Articles tagged with Liver
A study published in American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism found that low testosterone and high fructose intake synergistically contribute to liver damage in mice. The researchers discovered that changes in gut microbiota led to increased levels of pyruvate, which promotes fat accumulation in the liver.
This study reveals that p62-dependent protein aggregates protect liver cells against severe alcohol damage, providing a new perspective on toxic protein accumulation. The researchers found that the formation of these aggregates is not harmful but rather an adaptive response to chronic alcohol stress.
Women with cardiometabolic risk factors such as type 2 diabetes and high waist circumference face a higher risk of liver fibrosis, with rates increasing 11-fold and 2.8-fold compared to men. The study highlights the importance of managing these risk factors for liver health beyond heart disease prevention.
A new category of liver disease, MetALD, combines metabolic dysfunction and alcohol-related liver injury, representing a spectrum between metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and alcohol-associated liver disease. MetALD management requires simultaneous control of metabolic risk factors and alcohol use.
Researchers discovered that CBD and CBG can significantly reduce liver fat and improve metabolic health by creating a backup energy reserve and restoring cellular cleaning crews. These compounds also showed promising effects on treating metabolic diseases, including reducing body fat mass and improving insulin sensitivity.
Engineered tissue grafts can take on the liver's function and help patients with liver failure. The injected cells remain viable in the body for at least two months, generating enzymes and proteins like normal hepatocytes.
Researchers characterized the structure and function of a protein that regulates sugar and fat levels, finding it can work with an unexpected partner - itself. This partnership may drive the expression of different genes than its usual partner, offering new therapeutic targets for diseases like liver cancer and diabetes.
Researchers found that quantifiable HBV RNA levels are associated with a significantly higher risk of HCC, independent of traditional risk factors. Chronic hepatitis B patients with concurrent liver dysfunction should be intensified under surveillance for HCC.
A recent study led by Virginia Tech researchers found that certain medium-chain fats in infant formulas can strain the developing liver and lead to early signs of steatotic liver disease. Newborn pigs fed with these formulas accumulated liver fat faster than those fed long-chain fats, despite receiving the same calories and protein.
A new blood test score, MetALD-ALD Prediction Index (MAPI), has been developed to identify when fatty liver disease is driven by excessive alcohol use. The tool uses five standard lab values and can estimate whether a person with fatty liver disease may have alcohol-related liver injury.
Researchers create detailed 3D reconstructions of human liver tissue, comparing healthy and cirrhotic livers, showing dysregulation of metabolite transport, reduced specialized cells, and disruption of vascular networks. The study highlights the importance of understanding organ structure for bioprinting artificial organs.
Researchers are developing an organ-on-a-chip platform to study immune rejection in pig-to-human liver transplantation, addressing a major hurdle in xenotransplantation. The project aims to generate data supporting future preclinical studies and bring xenotransplantation closer to clinical use.
A new study reveals that C-reactive protein is associated with ventricular arrhythmias in stable coronary disease, while its relationship with heart rhythms is different in patients with cirrhosis. In cirrhosis, only high white blood cell count shows a trend for linking to unstable rhythms.
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is associated with a high incidence of osteoporosis, characterized by reduced bone mass and increased fracture risk. The pathogenesis involves immune dysregulation, cholestasis, liver damage, and metabolic alterations, highlighting the need for PBC-specific management strategies.
The 2025 Expert Consensus provides a framework for diagnosing and managing inherited hyperbilirubinemia, with a focus on genetic testing and tailored management strategies. The consensus promotes the use of genetic analysis to confirm diagnoses and aid in prognostication and family counseling.
The MIT research team has designed a new type of tissue model that accurately replicates the physiology of the liver, including blood vessels and immune cells. The model was used to study metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and showed promising results in identifying potential treatments.
Researchers developed a 3D miniature human liver model to improve toxicology studies of chemicals. The mini-liver demonstrates physiological and metabolic capabilities, enabling the detailed analysis of contaminant-induced effects on cells.
FHBL is characterized by low plasma levels of total cholesterol, LDL-C, and APOB, and its pathogenesis involves lipid overload, ER stress, oxidative damage, and autophagic dysfunction. Current challenges include underdiagnosis, sparse epidemiological data, and unclear disease progression mechanisms.
Researchers have found a nonlinear dose-response relationship between exercise and hepatic steatosis, indicating that a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises can produce clinically meaningful improvements. The study suggests that exercising above 130 MET-min/week can lead to significant reductions in hepatic steatosis.
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) holds promise in treating chronic liver diseases by restoring gut-liver axis balance. The consensus recommends FMT for various etiologies, excluding drug-induced liver injury, with strict donor selection and management guidelines to ensure safety.
