AIM: To build up the research models of hepatic fibrosis in mice.METHODS: Inbred wild-type FVB/N mice were either treated with alpha-naphthyl-isothiocyanate (ANIT), allyl alcohol (AA),carbon tetrachloride (CCl4...AIM: To build up the research models of hepatic fibrosis in mice.METHODS: Inbred wild-type FVB/N mice were either treated with alpha-naphthyl-isothiocyanate (ANIT), allyl alcohol (AA),carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-l,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC), and silica, or subjected to common bile duct ligation (CBDL) to induce hepatic injury. Liver biopsies were performed every 4 wk to evaluate hepatic fibrosis over a period of 6 mo. Cumulative cirrhosis and survival curves were constructed by life table method and compared with Wilcoxon test.RESULTS: Under the dosages used, there was neither mortality nor cirrhosis in AA and silica-treated groups. DDC and ANIT caused cirrhosis within 4-12 and 12-24 wk, respectively.Both showed significantly faster cirrhosis induction at high dosages without significant alteration of survival. The duration for cirrhosis induction by CCl4 ranged from 4 to 20 wk, mainly dependent upon the dosage. However, the increase in CCl4 dosage significantly worsened survival. Intraperitoneal CCl4 administration resulted in better survival in comparison with garage administration at high dosage, but not at medium and low dosages. After CBDL, all the mice developed liver cirrhosis within 4-8 wk and then died by the end of 26 wk.CONCLUSION: CBDL and administrations of ANIT, CCl4, and DDC ensured liver cirrhosis. CBDL required the least amount of time in cirrhosis induction, but caused shortened lives of mice. It was followed by DDC and ANIT administration with favorable survival. As for CCl4, the speed of cirrhosis induction and the mouse survival depended upon the dosages and the administration route.展开更多
AIM: To investigate a specific association between hepatic steatosis and hepatitis C virus (HCV) core. METHODS: HeLa cells and primary mouse hepatocytes were transfected with HCV core plasmid, and conditional transgen...AIM: To investigate a specific association between hepatic steatosis and hepatitis C virus (HCV) core. METHODS: HeLa cells and primary mouse hepatocytes were transfected with HCV core plasmid, and conditional transgenics in which hepatic over-expression of HCV core is regulated by the tetracycline-off system, were developed. The expression of the HCV core was assessed over one to six months after withdrawal of doxycycline (dox) by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting and by sequential liver biopsy. Hepatic steatosis was evaluated using oil red stain. 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) stains and caspase levels were conducted to clarify hepatic oxidative stress and apoptosis rate. Serum aminotransferase was checked. RESULTS: The transfected hepatocytes had globular cores under the lipid vesicles. In transgenic mice on control diet, core expression was robust, localized to the cytoplasmic vesicle membrane and strongly associatedwith microvesicular steatosis, which was gradually replaced by macrovesicular steatosis. However, both steatosis and core positive hepatocytes diminished with time. Increases in aminotransferase, caspase and 8-OHdG were associated with peak core expression. CONCLUSION: The core protein was readily detected and morphologically associated with steatosis in individual hepatocytes both in vitro and in vivo. In vivo, oxidative stress caused by the core potentially reduced the number of core positive hepatocytes and in parallel the level of steatosis. To our knowledge, this is the f irst animal model that directly shows topological relationship between HCV core and hepatic lipid vesicles.展开更多
AIM To explore factors associated with persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in a cohort of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-affected families and then investigate factors that correlate with individual viral loa...AIM To explore factors associated with persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in a cohort of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-affected families and then investigate factors that correlate with individual viral load among hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive relatives. METHODS questionnaire. Demographics, relationship to index case, HBsAg status of mothers and index cases were evaluated for association with the HBV persistent infection or viral load by generalized estimating equation analysis. RESULTS Among 729 relatives enrolled, parent generation (P = 0.0076), index generation (P = 0.0044), mothers positive for HBsAg (P = 0.0007), and HBsAg-positive index cases (P = 5.98 x 10(-8)) were associated with persistent HBV infection. Factors associated with HBV viral load were evaluated among 303 HBsAg-positive relatives. Parent generation (P = 0.0359) and sex (P = 0.0007) were independent factors associated with HBV viral load. The intra-family HBV viral load was evaluated in families clustered with HBsAg-positive siblings. An intra-family trend of similar HBV viral load was found for 27 of 46 (58.7%) families. Male offspring of HBsAg-positive mothers (P = 0.024) and older siblings were associated with high viral load. CONCLUSION Sex and generation play important roles on HBV viral load. Maternal birth age and nutritional changes could be the reasons of viral load difference between generations.展开更多
Liver cancer can be an aggressive disease,and is highly prevalent in Asia and Africa.However,its currently approved therapeutic strategies are far from satisfactory.Recent progress in genomic,proteomic and glycomic pr...Liver cancer can be an aggressive disease,and is highly prevalent in Asia and Africa.However,its currently approved therapeutic strategies are far from satisfactory.Recent progress in genomic,proteomic and glycomic profiling technologies have enabled the identification of biomarkers that significantly correlate with clinical outcomes.Many biomarkers are related to O-glycosylation of glycoproteins,which belong to an important but less-explored field of liver cancer biology.Here,we review these clinical studies and discuss potential underlying mechanisms.展开更多
