A multi-center study has identified a research-based ultrasound screening method that can predict which children with cystic fibrosis are at higher risk for advanced liver disease. The test shows promise in identifying patients who could benefit from targeted therapies to prevent the development of this life-threatening condition.
Researchers developed a CRISPR gene-editing technique that prevented genetic liver disease in mice by introducing a 'minigene' that expresses the enzyme ornithine transcarbamylase. The approach showed promise for treating rare metabolic disorders and other hereditary diseases.
Researchers have discovered high levels of PFAS chemicals in the blood of Cape Fear River striped bass, which are associated with altered immune and liver functions. The study found elevated concentrations of PFOS and Nafion byproduct 2, particularly in smaller or younger fish, highlighting the unique properties of these chemicals.
Researchers have discovered that indole, a natural compound found in gut bacteria and cruciferous vegetables, can reduce inflammation and fatty deposits in the liver. This study provides hope for new treatments and preventive measures for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
A Cedars-Sinai team will investigate the interplay between dietary fat and fatty liver disease to understand how cancer spreads to the liver and find ways to block it. The study aims to identify key mechanisms that allow cancer to spread to the liver and develop potential treatments.
University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers identify a molecular pathway that allows nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to progress into liver cell death. They found that suppressing AMPK and increasing caspase-6 activity can stop progression from fatty liver to NASH and subsequent liver cell death.
A team of Yale researchers has discovered a way to reverse type-2 diabetes and liver fibrosis in mice, highlighting the potential for targeting TET3 protein. The studies, published in Cell Reports and Nature Communications, also suggest that TET3 plays a role in fibrosis development and may be a key target for treatment.
Researchers found improved survival times of 13.6 months and 17.8 months for uveal melanoma patients with liver metastasis treated with new therapies, compared to 5.3 months in earlier years. The shift from systemic chemotherapy to targeted liver treatments has led to significant benefits.
Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine identified genetic switches that determine whether or not liver cells produce collagen, leading to a potential therapeutic target for liver fibrosis. By manipulating these transcription factors, liver fibrosis progression can be addressed.
New study finds liver mesenchymal stromal cells have immunoregulatory qualities making them more effective than similar cells derived from bone marrow and fat tissue. The discovery could lead to better treatment options for diseases like organ rejection, inflammatory bowel disease, and autoimmune disorders.
Researchers at University College London discovered that T cells in the liver can 'recycle' material through autophagy, a process enabled by the cytokine IL-15. This breakthrough could lead to more effective immunotherapies for cancer and chronic viral infections.
Scientists discovered that magnetic nanoparticles can target and treat liver fibrosis by delivering drugs to the affected tissue, reducing inflammation and improving liver function. This new approach offers a potential solution for treating this fatal illness with improved patient outcomes.
Researchers found that estrogen regulates accumulation of immune cells in the liver, promoting tumor growth and immune suppression. The study suggests exploring sex hormones in female cancer patients and using anti-estrogen drugs to improve immunotherapy outcomes.
A UK study found that over 20% of young adults have fatty liver disease, with those who are overweight or obese at greatest risk. The research highlights the need for improved liver health awareness and management among this age group.
Researchers develop machine that repairs injured human livers and keeps them alive for a week outside the body. The technology increases the number of available organs for transplantation, saving lives of patients with severe liver diseases or cancer.
SIRT6, a longevity protein, plays a crucial role in burning and regulating liver fat metabolism. By activating PPAR-alpha, it promotes fat burning and protects against fatty liver and obesity-related damage.
Cynthia Ju, a UTHealth scientist, has been awarded $3.6 million in NIH grants to investigate molecules linked to liver injuries. Her research aims to identify potential therapeutic targets to enhance or block the activity of these molecules.
Research led by UMass Amherst scientist Alexander Suvorov identified the mechanism responsible for flame retardant's effect: an altered liver epigenome. Perinatal exposure permanently changed liver metabolism in rats, potentially applicable to humans.
Researchers propose using transient elastography as a screening method for detecting liver fibrosis in primary care. The study shows that this approach is highly cost-effective and can improve patient outcomes, with a 12% probability of cost saving.
Lylex Pharmaceuticals is developing compounds targeting key enzymes responsible for organ damage, inflammation and rejection after transplant. The lead compound has shown high potency while minimizing toxic effects.
