Research on the liver in health and disease. Covers liver-disease subtypes, the liver's role in circadian timing, targeted therapies, and cell regulation.
Researchers at CNIC have discovered a hormone called adiponectin that protects the liver from liver cancer, which affects more men than women. Adiponectin is produced in higher amounts in women and slim people, with levels declining after puberty in men.
A new study from The Westmead Institute for Medical Research identified a genetic variant associated with liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C patients. This finding is crucial for preventing health complications and reducing the number of patients requiring liver transplants.
Scientists found that platelets play a key role in the development of fatty liver disease and liver cancer. Blocking platelet function or attaching to specific molecular sites may help prevent the condition.
Researchers at UC San Diego identified unique bacterial features in the stool of people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and their twins, allowing for 92% accurate diagnosis of liver cirrhosis. The test also showed promise in detecting previously undiagnosed cases with 87% accuracy.
Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a potential new therapy for liver diseases, finding that the drug sivelestat may effectively lower portal hypertension. The study showed that deposits of fibrin and inflammatory cells contributed to portal hypertension, which was successfully inhibited by sivelestat.
A new study suggests that short-term strength training can improve liver health and blood sugar regulation in obese mice. The findings indicate that strength training may be a fast and effective strategy for reducing the risk of diabetes and fatty liver disease in obesity. However, further research is needed to confirm these results.
A machine learning approach using high-quality animal model data sheds new light on the biology of the liver and kidneys after toxin exposure, revealing nine distinct patterns of response to chemical exposure that may be broadly relevant to studies of human disease. The analysis highlights defense mechanisms and novel biomarkers, provi...
Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have made breakthroughs in treating liver cancer with a combination immunotherapy approach. This therapy successfully suppresses tumor growth and induces complete remission in some mouse models, offering new hope for patients diagnosed with this devastating disease.
The company has isolated rare inhibitory MAbs against CB1 using its MPS Antibody Discovery platform, offering a therapeutic solution for NASH. With over 10 million people affected in the US, this development could bring new hope to those suffering from liver disease and metabolic disorders.
A Michigan State University study found that fibrinogen accumulates in the remaining liver after surgery and triggers platelet activity to aid in regeneration. Low fibrinogen levels are associated with delayed regeneration and dysfunctional livers, making it a potential predictive marker for doctors.
Researchers at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that hepatocytes orchestrate cancer spread to liver by activating protein STAT3, which increases production of SAA proteins. This 'soil' allows cancer cells to 'seed' and establish in the liver.
A new study suggests that glucagon can help regulate insulin action and prevent blood sugar levels from becoming too high. By activating a protein called PGC1A, glucagon can prepare the liver to respond quickly to insulin signals after meals.
Researchers created an engineered human liver tissue model to investigate the effects of RNA interference, a process that can block specific genes in patient's cells. The model successfully tested RNA-based therapies for genetic disorders and infectious diseases, including malaria and liver disorders.
Researchers identified the first genetic defect linked to biliary atresia, a mysterious liver disease causing liver transplantation in children. The study found five patients with disabling mutations in the gene PKD1L1, which was also linked to heterotaxy and congenital heart disease.
Researchers have identified six proteins associated with early-stage non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition that can progress to end-stage liver cirrhosis. The discovery of protein PIGR as a candidate biomarker for liver damage tests offers a promising new diagnostic tool.
A team of researchers has identified biomarkers in the blood that can predict the accumulation of toxic fats in the liver, a sign of early fatty liver disease. The discovery has the potential to lead to a blood test to detect those at risk of advanced fatty liver disease and could represent a new approach in precision medicine.
A new study confirms that obesity impairs vitamin D conversion in the liver, affecting its major form in the blood. This finding highlights the need for targeted treatment approaches, such as calcidiol, to address vitamin D insufficiency in obese individuals.
Researchers identified a genetic mutation in the PKD1L1 gene linked to Biliary atresia, a devastating condition that affects many children. The study found five patients with two copies of mutations and three additional patients with one mutation, providing new insights into the cause of the disease.
Researchers at TIFR have identified molecular mechanisms that allow the liver to adapt to nutrient intake after fasting. These 'fed-microRNAs' inhibit protein synthesis, maintaining blood glucose levels. The study's findings offer potential therapeutic targets for metabolic diseases.
The HOPE in Action Multicenter Liver Study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of transplanting livers from HIV-positive donors to HIV-positive recipients. Researchers will monitor participants for signs of organ rejection, failure, and HIV-related complications, as well as track their psychological and social responses.
