Hepatic Cell News Volume 1.22 | Jun 30 2017

TOP STORY

A Liver-Specific Gene Expression Panel Predicts the Differentiation Status of In Vitro Hepatocyte Models

To overcome several issues associated with the assessment of differentiated liver cells and organoids, researchers developed a Liver-Specific Gene Expression Panel (LiGEP) algorithm that presents the degree of liver similarity as a percentage. The authors demonstrated that the percentage calculated using the LiGEP algorithm correlated with the developmental stages of in vivo liver tissues in mice. [Hepatology] Abstract

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CHSY1 Promotes Aggressive Phenotypes of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells via Activation of the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway

Abnormal expression of chondroitin sulfate has been found in many types of cancer, while its biological functions in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression remain uninvestigated. The authors report that chondroitin sulfate synthase 1 (CHSY1) is a critical mediator of malignant character in HCC that acts via modulating the activity of the hedgehog signaling. [Cancer Lett] Abstract

Wnt2b Attenuates Hepatic Stellate Cells Activation and Liver Fibrosis through Negative Regulating TLR4 Signaling

Scientists report that Wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 2b (Wnt2b) was highly expressed in the fibrotic liver tissues, exhibiting protective effects against activation of hepatic stellate cells and fibrosis progression. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells by the Ubiquitin C-Terminal Hydrolase 1 Protein Secreted from Hepatitis C Virus-Infected Hepatocytes

Secretomic profiling of hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicon cells and the parental Huh7 cells revealed ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) as a novel secreted protein from HCV-infected hepatocytes. UCHL1 expression in hepatocytes was induced by HCV infection. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Modulation of Oxidative Stress by 17 β-Estradiol and Genistein in Human Hepatic Cell Lines In Vitro

Scientists investigated the protective effects exerted by 17β-estradiol and genistein against oxidative stress in hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells and the involvement of specific receptors and the intracellular signaling. [Cell Physiol Biochem] Full Article

A Comparative Study of Hepatitis B Virus X Protein Mutants K130M, V131I and KV130/131MI to Investigate Their Roles in Fibrosis, Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Investigators comparatively analyzed the impact of intracellular expression of hepatitis B virus X protein mutants on hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Huh7. [J Viral Hepat] Abstract

Substance P Promotes Hepatic Stellate Cell (HSC) Proliferation and Activation via the TGF-β1/Smad-3 Signaling Pathway

It has been shown that Substance P (SP) participates in the development of fibrosis. Scientists measured the effects of a series of concentrations of SP on the cell viability and activation of HSC-T6 cells and LX2 cells. [Toxicol Appl Pharmacol] Abstract

Induction of Apoptosis by Galectin-9 in Liver Metastatic Cancer Cells: In Vitro Study

Galectin-9 (Gal‑9) is a tandem-repeat-type galectin that has been demonstrated to exert antitumor effects on various types of cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. Scientists evaluated the effects of Gal‑9 on human liver metastasis from pancreatic cancer. [Int J Oncol] Abstract

1-Methyl-L-Tryptophan Promotes the Apoptosis of Hepatic Stellate Cells arrested by Interferon-γ by Increasing the Expression of IFN-γRβ, IRF-1 and FAS

Researchers investigated the anti-fibrotic effects of interferon (IFN)-γ in activated hepatic stellate cells in vitro and whether cell viability would be decreased by the inhibition of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygemase, which is responsible for cell cycle arrest. [Int J Mol Med] Abstract

HMGB1 is a Promising Therapeutic Target for Acute Liver Failure

Researchers focus on the relationship between causes of acute liver failure, such as viral infection, drug-induced liver injury, ischemia/reperfusion injury, and acute-on-chronic liver failure, and the role of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). [Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol] Abstract

Cancer Stem Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Tha authors focus on the biological features of cancer stem cells and their potential as diagnostic/prognostic tools and therapeutic targets in hepatocellular carcinoma. [J Gastrointest Cancer] Abstract

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European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use Adopts Positive Opinion for Gilead’s Vosevi^® for the Treatment of All Chronic Hepatitis C Genotypes

Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced that the scientific committee of the European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion on the company’s Marketing Authorization Application for Vosevi^® for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus-infected patients. [Gilead Sciences, Inc.] Press Release

Bayer Receives Approval for Stivarga^® in Japan for Second-Line Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Stivarga^® is the first and only systemic treatment to demonstrate significant improvement in overall survival in second-line hepatocellular carcinoma patients and the first treatment advance in nearly a decade [Bayer] Press Release

Canada’s Basic Science at Risk of Fading Away, Report Argues

Canada’s scientific enterprise is at risk of sinking to junk bond status as a result of a funding crunch and misguided government and granting council policies, argues a report. In particular, the authors decry a steady shift away from basic science that has left a smaller portion of the nation’s growing scientific community focused on fundamental research. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Strengthened US Sanctions on Cuba Disappoint Scientists

US President Donald Trump announced that he would strengthen travel and trade restrictions against Cuba, reversing his predecessor’s attempts to normalize relations with the country. The move is a blow to scientists who hoped that former president Barack Obama’s push to relax US restrictions on Cuba would make it easier for researchers there to travel and to collaborate with colleagues in the United States. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW 25^th Biennial Congress of the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
June 30-July 3, 2018
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Postdoctoral Researcher – Cancer and Epigenetics (St. Anne’s University Hospital)

NEW Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Translational Liver Cancer Research (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Senior Investigator/Investigator III – Molecular Pathology (Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research)

Assistant/Associate/Full Staff – Liver Disease (Lerner Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Liver and Pancreatic Carcinogenesis (Keck School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Associate – Gene Therapy (University of Massachusetts Medical School)

Research Fellow – Cancer Research (National University of Singapore)

Postdoctoral Position – Novel Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Liver and Pancreatic Carcinogenesis (University of Illinois College of Medicine)

Chief – Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (University of Nebraska Medical Center)

Research Technician II – Translational Liver Cancer (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Academic Pathologist – Liver/GI (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)

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