Hepatic Cell News Volume 1.40 | Nov 3 2017

TOP STORY

MicroRNA-21 and Dicer Are Dispensable for Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation and the Development of Liver Fibrosis

Researchers investigated the role of miR-21, a microRNA that has been implicated in the development of fibrosis in multiple organs and also been suggested to act as “oncomir”. miR-21 was the microRNA that showed the strongest upregulation in activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC) in multiple models of fibrogenesis, with an 8- to 24-fold induction compared to quiescent HSC. [Hepatology] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

TFCP2 Is Required for YAP-Dependent Transcription to Stimulate Liver Malignancy

The authors established a model showing that transcription factor CP2 (TFCP2) acts as a YAP co-factor to maintain YAP-dependent transcription in liver cancer cells, suggesting that simultaneous targeting of both YAP and TFCP2 may be an effective therapeutic approach. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Factor VII-Induced MicroRNA-135a Inhibits Autophagy and Is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Investigators identified miR-135a as a highly upregulated miRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in response to TF/FVII/PAR2 activation. Analyzing 103 HCC patient specimens, they confirmed that miR-135a was frequently elevated in HCC tissues with higher FVII expression compared to adjacent non-cancerous counterparts. [Mol Ther Nucleic Acids] Full Article

Analysis of ORP2 Knockout Hepatocytes Uncovers a Novel Function in Actin Cytoskeletal Regulation

Researchers addressed ORP2 function in hepatocytes by generating ORP2-knockout HuH7 cells by CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, followed by analyses of transcriptome, F-actin morphology, migration, adhesion, and proliferation. [FASEB J] Abstract

RNA-Sequencing-Based Comparative Analysis of Human Hepatic Progenitor Cells and Their Niche from Alcoholic Steatohepatitis Livers

The authors characterized human hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) and their interactions with other cells through comparison, on both protein and RNA level, of HPC-enriched cell populations from adult human liver tissue using different isolation methods. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

A New Molecular Mechanism Underlying the EGCG-Mediated Autophagic Modulation of AFP in HepG₂ Cells

Researchers showed that epigallocatechingallate (EGCG) can effectively reduce α-fetal protein (AFP) secretion and simultaneously induce AFP aggregation in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG₂ cells. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Cross-Talk between TNF-α and IFN-γ Signaling in Induction of B7-H1 Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Investigators found that JAK/STAT1/IRF1 was the primary pathway responsible for induction of B7-H1 expression by IFN-γ in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines. TNF-α and IFN-γ synergistically induced the expression of B7-H1 in the HCC cells. [Cancer Immunol Immunother] Abstract

Thyroid Hormone Inhibits Growth of Hepatoma Cells through Induction of miR-214

Scientists demonstrated that 3,3′5-tri-iodo-L-thyronine induces miR-214-3p expression and suppresses cell proliferation through PIM-1, thus contributing to the inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma tumor formation. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Functional Coupling of Human Pancreatic Islets and Liver Spheroids On-a-Chip: Towards a Novel Human Ex Vivo Type 2 Diabetes Model

Investigators established a robust co-culture of human pancreatic islet microtissues and liver spheroids maintaining functional responses up to 15 days in an insulin-free medium. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Human Hepatic Stellate Cell Isolation and Characterization

The authors focus on the current information on human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) isolation methods, human HSCs markers, and established human HSC lines. [J Gastroenterol] Full Article

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Boehringer Ingelheim and Dicerna Announce Collaboration to Develop Novel Treatments for Chronic Liver Diseases including Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

Boehringer Ingelheim and Dicerna Pharmaceuticals announced a research collaboration and license agreement to discover and develop novel GalXC^™ RNAi therapeutics for the treatment of chronic liver diseases. [Boehringer Ingelheim] Press Release

Mallinckrodt to Acquire Ocera Therapeutics and OCR-002, Its Proprietary Therapy In Development for Treatment of Hepatic Encephalopathy

Mallinckrodt plc and Ocera Therapeutics, Inc. announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Mallinckrodt will acquire Ocera, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics for orphan and other serious liver diseases with high unmet medical need. [Mallinckrodt plc] Press Release

House Science Chair to Retire from Congress

The controversial chairperson of the science committee in the U.S. House of Representatives announced that he will not seek re-election to Congress next fall. The pending departure of Representative Lamar Smith could give the U.S. scientific community a chance to recalibrate a rocky five-year relationship with a key congressional committee. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Pay for US Postdocs Varies Wildly by Institution

The salary data are incomplete and — in some cases — appear to be incorrect. Some researchers are listed as earning nothing, and another study underway suggests a higher overall rate of pay for US postdocs. But the latest analysis underscores the challenges of getting basic information about an under-recognized and misunderstood segment of the academic workforce. [Nature News] Editorial

Leading Western Publisher Bows to Chinese Censorship

Springer Nature, whose publications include Nature and Scientific American, acknowledged that at the government’s request, it had removed articles from its mainland site that touch on topics the ruling Communist Party considers sensitive, including Taiwan, Tibet, human rights and elite politics. [The New York Times] Editorial

NEW Emerging Trends Conference: Cholangiopathies: The Dawn of Curative Treatments?
March 16-17, 2018
Arlington, Virginia, United States

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NEW Postdoctoral Position – Liver Disease (University of Illinois)

Biomedical Scientist – Molecular and Cellular Gastroenterology (Mayo Clinic)

PhD Studentships – Cancer Research (Institute of Cancer Research)

Faculty Position – Cancer Experimental Therapeutics (University of New Mexico)

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)

Faculty Position – Cancer Biology (Emory University Hospital)

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