBV Core-Related Antigen.

Currently, hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antibody (anti-HBc antibody) and HBV core-related antigen (HBcrAg) are widely used as serum markers for diagnosis based on the HBV core region. This review focused on anti-HBc antibodies and HBcrAg and aimed to summarize the clinical significance of currently used assay systems and the issues involved. While anti-HBc is very significant for clinical diagnosis, the clinical significance of quantitative assay of anti-HBc antibody has been reevaluated with improvements in diagnostic performance, including its association with clinical stage and prediction of carcinogenesis and reactivation.

Factors associated with the response to atezolizumab/bevacizumab combination therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aim: The purpose of this study was to analyze factors associated with the overall survival (OS) of atezolizumab/bevacizumab combination therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC). We also assessed the OS of patients with ineffective therapy and those who discontinued treatment owing to adverse events (AEs).

Methods: This retrospective multicenter study involved 139 patients with aHCC who received atezolizumab/bevacizumab combination therapy between November 2020 and September 2022.

LAT1 expression influences Paneth cell number and tumor development in Apc mice.

Background: Amino acid transporters play an important role in supplying nutrition to cells and are associated with cell proliferation. L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) is highly expressed in many types of cancers and promotes tumor growth; however, how LAT1 affects tumor development is not fully understood.

Methods: To investigate the role of LAT1 in intestinal tumorigenesis, mice carrying LAT1 floxed alleles that also expressed Cre recombinase from the promoter of gene encoding Villin were crossed to an Apc background (LAT1; vil-cre; Apc), which were subject to analysis; organoids derived from those mice were also analyzed.

Acid-treated high-amylose corn starch suppresses high-fat diet-induced steatosis.

Resistant starch (RS) has been reported to improve steatosis as well as obesity. Type 4 resistant starch (RS4), a chemically modified starch, is particularly hard to digest and suggesting higher efficacy. However, because the effects of RS4 on steatosis are not yet fully understood, the effects of RS4 on steatosis were examined using a murine high-fat diet model.

GPR43 Suppresses Intestinal Tumor Growth by Modification of the Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 Activity in ApcMin/+ Mice.

Objective: G protein-coupled receptor 43 (GPR43), a receptor for short-chain fatty acids, plays a role in suppressing tumor growth; however, the detailed underlying mechanism needs to be comprehensively elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of GPR43 in inhibiting tumor growth using ApcMin/+, a murine model of intestinal tumors.

Materials And Methods: Using GPR43-/- ApcMin/+ and GPR43+/- ApcMin/+ mice, the number of tumors was analyzed at the end of the experimental period.

Effect of Daikenchuto On Spontaneous Intestinal Tumors in Apc Mice.

Daikenchuto (TU-100) is herbal medicine which predominantly contains ginger, Japanese pepper, and ginseng. We investigated whether TU-100 can affect the composition of gut flora and intestinal tumor development using Apc mice, a murine model of intestinal tumor. Bacterial 16S rRNA sequencing and short-chain fatty acid analysis were performed on faecal samples.

Clinical features of immune-mediated hepatotoxicity induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with cancers.

Purpose: The risk factors and clinical characteristics of ICI-induced immune-mediated hepatotoxicity (IMH) are not fully understood. Thus, the present study sought to clarify the clinical features of IMH.

Methods: All patients treated with ICIs between September 2014 and April 2019 at our institution were included.

Liver abscess caused by Cutibacterium namnetense after transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma.

A 72-year-old man underwent transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) located on the S6 segment. He had a history of anti-viral therapy for hepatitis C virus and was being treated for diabetes mellitus with inadequate control. On day 28 after TACE, he visited our hospital again, with complaints of fever and abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant.

Feasibility of the lidocaine injection method during esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Background And Aim: Esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is often technically difficult due to intraoperative body movements. The level of sedation can be increased to suppress body movements, but this may not be successful in all cases. Using local analgesics for submucosal injection during ESD may aid in conscious sedation.