Hepatic Cell News Volume 1.38 | Oct 20 2017

TOP STORY

Luteolin Promotes Cell Apoptosis by Inducing Autophagy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The authors investigated the role of luteolin in regulating cell autophagy and the role of autophagy in luteolin-induced apoptosis. Luteolin reduced the viability of SMMC-7721 cells in a time and dose-dependent manner, and induced significant G0/G1-phase arrest. [Cell Physiol Biochem] Full Article

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High Expression of HOXA13 Correlates with Poorly Differentiated Hepatocellular Carcinomas and Modulates Sorafenib Response in In Vitro Models

Taking advantage of a tissue microarray containing 305 tissue specimens, researchers found that HOXA13 protein expression increased monotonically from normal liver to cirrhotic liver to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and that HOXA13-positive HCCs were preferentially poorly differentiated and had fewer E-cadherin-positive cells. [Lab Invest] Abstract

Inhibition of EGFR Attenuates Fibrosis and Stellate Cell Activation in Diet-Induced Model of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Researchers utilized the high fat diet-induced murine model of liver injury to study the role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, hepatic stellate cell activation and matrix deposition were examined in the liver tissues. [Biochim Biophys Acta] Abstract

Cell-Surface Major Vault Protein Promotes Cancer Progression through Harboring Mesenchymal and Intermediate Circulating Tumor Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinomas

Scientists found that major vault protein (MVP) was expressed on the surface of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and further induced under stressful environments. MVP knockdown reduced cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in HCC cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Non-SMC Condensin I Complex, Subunit G (NCAPG) Is a Novel Mitotic Gene Required for Hepatocellular Cancer Cell Proliferation and Migration

The authors identified that non-SMC condensin I complex, subunit G (NCAPG) as a novel mitotic gene required for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell proliferation and migration through siRNA knockdown of a panel of novel overexpressed genes in HCC based on The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset. They found that knockdown of NCAPG induces HCC cell mitosis and inhibits cell growth, proliferation and migration in vitro. [Oncol Res] Full Article

Live Cell Imaging of Cytosolic NADH/NAD⁺ Ratio in Hepatocytes and Liver Slices

Investigators used the genetically-encoded fluorescent sensor peredox to obtain dynamic, real-time measurements of cytosolic NADH/NAD⁺ ratio in living hepatocytes. Peredox was expressed in dissociated rat hepatocytes and HepG2 cells by transfection, and in mouse liver slices by tail vein injection of adeno-associated virus-encoded sensor. [Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol] Abstract

Transforming Growth Factor-β Drives the Transendothelial Migration of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

The authors employed a model of hepatocellular transmigration that mimics vascular invasion using hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells and malignant hepatocytes evincing a mesenchymal-like, invasive phenotype by transforming growth factor-β. [Int J Mol Sci] Full Article

BC-02 Eradicates Liver Cancer Stem Cells by Upregulating the ROS-Dependent DNA Damage

The effect of BC-02, a compound obtained by conjugating a CD13 inhibitor bestatin and fluorouracil (5-FU), was investigated toward liver cancer stem cells (CSCs). BC-02 effectively suppressed self-renewal and malignant proliferation of CSCs compared with 5-FU, bestatin, and even the combination of 5-FU and bestatin. [Int J Oncol] Abstract

Inhibition of CUG-Binding Protein 1 and Activation of Caspases Are Critically Involved in Piperazine Derivative Bk10007s Induced Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

The antitumor mechanism of BK10007S was elucidated in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. BK10007S showed significant cytotoxicity by 3-[4,5-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetra-zolium bromide assay and anti-proliferative effects by colony formation assay in HepG2 and SK-Hep1 cells. [PLoS One] Full Article

Hepatitis B Virus and DNA Damage Response: Interactions and Consequences for the Infection

Unraveling the interactions that hepatitis B virus establishes with DNA damage response pathways might help identify new molecular targets for therapeutic intervention. [Viruses] Full Article

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Gilead Announces Multiple Scientific Presentations Demonstrating High Cure Rates in Difficult-to-Cure HCV Patients and Improved Long-Term Bone and Renal Safety of Vemlidy^® in HBV Patients Switched from Viread^®

Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced results from Phase II and Phase III studies of its approved medicines for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, adding to the body of evidence supporting Gilead’s viral hepatitis therapies in diverse patient populations. [Press release from Gilead Sciences, Inc. discussing research to be presented at The Liver Meeting^® 2017, the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), Washington, D.C.] Press Release

InSphero to Present Novel 3D Human Liver Fibrosis Model

InSphero AG presented data characterizing and demonstrating the utility of its new 3D InSight™ Human Liver Fibrosis Model for screening efficacy of anti-fibrotic drugs. [Press release from InSphero AG discussing research to be presented at The Liver Meeting^® 2017, the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), Washington, D.C.] Press Release

Transgene Presents First Clinical Data Indicating that TG1050 Induces a Robust and HBV-Specific Cell-Mediated Immune Response in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B

Transgene will be presenting a poster on TG1050 first promising clinical results. [Press release from Transgene discussing research to be presented at The Liver Meeting^® 2017, the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), Washington, D.C.] Press Release

Enanta Pharmaceuticals to Present New Preclinical Data on EDP-305, an FXR Agonist for NASH and PBC

Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced new data presentations on EDP-305, Enanta’s lead Farnesoid X receptor agonist being developed for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). [Press release from Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. discussing research to be presented at The Liver Meeting^® 2017, the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), Washington, D.C.] Press Release

Bristol-Myers Squibb to Present New Data Advancing Research across Serious Liver Diseases

