Sustained low hepatitis B viral load predicts good outcome after curative resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aim: Little is known about the role of hepatitis B virus (HBV) factors in the long-term prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after resection. The objective of the present study was to identify the changing patterns of HBV levels and its effect on outcome after resection.

Methods: This study recruited 188 patients with HBV-related HCC who underwent curative resection.

Additional sex comb-like (ASXL) proteins 1 and 2 play opposite roles in adipogenesis via reciprocal regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor {gamma}.

Our previous studies have suggested that the mammalian additional sex comb-like 1 protein functions as a coactivator or repressor of retinoic acid receptors in a cell-specific manner. Here, we investigated the roles of additional sex comb-like 1 proteins in regulating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). In pulldown assays in vitro and in immunoprecipitation assays in vivo, ASXL1 and its paralog, ASXL2, interacted with PPARα and PPARγ.

ESM-1 silencing decreased cell survival, migration, and invasion and modulated cell cycle progression in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Endothelial cell-specific molecule-1 (ESM-1) is a secretory proteoglycan comprising a mature polypeptide of 165 amino acids and a single dermatan sulfate. The aim of this study was to evaluate endothelial cell-specific molecule-1 (ESM-1) as a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) marker and to analyze the effect of ESM-1 gene silencing in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. RT-PCR and Western Blot analysis revealed overexpression of ESM-1 in human HCC liver tissue and in serum from patients with HCC.

Long-term effect of stereotactic body radiation therapy for primary hepatocellular carcinoma ineligible for local ablation therapy or surgical resection. Stereotactic radiotherapy for liver cancer.

Background: We evaluated the long-term effect of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for primary small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ineligible for local therapy or surgery.

Methods: Forty-two HCC patients with tumors ≤ 100 cc and ineligible for local ablation therapy or surgical resection were treated with SBRT: 30-39 Gy with a prescription isodose range of 70-85% (median 80%) was delivered daily in three fractions. Median tumor volume was 15.

Hepatic Failure Caused by Reactivation of YMDD Mutants Occurring during Preemptive Lamivudine Therapy.

Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication is a frequent phenomenon in patients receiving immunosuppressants or chemotherapy. It was recently reported that regional therapy, such as transarterial chemotherapy (TAC) or radiotherapy, can also induce HBV reactivation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and this can be prevented by preemptive lamivudine treatment. We report an unusual case of fatal hepatitis caused by reactivation of the tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate (YMDD) lamivudine-resistant strain in a 51-year-old male patient with HCC who was receiving preemptive lamivudine therapy.

Bioimaging for targeted delivery of hyaluronic Acid derivatives to the livers in cirrhotic mice using quantum dots.

Liver fibrosis or cirrhosis is one of the representative liver diseases with a high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Over the past decades, many kinds of antifibrotic compounds have been investigated in vitro and in vivo for the treatment of liver cirrhosis. In this work, real-time bioimaging of hyaluronic acid (HA) derivatives was carried out using quantum dots (QDots) to assess the possibility of HA derivatives as target-specific drug delivery carriers for the treatment of liver diseases.

Trends of Gastrointestinal Diseases at a Single Institution in Korea over the Past Two Decades.

Background/aims: The lifestyle changes that have accompanied economic growth have influenced disease patterns in Korea. Changing patterns of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases over the past two decades were investigated in the present study.

Methods: Data from inpatients with specific GI diseases, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases code, were extracted from the database at a tertiary medical facility for 1990, 1996, and 2006.

SOX4 overexpression regulates the p53-mediated apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma: clinical implication and functional analysis in vitro.

Background And Aims: The underlying molecular mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain poorly understood due to its complex development process. The human T cell-specific transcription factor sex-determining region Y-related high-mobility group (HMG) box 4 (SOX4) has been linked to development and tumorigenesis. In this study, we characterized the roles of SOX4 in regulation of the p53 transcription activity and evaluated the expression patterns and prognostic value of the transcription factor SOX4 in HCC.