A new study found that an existing antiviral treatment is effective against both the hepatitis C virus and potentially fatal complications such as reduced liver functioning and cirrhosis. The treatment also improves cognitive function, with patients experiencing improved reaction times.
A global clinical trial has demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of an oral medication to treat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a chronic liver disease. The treatment, obeticholic acid, showed the ability to reverse liver scarring in patients most at risk for irreversible liver damage.
Scientists have developed a 3D model of the human liver to improve diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The model reveals new critical tissue alterations, providing insights into pathophysiology and contributing to high-definition medical diagnosis.
A study by Adrien Guillot et al. found that knockout of the ALDH-2 enzyme in mice reduces excessive but not moderate alcohol seeking activity. Targeting this enzyme specifically in the liver may prevent heavy drinking without affecting moderate consumption.
Researchers found that type I interferon disrupts the urea cycle in liver cells, leading to altered serum metabolite concentrations and reduced liver pathology. This regulation affects antiviral immunity and reduces liver damage.
Scientists at Scripps Research Institute have discovered a little-known protein that plays a crucial role in managing glucose and insulin levels in the body. The protein, PGRMC2, acts as a chaperone for heme, a molecule essential for cellular processes, and its absence is linked to obesity and metabolic diseases.
A recent study by researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina found that ammonia levels do not predict the severity of disease or guide clinical management of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients. Cirrhotic patients with HE symptoms receive the same lactulose treatment regimen regardless of their blood ammonia levels.
Researchers successfully applied phage therapy to mice with alcohol-related liver disease, eradicating the disease by targeting destructive gut bacteria. Nearly 90% of patients with cytolysin-positive alcoholic hepatitis died within 180 days, but phage therapy showed promise in treating the condition.
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine successfully applied phage therapy in mice for a condition not considered a classic bacterial infection: alcoholic liver disease. Phages target the cytolysin toxin produced by Enterococcus faecalis, reducing bacteria and alleviating liver damage.
Research suggests that impaired liver function during pregnancy can lead to altered gut bacteria composition in children, increasing the risk of obesity. Maintaining a healthy diet and targeting gut microbiome composition with pre-biotics or pro-biotics may help prevent childhood obesity.
A high-caloric diet alters the time-of-day dependent metabolic cycle in mice, suggesting lean and obese patients may respond differently to steroid therapy. The study also highlights the biological function of daily hormone secretion cycles and their impact on sugar and fat storage or release by the liver.
Researchers found budesonide reduced serious side effects like new onset diabetes and bone loss in liver transplant patients, while maintaining comparable organ rejection rates to prednisone. The study involved 20 patients and showed lower infection rates and improved blood sugar control.
Researchers found that artificial intelligence can detect subtle language changes in patients with failing livers, suggesting a potential diagnostic tool for early identification of cognitive issues. Following a liver transplant, patients returned to normal or near-normal language patterns.
A new study reveals that the Liver-Chip model can recreate species-specific toxicity responses to known tool and drug compounds, improving safety predictions in humans. The research demonstrates how this platform could help ensure that safe and effective therapeutics are identified sooner.
Researchers have identified a molecule called TET1 that enables adult liver cells to regenerate. The discovery provides a potential target for drugs to treat chronic liver diseases, where regeneration is impaired.
Researchers at Seattle Children's describe how malaria Plasmodium parasites prepare a blueprint of proteins needed to infect the liver while waiting in mosquito salivary glands. This knowledge may lead to new strategies to block transmission and ultimately eradicate malaria.
Researchers at Georgia State University have developed a protein-based contrast agent that can detect early-stage liver diseases, including liver fibrosis, with high accuracy and sensitivity. The new method uses a lower dosage of contrast metal gadolinium, reducing the risk of metal toxicity and enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment.
A clinical trial will investigate the use of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) to improve liver function and mortality in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. The study, led by IU School of Medicine researcher Suthat Liangpunsakul, aims to provide new avenues for treating this condition.
Researchers at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin developed a new diagnostic technique using tomoelastography to visualize liver tumor mechanical properties. The study found that hepatic malignancies contain tissues with both stiff and fluid properties, contrary to previous assumptions.
Researchers at the University of Tsukuba found that deleting Elovl6 specifically in liver cells protects mice from developing insulin resistance due to excessive sugar consumption. However, this deletion has no effect when combined with a high-fat diet, highlighting the complexity of lipid metabolism in the liver.