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced that new data across serious liver diseases, including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma will be presented. [Press release from Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discussing research to be presented at The Liver Meeting^® 2017, the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), Washington, D.C.] Press Release

Can-Fite to Present at 2017 AASLD Liver Meeting Conference

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. announced it will present two scientific posters. During the conference, Can-Fite will also conduct a meeting of its non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) Clinical Advisory Board comprised of key opinion leaders in the treatment of liver disease and NASH. [Press release from Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. discussing research to be presented at The Liver Meeting^® 2017, the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), Washington, D.C.] Press Release

Prometic Presents PBI-4050 and PBI-4547 In Vivo Data

Prometic Life Sciences Inc. announced in vivo data from compounds PBI-4050 and PBI-4547 for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases, and associated metabolic syndrome are being presented in three poster sessions. [Press release from Prometic Life Sciences Inc. discussing research to be presented at The Liver Meeting^® 2017, the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), Washington, D.C.] Press Release

Clinical Data to Be Presented Shows Single Revita DMR Procedure Elicits Sustained Improvements in Hepatic Indices in Type 2 Diabetes Patients through 12 Months

Fractyl Laboratories Inc. announced that clinical investigators for the Revita-1 clinical trial will present 12-month data from the study showing sustained improvement in hepatic and glycemic parameters following a single treatment with Revita™ DMR in patients with type 2 diabetes and presumed fatty liver disease. [Press release from Fractyl Laboratories Inc. discussing research to be presented at The Liver Meeting^® 2017, the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), Washington, D.C.] Press Release

Intercept (ICPT) Extends Strategic Partnership with TARGET PharmaSolutions for TARGET-NASH

TARGET PharmaSolutions, Inc. announced that Intercept has extended its strategic partnership for TARGET-NASH to a multi-year agreement. [TARGET PharmaSolutions, Inc.] Press Release

Boehringer Ingelheim Partners with TARGET PharmaSolutions to Progress NASH Research

TARGET PharmaSolutions, Inc. announced that Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH has entered into a multi-year strategic partnership for TARGET-NASH. [TARGET PharmaSolutions, Inc.] Press Release

Takeda and Hemoshear Therapeutics Enter into Exclusive Drug Discovery Partnership in Liver Diseases

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and HemoShear Therapeutics, LLC announced a partnership to discover and develop novel therapeutics for liver diseases, including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. [HemoShear Therapeutics, LLC] Press Release

AMRA and BioTelemetry Research Raise the Standard for Medical Imaging in NASH/NAFLD Clinical Trials

AMRA and BioTelemetry Research announced the formation of an exclusive alliance for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) clinical trials. This first-to-market partnership will advance imaging science and benefit clinical trial sponsors in several musculoskeletal and metabolic therapeutic areas. [Advanced MR Analytics AB] Press Release

NeuroVive and Lund University Collaboration Receives Grant for Liver Cancer Research

NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB announced that NeuroVive and Ramin Massoumi at Lund University have been granted 2.5 MSEK from the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research for an Industrial PhD to study the role of cyclophilins in liver cancer. The research will be done within NeuroVive’s project NVP024, which is focused on the development of a novel liver cancer treatment. [NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB] Press Release

Ipsen Announces that Phase III CELESTIAL Trial of Cabozantinib Meets Primary Endpoint of Overall Survival in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Ipsen and its partner Exelixis announced that its global Phase III CELESTIAL trial met its primary endpoint of overall survival (OS), with cabozantinib providing a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in median OS compared to placebo in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. [Ipsen] Press Release

U.S. Patent Granted for Benitec Hepatitis B Program

Benitec Biopharma Limited announced that a new patent relating to the company’s hepatitis B program has been issued in the United States. It encompasses Benitec’s RNA interference agent and the use of that RNA interference (RNAi) agent to treat hepatitis B infection. [Benitec Biopharma Limited] Press Release

Rand Paul Takes a Poke at U.S. Peer Review Panels

Senate Republicans have launched a new attack on peer review by proposing changes to how the U.S. government funds basic research. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Efforts to Save Leading Hungarian University Hit Hurdle

The threatened Central European University in Budapest has been dealt a blow in its efforts to avert possible closure in Hungary. The country’s parliament voted to postpone, for a year, a decision that would allow the university to keep operating there. [Nature News] Editorial

New Definitions of Scientific Units Are on the Horizon

Revamped definitions of scientific units are on their way. In the biggest overhaul of the international system of units since its inception in 1960, a committee is set to redefine four basic units — the ampere, the kilogram, the kelvin and the mole — using relationships to fundamental constants, rather than abstract or arbitrary definitions. [Nature News] Editorial

Top Chinese University to Consider Social-Media Posts in Researcher Evaluations

One of China’s most prestigious universities plans to give some articles in newspapers and posts on major social-media outlets the same weight as peer-reviewed publications when it evaluates researchers. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2018 Annual Meeting
June 20-23, 2018
Melbourne, Australia

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NEW Research Assistant – Viral Hepatitis/Alcohol Group (Foundation for Liver Research)

Postdoctoral Position – 3D Organoid Mechanobiology (KU Leuven)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Liver Tissue Engineering (Massachusetts General Hospital)

Hepatologist – Gastroenterology and Hepatology (The Liver Institute of Virginia)

Faculty Position – Molecular Oncology (Moffitt Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Human Bile Duct Organoids (University of Edinburgh)

Faculty Position – Cancer Biology (Emory University Hospital)

Postdoctoral Positions – Cancer Research (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer Biology (Georgetown University Medical Center)

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