Hepatic Cell News Volume 3.06 | Feb 22 2019

TOP STORY

Carbon-Dot-Supported Atomically Dispersed Gold as a Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress Amplifier for Cancer Treatment

The authors showed that imaging-guided interventional injection of the particles potently inhibited tumor growth in subcutaneous and orthotopic patient-derived xenograft hepatocellular carcinoma models without adverse effects. [Nat Nanotechnol] Abstract

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PGC1A Regulates the IRS1:IRS2 Ratio during Fasting to Influence Hepatic Metabolism Downstream of Insulin

Scientists found that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha level determines the relative ratio of insulin receptor substrate 1 and IRS2 in hepatocytes, impacting insulin receptor signaling via protein kinase B/AKT. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article

Loss of Hepatic Oscillatory Fed MicroRNAs Abrogates Refed Transition and Causes Liver Dysfunctions

By targeting SIRT1, PGC1α, and their downstream genes, fed microRNAs regulated metabolic and mitochondrial pathways. MicroRNA expression, processing, and RISC loading oscillated during these cycles and possibly constituted an anticipatory mechanism. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

HN1L-Mediated Transcriptional Axis AP-2γ/METTL13/TCF3-ZEB1 Drives Tumor Growth and Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Functional studies demonstrated that ectopic expression of HN1L could increase cell growth, foci formation in monolayer culture, colony formation in soft agar and tumorigenesis in nude mice. HN1L could also promote hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition. [Cell Death Differ] Abstract

The Transcription Factor C-Jun/Ap-1 Promotes Liver Fibrosis during Non-Acoholic Steatohepatitis by Regulating Osteopontin Expression

Disease progression from steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in patients correlated with increased c-Jun expression in hepatocytes, while its expression in non-parenchymal liver cells particularly correlated with fibrosis. [Cell Death Differ] Full Article

H19 Potentiates Let-7 Family Expression through Reducing PTBP1 Binding to Their Precursors in Cholestasis

Investigators identified marked upregulation of eight members of the let-7 family in cholestatic livers by bile duct ligation (BDL) and H19 overexpression. In particular, the expression of let-7a-1/7d/7f-1 was highly induced in H19-BDL livers but decreased in H19KO-BDL livers. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Somatic Mutations of PREX2 Gene in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Researchers sought to identify somatic mutations and the functional changes in mutational signatures of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate dependent rac exchange factor 2. Stabilities and interactions of proteins as well as cell proliferation and migration were evaluated. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Transcriptional Regulation of Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation in NASH

Scientists have determined the time-resolved changes in the hepatic stellate cells (HSC) transcriptome during development of Western diet- and fructose-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in mice, a NASH model recapitulating human disease. HSC transcriptional dynamics were highly similar across disease models pointing to HSC activation as a point of convergence in the development of fibrotic liver disease. [Sci Rep] Full Article

The Therapeutic Effects of Nicotinamide in Hepatocellular Carcinoma through Blocking IGF-1 and Effecting the Balance between Nrf2 and PKB

HepG2 cells, human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, were treated with different concentrations of nicotinamide. Researchers found that nicotinamide enhanced the rats’ survival and reduced the number and size of hepatic tumors as well as it reduced serum α-fetoprotein and HepG2 cells survival. [Biomed Pharmacother] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

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Hepatoprotective Effects of Rosmarinic Acid: Insight into Its Mechanisms of Action

The authors discuss the effects of rosmarinic acid on the liver, highlighting its hepatoprotective potential and the underlying mechanisms. [Biomed Pharmacother] Abstract

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Intercept Announces Positive Topline Results from Pivotal Phase III Regenerate Study of Obeticholic Acid in Patients with Liver Fibrosis Due to NASH

Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced positive results from its pivotal Phase III REGENERATE study of obeticholic acid in patients with liver fibrosis due to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. [Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release

Morphocell Technologies Signs Exclusive License for the Commercialization of Innovative Stem Cell-Derived Encapsulated Liver Tissue Technology

Morphocell Technologies Inc. has negotiated a worldwide exclusive license agreement with Univalor for the commercialization of the stem cell-derived liver tissue technology developed by Dr. Massimiliano Paganelli at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine. [Morphocell Technologies Inc] Press Release

Inventiva Announces Further Progress Achieved in the Clinical Development of Lanifibranor for the Treatment of NASH

Inventiva announced the screening of the first patient in the United States for its Phase IIb NATIVE clinical trial evaluating lanifibranor, the company’s lead product candidate, for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. [Inventiva] Press Release

Foreign Governments Want to Boost Their Biotech Industries — So They’re Setting Up Shop in Boston

Cities and states around the corner and around the country have angled for years to set themselves up as the next Kendall Square, hoping to import some of the magic of Boston’s biotech hub and its job-creating economic engine. Increasingly, foreign governments are pushing for the same. [STAT News] Editorial

Moldovan Mathematician among Academics Running in General Election

Several researchers, including one mathematician, are running for seats in Moldova’s parliament this month. They hope to depoliticize science, improve education and address high levels of brain drain in the small country of 3.5 million people. [Nature News] Editorial

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

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NEW Postdoctoral Research Associate – Liver DIseases (University of Illinois at Chicago)

Senior Research Scientist – Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (Gilead Sciences, Inc)

Postdoctoral Position – Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (London Foundation for Liver Research)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Cancer Biology (The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research)

Assistant/Associate Professor – Cancer Biology (Virginia Commonwealth University)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Cancer Biology (University of California, San Francisco)

Senior Scientific Officer – Cancer Biology (Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute)

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

Postdoctoral Position – Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (University of Southern Denmark)

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

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

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