基金Supported by the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, China, CMRPG 33014, CMRPG 33063 and CMRP 800
文摘AIM: To build up the research models of hepatic fibrosis in mice.METHODS: Inbred wild-type FVB/N mice were either treated with alpha-naphthyl-isothiocyanate (ANIT), allyl alcohol (AA),carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-l,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC), and silica, or subjected to common bile duct ligation (CBDL) to induce hepatic injury. Liver biopsies were performed every 4 wk to evaluate hepatic fibrosis over a period of 6 mo. Cumulative cirrhosis and survival curves were constructed by life table method and compared with Wilcoxon test.RESULTS: Under the dosages used, there was neither mortality nor cirrhosis in AA and silica-treated groups. DDC and ANIT caused cirrhosis within 4-12 and 12-24 wk, respectively.Both showed significantly faster cirrhosis induction at high dosages without significant alteration of survival. The duration for cirrhosis induction by CCl4 ranged from 4 to 20 wk, mainly dependent upon the dosage. However, the increase in CCl4 dosage significantly worsened survival. Intraperitoneal CCl4 administration resulted in better survival in comparison with garage administration at high dosage, but not at medium and low dosages. After CBDL, all the mice developed liver cirrhosis within 4-8 wk and then died by the end of 26 wk.CONCLUSION: CBDL and administrations of ANIT, CCl4, and DDC ensured liver cirrhosis. CBDL required the least amount of time in cirrhosis induction, but caused shortened lives of mice. It was followed by DDC and ANIT administration with favorable survival. As for CCl4, the speed of cirrhosis induction and the mouse survival depended upon the dosages and the administration route.
基金grants from National Science Council, Taiwan, China. No. NSC 93-2314-B-182A-148, 94-2314-B-182A-185 and 95-3112-B-182A-002 Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, China. No. CMRPG 33014, CMRPG 340341 and SMRPG350081
文摘AIM: To investigate a specific association between hepatic steatosis and hepatitis C virus (HCV) core. METHODS: HeLa cells and primary mouse hepatocytes were transfected with HCV core plasmid, and conditional transgenics in which hepatic over-expression of HCV core is regulated by the tetracycline-off system, were developed. The expression of the HCV core was assessed over one to six months after withdrawal of doxycycline (dox) by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting and by sequential liver biopsy. Hepatic steatosis was evaluated using oil red stain. 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) stains and caspase levels were conducted to clarify hepatic oxidative stress and apoptosis rate. Serum aminotransferase was checked. RESULTS: The transfected hepatocytes had globular cores under the lipid vesicles. In transgenic mice on control diet, core expression was robust, localized to the cytoplasmic vesicle membrane and strongly associatedwith microvesicular steatosis, which was gradually replaced by macrovesicular steatosis. However, both steatosis and core positive hepatocytes diminished with time. Increases in aminotransferase, caspase and 8-OHdG were associated with peak core expression. CONCLUSION: The core protein was readily detected and morphologically associated with steatosis in individual hepatocytes both in vitro and in vivo. In vivo, oxidative stress caused by the core potentially reduced the number of core positive hepatocytes and in parallel the level of steatosis. To our knowledge, this is the f irst animal model that directly shows topological relationship between HCV core and hepatic lipid vesicles.
基金Supported by grants from the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital(No.CMRPG3C0701)the National Science Council(No.NSC101-2314-B-182A-025-MY3)China Medical University(No.CMU103-N-15)
文摘AIM To explore factors associated with persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in a cohort of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-affected families and then investigate factors that correlate with individual viral load among hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive relatives. METHODS questionnaire. Demographics, relationship to index case, HBsAg status of mothers and index cases were evaluated for association with the HBV persistent infection or viral load by generalized estimating equation analysis. RESULTS Among 729 relatives enrolled, parent generation (P = 0.0076), index generation (P = 0.0044), mothers positive for HBsAg (P = 0.0007), and HBsAg-positive index cases (P = 5.98 x 10(-8)) were associated with persistent HBV infection. Factors associated with HBV viral load were evaluated among 303 HBsAg-positive relatives. Parent generation (P = 0.0359) and sex (P = 0.0007) were independent factors associated with HBV viral load. The intra-family HBV viral load was evaluated in families clustered with HBsAg-positive siblings. An intra-family trend of similar HBV viral load was found for 27 of 46 (58.7%) families. Male offspring of HBsAg-positive mothers (P = 0.024) and older siblings were associated with high viral load. CONCLUSION Sex and generation play important roles on HBV viral load. Maternal birth age and nutritional changes could be the reasons of viral load difference between generations.
基金This project was supported by Chang Gung Medical Foundation(CMRPG1B0571,CIRPG3B0032,CMRPG3F1601).
文摘Liver cancer can be an aggressive disease,and is highly prevalent in Asia and Africa.However,its currently approved therapeutic strategies are far from satisfactory.Recent progress in genomic,proteomic and glycomic profiling technologies have enabled the identification of biomarkers that significantly correlate with clinical outcomes.Many biomarkers are related to O-glycosylation of glycoproteins,which belong to an important but less-explored field of liver cancer biology.Here,we review these clinical studies and discuss potential underlying mechanisms.