Hepatic Cell News Volume 2.35 | Sep 14 2018

TOP STORY

NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in Hepatic Stellate Cells Induces Murine Liver Fibrosis

Scientists tested the hypothesis that the NLRP3 inflammasome in hepatic stellate cells can directly regulate their activation and contribute to liver fibrosis. [Hepatology] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

A Novel Aurora-A Inhibitor (MLN8237) Synergistically Enhances the Antitumour Activity of Sorafenib in Hepatocelluar Carcinoma In Vitro and In Vivo

Investigators found that MLN8237 was strongly synergistic with sorafenib in inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma progression by altering cell growth, cell-cycle regulation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and angiogenesis. [Mol Ther Nucleic Acids] Abstract | Full Article

Kindlin-2 Regulates Hepatic Stellate Cells Activation and Liver Fibrogenesis

Scientists report that kindlin-2 expression is elevated in the livers of mice with experimental liver fibrosis and also in the livers of patients with liver fibrosis. [Cell Death Discov] Full Article

ARHGAP9 Suppresses the Migration and Invasion of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells through Up-Regulating FOXJ2/E-Cadherin

Cell counting kit-8, transwell assays and in vivo experimental lung metastasis assay revealed that Rho GTPase activating protein 9 (ARHGAP9) overexpression could inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell proliferation, migration and invasion, as well as HCC lung metastases. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

The STAT3 Inhibitor S3I-201 Suppresses Fibrogenesis and Angiogenesis in Liver Fibrosis

Investigators evaluated the effects of S3I-201 against liver fibrosis. S3I-201 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and actin filament formation in primary human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), as well as the expression of α-SMA, collagen I and TIMP1 in both primary HSC and in a CCl₄-induced fibrosis mouse model. [Lab Invest] Abstract

cGMP-Dependent Protein Kinase I (cGKI) Modulates Human Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation

To study stellate cell activation in cGKI-SM mice, retinol storage and gene expression were examined. Moreover, in the human stellate cell line LX2, the consequences of cGKI-silencing on gene expression were investigated. [Metabolism] Abstract

Targeting a Phospho-STAT3-miRNAs Pathway Improves Vesicular Hepatic Steatosis in an In Vitro and In Vivo Model

The authors investigated a possible role of a microRNAs-STAT3 pathway in the induction of hepatic steatosis. Differentiated HepaRG cells treated with the fatty acid sodium oleate recapitulated features of liver vesicular steatosis and activated a cell-autonomous inflammatory response, inducing STAT3-Tyrosine-phosphorylation. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Histone H3K9 Demethylase JMJD2B Induces Hepatic Steatosis through Upregulation of PPARγ2

Researchers investigated the functional role of histone demethylase JMJD2B in the pathologic regulation of hepatic steatosis. JMJD2B expression was markedly increased in HepG2 cells treated with palmitate and oleate or liver X receptor agonist T09013178 and in the liver of high-fat diet-induced obese mice. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Endotoxin Regulates Matrix Genes Increasing Reactive Oxygen Species Generation by Intercellular Communication between Palmitate-Treated Hepatocyte and Stellate Cell

As hepatic stellate cells (HSC) play a pivotal role in the accumulation of excessive extracellular matrix, leading to collagen deposition, fibrosis, and perpetuation of inflammatory response, an in vitro model was developed to investigate the crosstalk between HSC and hepatocytes pretreated with palmitate. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract

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High-Mobility Group Box-1 and Liver Disease

The authors provide a detailed review of how high-mobility group box-1 signaling participates in acute liver injury and chronic liver disease. [Hepatol Commun] Full Article

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Can-Fite to Present the Anti-Fibrogenic Effects of Namodenoson

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. announced its poster presentation of the anti-fibrogenic effects of Namodenosen in NAFLD/NASH pre-clinical data. [Press release from Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. discussing research presented at the Hepatic Fibrosis Single Topic Conference of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), Dallas] Press Release

Gilead Sciences and Precision BioSciences Announce Collaboration to Develop Therapies against Hepatitis B Virus Using ARCUS Genome Editing

Gilead Sciences and Precision BioSciences announced that the companies have entered into a strategic collaboration to develop therapies targeting the in vivo elimination of hepatitis B virus with Precision’s proprietary genome editing platform, ARCUS. [Gilead Sciences] Press Release

Vital Therapies Announces That Topline Results of VTL-308 Fail to Achieve Primary and Secondary Endpoints of Improvement in Survival

Vital Therapies, Inc. announced that, while there was a numerical improvement in survival in the ELAD-treated group between three months and one year following randomization, the VTL-308 study failed to meet the primary endpoint of a significant improvement in overall survival through at least 91 days assessed using the Kaplan Meier statistical method. [Vital Therapies, Inc.] Press Release

NIH Gets $2 Billion Boost in Final 2019 Spending Bill

Congress has approved a $2 billion raise, to $39.1 billion, for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in a 2019 spending bill approved by House of Representatives and Senate negotiators. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Patients vs. Paywalls: Is the U.S. Ready for Open-Access Publishing?

Scientific publishing giant Elsevier recently came under fire after its director of scholarly communications, William Gunn, wrote a controversial tweet in response to a post that “people shouldn’t have to jump through hoops” to access important medical research. [STAT News] Editorial

Ten Years after the Economic Crash, R&D Funding Is Better Than Ever

The funding by businesses dipped after the crash, offset in some regions by rises in government funding. [Nature News] Editorial

Europe’s Academics Fail to Report Results for 90% of Clinical Trials

European academics are failing abysmally when it comes to reporting the results of clinical trials, a study has revealed. An analysis of data from the European Union’s Clinical Trial Register — published in The BMJ — shows that around 50% of the listed trials have not complied with guidelines that say results must be reported within 12 months. [Nature News] Editorial

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