[Clinical features of patients with fulminant hepatitis A requiring emergency liver transplantation: comparison with acute liver failure due to other causes].

Background/aims: According to recent prevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection, acute liver failure (ALF) due to HAV infection is observed frequently in parallel. The aim of this study was to elucidate the clinical, laboratory, and pathologic features of patients who have undergone emergency liver transplantation (LT) due to fulminant HAV infection.

Methods: Clinical, laboratory, and pathologic data of 11 transplant recipients with anti-HAV IgM-positive ALF between December 2007 and May 2009 were analyzed, and compared with data of 10 recipients who underwent LT for the management of ALF due to other causes.

A novel Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) target gene negatively regulates the WNT signaling pathway.

Mammalian kidney development requires the functions of the Wilms tumor gene WT1 and the WNT/beta-catenin signaling pathway. Recent studies have shown that WT1 negatively regulates WNT/beta-catenin signaling, but the molecular mechanisms by which WT1 inhibits WNT/beta-catenin signaling are not completely understood. In this study, we identified a gene, CXXC5, which we have renamed WID (WT1-induced Inhibitor of Dishevelled), as a novel WT1 transcriptional target that negatively regulates WNT/beta-catenin signaling.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy for patients with unresectable primary hepatocellular carcinoma: dose-volumetric parameters predicting the hepatic complication.

Purpose: To identify the parameters that predict hepatic toxicity and deterioration of hepatic function.

Materials And Methods: A total of 47 patients with small unresectable primary hepatocellular carcinoma received hypofractionated stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) using the CyberKnife. Of those, 36 patients received no other local treatments that could influence hepatic toxicity at least for 3 months after the completion of SBRT.

Increase of Plasma IL-12/p40 Ratio Induced by the Combined Therapy of DNA Vaccine and Lamivudine Correlates with Sustained Viremia Control in CHB Carriers.

Background: We previously reported that IFN-gamma producing T cell responses induced by the combined therapy of DNA vaccine and lamivudine for one year are important for the induction of sustained virological response (SVR). However, IFN-gamma production is not sufficient to predict sustained viremia control in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) carriers treated.

Methods: Twelve CHB carriers were intramuscularly immunized 12 times at a 4-week interval with 8 mg of HBV DNA vaccine during the standard lamivudine treatment (100 mg/daily/1 year).

Antiviral activity and safety of LB80380 in hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with lamivudine-resistant disease.

Unlabelled: We aimed to determine the antiviral activity and safety of a new nucleotide analogue, LB80380, in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with lamivudine-resistant virus. Sixty-five patients with lamivudine-resistant virus were randomized to receive five ascending daily doses (30, 60, 90, 150, 240 mg) of LB80380. LB80380 was given together with lamivudine for the first 4 weeks, followed by 8 weeks of LB80380 monotherapy.

Entecavir treatment for up to 5 years in patients with hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B.

Unlabelled: Sustained virologic suppression is a primary goal of therapy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). In study entecavir (ETV)-022, 48 weeks of entecavir 0.5 mg was superior to lamivudine for virologic suppression for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive CHB.

Tumor doubling time after initial response to transarterial chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: Following initial transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), these tumors can frequently recur, making it important to determine the appropriate follow-up interval after initial response to TACE. We therefore assessed the time taken by new recurrent HCCs to double in volume after an initial response to TACE.

Material And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 73 patients who achieved an initial response after TACE.

Impact of serial hepatitis B virus DNA on hepatocellular carcinoma development in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Objectives: We investigated the pattern of serial HBV DNA levels in known cirrhosis patients and its impact on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: We analyzed a retrospective case/control study based on 352 HCC patients associated with HBV between 2005 and 2007. Prior to HCC development, 49 cirrhosis patients were tested for HBV DNA levels more than once a year (median 4 times) during the follow-up period.

Hepatitis B virus load in serum does not reflect histologic activity in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Little is known about whether histologic data can predict which patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related decompensated cirrhosis will respond to antiviral therapies. We assessed the relationship between serum HBV DNA load and histologic activity by analyzing liver specimens from patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Methods: The study included 72 consecutive patients who underwent liver transplantation for HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis between November 2000 and March 2008.

