Project description:Dysfunction of liver endothelial cells (ECs), especially sinusoid endothelial cells (LSECs), play a key role in progression of liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. Here, we reported a map which reveals heterogeneity and spatial distribution of liver ECs in normal versus cirrhotic mouse liver and determined liver zonal specific transcriptomic changes of LSECs associated with liver cirrhosis using single-cell RNA sequencing technology. We identified 6 clusters of liver EC populations including 3 clusters of LSECs, 2 clusters of vascular ECs (arterial and central venous ECs) and 1 cluster of lymphatic ECs. Particularly, we mapped the 3 clusters of LSECs in Zone1-3. We found that liver EC identities are conserved even in liver cirrhosis and that Zone3 LSECs are most susceptible to damages associated with liver cirrhosis with increased capillarization and decreased abilities to regulate endocytosis and vascular tone. Altogether, this study deepens our knowledge for the pathophysiology of cirrhosis at a spatial and cell-specific level, which are indispensable for the development of novel therapeutic strategies to target liver ECs.
Project description:Gene profiling of hepatocytes in early and advanced cirrhotic Rats Two-condition experiment, Advanced cirrhosis vs Control liver, Advanced cirrhosis vs Early cirrhosis. Biological replicates: 5 Advanced cirrhosis, 5 Early cirrhosis, 5 control liver. Each hepatocyte was isolated independently. One replicate per array.
Project description:Cell therapy shows great promise as an alternative therapy for the cirrhotic liver. We have previously developed an approach for efficient expansion of both murine and human hepatocyte-derived liver progenitor-like cells (HepLPCs) in vitro without genetic modification. The current study aimed to apply HepLPCs to treatment of liver cirrhosis. The effects of allogeneic HepLPCs transplantation were studied in rat models of liver cirrhosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) . Liver tissues were collected and analyzed by RNA sequencing array to analyze changes in histology or gene expression patterns. Transplantation of HepLPCs reduced active fibrogenesis and net fibrosis in model of liver cirrhosis. Apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) was observed in vivo after HepLPCs treatment.
Project description:Cirrhosis and cancers of the upper digestive tract, colorectal and ENT share common risk factors. Liver cirrhosis can change the elimination of cancer drugs.
Precise data on management and outcome of patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing chemotherapy are lacking. Most patients have been excluded from clinical trials evaluating conventional therapies.
The study of tolerance, side effects, and outcome in patients with cirrhosis could help improve chemotherapy management for better tolerance and efficacy.
The main objective is to estimate the frequency of liver cirrhosis among patients evaluated in CPR for ENT, upper digestive or colorectal cancer.
Secondary objective includes the evaluation ofthe impact of cirrhosis on the management of chemotherapy by comparing cirrhotic patients’ outcomes with a control group of matched non-cirrhotic patients.
Project description:The mechanism underlying the loss of normal liver tissues in liver cirrhosis, mainly hepatocytes, is not well-characterized. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced cell death has emerged as a potential mechanism for chronic liver diseases. We have previously demonstrated that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is closely related to the progress of liver cirrhosis. In this study, we aimed to verify whether hepatocytes COX-2 deficiency could protect liver injury via inducing ER stress in liver cirrhosis.
Project description:Background and aims: Patients with decompensated cirrhosis present serious infections of bacterial origin. During homeostasis, resident macrophages from the liver or Kupffer cells (KCS) play a key role in the phagocytosis of circulating bacteria. The objective of this study was to characterize the transcripomic and functional profile of KCs in liver cirrhosis and its relationship with the risk of infections. Methods: KCs were isolated from livers of patients with cirrhosis (n = 4) and controls (n = 5) and the profile was determined by RNA sequencing. The phenotype and altered molecular pathways of the isolated KCS were analyzed through GSEA . Results: The expression profile of KCs is specific and different depending on whether they reside in a cirrhotic or control liver. The GO analysis revealed that the pathways differentially expressed in KCs isolated from cirrhotic liver are implicated in the immune response. The GSEA showed that KCs isolated from patients with cirrhosis present a greater overexpression of M1 markers with respect to M2 (normalized enrichment score, NES: 1.68, p <0.01 vs. NES: 0.8, p <0.01). Conclusion: The KCS of patients with cirrhosis have a unique and distinct gene expression profile characterized by up-regulation of M1 markers.
Project description:Gene-expression profiles of hepatitis C-related, early-stage liver cirrhosis Background & Aims: Liver cirrhosis affects 1%M-bM-^HM-^R2% of population and is the major risk factor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatitis C cirrhosis-related HCC is the most rapidly increasing cause of cancer death in the US. Non-invasive methods have been developed to identify patients with asymptomatic, early-stage cirrhosis, increasing the burden of HCC surveillance, but biomarkers are needed to identify patients with cirrhosis who are most in need of surveillance. We investigated whether a liver-derived 186-gene signature previously associated with outcomes of patients with HCC is prognostic for patients newly diagnosed with cirrhosis but without HCC. Methods: We performed gene expression profile analysis of formalin-fixed needle biopsies from the livers of 216 patients with hepatitis C-related early-stage (Child-Pugh class A) cirrhosis who were prospectively followed for a median of 10 years at an Italian center. We evaluated whether the 186-gene signature was associated with death, progression of cirrhosis, and development of HCC. Results: Fifty-five (25%), 101 (47%), and 60 (28%) patients were classified as having poor-, intermediate-, and good-prognosis signatures, respectively. In multivariable Cox regression modeling, the poor-prognosis signature was significantly associated with death (P=.004), progression to advanced cirrhosis (P<.001), and development of HCC (P=.009). The 10-year rates of survival were 63%, 74%, and 85% and the annual incidences of HCC were 5.8%, 2.2%, and 1.5% for patients with poor-, intermediate-, and good-prognosis signatures, respectively. Conclusions: A 186-gene signature used to predict outcomes of patients with HCC is also associated with outcomes of patients with hepatitis C-related early-stage cirrhosis. This signature might be used to identify patients with cirrhosis in most need of surveillance and strategies to prevent their development of HCC. 216 liver biopsy specimens
Project description:A quantitative label-free proteome analysis was performed using plasma samples from 22 hepatitis-C virus (HCV)-induced liver cirrhosis patients, 16 HCV-positive hepatocellular carcinoma patients with underlying cirrhosis and 18 healthy controls. Plasma microparticles (PMPS) were isolated using ultracentrifugation and analyzed via label-free LC-MS/MS. A quantitative label-free proteome analysis was performed using plasma samples from 22 hepatitis-C virus (HCV)-induced liver cirrhosis patients, 16 HCV-positive hepatocellular carcinoma patients with underlying cirrhosis and 18 healthy controls. Plasma microparticles (PMPS) were isolated using ultracentrifugation and analyzed via label-free LC-MS/MS.