A new study found that DNA mutations common in liver cancer are also present in healthy livers, accumulating over time to lead to chronic liver disease. The study provides unprecedented detail on how these genetic changes develop and offers a potential way to predict individual risk of liver cancer.
A new study published in Cancer Research found that excess fat in the liver impairs a tumor-suppressing protein named HNF4α, increasing cancer risk. The research provides potential mechanisms for the growing incidence of liver cancer linked to fatty liver disease.
Scientists have identified two cellular families involved in liver injury and cancer, with one protein acting as a 'brake' on scar tissue production. The study, published in Nature Communications, sheds new light on the mechanisms behind scarring and its complications in liver disease.
A new therapy shows promise in reducing liver fat and fibrosis in people with HIV, a form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The study found that tesamorelin reduced liver fat by 37% and slowed the progression of fibrosis in treated subjects.
Researchers found that tesamorelin reduced liver fat and prevented liver fibrosis in people living with HIV. The study showed a 37% relative reduction in liver fat fraction and a significant decrease in blood markers associated with inflammation and liver damage.
Researchers found that altering Sox9 gene expression modifies Alagille syndrome liver disease severity, from mild to severe cases. Increasing Sox9 levels improved biliary duct development without tumor formation.
Researchers found a significant association between psoriasis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) severity, with higher psoriasis severity linked to more severe hepatic damage. The study suggests that patients with both conditions should be closely monitored and managed to prevent worsening of both diseases.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have identified three new sub-types of cells involved in liver scarring, accelerating the disease progression. The discovery is expected to accelerate the development of new treatments for liver diseases, which affect one in five people in the UK.
Researchers created a comprehensive atlas of human liver cell changes during fetal development, revealing how stem cells support high oxygen demand. The study improves our understanding of normal development and will aid efforts to tackle diseases like leukemia and immune disorders.
Researchers at UMD have identified a new pathway by which liver macrophages capture fungi in the bloodstream, preventing their spread and potentially treating various types of fungal infections. This discovery has significant implications for the treatment of invasive fungal infections, which kill 1.5 million people worldwide each year.
A study from University of California - San Diego outlines a fundamental process for liver macrophage specialization, enabling future research into macrophage malfunction's contribution to liver disease. The team identified key genetic and molecular changes that occur during the two-week differentiation process.
Researchers found that high fructose diets specifically inhibit the liver's ability to metabolize fat, while glucose improves fat-burning function. High fructose diets damage liver mitochondria, leading to an increase in fatty liver disease risk and metabolic syndrome.
A large registry-based study found that current scoring systems have moderate reliability in predicting severe liver disease risk. The study identified individuals with normal scores as being at a very low risk of developing severe liver disease, highlighting the need for new methods to detect those at higher risk.
Scientists at Cincinnati Children's developed the world's first three-organoid system, growing a connected set of mini human organs including liver, pancreas, and biliary ducts. The breakthrough allows for studying organ function in concert, reducing animal-based medication studies and accelerating precision medicine.
The prevalence of NAFLD is rising due to a preventable epidemic, with over half of adults and one third of children classified as overweight or obese. The condition is linked to lack of physical activity, excess calorie intake, and sugary drinks.
A recent UCSF study revealed that unauthorized immigrant recipients of liver transplants in the US have similar three-year survival rates as US citizens. Despite this, disparities in access to life-saving organs vary widely by state due to policies and provider attitudes.
Researchers discovered that a common type of gut bacteria, Klebsiella pneumoniae, produces high levels of alcohol in the body and can cause liver damage even in non-drinkers. The study found that 60% of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) had high- and medium-alcohol-producing K. pneumonia in their gut.
Researchers found that microcystin can significantly amplify non-alcoholic fatty liver disease even at low levels. The toxin was processed differently in the kidneys of mice with pre-existing liver disease, suggesting a need for special preventative guidelines.
A new study found that even short-term reduction in physical activity led to decreased cardiorespiratory fitness, increased waist circumference, and insulin resistance in healthy adults. Resuming normal activity levels reversed these effects, highlighting the importance of staying physically active to offset negative consequences.
Researchers at UNIGE found that the liver can produce glucose independently of hormonal signals, challenging the long-held belief about its role in glucose regulation. This autonomous glucose production may contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes in patients with a fatty liver syndrome.