Impact of adherence to peginterferon-ribavirin combination therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients on achieving a sustained virologic response.

Background/aims: Various predictive factors for peginterferon alpha and ribavirin therapy in chronic hepatitis C have been reported, but the effect of adherence to therapy has not been established. We investigated how adherence affects the sustained virologic response (SVR).

Methods: We analyzed 92 chronic hepatitis C patients receiving peginterferon alpha and ribavirin combination therapy.

A randomized comparative study of high-dose and low-dose hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for intractable, advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) has been reported to be effective in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: In this multicenter, prospective, open-labeled, clinical trial, we randomly assigned 68 patients with advanced HCC to receive either low-dose [n = 32, 5-fluorouracil (FU), 170 mg/m(2) and cisplatin, 7 mg/m(2) on days 1-5] or high-dose HAIC (n = 36, 5-FU, 500 mg/m(2) on days 1-3 and cisplatin, 60 mg/m(2) on day 2) every 4 weeks via an implantable port system.

Results: A total of 207 cycles of HAIC was given to the 68 patients.

Assessment of the efficacy of reducing peginterferon alpha-2a and ribavirin dose on virologic response in Koreans with chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: The virologic response of Koreans to combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C is similar to westerns; however, dose modification occurs more frequently in Koreans. We evaluated the rates of peginterferon alpha-2a and ribavirin dose modifications and their effect on the virologic response in Koreans.

Methods: Patients with detectable HCV RNA and enrolled from multicenters were treated with peginterferon alpha-2a (180 microg/week) and ribavirin (800 mg/day) for 24 weeks (genotype non-1, n=37) or peginterferon alpha-2a (180 microg/week) and ribavirin (1,000-1,200 mg/day) for 48 weeks (genotype 1, n=55).

Beneficial effect of metronomic chemotherapy on tumor suppression and survival in a rat model of hepatocellular carcinoma with liver cirrhosis.

Purpose: Recent studies have demonstrated that frequent, low-dose metronomic (MET) dosing of cytotoxic agents may not only be as efficient as conventional maximum tolerated dose (MTD) chemotherapy but also less toxic. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effect and safety of MET chemotherapy using cyclophosphamide (CTX) in rats with chemically induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Rats received weekly intraperitoneal (i.

[Analysis of gene expression in primary hepatocellular carcinoma using differentially displayed reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction].

Background/aims: The investigation of a specific tumor marker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is needed to examine the carcinogenesis and to select the patients for treatment options. The aim of this study was to find the genes related to HCC. We also examined the expression level of these genes in cancer cell lines and tissue specimens.

The cytological, clinical, and pathological features of the cribriform-morular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma and mutation analysis of CTNNB1 and BRAF genes.

Background: The cribriform-morular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (CMVPTC) is an unusual subtype of papillary thyroid carcinoma. The goal of this study was to determine the clinicopathological features of CMVPTC and whether the tumor can be diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration cytology.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical appearance and pathological findings in five patients with CMVPTC and sequenced exon 3 of CTNNB1 and exon 15 of BRAF in tumor tissue.

High expression of Snail mRNA in blood from hepatocellular carcinoma patients with extra-hepatic metastasis.

The presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) suggests metastasis to extra-hepatic organs. Snail is a key regulator of epithelial mesenchymal transition, which is closely associated with tumor metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of CTCs and evaluate the significance of Snail mRNA levels in peripheral blood of HCC patients with and without extra-hepatic metastasis.

[The value of serum retinol-binding protein 4 levels for determining disease severity in patients with chronic liver disease].

Backgrounds/aims: Serum retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) is known to be a specific transport protein for retinol, and has recently been reported to be associated with insulin resistance. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a well-known marker of liver fibrosis. In this study, the degree to which serum RBP4 levels can be used to predict disease severity in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) was evaluated.