Tag Archives: liver
How PET ameliorates 90-Yttrium therapy in inoperable liver cancer patients?
Increased synthesis of blood vessels and blood supply are essential characteristics of a tumor to secure nutrient delivery and growth. One of the treatment options for inoperable liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, HCC) is to apply a form of
Alterations in mitochondrial metabolism induced by chronic fluoride exposure
Fluoride (F) is widely available in nature and has been successfully used to control dental caries worldwide. In addition, beneficial effects have been shown on the development of teeth and bones. However, high concentrations of F over
More than your average bread spread: plant stanols as therapeutical tool in Niemann-Pick type C1 disease
Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) disease is a lysosomal storage disease that affects nearly 1 in 100,000 live births worldwide. NPC1 disease is caused by mutations in the NPC1 gene that result in a dysfunctional NPC1 protein, which
How alcohol consumption might contribute to viral liver infections?
The coexistence between excessive alcohol consumption and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is causative of a high death ratio annually. It is well-known that phosphoinositides (PI) not only regulate a number of physiological processes but also they
MicroRNAs control cellular transition of hepatocytes during liver regeneration
Among adult organs, the liver is unique in its intrinsic ability to regenerate after injury through the proliferation of fully differentiated cells. Hepatocytes, which are the most abundant type of cells in liver, are quiescent and rarely
Celiac disease and liver disorders
Immunologically mediated liver diseases belong to the common extraintestinal manifestations of celiac disease. In celiac disease, increased intestinal permeability is thought to be an early feature in the pathogenesis. Dietary gluten drives intestinal inflammation and impairs the
Improving outcomes after liver transplantation using body-temperature organ preservation
The global shortage of livers for transplantation has necessitated the use of increasingly marginal organs. Many countries have seen a recent increase in deceased organ donors but many of these additional donors are sub-optimal with significant co-morbidities,
Genetics, human metabolism and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Advancement in technology has introduced a new era of genetic investigation: the so called next-generation sequencing. This innovative approach has allowed to extend the study of our genome and has led to the identification of numerous variants
Adrenaline and liver mitochondria proliferation
The aim of our work was to define a possible role of adrenaline in the process of “mitochondrial biogenesis”. Mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cells, use oxygen as the last acceptor of electrons in their electron chain
A novel quantitative iron imaging strategy in hereditary hemochromatosis based on LA-ICP-MS
Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is the most frequent genetic disorder in Caucasians, which affects about 1 in 1000 people in the Northern European ancestry. It is an iron overload disease with typical clinical symptoms resulting from excess body
Bioartificial liver constructs
The liver with high regenerative capability performs a complex array of synthetic, metabolic, immunologic and detoxification functions to regulate the physiological homeostasis of the human body. Viral infections, drug induced liver injury, hepatocellular carcinoma, autoimmune disorders, alcoholic
A powerful tool for the study of CD4 T cells in malaria
Although aimed at controlling invading pathogens, immune responses can sometimes be harmful to the host. Responses against the blood stage of malaria are an example of this: while B cells are activated and produce useful antibodies that
Mediterranean diet and liver steatosis: the importance of polyphenols
In November 2010 UNESCO officially recognized the Mediterranean diet as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and defines it as a “set of traditional practices, knowledge and skills passed on from generation to generation, providing a sense
A combination of medical therapy and liver transplantation save children with acute liver failure
Acute liver failure (ALF) in children is defined as a severe impairment of liver function characterized by biochemical evidence of acute liver injury, coagulopathy (INR ≥2.0) regardless of the presence of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and no history
Farnesoid X receptor and liver X receptor ligands initiate formation of coated platelets
Platelets play a key role in the prevention of excessive blood loss through the formation of a thrombus at the site of vessel damage. Hyper-reactive platelets lead to unwanted, excessive platelet activation and contribute to atherothrombosis that
Vitellogenesis: not only in the liver and not only in females
Vitellogenin (VTG) is an estrogen-dependent, females-specific yolk precursor protein naturally synthesized during the reproductive period in the liver of oviparous vertebrates. Released in blood, VTG is taken from the growing oocytes by micropinocytosis and used as nourishment
A new kind of human immune cell that cannot leave the liver
Natural Killer (NK) cells are immune cells that are found in the blood and protect the body by killing infected and cancerous cells. NK cells can also be found in large numbers in some organs, including the
Disparities resulting from variations in regional donor supply and liver transplant tourism
In the United States, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) develops national policies that determine how donated organs are collected, matched, and distributed with candidates on the transplantation waitlist. Currently, the nation is divided into 11
Vodka and wine consumption: good for your liver?
Approximately 50 million Americans are affected by metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is defined as hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, high blood pressure and glucose intolerance leading to type 2 diabetes mellitus. Patients with metabolic syndrome have an increased risk of
Biotransformation of bufadienolides in human liver microsomes
Bufadienolides are a family of cardiac aglycone compounds with the inhibitory activity of Na+/K+-ATPase. They exist extensively in both animal and plant species, such as Crassulaceae, Ranunculaceae, Bufonidae and Colubridae families. In traditional Chinese medicine, bufadienolides are