Scientists developed a compound that targets Liver X Receptor specifically in liver and gut to lower triglycerides. In first-in-human clinical trial, participants showed significant drops in triglycerides and remnant cholesterol after taking the drug.
Researchers found identical bacterial strains in the mouth and gut of patients with advanced chronic liver disease, suggesting oral bacteria colonize the gut. These bacteria can damage the intestinal barrier, compromising gut health.
A team at UC San Diego is developing functional, patient-specific livers using 3D bioprinting and stem cell technology. The goal is to create 'made-to-order' livers grown from a patient's own cells, offering a safe alternative to transplantation that eliminates the need for donor organs.
A Carnegie Mellon-led team has secured a $28.5 million award from ARPA-H to develop a functional, 3D bioprinted liver for patients with acute liver failure. The project aims to provide a temporary liver that supports regeneration of a patient's own liver, reducing the need for full organ transplants.
Researchers discovered genes that regulate fibroblast growth, which builds the scaffolding between cells. Adjusting these factors reversed age-related changes and improved health outcomes in mice. The study offers new opportunities to understand and reverse aging-related diseases.
A new study found that higher levels of PFAS in the blood are linked to an increased risk of early onset of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in adolescents. MASLD affects up to 40% of children with obesity and increases long-term risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and liver cancer.
Researchers discovered that nicotinic acid can dramatically reduce liver damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion injury. The compound targets damaged mitochondria, reducing markers of liver injury, suppressing inflammation, and promoting mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis.
Research finds cancer cachexia-related immune cells impair T-cell negative selection, leading to irAEs. This study establishes a critical mechanism connecting cancer cachexia and irAEs, opening new avenues for targeted interventions.
Gracie Greenlaw, an 11-year-old patient with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, undergoes the world's first pediatric heart and liver dual organ transplant at Children's Hospital Colorado. The groundbreaking procedure, performed by Dr. Megan Adams' team, aims to improve her quality of life by addressing long-term complications from her h...
Researchers have identified an effective strategy to reduce structural liver damage and improve hepatic vascular function in cirrhosis. Blocking the PAF-R receptor can help rebalance immune and inflammatory responses within the liver.
Researchers from MIT and Broad Institute develop temporary 'factory' in the liver to generate T-cell-stimulating signals, boosting immune response to vaccination and cancer immunotherapy treatments. Aged mice showed significant increases in T cell population size and function after treatment.
Researchers at MPI-CBG have created a patient-specific human liver model consisting of three liver cell types, capturing key aspects of human liver physiology in a dish. The novel model provides a platform to study liver diseases, develop new treatments, and advance personalized medicine.
Researchers found UDCA activates ileal FXR signaling, not antagonism, and has sex-specific effects on BA metabolism. In male mice, UDCA reduces steatosis, liver injury markers, and fibrosis, while in females, it increases T-MCAs, potent FXR antagonists.
Researchers found that mitochondrial RNA can leak into healthy tissue, triggering inflammation and scarring. Inhibiting certain proteins enables mitochondrial RNA to escape, leading to less inflammation and healthier liver tissue.
This review systematically outlines deubiquitinases' roles in various liver diseases, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, liver fibrosis, viral hepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. It highlights their potential as therapeutic targets and emerging technologies for targeting DUBs.
A national survey of adults found that three-quarters support vaccinating newborns against hepatitis B, but Republicans are less likely to recommend the vaccine. The survey also found that most respondents believe the vaccine protects against liver disease, and there is little evidence justifying delaying vaccination.
Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University discovered that Fibulin-5 levels increase as liver fibrosis advances, enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment. This finding holds promise for developing a more accurate method to detect liver damage in chronic hepatitis C patients.
A global initiative has been launched to tackle glycolipid metabolic disorders, which are prevalent and linked to various chronic diseases. The initiative aims to improve public health education and develop an integrated screening-diagnosis-treatment-management system to prevent disease progression.
A study conducted at the University of California, Riverside, has uncovered a link between soybean oil consumption and obesity in mice. The research found that a genetically engineered group of mice on a high-fat diet rich in soybean oil did not gain weight, suggesting that the liver protein HNF4α plays a crucial role in fat metabolism.
A new electronic application highlights discrepancies between parents and children's views on the child's well-being, providing powerful insight into how children truly cope. This approach has broad implications beyond transplant medicine and may reshape patient-reported outcomes for pediatric chronic illnesses.
Researchers found that excess growth hormone disrupts liver metabolism, leading to molecular and cellular patterns similar to those in naturally aged livers. Reducing glycation stress can reverse these negative effects, improving liver health and physical function.
