Sarcoidosis with Splenic Involvement Diagnosed with Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Fine-needle Aspiration.

Splenic sarcoidosis is often diagnosed by splenectomy or an ultrasound-guided splenic biopsy. However, splenectomy is invasive and costly, and a percutaneous biopsy is sometimes difficult. We herein report a case of splenic sarcoidosis diagnosed with endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA).

Toll-like Receptor 4 on Macrophage Promotes the Development of Steatohepatitis-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Mice.

The role of Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling has attracted much attention in the development of hepatic inflammation and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We herein sought to determine the role of TLRs and responsible cells in steatohepatitis-related HCC. We used hepatocyte-specific Pten-deficient (Pten(Δ) (hep)) mice, which exhibit steatohepatitis followed by liver tumor formation, including HCC.

Efficacy of combined balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration and simultaneous endoscopic injection sclerotherapy.

Objective: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) performed using absolute ethanol with iodized oil (ET+LPD) and simultaneous endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) with cyanoacrylate (CA) for gastric varices (GVs).

Methods: A total of 16 patients with endoscopically proven high-risk GVs treated using combined B-RTO with ET+LPD and EIS with CA between January 2007 and July 2012 were enrolled.

Results: Twelve cases included GVs involving both the cardia and fundus, two cases included fundal varices and two cases included cardiac varices.

Successful treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with lung metastasis using hepatic and bronchial artery infusion chemotherapy.

We herein report a case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with lung metastasis that was successfully treated with transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy via the hepatic and bronchial arteries. A 64-year-old man diagnosed with HCC in 2003 was treated with locoregional therapy followed by sorafenib for recurrent HCC. Tumor thrombosis and lung metastasis were noted in April 2012.

A chronic subdural hematoma in a patient receiving combination therapy with pegylated interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C.

A 70-year-old man who suffered from chronic hepatitis C was infected with HCV genotype 1 and exhibited a high viral load. He had hypertension and had consumed the equivalent of 50 g of ethanol per day. He was treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin.

Epimorphin protects hepatocytes from oxidative stress by inhibiting mitochondrial injury.

Background And Aims: Many investigations have demonstrated that cell injuries caused by generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a common mechanism of various hepatic disorders. Recently, we have demonstrated that epimorphin, originally cloned as a mesenchymal protein, protects cultured intestinal epithelial cells from ROS. We therefore examine whether epimorphin protects primary cultured hepatocytes from ROS-induced cell injury.

Skull metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma with chronic hepatitis B.

A 56-year-old male visited our hospital for evaluation of an occipital mass. Contrast computed tomography showed hypervascular enhancement with osteolytic change in the skull and a huge enhanced mass in the liver. Magnetic resonance imaging showed bone metastasis in the thoracic vertebrae.

Sex difference in the liver of hepatocyte-specific Pten-deficient mice: A model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Aim: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered to be a public health problem worldwide. NAFLD is more prevalent in men than in women. Tamoxifen, a potent estrogen receptor antagonist, causes nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a severe form of NAFLD.

Eicosapentaenoic acid ameliorates steatohepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatocyte-specific Pten-deficient mice.

Background/aims: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) has been known as a reagent for improving lipid metabolism and inflammation. Hepatocyte-specific Pten-deficient mice exhibit hepatic lesions analogous to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Therefore, we administered EPA to Pten-deficient mice to investigate the mechanisms of NASH.

Loss of Pten, a tumor suppressor, causes the strong inhibition of autophagy without affecting LC3 lipidation.

(1)Pten (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten), a tumor suppressor, is a phosphatase with a variety of substrate specificities. Its function as a negative regulator of the class I phosphatidyl-inositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway antagonizes insulin-dependent cell signaling. The targeted deletion of Pten in mouse liver leads to insulin hypersensitivity and the upregulation of the phosphatidyl-inositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway.

Mao (Ephedra sinica Stapf) protects against D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide-induced hepatic failure.

Mao is one component of various traditional herbal medicines. We examined the effects of Mao on an acute liver failure model treated with d-galactosamine (GalN) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The lethality of mice administrated Mao with GalN/LPS was significantly decreased compared with that in mice without Mao.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma: lessons from hepatocyte-specific phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)-deficient mice.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a term used to describe a spectrum of conditions characterized by histological findings of hepatic macrovesicular steatosis with inflammation in individuals who consume little or no alcohol. The NASH patients progress to liver cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatocyte-specific phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)-deficient mice (PTEN-deficient mice), which the authors had generated previously, showed massive hepatomegaly and steatohepatitis with triglyceride accumulation followed by liver fibrosis and HCC, a phenotype similar to human NASH.

Osler-Weber-Rendu disease with esophageal varices and hepatic nodular change.

A 72-year-old male visited our hospital for further evaluation of esophageal varices. Telangiectasias were present in the stomach. He had recurrent epistaxis, which was also confirmed in his family's medical history.

Morphogenic protein epimorphin protects intestinal epithelial cells from oxidative stress by the activation of EGF receptor and MEK/ERK, PI3 kinase/Akt signals.

Epimorphin is a mesenchymal protein that regulates morphogenesis of epithelial cells. Our preliminary study suggested a novel function of epimorphin in enhancing survival of intestinal epithelial cells (IEC). Oxidative stress leads to cell injury and death and is suggested to be a key contributor to pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease.