A prospective, randomized, controlled trial of preoperative transarterial chemoembolization for resectable large hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of preoperative transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for resectable large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Summary Background Data: Resection of HCC is potentially curative, but local recurrence is very common. There is currently no effective neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy.

[Effect of the amount of portal blood stasis removal on endotoxemia and liver function after liver transplantation].

Objective: To investigate the influence of the amount of portal blood stasis removal on endotoxemia and liver function after liver transplantation.

Methods: Forty-seven patients who received liver transplantation from February 2006 to November 2007 were divided into 2 groups according to the amount of portal blood stasis removal during operation: group A (n = 26) 50 ml and group B (n = 21) 200 ml of portal blood stasis removal respectively. The levels of plasma endotoxin, D-lactate, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, liver function and blood coagulation were examined and analyzed.

[The influence of tumor cells spreading in blood to relapse and distant metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma after surgery].

Objective: To study the relationship between peripheral blood hepatocellular carcinoma cells-associated AFP mRNA and tumor relapse and metastasis.

Methods: To detect several blood samples from the HCC patients by nested RT-PCR to find out AFP mRNA after 24 h, 72 h and one week and 4 weeks after surgery, and followed up the HCC patients for 1, 2, 3 years.

Results: There were 7 patients occurred relapse or distant metastasis in 12 patients with AFP mRNA positive (7/12, 58.

The role of microRNA expression pattern in human intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Background/aims: MicroRNAs are a small non-coding family of genes involved in the regulation of gene expression in a post-transcriptional manner and contribute to cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Our aims were to identify statistically unique miRNA profiles in human intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma for diagnosis and investigate their specific involvement in various cell biological processes in cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods: Laser capture microdissection techniques and TaqMan miRNA assays for mature miRNAs were performed to assess the genomewide expression of miRNAs in 27 human ICCs, 10 normal cholangiocyte cells and 8 normal liver tissues precisely and quantitatively.

Treatment of portal vein tumor thrombus of hepatocellular carcinoma with percutaneous laser ablation.

Background: Portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) is a common complication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and is associated with extremely poor prognosis.

Patients And Methods: In this retrospective study, we first evaluate the application of percutaneous laser ablation as a treatment for PVTT due to advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. 108 patients (2002.

Reduced expression of E-cadherin/catenin complex in hepatocellular carcinomas.

Aim: To examine the immunoreactivity of E-cadherin and four subtypes of catenin family in human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and to investigate the correlation between expression of E-cadherin/catenin complex and clinicopathologic parameters of HCC patients.

Methods: An immunohistochemical study for E-cadherin and catenins was performed on 97 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens of HCC.

Results: Reduced expression of E-cadherin, alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenin and p120 was observed in 69%, 76%, 63%, 71% and 73%, respectively.

[Progress in diagnosis and treatment of primary liver cancer].

The early diagnosis, surgical treatment, and comprehensive treatment of primary liver cancer (PLC) have advanced greatly in recent years. Both the survival and quality of life of patients with PLC have remarkably improved. Further advances in basic research may provide new direction of the management of PLC.

Clinical application of hepatic venous occlusion for hepatectomy.

Background: Most liver resections require clamping of the hepatic pedicle (Pringle maneuver) to avoid excessive blood loss. But Pringle maneuver can not control backflow bleeding of hepatic vein. Resection of liver tumors involving hepatic veins may cause massive hemorrhage or air embolism from the injuries of the hepatic veins.

COOH-terminal truncated HBV X protein plays key role in hepatocarcinogenesis.

Purpose: X protein (HBx), a product of hepatitis B virus, has been closely associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Based on observations that the COOH-terminal truncated HBx was frequently detected in HCC, the aim of this study is to evaluate the function of COOH-terminal truncated HBx in hepatocarcinogenesis.

Experimental Design: Expression pattern of HBx was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray containing 194 pairs of HCCs and their matched nontumor liver tissues.

Protective effect of prednisolone on ischemia-induced liver injury in rats.

Aim: To investigate the effects of prednisolone on cell membrane bleb formation, calpain mu activation and talin degradation during hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

Methods: The hilar area of the left lateral and median lobes of rat liver (68%) was clamped for 60 min and followed by 120 min reperfusion. Prednisolone was administered at 1.

Reduced expression of P120 catenin in cholangiocarcinoma correlated with tumor clinicopathologic parameters.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between the expression of P120 and the clinicopathologic parameters in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

Methods: An immunohistochemical study of E-cadherin and P120 catenin was performed on 42 specimens of ICC with a Dako Envision kit.

Results: The expression of E-cadherin and P120 was reduced in 27 cases (64.

Lentiviral vector-mediated siRNA knockdown of SR-PSOX inhibits foam cell formation in vitro.

Aim: To investigate the expression of scavenger receptor that binds phosphatidylserine and oxidized lipoprotein (SR-PSOX)/CXC chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16) in the human monocyte-derived cell line THP-1, and the effect of lentiviral vectors for the stable delivery of SR-PSOX/CXCL16 short hairpin RNA on foam cell formation.