Researchers at UCSF used AI to analyze clinical notes from multiple providers to improve HRS diagnosis accuracy. The technology offers a unified summary of the care team's consensus, aligning care decisions and expediting treatment plans.
A new machine learning model predicts the time of death for organ donors, enabling more efficient liver transplants. The model outperformed surgeon judgment and reduced futile procurements by 60%, making the transplant process more efficient and potentially allowing more candidates to receive a transplant.
The study identifies biliary atresia splenic malformation syndrome (BASM) as the most prevalent syndromic form of biliary atresia, associated with polysplenia, situs inversus, and vascular anomalies. Genetic analyses highlight PKD1L1 and CFC1 pathways involved in nodal signaling and cardiac development.
Steatotic liver disease, caused by metabolic dysfunction-associated steatosis, alcohol-related liver disease, and more, affects over 30% of adults worldwide. Emerging genetic variants like PNPLA3, TM6SF2, and MBOAT7 modulate susceptibility to SLD, which progresses to cancer through cumulative genomic instability and immune dysregulation.
Researchers discovered a dual mechanism by which Oroxylin A inhibits SIRT7, reprogramming HSCs through PRMT5 succinylation-driven senescence and ecto-calreticulin-dependent NK cell immune clearance. This approach provides a promising candidate for anti-fibrotic therapy.
A multidisciplinary research team discovered that liver alterations associated with metabolic dysfunction can cause cognitive and neurological impairments. The effects were reversed by a therapy targeting the liver, establishing a 'liver-brain axis'. This finding opens up new therapeutic avenues for treating metabolic liver disease.
Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University have discovered that Lawsone, a chemical derived from Lawsonia inermis, can reduce markers of liver fibrosis and promote antioxidant functions in hepatic stellate cells. The study suggests that Lawsone could be used to control and even reverse the effects of fibrosis.
A new study links exposure to tetrachloroethylene (PCE), a chemical used in dry cleaning and found in consumer products, to an increased risk of significant liver fibrosis. The study found that people exposed to PCE were three times more likely to develop the condition, regardless of other health factors.
Researchers have developed microscopic nanoparticles that can seek out and attach to damaged liver cells, helping to stop disease progression. The nanoparticles are engineered to recognize and selectively bind to a protein found only on Kupffer cells in the liver, promoting anti-inflammatory behavior and delivering medicine directly to...
A pioneering case of pig-to-human liver xenotransplantation has been successfully demonstrated, with the genetically engineered porcine liver functioning for an extended period in a human recipient. The patient survived for 171 days despite complications such as xenotransplantation-associated thrombotic microangiopathy.
Researchers developed a novel real-time biosensing platform for detecting liver function impairment via WGM laser technology, enabling highly sensitive detection of ALT. The system uses functionalized liquid crystal microcavities to generate an optical response to pH variations induced by the ALT-catalyzed enzymatic reaction.
A new study reveals that both sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and low- or non-sugar-sweetened beverages (LNSSBs) are significantly associated with a higher risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Replacing either beverage with water significantly reduces MASLD risk.
The CityUHK team is developing two core therapeutic medicines using state-of-the-art DNA surgery technology to treat liver and cardiovascular genetic diseases. Their approach offers a durable and long-lasting solution, eliminating the need for repeated medications.
A simple blood analysis can predict the risk of developing severe liver disease, enabling earlier detection and potentially improving treatment outcomes. The CORE model, developed by Karolinska Institutet researchers, is based on three routine blood tests and has been shown to be highly accurate in predicting liver disease risk.
UCLA researchers have identified two key proteins, HuR and CEACAM1, that act as protective switches to prevent damage in damaged livers. By boosting this protection, organs deemed unsuitable for transplantation could be made suitable for use.
A new study found that high blood pressure, pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes, and low HDL cholesterol are the three deadliest cardiometabolic risk factors for MASLD patients, with risks of death increasing by 40%, 25%, and 15% respectively. The study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to reach its conclu...
A genetic mutation found in East Asian people, ALDH2*2, impairs the detoxification of aldehydes produced by environmental exposure, leading to an 'aldehyde storm' that causes severe liver damage. Healthy choices like increasing antioxidants and limiting smoke exposure may reduce the risk.
Mayo Clinic researchers found that excessive alcohol alters an enzyme that recycles damaged proteins, leading to the accumulation of fat in liver cells. The study suggests that targeting this enzyme could prevent or treat fatty liver disease.
A new investigational drug, ION224, shows promise in treating metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a serious form of fatty liver disease. By targeting the DGAT2 enzyme, the drug helps reduce fat buildup and inflammation, two major drivers of liver damage.