The study found that livers from older donors (70 and older) decreased in use despite improvements in liver graft loss and death among recipients of these older liver grafts. This suggests it may be reasonable to expand the donor pool with broader use of liver grafts from older donors.
A new study published in the Journal of Hepatology has identified a pathway connecting some antiretroviral (ARV) drugs with liver disease. The research suggests that ARV drugs interact with the pregnane X receptor, stimulating fatty acid uptake and cholesterol synthesis in the liver.
The University of Warwick has identified the enzyme DGAT1, which controls how much fat is added to particles released by the liver. Inhibiting this enzyme allowed scientists to 'slim down' particles and load them with less fat, reducing the amount of 'bad' cholesterol in the blood.
A recent study found that the MELD score does not fully identify patients with life-threatening syndrome ACLF-3, which involves multiple organ-system failures. ACLF-3 patients have a higher risk of being removed from the waitlist or dying while waiting for a transplant.
A study found that supplementing mouse moms with nicotinamide riboside increases the quantity and quality of their milk, resulting in long-lasting physical and behavioral advantages in their offspring. The pups benefited from improved metabolic health, better motor coordination, learning and memory, and resilience to stress.
A randomized clinical study found that a diet low in free sugars significantly improved nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in adolescent boys. The study showed a reduction in NAFLD from 25% to 17% in the intervention group, compared to a 20% reduction in the usual diet group.
The proportion of U.S. liver transplants for alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) has doubled in the last 15 years, with a shift away from the six-month abstinence rule contributing to the increase. Despite this, ALD patients still appear to be disadvantaged in transplant access.
Researchers found that a low-sugar diet resulted in significant improvement in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in adolescent boys. The study showed a 31% reduction in liver fat in the low-free sugar diet group compared to the typical diet group.
A 15-year study found a significant increase in US liver transplants for alcohol-associated liver disease, but with lower five-year survival rates compared to other liver conditions. The study suggests changing attitudes towards sobriety length may be driving this trend.
Researchers at UNIST have discovered that endotrophin plays a crucial role in producing a pathological microenvironment in liver tissues of chronic liver disease. ETP levels are associated with metabolic dysfunction and systemic insulin resistance, making it a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target.
A study published in The BMJ found that people with the most common genetic disorder in northern Europe are associated with substantially higher levels of disease than previously thought. The faulty genes often lead to serious health problems, including haemochromatosis and liver disease.
Researchers have developed a new model to study the health effects of metabolic protein AMPK, revealing its potential as a treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and other diseases. By activating AMPK in mice with fatty liver disease, scientists found that it lowered liver fat and protected against weight gain and obesity.
Researchers analyzed national data and found that African-American transplant recipients lived 4.75 years longer on average if their livers were donated by someone of the same race. The study suggests a possible way to improve survival rates for this patient population, which typically faces poorer outcomes with liver cancer.
Research suggests that PCSK9 inhibitors can protect against NAFLD by inducing degradation of hepatic HNF1a protein, insulin resistance, and other mechanisms. The use of PCSK9 inhibitors also ameliorates NAFLD independently of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level reduction.
A nurse-led specialist clinic in GP surgeries has been shown to diagnose twice as many cases of liver disease than usual care. Simple tests, such as liver stiffness measurements and blood samples, detected nearly half of the patients as having some form of liver disease, including cirrhosis and fatty liver disease.
A new study by USC researchers reveals that a fatty diet can trigger changes in the immune system leading to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a serious form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The study identified a novel type of reparative macrophage that counteracts inflammation, offering potential pathways for future therapies.
Researchers at Technical University of Munich discovered that immune cells attacking liver sinusoidal endothelial cells disrupts the organ's blood and nutrient supply, leading to overwhelming damage. A new perforin inhibitor agent has been identified to prevent this lethal process.
Researchers identified optimal recipients for split liver transplants, including children weighing under 10 kilograms and those with rare diseases. Split liver transplants were found to have similar outcomes as whole liver transplants when adjusting for variables such as donor age and recipient health.
A new study published in Radiology found that MRI effective for monitoring liver fat levels in obese patients undergoing weight loss treatments. The study assessed liver fat before and after bariatric surgery using quantitative chemical shift-encoded MRI, showing a significant decrease in liver fat content after six to ten months.
