Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in liver transplant recipients diagnosed by serum cytokeratin 18 and transient elastography: A prospective study.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) seem common after liver transplantation.

Aim: To investigate incidence and predictors of NAFLD and NASH by employing noninvasive testing in liver transplant recipients, namely controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and the serum biomarker cytokeratin 18 (CK-18). We also evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of CK-18 and CAP compared to liver histology.

MAPK p38/Ulk1 pathway inhibits autophagy and induces IL-1β expression in hepatic stellate cells.

In the past, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were considered to be noninflammatory cells and to contribute to liver fibrosis by producing extracellular matrix. Recently, it was found that HSCs can also secrete cytokines and chemokines and therefore participate in hepatic inflammation. Autophagy participates in many immune response processes in immune cells.

Vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus: propositions and future directions.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection due to vertical transmission remains a critical concern with regards to eliminating HBV infection. Implementation of hepatitis B vaccine, the foundation to prevent perinatal and horizontal transmission, has reduced the prevalence of HBV by >80%. In countries where the hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) is available, such as China and the United States, the administration of HBIG and hepatitis B vaccine to the infants of mothers who are positive for hepatitis B surface antigen has become a standard practice and is effective in preventing vertical transmission.

Characteristics of Peripheral Lymphocyte Subsets in Patients With Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure Associated With Hepatitis B.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a rare, but dramatic clinical syndrome. There is substantial evidence suggesting that immunity-mediated inflammation plays an important role in HBV-ACLF. Our aim was to characterize the proportion and cell counts of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in acute-on-chronic liver failure patients caused by HBV infection.

Nitric oxide inhibits autophagy and promotes apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and the inhibition of autophagy have been linked to cancer cell death. However, the involvement of serum nitric oxide (NO), the expression of NOS and autophagy have not been investigated in HCC.

Natural Killer Group 2A Expressed on Both Peripheral CD3CD56NK Cells and CD3CD8T Cells Plays a Pivotal Negative Regulatory Role in the Progression of Hepatitis B Virus-Related Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure.

To explore the role of surface receptors natural killer group 2A (NKG2A) and natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) on CD3CD8T cells and CD3CD56NK cells in the progression of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), we measured the expression of NKG2A and NKG2D on the surface of these 2 types of circulating cells by flow cytometry in 3 groups. One group consists of 36 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), another one consists of 22 patients with HBV-related ACLF, and the last one has 12 normal controls (NC). The experimental result indicated that there was no significant difference in the proportion of CD3CD8T cells in total lymphocytes between the 3 groups.

[Combined immunoprophylaxis induces changes in anti-hepatitis B surface protein titer in infants born to mothers with positivity for hepatitis B surface antigen].

Objective: To conduct a prospective randomized controlled trial of infants born to hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive mothers in order to investigate the dynamic changes in the titer of anti-HBV surface protein (HBS) induced by treatment with combined immunoprophylaxis (200 IU hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and 5 or 10 mug yeast recombinant hepatitis B vaccine), to compare the protective effect of 5 and 10 mug hepatitis B vaccine, and to provide an immunization strategy, monitoring mode and booster immunization schedule for the high-risk group.

Methods: Two-hundred-and-sixty-nine infants born to HBsAg positive mothers were given combined immunoprophylaxis at birth, and the venous blood samples (at birth, and 1, 7 and 12 months) were tested for HBV DNA load, and HBsAg and anti-HBS titers.

Results: The overall 1-year protective rate of combined immunoprophylaxis was 95.

Hepatitis B virus infection in clustering of infection in families with unfavorable prognoses in northwest China.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and its associated liver diseases have characteristics of familial clustering in China. However, the reasons for this are not understood fully. To address this issue, the prevalence HBV infection and the characteristics of unfavorable prognoses in clustering of infection in families in northwest China were investigated.

Restoring the Treg cell to Th17 cell ratio may alleviate HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Aim: To investigate the role of T helper 17 cells (Th17) and regulatory T cells (Treg) in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).

Methods: We enrolled 79 patients with HBV infection into the study, 50 patients with HBV-related ACLF and 29 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), from the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College from January 2009 to June 2012. The ACLF patients were diagnosed according to the criteria recommended by The 19(th) Conference of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver in 2009.

[Relationship between the expression of HBV mRNA in embryos and father-to-infant HBV transmission].

Objective: To investigate father-to-infant transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) by detecting HBV mRNA in the IVF embryos with paternal HBV infection.

