Hepatic Cell News Volume 3.24 | Jul 5 2019

TOP STORY

A Homeostatic Arid1a-Dependent Permissive Chromatin State Licenses Hepatocyte Responsiveness to Liver-Injury-Associated YAP Signaling

Scientists showed that Arid1a, a key component of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, controls liver regeneration and gene expression associated with emergence of injury-induced liver-progenitor-like cells. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

A Two-Step Lineage Reprogramming Strategy to Generate Functionally Competent Human Hepatocytes from Fibroblasts

Researchers demonstrated a new reprogramming strategy by mimicking the natural regeneration route, which permits generating expandable hepatic progenitor cells and functionally competent human hepatocytes. [Cell Res] Full Article

MicroRNA‐141 Is Associated with Hepatic Steatosis by Downregulating the Sirtuin1/AMP‐Activated Protein Kinase Pathway in Hepatocytes

Liver hepatocellular cells were treated with high concentration of glucose to be subsequently used for the assessment of miR‐141 and SIRT1 levels in a model of hepatic steatosis. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract

Expression of Neuropeptide Y Is Increased in an Activated Human HSC Cell Line

Researchers investigated the expression and secretion of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in human immortalized hepatic stellate cell (HSC) LX-2 cells and the regulatory function of NPY on the fibrogenic response in LX-2 cells, to explore the potential association between NPY and LX-2 activation. [Sci Rep] Full Article

2,3′4,4′,5-Pentachlorobiphenyl Induces Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Proliferation through Pyruvate Kinase M2-Dependent Glycolysis

The authors investigated the effect of 2,3’4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl on hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and its underlying mechanisms. [Toxicol Lett] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Deletion of Organic Cation Transporter Oct3 Promotes Hepatic Fibrosis via Upregulation of TGFbeta

Primary murine hepatocytes were treated with the non-selective organic cation transporter (OCT) inhibitor quinine and transforming growth factor (TGF) beta protein expression was quantified by qPCR and Western blot. [Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol] Abstract

Expression of Serine/Threonine Protein Kinase SGK1F Promotes an Hepatoblast State in Stem Cells Directed to Differentiate into Hepatocytes

The effects of expressing adenoviral-encoded flag tagged human SGK1F was examined at three stages of human induced pluripotent stem cell differentiation to hepatocytes. [PLoS One] Full Article

miR-718 Mediates the Indirect Interaction between LncRNA SEMA3B-AS1 and PTEN to Regulate the Proliferation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Investigators explored the possible involvement of SEMA3B-AS1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). They found that SEMA3B-AS1 was downregulated in HCC tissues comparing to non-cancer tissues and was not affected by HBV and HCV infections. [Physiol Genomics] Abstract

Collagen Vitrigel Promotes Hepatocytic Differentiation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Functional Hepatocyte-Like Cells

To obtain matured hepatocytes from stem cells, researchers tested the effect of culturing human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived endoderm cells on collagen vitrigel membrane and compared this with a previous reported nanofiber matrix. [Biol Open] Full Article

miR‑425‑5p Promotes Cell Proliferation, Migration and Invasion by Directly Targeting FOXD3 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

The roles and underlying mechanisms of miR‑425‑5p in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were investigated. RT‑qPCR analysis revealed that miR‑425‑5p was upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. [Mol Med Rep] Abstract

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Stem Cell-Related Studies and Stem Cell-Based Therapies in Liver Diseases

The authors review recent advances in the application of stem cell-related therapies in liver disease with the aim of providing readers with relevant knowledge in this field and inspiration to spur further inquiry. [Cell Transplant] Full Article

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

Boehringer Ingelheim Expands Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) R&D Pipeline with New First-in-Class Compound from Yuhan Corporation

Boehringer Ingelheim and Yuhan Corporation announced a collaboration and license agreement for the development of a first-in-class dual agonist for the treatment of NASH and related liver diseases that combines GLP-1 and FGF21 activity in one molecule. [Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH] Press Release

Akero Therapeutics Announces Dosing of First Patient in Phase IIa Study of AKR-001 to Treat NASH (BALANCED)

Akero Therapeutics, Inc. announced the dosing of the first patient in its Phase IIa clinical study of AKR-001, a novel FGF21 analog, for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (the BALANCED study). [Akero Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

Dicerna™ to Begin Clinical Development of DCR-A1AT for Treatment of Patients with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency-Associated Liver Disease

Dicerna™ Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced it submitted a Clinical Trial Authorization application to the Swedish Medical Products Agency to conduct a first-in-human Phase I/II study of DCR-A1AT, an investigational therapy from the company’s GalXC™ technology platform, for the treatment of alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency-associated liver disease. [Dicerna™ Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release

Dr. Tamara Zietek discusses the use of intestinal organoids as a model system for nutrient transport. Listen Now

Mexican President Eases Up on Researchers’ Travel Rules

A month after announcing increased austerity measures on international travel for scientists, Mexico’s National Council of Science and Technology announced that at least one restriction would be loosened. Scientists would not require presidential approval for every trip abroad. [The Scientist] Editorial

Hungarian Law Wrests Control of Research from Scientific Academy

The Hungarian Parliament passed a bill that takes control for funding Hungarian research bodies away from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and gives it to a government-led committee, Reuters reports. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW 2^nd Conference on Liver Disease in Africa (COLDA) 2019
September 6-8, 2019
Cairo, Egypt

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

NEW Research Associate – System Level Analysis of Human Organogenesis (The University of Manchester)

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Human Liver Microphysiology Systems (University of Pittsburgh Drug Discover Institute)

Research Professor – Nutrition & Metabolic Diseases (KU Leuven)

Research Lab Specialist – Tumor Microenvironment & Cell Behavior (University of Southern California)

PhD Position – Cytokine-Induced Metabolic Rewiring of the Liver (Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Epigenetic Mechanisms of NAFLD (Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research)

Postdoctoral Position – Liver Disease (University of Illinois at Chicago)

Research Assistant – Liver Immunology (Maynooth University)

Postdoctoral Research Scientists – Hepatitis Virus Research (Ohio State University)

Faculty Position/Director – Cancer Research (Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University)

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