A diet rich in green leafy vegetables, especially those high in inorganic nitrate like spinach and rocket, may prevent liver steatosis. Researchers found that increased nitrate intake reduced fat accumulation in the liver and improved insulin/glucose homeostasis in mice with type 2 diabetes.
A recent study by RUDN medics revealed critical spread rates of five types of viral hepatitis in Somalia, with 18.9% of residents infected with hepatitis B and higher rates for hepatitis A and E. The researchers emphasize the need for immediate action to address this global health crisis.
The study investigates the interplay between microRNAs and targeted genes in cellular homeostasis of adult zebrafish, highlighting two types of miRNA unique to each organ. MicroRNAs regulating fundamental processes are common to both liver and gut, while those specific to either organ regulate distinct biological processes.
Researchers have discovered a hormone, fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), is extremely elevated in mice with liver disease mimicking methylmalonic acidemia. FGF21 levels can predict liver severity and inform treatment decisions. The study may also shed light on common disorders like fatty liver disease and obesity.
Researchers at Boston University have made significant progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying HDL formation. They discovered a crucial interaction between apolipoprotein A-I and ABCA1 proteins, which enables the formation of nascent HDL particles.
A study found that a gene mutation believed to have protected people from the bubonic plague may also protect HIV patients with hepatitis C from fatal liver scarring. Researchers matched patients with and without the CCR5-delta 32 gene mutation and found that those with the mutation had less fibrosis progression.
A new study reveals that liver macrophages do not contain infectious forms of HIV and are unlikely to replicate the infection on their own. The findings narrow potential treatment targets for HIV-infected people taking long-term antiretroviral therapy.
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has documented a dramatic rebound in flounder health due to decades of remediation efforts, including a sewage treatment plant and discharge tunnel project. The number of liver tumors among winter flounder has decreased significantly since the late 1980s.
University of Michigan researchers have developed a new building block that can serve as a safer alternative for the development of new medicines. The novel compound is produced using visible light and does not produce harmful metabolites like traditional anilines.
Researchers found that yelloweye rockfish have difficulty removing toxic mercury from sensitive liver cells, which can cause damage. The study highlights the potential risks of contaminants on this threatened species, with conservation efforts underway to protect them.
Researchers found that perceiving food activates the liver to prepare for nutrient uptake, including rapid signaling cascades that prime the endoplasmic reticulum for protein synthesis. This study may hold implications for understanding obesity and diabetes connections through protein folding and insulin release.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School have made a groundbreaking discovery about how liver cell communication affects disease progression. By studying the dialogue between hepatocytes and macrophages, they found that a specific ketone body metabolite helps protect against tissue fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver...
A new study found a clear negative correlation between climate factors and alcohol consumption, with colder regions and areas with less sunlight experiencing higher drinking rates. Climate is also tied to binge drinking and the prevalence of alcoholic liver disease, which claims many lives in patients with prolonged excessive alcohol use.
Researchers found that hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated acute liver failure results from an uncommon encounter between a highly mutated HBV variant and an unusual immune response in the patient's liver. By analyzing liver samples, they discovered new mechanisms about the disease, providing insights into its development.
Researchers have identified a heterogeneous pattern on liver ultrasounds as a predictor of advanced liver disease in cystic fibrosis patients. Children aged 10 years old are at the average age of diagnosis, and 25% develop advanced liver disease within four years.
Research reveals epigenetic changes in IGFBP2 gene influence type 2 diabetes risk. Higher IGFBP2 levels in blood lower diabetes risk.
Grickscheit aims to develop an 'off-the-shelf' stem cell-based therapy that might not require immunosuppression, a substantial step forward for metabolic liver disease. The UPLiFT investigation will test the effective dose and regimen of the therapy.
Researchers found three genetic variations linked to increased liver fat, which could lead to new treatment options for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The study, led by Westmead Institute for Medical Research, identified the mechanisms behind hepatic steatosis, a major risk factor for NAFLD.
Researchers identified 14 genetic variants associated with fat storage patterns and their impact on metabolic risk. These genetic factors tend to protect against diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension when stored under the skin, rather than in organs like the liver.
A recent study found that young plasma has a protective effect on liver damage caused by ischemia reperfusion injury in experimental animals. The study's results demonstrate the therapeutic potential of blood from young animals to prevent age-related phenomena.
Researchers have discovered interleukin IL-22 as a new target to inhibit the progression of liver disease and prevent cancer. The study reveals how IL-22 accelerates fibrosis during chronic hepatitis by amplifying the signal of the fibrogenic cytokine TGF-β.