Hepatic Cell News Volume 3.00 | Jan 11 2019

TOP STORY

Generation of Hepato-Biliary Organoids from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

The organoids displayed a series of functional attributes. Specifically, the induced hepatocyte-like cells could uptake ICG, accumulate lipid and glycogen, and displayed appropriate secretion ability and drug metabolic ability; the biliary structures in the system showed GGT activity and the ability to efflux rhodamine and store bile acid. [J Hepatol] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

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Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Triggers Xanthoangelol-Induced Protective Autophagy via Activation of JNK/C-Jun Axis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Mechanistically, xanthoangelol (XAG) promoted hepatocellular carcinoma cell death through triggering intrinsic apoptosis pathway, not extrinsic apoptotic pathway. XAG treatment induced autophagy in Bel 7402 and SMMC 7721 cells, as evidenced by an increase in autophagy-associated proteins, including LC3B-II, Beclin-1, and Atg5. [J Exp Clin Cancer Res] Full Article

miR-6875-3p Promotes the Proliferation, Invasion and Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma via BTG2/Fak/Akt Pathway

Scientists found that miR-6875-3p were elevated expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and cell lines, and negatively correlated with BTG2 expression, while positively correlated with tumor staging, size, degree of differentiation, and vascular invasion of HCC. [J Exp Clin Cancer Res] Full Article

Depletion of RIPK1 in Hepatocytes Exacerbates Liver Damage in Fulminant Viral Hepatitis

Mice deficient for RIPK1, specifically in liver parenchymal cells and their wild-type littermates, were challenged by either the murine hepatitis virus type 3 or poly I:C, a synthetic analog of double-stranded RNA mimicking viral pathogen-associated molecular pattern. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

The Cirrhotic Liver Is Depleted of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), a Key Modulator of NF-κB and TGFβ Pathways in Hepatic Stellate Cells

Researchers evaluated by LC-MS/MS the liver content of omega-3 DHA in cirrhotic patients and investigated the effect of DHA in a murine model of liver injury and in the response of hepatic stellate cells to pro-fibrogenic stimuli. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

The Role of the Apoptosis-Related Protein BCL-B in the Regulation of Mitophagy in Hepatic Stellate Cells during the Regression of Liver Fibrosis

Investigators showed that mitophagy was enhanced in parallel with increased apoptosis in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) during the reversal of hepatic fibrosis. The inhibition of mitophagy suppressed apoptosis in HSCs and aggravated hepatic fibrosis in mice. [Exp Mol Med] Abstract | Full Article

A Comparison of Total and Plasma Membrane Abundance of Transporters in Suspended, Plated, Sandwich-Cultured Human Hepatocytes vs. Human Liver Tissue Using Quantitative Targeted Proteomics and Cell-Surface Biotinylation

Researchers measured the total and plasma membrane abundance of transporters in human hepatocyte models vs. liver tissue (LT) from which they were isolated. Total abundance of OATP1B1/2B1/1B3, OCT1, and OAT2 was found not to be significantly different between the hepatocytes and LT. [Drug Metab Dispos] Full Article

A20 Rescues Hepatocytes from Apoptosis through the NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Rats with Acute Liver Failure

Rat hepatocytes were separated and subjected to pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate or A20 siRNA. Additionally, both mRNA and protein levels of A20, NF-κB, tumor necrosis factor, receptor-associated factor 6, and receptor-interacting protein 1 were determined. Investigators detected hepatocyte proliferation, cell cycle entry, and apoptosis. [Biosci Rep] Full Article

In Silico Analysis of the Binding Properties of Solasonine to Mortalin and p53, and In Vitro Pharmacological Studies of Its Apoptotic and Cytotoxic Effects on Human HepG2 and Hep3b Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Pharmacological studies confirmed that solasonine was able to inhibit efficiently mortalin – p53 interaction in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) HepG2 cell line that expresses both mortalin and p53. This resulted in p53 translocation to the nucleus. [Fundam Clin Pharmacol] Abstract

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History and Evolution of Yttrium-90 Radioembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The authors outline key clinical trials that have established the safety and efficacy of Yttrium-90 radioembolization, and also summarize trials comparing its efficacy to existing hepatocellular carcinoma treatments. [J Clin Med] Full Article

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

Basilea Announces Positive Interim Results from Registrational Phase II Study with Oncology Drug Candidate Derazantinib in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd announced results from the interim analysis of the registrational Phase II study with the orally administered pan-fibroblast growth factor receptor kinase inhibitor derazantinib. [Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd] Press Release

ChemomAb Doses First Patient in Phase Ib Clinical Trial of CM-101 in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

ChemomAb announced dosing of the first patient in a Phase Ib repeated dose clinical trial with CM-101 in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients. [ChemomAb (Business Wire, Inc)] Press Release

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare Approves Gilead’s Epclusa^® (Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir)

Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced that Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has approved Epclusa^®a once-daily treatment for adults with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with decompensated cirrhosis, and for patients with chronic HCV infection without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis who have had prior treatment with a direct-acting antiviral therapy. [Gilead] Press Release

Get to know Dr. Meritxell Huch and her approach to studying liver disease with hepatic organoids. Read the Full Profile

Crowdfunding Research Flips Science’s Traditional Reward Model

No papers? No problem. Scientists who have historically been at a disadvantage when pursuing traditional funding sources — for example, those who lack extensive experience or who do not demonstrate a good publication record — are now the most successful at sourcing money from the public. [Nature Newsrial] Editorial

Serbia Is Rethinking Science — But the Reforms Could Cost Hundreds of Jobs

The government says that it is keen to revitalize and invest more in its cash-starved research system, which has an annual budget of about €100 million (US$115 million) and last put out a grant call nearly a decade ago. But some scientists say that the reforms, although badly needed, will lead to hundreds of university researchers losing their jobs. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Keystone Symposia: Cancer Stem Cells: Advances in Biology & Clinical Translation
October 13-17, 2019
Hong Kong, China

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NEW Postdoctoral Researcher – Cancer Biology (University of Pennsylvania – Perelman School of Medicine)

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (University of Southern Denmark)

NEW PhD Position – Cancer Biology (German Cancer Research Center)

NEW Senior Scientific Officer – Tumor Microenvironment & Cancer Metabolism (Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute)

NEW Postdoctoral Positions – Development & Progression of Cancer (Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Hepatic Research (Karolinska Institutet)

Postdoctoral Scholar – Liver Disease (Pennsylvania State University)

Postdoctoral Position – Liver Disease (University of Illinois)

Research Associate – Cancer Structural Biology (University of British Columbia)

PhD Position – Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Deutsche Diabetes Forschungsgesellschaft e. V.)

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