Repurposing Niclosamide as a Therapeutic Drug against Acute Liver Failure by Suppressing Ferroptosis.

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a severe liver disease with a high mortality rate without effective therapeutic drugs. Ferroptosis is a form of programmed cell death that plays an important role in ALF. In this study, we aimed to identify ferroptosis-related genes in ALF, thereby predicting promising compounds to treat ALF.

Competing risk model for prognostic comparison between clear cell type and common type hepatocellular carcinoma: A population-based propensity score matching study.

Background: Clear cell type hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an uncommon neoplasm with an ambivalent prognosis compared to common type HCC.

Methods: First, patients with clear cell or common type HCC were enrolled from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, and their demographic and clinical characteristics were identified. Next, overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and subgroup analysis of the two types of HCC were performed.

CB2R agonist GW405833 alleviates acute liver failure in mice via inhibiting HIF-1α-mediated reprogramming of glycometabolism and macrophage proliferation.

The inflammatory responses involving infiltration and activation of liver macrophages play a vital role in acute liver failure (ALF). In the liver of ALF mice, cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R) is significantly upregulated on macrophages, while CB2R agonist GW405833 (GW) could protect against cell death in acute liver damage. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effects of GW against ALF in vivo and in vitro from a perspective of macrophage glycometabolism.

Hepatic NF-κB-Inducing Kinase and Inhibitor of NF-κB Kinase Subunit α Promote Liver Oxidative Stress, Ferroptosis, and Liver Injury.

Drug-induced hepatotoxicity limits development of new effective medications. Drugs and numerous endogenous/exogenous agents are metabolized/detoxified by hepatocytes, during which reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated as a by-product. ROS has broad adverse effects on liver function and integrity, including damaging hepatocyte proteins, lipids, and DNA and promoting liver inflammation and fibrosis.

Efficacy of Peginterferon alfa-2b in Nucleoside Analogue Experienced Patients with Negative HBeAg and Low HBsAg: A Non-Randomized Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance is the treatment goal for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, its rate is extremely low with nucleoside (acid) analogues (NAs) monotherapy. Peginterferon could enhance HBsAg clearance.

Early Diagnostic Biomarkers of Sepsis for Patients with Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: A Multicenter Study.

Introduction: Sepsis is a complication in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity. Early diagnosis of sepsis in ACLF patients can improve prognosis. This study aimed to explore potential effective biomarkers for the early diagnosis of sepsis in ACLF patients.

Potential predictors for prognosis and postpartum recovery time of acute fatty liver of pregnancy.

Background: Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) is a potentially lethal condition of pregnant women with a high mortality rate. Potential predictors related to postpartum recovery time and prognostic factors of AFLP are still unclear. This study aimed to evaluate potential predictors for prognosis and postpartum recovery time of AFLP.

Melittin ameliorates inflammation in mouse acute liver failure via inhibition of PKM2-mediated Warburg effect.

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a fatal clinical syndrome with no special drug. Recent evidence shows that modulation of macrophage to inhibit inflammation may be a promising strategy for ALF treatment. In this study we investigated the potential therapeutic effects of melittin, a major peptide component of bee venom both in mice model of ALF and in LPS-stimulated macrophages in vitro, and elucidated the underlying mechanisms.

Cargo-laden erythrocyte ghosts target liver mediated by macrophages.

Liver-targeted cargo delivery possesses great potential for the treatment of liver disease. It is urgent to find an efficient and biocompatible liver targeted delivery system. This study focused on the liver targeting properties of erythrocyte ghosts and its possible mechanism.

Establishment of a pattern recognition metabolomics model for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma may help to ensure that patients have a chance for long-term survival; however, currently available biomarkers lack sensitivity and specificity.

Aim: To characterize the serum metabolome of hepatocellular carcinoma in order to develop a new metabolomics diagnostic model and identifying novel biomarkers for screening hepatocellular carcinoma based on the pattern recognition method.

Methods: Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy was used to characterize the serum metabolome of hepatocellular carcinoma ( = 30) and cirrhosis ( = 29) patients, followed by sequential feature selection combined with linear discriminant analysis to process the multivariate data.

LncRNA TP73-AS1/miR-539/MMP-8 axis modulates M2 macrophage polarization in hepatocellular carcinoma via TGF-β1 signaling.

