Hepatic Cell News Volume 2.38 | Oct 5 2018

TOP STORY

DEAD Box Protein 5 Inhibits Liver Tumorigenesis by Stimulating Autophagy via Interaction with p62/SQSTM1

Investigators found that DDX5 (DEAD box protein 5) overexpression induced, while DDX5 knockdown attenuated autophagic flux in HepG2 and Huh7 cells. DDX5 promoted p62 degradation and markedly reduced the half-life of p62. [Hepatology] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Identification of a Novel Bone Marrow Cell-Derived Accelerator of Fibrotic Liver Regeneration through Mobilization of Hepatic Progenitor Cells in Mice

Authors identified opioid growth factor receptor like-1 (OGFRL1) as a novel bone marrow (BM) cell-derived accelerator of fibrotic liver regeneration in response to G-CSF treatment. Endogenous Ogfrl1 was highly expressed in the hematopoietic organs such as the BM and spleen, while the liver contained a relatively small amount of Ogfrl1 mRNA. [Stem Cells] Abstract

Suppression of SUN2 by DNA Methylation Is Associated with HSCs Activation and Hepatic Fibrosis

Scientists found that reduced representation bisulfite sequencing analysis of primary HSCs revealed hypermethylation patterns in hepatic fibrosis. They found SAD1/UNC84 domain protein-2 (SUN2) gene hypermethylation at CpG sites during liver fibrogenesis in mice with CCl₄-induced hepatic fibrosis, which was accompanied by low expression of SUN2. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

LncRNA-MEG3 Inhibits Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells through SMO Protein and miR-212

LncRNA-maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) was reduced in vivo and in vitro during liver fibrosis. Restoring of MEG3 expression led to the suppression of liver fibrosis, with a reduction in α-SMA and type I collagen. Notably, MEG3 overexpression inhibited hepatic stellate cells activation through epithelial-mesenchymal transition, associated with an increase in epithelial markers and a reduction in mesenchymal markers. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Long Non-Coding MALAT1 Functions as a Competing Endogenous RNA to Regulate Vimentin Expression by Sponging miR-30a-5p in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Scientists demonstrated that the levels of metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript one (MALAT1) and Vimentin were upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and that miR-30a-5p was a direct target of MALAT1. Silenced MALAT1 and overexpressed miR-30a-5p each inhibited cell migration and invasion. Dual-luciferase assay and western blotting demonstrated that MALAT1 could competitively sponge miR-30a-5p and thereby regulate Vimentin. [Cell Physiol Biochem] Full Article

Generation and Characterization of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Lines with Enhanced Cancer Stem Cell Potential

Researchers generated HepG2 subclones with enriched cancer stem cells potential by application of the spheroid formation method and subsequent single-cell cloning. Analyses in several 2D and 3D cell culture systems as well as a panel of functional assays both in vitro and in vivo revealed that the generated subclones displayed characteristic and sustained features of tumour initiating cells as well as highly aggressive properties related to tumour progression and metastasis. [J Cell Mol Med] Full Article

The Apoptosis Effect on Liver Cancer Cells of Gold Nanoparticles Modified with Lithocholic Acid

Cytotoxicity results indicated that polyethylene glycol and lithocholic acid linked by carboxyl groups have better cell selectivity; in other words, it could inhibit the growth of multiple liver cancer cells more effectively than other cancer cells and normal cells. [Nanoscale Res Lett] Full Article

Peroxisomicine A1 (Toxin T-514) Induces Cell Death of Hepatocytes In Vivo by Triggering the Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Serum liver enzymes, hepatic mitochondrial function, oxidative/nitrosative stress, and inflammatory and apoptotic markers were evaluated, and the results were confirmed by histopathological examination. Montelukast (MTK) showed significant hepatic protection evidenced by alleviated histological lesion and improvement of mitochondrial function, oxidative/nitrosative stress, and inflammatory and apoptotic changes induced by prednisolone, with more profound protection in higher MTK dose (20 mg·kg-1). [Toxicon] Abstract

Cellular Network Modeling and Single Cell Gene Expression Analysis Reveals Novel Hepatic Stellate Cell Phenotypes Controlling Liver Regeneration Dynamics

Scientists identified and characterized four HSC transcriptional states contributing to liver regeneration, two of which are described for the first time in this work. They showed that hepatic stellate cell state populations change in vivo in response to acute challenges (in this case, 70% partial hepatectomy) and chronic challenges (chronic ethanol consumption). [BMC Syst Biol] Full Article

Molecular Mechanisms of Hepatocarcinogenesis Following Sustained Virological Response in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

A series of studies reporting higher than expected rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development among direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treated patients ignited debate over whether use of DAAs elevates hepatocellular carcinoma risk compared to interferon. However, recent prospective and retrospective studies based on larger patient cohorts have found no significant difference in risk between DAA and interferon therapy once other factors are taken into account. [Viruses] Full Article

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the hepatic cell research field.

Oramed Enrolls First Patient in Its Clinical Study for Oral Insulin in the Treatment of NASH

Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced it has enrolled the first patient in an exploratory clinical study of its oral insulin capsule, ORMD-0801, in the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). [Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc.] Press Release

Mayo Clinic Researchers Receive Specialized Program of Research Excellence Grant for Liver and Biliary Cancer from the National Cancer Institute

A team of researchers from the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center has been awarded a five-year, $11.5-million Specialized Program of Research Excellence grant in liver and biliary tract cancer from the National Cancer Institute. [Mayo Clinic] Press Release

Mr Smits Goes to Washington: Architect of Bold European Open-Access Plan Hopes to Garner US Support

A month after European funders launched the ‘Plan S’ initiative to demand immediate open access to scientific literature in the next two years, the plan’s creators have revealed more details about their bold scheme — and are hurriedly trying to get support from US policymakers. [Nature News] Editorial

Brazil’s Presidential Election Could Savage Its Science

A populist surge from a right-wing presidential candidate in Brazil that is threatening to upend the country’s politics could have huge impacts on research budgets and environmental policies. [Nature News] Editorial

Major Publishers Sue ResearchGate over Copyright Infringement

Two journal publishers have launched legal proceedings in the United States against academic-networking site ResearchGate for copyright infringement. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Singapore Hepatology Conference
June 7-8, 2019
Singapore, Singapore

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

NEW Principal Investigator/Group Leader in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Foundation for Liver Research)

NEW Postdoctoral Scholar, Microbiology and Immunology (Penn State College of Medicine)

NEW Assistant Professor – Faculty Positions in Basic and Translational Cancer Research (Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center)

NEW Post-Doctoral Position – Liver Research (University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute)

Group Leader – Organoid Modeling of Disease (European Molecular Biology Laboratory)

Faculty Position – Biochemistry and/or Biophysics (University of Kansas Medical Center)

Faculty Position – Cancer Biology (Children’s Research Institute at UT Southwestern)

Principal Investigator/Group Leader – Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Foundation for Liver Research)

Postdoctoral Scholarship – Diabetes and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (University of Gothenburg)

Postdoctoral Biomedical Engineer – Human Liver Microphysiology Systems (University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute)

Assistant Professor – Basic and Translational Cancer Research (Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center)

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