Identification of genetic profile and biomarkers involved in acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to profile genetic causal factors of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and early predict patients at high ARDS risk.

Methods: We performed a phenome-wide Mendelian Randomization analysis through summary statistics of an ARDS genome-wide association study (1250 cases and 1583 controls of European ancestry) and 33,150 traits. Transcriptomic data from human blood and lung tissues of a preclinical mouse model were used to validate biomarkers, which were further used to construct a prediction model and nomogram.

HKDC1 reprograms lipid metabolism to enhance gastric cancer metastasis and cisplatin resistance via forming a ribonucleoprotein complex.

As essential modulators of transcription and translation, RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are frequently dysregulated in cancer. Bioinformatics study reveals that the RNA-binding protein hexokinase domain component 1 (HKDC1) is overexpressed in gastric cancer (GC). As HKDC1 plays a role in lipid homeostasis in the liver and glucose metabolism in certain cancers, the exact mechanism of action of HKDC1 in GC remains largely unknown.

Oxygenated Static Preservation of Donation after Cardiac Death Liver Grafts Improves Hepatocyte Viability and Function.

Background: Cell therapy, such as hepatocyte transplantation (HTx), is promising for the treatment of metabolic liver diseases or as a bridge to orthotopic liver transplantation in patients with fulminant liver failure. However, one of the limitations of this therapy is the shortage of donors. The present study aims to investigate whether the two-layer method (TLM) of cold preservation with oxygenation improves the viability and activity of hepatocytes from rat donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors compared with results obtained with the University of Wisconsin (UW) solution.

Cold preservation of the liver with oxygenation by a two-layer method.

Background: The two-layer method (TLM) has recently been found to be superior to simple cold storage in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution as a means of pancreas preservation for islet transplantation. In this study, we investigated whether TLM would result in better hepatocyte function over UW cold storage and if it could be applied to hepatocyte transplantation.

Materials And Methods: Hepatocytes from male Sprague Dawley rat livers were isolated and divided into three groups: a non-preservation group (group 1), a 10-h preservation group (group 2), and a 24-h preservation group (group 3).

Microencapsule technique protects hepatocytes from cryoinjury.

Aim: Hepatocyte transplantation is a potential alternative to whole organ liver transplantation. To realize this procedure, a hepatocyte bank system capable of supplying large numbers of hepatocytes must be established. We previously reported an easy method for cryopreserving hepatocytes using a microencapsulation technique.

Hepatocyte transplantation from steatotic liver in a rat model.

Background: Hepatocyte transplantation (HTx) has progressed significantly, but widespread application remains slow because of the shortage of donor hepatocytes. Many sources of hepatic cells have been proposed as alternatives to isolated hepatocytes, but primary isolated hepatocytes continue to be the best source for liver cell-based therapy. To expand the donor pool, we focused on steatotic liver as a new cell source for HTx because numerous steatotic livers are discarded as unsuitable for orthotopic liver transplantation.

Long-term maintenance of the drug transport activity in cryopreservation of microencapsulated rat hepatocytes.

Transplantation of isolated hepatocytes has been proposed to compensate for essential functions lacking in liver failure or for genetic defects that alter a specific liver metabolic pathway. Hepatocyte utilization for these purposes would be facilitated with a reliable, reproducible, and effective method of long-term hepatocyte storage. We have recently developed a simple new system for cryopreservation of hepatocytes that encapsulates alginate microspheres and maintains liver-specific function.

A novel method of cryopreservation of rat and human hepatocytes by using encapsulation technique and possible use for cell transplantation.

Encapsulated hepatocyte transplantation is a promising approach to cell transplantation without immunosuppression as an alternative to whole organ liver transplantation. However, the shortage of donor cells for hepatocyte transplantation has not been resolved, and at this critical point, it seems necessary to establish a method of hepatocyte cryopreservation to allow clinical application of hepatocyte transplantation and the development of a bioartificial liver system in the near future. In this study we demonstrated that cryopreserved microencapsulated rat and human hepatocytes can retain their hepatic function and that cryopreserved microencapsulated human hepatocytes transplanted into rat spleen remain viable without immunosuppression.

Intrasplenic transplantation of encapsulated hepatocytes decreases mortality and improves liver functions in fulminant hepatic failure from 90% partial hepatectomy in rats.

Background: Encapsulated cell therapy might be a promising approach to enable cell transplantation without immunosuppression. This study investigates the viability and hepatic function of hepatocytes encapsulated with alginate/poly-L-lysine in vitro and the effect of the intrasplenic transplantation of cultured encapsulated hepatocytes on survival in 90% hepatectomized rats as a preliminary step toward allogeneic hepatocyte transplantation without immunosuppression.

Materials And Methods: Rat hepatocytes were isolated and encapsulated using alginate/poly-L-lysine.