Purpose: Our study aimed to study the role of lncRNA TP73-AS1/miR-539/MMP-8 axis in modulating M2 macrophage polarization in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: The gene expression levels of TP73-AS1, miR-539 and MMP-8 were modified by transfection with the overexpression or knockdown vectors. The patient survival rate was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method.

Efficacy and safety of direct acting antiviral regimens for hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus co-infection: systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background And Aim: Various all-oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimens are being widely used in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infected patients; however, the comparative efficacy and safety of different types and combinations of DAAs are not completely clear. There is still a lack of integration of evidence for optimized therapies for HIV/HCV co-infection.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search in several databases up to January 1, 2020.

HBx regulates transcription factor PAX8 stabilization to promote the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Transcription factor PAX8 expression is upregulated in several types of cancers. However, little is known about the function of PAX8 in the progression of hepatoma and its regulatory mechanisms. Here, we show that PAX8 silencing inhibits the proliferation and clonogenicity of hepatoma cells and its growth in vivo.

The HBx-CTTN interaction promotes cell proliferation and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma via CREB1.

Hepatitis B virus-encoded X protein (HBx) acts as a tumor promoter during hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, probably by regulating the expression of host proteins through protein-protein interaction. A proteomics approach was used to identify HBx-interacting proteins involved in HBx-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. We validated the proteomics findings by co-immunoprecipitation and confocal microscopy.

Protective effects of specific cannabinoid receptor 2 agonist GW405833 on concanavalin A-induced acute liver injury in mice.

Cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R) is highly expressed in immune cells and plays an important role in regulating immune responses. In the current study, we investigated the effects of GW405833 (GW), a specific CB2R agonist, on acute liver injury induced by concanavalin A (Con A). In animal experiments, acute liver injury was induced in mice by injection of Con A (20 mg/kg, i.

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus and Treponema pallidum infections in hospitalized patients before transfusion in Xiangya hospital Central South University, China from 2011 to 2016.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Treponema pallidum (TP) infections are considered classic transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs). Few data are available about the prevalence of TTIs in patients before blood transfusion in China. This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of four TTIs among patients before blood transfusion in Xiangya Hospital Central South University, China.

Crosstalk between hepatitis B virus X and high-mobility group box 1 facilitates autophagy in hepatocytes.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) X (HBx) protein is a pivotal regulator of HBV-triggered autophagy. However, the role of HBx-induced epigenetic changes in autophagy remains largely unknown. The cytoplasmic (Cyt) high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) has been identified as a positive regulator of autophagy, and its Cyt translocation is closely associated with its acetylation status.

High mobility group box 1 promotes sorafenib resistance in HepG2 cells and in vivo.

Background: Primary liver cancer is a lethal malignancy with a high mortality worldwide. Currently, sorafenib is the most effective molecular-targeted drug against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the sorafenib resistance rate is high.

High mobility group protein B1 controls liver cancer initiation through yes-associated protein -dependent aerobic glycolysis.

Unlabelled: Emerging studies have suggested that the Hippo pathway is involved in the tumorigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the key regulator of the Hippo pathway in liver tumor metabolic reprogramming remains elusive. Here, we provide evidence that high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a chromosomal protein, plays a role in the regulation of the Hippo pathway during liver tumorigenesis.

The long non-coding RNA TP73-AS1 modulates HCC cell proliferation through miR-200a-dependent HMGB1/RAGE regulation.

Background: P73 antisense RNA 1 T (non-protein coding), also known as TP73-AS1, is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) which is involved in cell proliferation and the development of tumors. However, the exact effects and molecular mechanisms of TP73-AS1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression are still unknown. The present study is aimed to investigate the detailed functions and the mechanism of TP73-AS1 in regulation of HCC cell proliferation.

Integrated analysis of microRNA and mRNA expression profiles in HBx-expressing hepatic cells.

Aim: To identify the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in hepatitis B virus X (HBx)-expressing hepatic cells.

Methods: A stable HBx-expressing human liver cell line L02 was established. The mRNA and miRNA expression profiles of L02/HBx and L02/pcDNA liver cells were identified by RNA-sequencing analysis.