Project description:Splenomegaly is caused by several pathological conditions, including portal hypertension, which is most frequently caused by chronic liver disease (e.g., liver cirrhosis). The detailed mechanisms through which portal pressure induces splenomegaly and the precise pathophysiological conditions in portal hypertension-induced splenomegaly remain to be fully elucidated. We used microarrays to identify the differential microRNA expression underlying the portal hypertension-induced splenomegaly.
Project description:Splenomegaly is caused by several pathological conditions, including portal hypertension, which is most frequently caused by chronic liver disease (e.g., liver cirrhosis). The detailed mechanisms through which portal pressure induces splenomegaly and the precise pathophysiological conditions in portal hypertension-induced splenomegaly remain to be fully elucidated. We used microarrays to identify the differential gene expression underlying the portal hypertension-induced splenomegaly.
Project description:Idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) is characterized by portal hypertension due to obstruction or stenosis of the intrahepatic peripheral portal branches. Researchers have suggested that IPH may be attributed to intrahepatic peripheral portal vein thrombosis, splenic factors, abnormal autoimmunity, and related factors, however, the etiology of IPH remains unclear. We used microarrays to identify the functions of genes expressed in blood samples from patients with IPH.
Project description:Idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) is characterized by portal hypertension due to obstruction or stenosis of the intrahepatic peripheral portal branches. Researchers have suggested that IPH may be attributed to intrahepatic peripheral portal vein thrombosis, splenic factors, abnormal autoimmunity, and related factors, however, the etiology of IPH remains unclear. We used microarrays to identify the functions of genes expressed in blood samples from patients with IPH. In order to examine the specific expression of genes in patients with IPH, we analyzed blood samples from three patients with IPH and three healthy volunteers as control using DNA microarrays.
Project description:Persistent liver injury triggers a fibrogenic program that causes pathologic remodelling of the hepatic microenvironment (i.e., liver fibrosis) and portal hypertension. The dynamics of gene regulation during liver disease progression and regression remain understudied. Here, we generated hepatic transcriptome profiles in two well-established liver disease models at peak fibrosis and during spontaneous regression after the removal of the inducing agents. We linked the dynamics of key liver disease readouts, such as portal pressure, collagen proportionate area, and transaminase serum levels, to most differentially expressed genes, enabling the identification of transcriptomic signatures of progressive vs. regressive liver fibrosis and portal hypertension. These candidate biomarkers (e.g., Scube1, Tcf4, Src, Hmga1, Trem2, Mafk, Mmp7) were also validated in RNA-seq datasets of patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Finally, deconvolution analysis identified major cell types and suggested an association of macrophage and portal hepatocyte signatures with portal hypertension and fibrosis area in both models.
Project description:Chronic liver disease is a major leading cause of portal hypertension that affects approximately 1.5 billion people globally. We show that GIMAP5, a small organellar GTPase, is selectively expressed in liver endothelial cells and human GIMAP5 deficiency causes portal hypertension with capillarization of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). LSEC capillarization is recapitulated in GIMAP5 loss-of-function (LOF) mice, and upon conditional Gimap5 deletion in endothelial cells. Single cell RNA-sequencing analyses reveals replacement of LSECs with capillarized endothelial cells and expansion of liver lymphatic endothelial cells in GIMAP5 LOF mice, and places GIMAP5 upstream of GATA4, a transcription factor required for LSEC-specification. Our studies reveal that GIMAP5 prevents portal hypertension by maintaining LSEC identity and suggest that LSEC is an induced endothelial cell state.
Project description:Oxaliplatin has been used as the first choice for the adjuvant chemotherapy of colorectal cancer and it has significantly improved the outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer. However, hepatotoxicity is the potentially problematic adverse effect of oxaliplatin. The pathological evaluation of non-tumoral liver from patients with advanced colorectal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant oxaliplatin-based treatment has provided histological evidence of hepatic sinusoidal injury. Oxaliplatin-induced sinusoidal injury can persist for more than 1 year after the completion of chemotherapy, and the increase in splenic volume may be a predictor of irreversible sinusoidal damage. In this current study, we aim to evaluate the efficacy of individualized treatment in patients with oxaliplatin-induced gastroesophageal varices after colorectal cancer surgery.
Project description:Oxaliplatin has been used as the first choice for the adjuvant chemotherapy of colorectal cancer and it has significantly improved the outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer. However, hepatotoxicity is the potentially problematic adverse effect of oxaliplatin. The pathological evaluation of non-tumoral liver from patients with advanced colorectal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant oxaliplatin-based treatment has provided histological evidence of hepatic sinusoidal injury. Oxaliplatin-induced sinusoidal injury can persist for more than 1 year after the completion of chemotherapy, and the increase in splenic volume may be a predictor of irreversible sinusoidal damage. In this current study, the investigators aim to evaluate the values of potential biomarkers in diagnosing patients with oxaliplatin-induced gastroesophageal varices after colorectal cancer surgery.