Methods: We collected 18 discarded IVF embryos (9 cases) with paternal chronic HBV infection, and detected HBV mRNA in the embryos by single-cell RT-PCR.

Results: HBV mRNA positive signals were found in 1 of the 18 embryos with paternal serum HBV positive markers (5.

[Expression of COX-2 and PPARg in the livers of patients with acute on chronic HBV-related liver failure and their relationship with clinic parameters].

Objective: To study the expressions of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARg) in liver of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) and their correlation with clinical parameters.

Methods: 35 patients with ACLF, 35 patients with HBV related chronic liver failure (CLF), 27 patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB) and 15 normal control were enrolled to study the expressions of COX-2 and PPARg in the liver tissues by immunohistochemical staining, and to analyze the correlation of the COX-2 and PPARg levels in liver tissues with clinical parameters.

Results: COX-2 was distinctly expressed in the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes, but PPARg was mostly expressed in the nuclei of the hepatocytes and also could be seen in the cytoplasm.

Asialoglycoprotein receptor interacts with the preS1 domain of hepatitis B virus in vivo and in vitro.

Background: The preS1 domain of the large envelope protein has been identified as an essential viral structure involved in hepatitis B virus (HBV) attachment. However, the cellular receptor(s) for HBV has not yet been identified.

Aims: To identify a cell-surface receptor for HBV, which could elucidate the molecular mechanism of HBV infection.

[Construction of a bait plasmid containing HBV PreS1 gene in a yeast two-hybrid system and evaluation of its toxicity and self-activation].

Objective: To construct a yeast expression vector of hepatitis B virus (HBV) PreS1 gene using the Sos-recruitment system (SRS), and evaluate the effect of the expression product on the growth of the yeast cells and activation of the reporter gene.

Methods: The coding sequence of HBV preS1 was amplified by PCR and cloned into the yeast expression plasmid pSos. The recombinant bait plasmid pSos- PreS1 was verified by sequencing before transformation into competent yeast cells.

Identification of a novel protein binding to hepatitis C virus core protein.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein is a multi-functional viral protein that interacts with several target proteins of both viral and cellular origin.

Aim And Methods: To gain insight into the mechanism of action of HCV core protein, we used a yeast two-hybrid system to identify the core protein-interacting cellular targets.

Results: A cDNA clone encoding an aspartoacylase was obtained, termed aspartoacylase 3 (ACY3).

[Cellular localization of HCBP1 and its interaction with HCV core protein in vivo].

Objective: To analyze the interaction of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein with HCBP1 and observe the expression and cellular localization of HCBP1.

Methods: The cDNA fragments encoding HCV core protein and HCBP1 were amplified by PCR and subsequently cloned into pGEM T vector, respectively. After sequence verification, the two recombined vectors were respectively subcloned into two hybrid plasmids, pM and pVP16.

Screening and identification of interacting proteins with hepatitis B virus core protein in leukocytes and cloning of new gene C1.

Aim: To investigate the biological function of HBcAg in pathogenesis of HBV replication in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Methods: HBcAg region was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and HBV HBcAg bait plasmid pGBKT7-HBcAg was constructed by routine molecular biological methods. Then the recombinant plasmid DNA was transformed into yeast AH109.

[Expression of human annexin V in different fetal tissues].

Objective: To investigate the expression of human annexin-V (HA-V) in relation to HBV infection in different fetal tissues.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the expression and distribution of HA-V in the liver, kidney, ovary, heart, fallopian tube, spleen, and thymus gland of human fetus.

Results: HA-V expression was detected in different tissues including the ovary, liver, intrahepatic bile duct, heart, kidney, lymphocytic cells in the thymus gland, epithelial cells of the fallopian, and cortical and medullary cells of the spleen.

Expression of HBsAg and HBcAg in the ovaries and ova of patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Aim: To investigate the expression and distribution of HBV in the ovaries and ova.

Methods: The immunohistochemistry method was used to detect the HBsAg and HBcAg in the ovaries of patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Results: Expression of HBsAg in the ova, granular and interstitial cells of the ovaries was located in the cytomembrane and cytoplasm.

[Mutual interaction between hepatitis B virus antigen and metallothionein].

Objective: To screen and identify the protein interacting with HBV antigen in hepatocytes. Then investigate the biological functions of hepatitis B virus antigen in the pathogenesis of hepatitis B and seek effective methods to prevent and treat it.

Methods: The yeast two-hybrid system-3 technique was used to construct HBV PreS2, HBeAg, HBcAg, HBxAg bait plasmids.