BTLA identifies dysfunctional PD-1-expressing CD4 T cells in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Although immunotherapy targeting programmed cell death 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway is being applied in clinic, the response outcomes are heterogeneous, suggesting existences of distinctive subsets within PD-1-expressing T cells that react differently to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. However, markers to demarcate these subsets in human cancers remain unclear. Here, we found that both PD-1 and B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) were significantly upregulated on CD4 T cells from tumor compared with those from paired non-tumor liver in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

The paradoxical changes of membrane and soluble herpes virus entry mediator in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Background And Aim: The herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) network has become new directions in targeting novel checkpoint inhibitors for cancer therapy. However, the changes of membrane-bound HVEM (mHVEM) and soluble HVEM (sHVEM) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not fully understood. This study aims to study the changes of mHVEM and sHVEM in HCC patients.

Tumoral indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase 1 is regulated by monocytes and T lymphocytes collaboration in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Indoleamine 2, 3-Dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) in cancer cells plays a critical role in tumor immunosuppression. However, the precise mechanisms regulating tumoral IDO1 expression in tumor milieus remain unclear. Here, we reported that IDO1 expression in tumor cells of hepatocelluar carcinomas (HCC), displayed a discrete rather than uniform pattern.

iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis of hepatic tissues from patients with hepatitis B virus-induced acute-on-chronic liver failure.

The pathogenesis of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), a serious and prevalent medical condition, is not clear, particularly with regard to which proteins are expressed in the course of the disease. The aim of the present study was to identify the differences in hepatic tissue protein expression between normal human subjects and patients with ACLF using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ)-based proteomic analysis and to verify the results using western blot analysis. The iTRAQ method was used to analyze the protein contents of hepatic tissue samples from 3 patients with HBV-induced ACLF and 3 normal healthy subjects.

Health care workers in Pearl River Delta Area of China are not vaccinated adequately against hepatitis B: a retrospective cohort study.

Backgrounds: Health-care workers' (HCWs) exposure to bodily fluids puts them at risk of hepatitis B virus HBV infection. This study investigated HBV vaccination practices and outcomes in HCWs and assessed postvaccination seroprotection across HCWs in different departments.

Methods: A survey of HCWs in a Chinese public general hospital was carried out with a retrospective cohort of 1420 hospital HCWs (458 males and 962 females).

An albumin, collagen IV, and longitudinal diameter of spleen scoring system superior to APRI for assessing liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to screen the non-invasive indexes correlated with liver fibrosis and establish a scoring system for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in hepatitis B patients.

Methods: Data of 34 non-invasive indexes were collected for 208 hepatitis B patients. Correlation analysis and stepwise discriminant analysis was used to screen out indexes useful for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis.

Residual amount of HBV DNA in serum is related to relapse in chronic hepatitis B patients after cessation of nucleos(t)ide analogs.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between relapse and the levels of the residual amount of HBV DNA in serum at cessation in chronic hepatitis B patients meeting 2008 Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) cessation criteria.

Methods: A total of 72 chronic hepatitis B patients who took NAs and had reached 2008 APASL cessation criteria entered the study. Patients were followed up for 6 months or longer after antiviral therapy was stopped.

Durability of efficacy after telbivudine off-treatment in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Background/aims: Current international guidelines indicate that finite therapy with nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) is possible in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. Here we evaluate the durability of efficacy after telbivudine (LdT) off-treatment.

Methods: 39 CHB patients with normalized ALT, undetectable HBV-DNA and HBeAg seroconversion for at least 48 weeks were observed after telbivudine discontinuation.

Serum proteomics analysis and comparisons using iTRAQ in the progression of hepatitis B.

The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in serum protein levels in the progression of hepatitis B using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) analysis, in addition to comparing the serum protein levels of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), patients with hepatitis B virus-induced acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-induced ACLF) and normal individuals. Protein analysis was performed on 15 serum samples using iTRAQ. The study population included healthy controls (n=5), patients with CHB (n=5) and patients with HBV-induced ACLF (n=5).

Dynamic changes of clinical features that predict the prognosis of acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The natural history of acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure (ACHBLF) is complex and highly variable. However, the global clinical characteristics of this entity remain ill-defined. We aimed to investigate the dynamic patterns of the natural progression as well as their impact on the outcomes of ACHBLF.

High level of IL-27 positively correlated with Th17 cells may indicate liver injury in patients infected with HBV.

Background: Interleukin-6/IL-12 family cytokines play a key role in inflammatory diseases via their effects on the differentiation or regulation of T helper cells.

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the role of interleukin-27 (IL-27) and its association with helper T cells in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients.

Methods: Samples were assessed from 51 HBV-infected patients [28 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) subjects and 23 acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) subjects] and 18 normal controls (NC).

Amniotic-fluid-derived mesenchymal stem cells overexpressing interleukin-1 receptor antagonist improve fulminant hepatic failure.

Uncontrolled hepatic immunoactivation is regarded as the primary pathological mechanism of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). The major acute-phase mediators associated with FHF, including IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, impair the regeneration of liver cells and stem cell grafts. Amniotic-fluid-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AF-MSCs) have the capacity, under specific conditions, to differentiate into hepatocytes.

Diethylene glycol poisoning and liver function following accidental diethylene glycol injection.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the hepatotoxic effects of accidental intravenous diethylene glycol (DEG) poisoning in patients with liver disease. Clinical manifestations were recorded and liver function tests were carried out for 64 patients with liver disease who had been accidentally treated intravenously with DEG. Comparisons were made between the poisoned and non-poisoned groups.

[A pilot study of peginterferon alfa-2a combined with short-term lamivudine therapy in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients].

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of by combining a 12-week course of lamivudine in those HBeAg-positive hepatitis B patients receiving peginterferon alfa-2a (peg-IFN alpha-2a) therapy.

Methods: A total of 58 patients initiated a 52-week course of peginterferon alfa-2a were enrolled and divided into 3 groups. The patients with HBV DNA undetectable or HBeAg negative at week 12 were divided into group A, in this group treatment continued to week 52 with peg-IFN alpha-2a alone; The rest patients were divided into group B1 and B2, in group B1, lamivudine was combined at a course of 12 weeks, while in group B2 treatment continued to week 52 with peg-IFN alpha-2a alone.