Methods: A lentiviral expression vector containing enhanced green fluorescence protein (GFP) and SR-PSOX small interfering RNA (siRNA) (Lenti-SR-PSOXsi), or the control siRNA (Lenti-NC) gene was constructed. A human monocyte-derived cell line THP-1 was transfected with a different multiplicity of infection (MOI) of Lenti-SR-PSOXsi or Lenti-NC, and cultured to obtain stably-transfected THP- 1KD and THP-1NC cells.

Wnt/beta-catenin signaling contributes to activation of normal and tumorigenic liver progenitor cells.

Adult hepatic progenitor (oval) cells are facultative stem cells in liver, which participate in a range of human liver diseases, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the molecular pathways regulating the expansion and differentiation of these cells are poorly understood. We show that active Wnt/beta-catenin signaling occurs preferentially within the oval cell population, and forced expression of constitutively active beta-catenin mutant promotes expansion of the oval cell population in the regenerated liver.

[Surgical resection of hepatic tumor in segment IXb by anterior transhepatic approach].

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and the effect of surgical resection of hepatic tumor originated from segment IXb.

Methods: The cases with hepatic tumors in segment IXb who had been operated on between March 2003 and January 2007 were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: A total of 15 tumors in segment IXb, including 13 primary liver cancers and 2 benign tumors with a mean diameter of (4.

Comparison of two methods of selective hepatic vascular exclusion for liver resection involving the roots of the hepatic veins.

Background: Selective hepatic vascular exclusion (SHVE) is an effective hepatic vascular exclusion in controlling both inflow and outflow without interruption of caval flow, as it combines Pringle maneuver with extrahepatic selective occlusion of hepatic veins. But SHVE has not been widely used due to difficulty in extrahepatic dissection of hepatic veins. When the tumor is very close to the roots of the hepatic veins, dissecting the posterior wall of the hepatic vein may lead to rupture and massive bleeding of the hepatic vein.

Signal regulatory protein alpha negatively regulates both TLR3 and cytoplasmic pathways in type I interferon induction.

Recognition of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) activates interferon-regulatory factor 3 (IRF3)-dependent expression of anti-viral factors. The innate immune system recognizes viral dsRNA through two distinct pathways. First, the Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) detects dsRNA phagocytosed in endosomes.

Precautions in caudate lobe resection: report of 11 cases.

Aim: To find the precautions against the safety in caudate lobe resection.

Methods: The clinical data obtained from 11 cases of primary liver cancer in caudate lobe who received hepatectomy successfully were retrospectively analyzed. Four safe procedures were used in resection of primary liver cancer in caudate lobe: (1) selection of appropriate skin incision to obtain excellent exposure of operative field; (2) adequate mobilization of the liver to allow the liver to be displaced upwards to the left or to the right; (3) preparatory placement of tapes for total hepatic vascular exclusion, so that this procedure could be used to control the fatal bleeding of the liver when necessary; (4) selection of the ideal route for hepatectomy based on the condition of the tumor and the combined removal of multiple lobes if necessary.

Oncoprotein p28 GANK binds to RelA and retains NF-kappaB in the cytoplasm through nuclear export.

p28(GANK) (also known as PSMD10, p28 and gankyrin) is an ankyrin repeat anti-apoptotic oncoprotein that is commonly overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinomas and increases the degradation of p53 and Rb. NF-kappaB (nuclear factor-kappaB) is known to be sequestered in the cytoplasm by I kappaB (inhibitor of NF-kappaB) proteins, but much less is known about the cytoplasmic retention of NF-kappaB by other cellular proteins. Here we show that p28(GANK) inhibits NF-kappaB activity.

[Proteomic analysis on portal vein tumor thrombus-associated proteins for hepatocellular carcinoma].

Objective: A comparative proteomic approach was used to analyze proteins relevant to portal vein tumor thrombus forming.

Methods: proteins extracted from five pairs of matched primary tumor/tumor thrombus samples in the same patient were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). Selected proteins exhibiting statistically significant alternations were identified by mass spectrometry.

[Percutaneous laser ablation in the treatment of portal vein tumor thrombus in 93 hepatocellular carcinoma patients].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous laser ablation (LA) in the treatment for portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: The PVTT of HCC patients were treated through percutaneous transhepatic laser ablation (PTLA). The survival rate, thrombus size, blood flow of embolized portal vein by thrombus, liver function, ascites and clinical presentation were observed.

LPS-induced down-regulation of signal regulatory protein {alpha} contributes to innate immune activation in macrophages.

Activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) cascades after Toll-like receptor (TLR) stimulation contributes to innate immune responses. Signal regulatory protein (SIRP) alpha, a member of the SIRP family that is abundantly expressed in macrophages, has been implicated in regulating MAPK and NF-kappaB signaling pathways. In addition, SIRPalpha can negatively regulate the phagocytosis of host cells by macrophages, indicating an inhibitory role of SIRPalpha in innate immunity.

Surgical treatment of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis: experience in 33 cases.

Background: Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (XGC) is a rare presentation of chronic cholecystitis, characterized by xanthogranuloma, severe fibrosis and foam cells, and can be a cause of difficulty in cholecystectomy. Patients with XGC are frequently misdiagnosed intraoperatively as having carcinoma of the gallbladder and are treated with extensive excision. This study aimed at providing proper surgical treatment for patients with XGC.