Active role of the immune system in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, recently renamed metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), is a complex multifactorial disease that progresses from steatohepatitis (MASH) to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Recent research has revealed that crosstalk between innate immune cells and hepatic parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells is involved in the pathogenesis of liver disease in MASLD/MASH. Of particular importance, novel inflammatory mechanisms, including macrophage diversity, neutrophil NETosis, B-cell biology, auto-reactive T cells, unconventional T cells, and dendritic cell-T cell interactions, are considered key drivers for disease progression. These mechanisms and factors are potential targets for the therapeutic intervention of MASLD/MASH. In this review, we focus on recent discoveries related to liver inflammation and discuss the role of innate immune cell subsets in MASLD/MASH.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate promotes liver fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

AIM: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is one of the most prevalent liver diseases and is characterized by steatosis and the accumulation of bioactive lipids. This study aims to understand the specific lipid species responsible for the progression of liver fibrosis in MASH. METHODS: Changes in bioactive lipid levels were examined in the livers of MASH mice fed a choline-deficient diet (CDD). Additionally, sphingosine kinase (SphK)1 mRNA, which generates sphingosine 1 phosphate (S1P), was examined in the livers of patients with MASH. RESULTS: CDD induced MASH and liver fibrosis were accompanied by elevated levels of S1P and increased expression of SphK1 in capillarized liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) in mice. SphK1 mRNA also increased in the livers of patients with MASH. Treatment of primary cultured mouse hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) with S1P stimulated their activation, which was mitigated by the S1P receptor (S1PR)2 inhibitor, JTE013. The inhibition of S1PR2 or its knockout in mice suppressed liver fibrosis without reducing steatosis or hepatocellular damage. CONCLUSION: S1P level is increased in MASH livers and contributes to liver fibrosis via S1PR2.

Immunoglobulin-like transcript 2 as an impaired anti-tumor cytotoxicity marker of natural killer cells in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Introduction: Natural killer (NK) cells play a pivotal role in immune surveillance in the liver. We aimed to identify potential targets for NK cell-mediated immune intervention by revealing the functional molecules on NK cells in HCC patients. Methods: To evaluate the impact of aging on NK cell phenotypes, we examined NK cells from healthy volunteers (HVs) of various ages. Because ILT2 expression on CD56dim NK cells increased with increasing age, we enrolled age-matched HCC patients and HVs. We determined the NK cell phenotypes in blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and intrahepatic lymphocytes (IHLs) from cancerous and non-cancerous tissues. We evaluated cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) of NK cells in vitro. Results: ILT2-positive CD56dim NK cells in PBMCs were increased in HCC patients compared with HVs. In HCC patients, ILT2-positive CD56dim NK cells were increased in cancerous IHLs compared with non-cancerous IHLs and PBMCs. We examined the impact of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) on ILT2 expression in co-cultures of HCC cells and NK cells. The enhanced expression of ILT2 on CD56dim NK cells from HCC patients was inhibited by masking antibodies against MIF and CXCR4. ILT2-positive CD56dim NK cells exhibited lower capacities for cytotoxicity and ADCC than ILT2-negative cells, which were partially restored by ILT2 blockade. Conclusions: In HCC patients, ILT2 is a signature molecule for cancerous CD56dim NK cells with impaired cytolytic capacity. The MIF-CXCR4 interaction is associated with ILT2 induction on CD56dim NK cells and ILT2 serves as a target for functional NK cell restoration.

Differences in branched-chain amino acid to tyrosine ratio (BTR) among etiologies of chronic liver disease progression compared to healthy adults.

BACKGROUND: The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) to tyrosine (Tyr) ratio (BTR) test is used to evaluate the progression of chronic liver disease (CLD). However, the differences across sex, age, body mass index (BMI) and etiologies are still unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data from 2,529 CLD cases with free amino acids (FAAs) in peripheral blood from four hospitals and 16,421 general adults with FAAs data from a biobank database. In total, 1,326 patients with CLD (covering seven etiologies) and 8,086 healthy controls (HCs) were analyzed after exclusion criteria. We investigated the change of BTR in HCs by sex, age and BMI and then compared these to patients divided by modified ALBI (mALBI) grade after propensity score matching. RESULTS: BTR is significantly higher in males than females regardless of age or BMI and decreases with aging in HCs. In 20 types of FAAs, 7 FAAs including BCAAs were significantly decreased, and 11 FAAs including Tyr were significantly increased by mALBI grade in total CLD. The decreasing timings of BTR were at mALBI grade 2b in all CLD etiologies compared to HCs, however in chronic hepatitis C (CHC), chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and alcoholic liver disease (ALD), BTR started to decrease at 2a. There was a positive correlation between BCAAs and albumin among parameters in BTR and mALBI. The correlation coefficients in PBC, ALD and MASLD were higher than those of other etiologies. CONCLUSIONS: BTR varies by sex and age even among healthy adults, and decreasing process and timing of BTR during disease progression is different among CLD etiologies.

Impact of electrical muscle stimulation on serum myostatin level and maintenance of skeletal muscle mass in patients undergoing living-donor liver transplantation: Single-center controlled trial.

AIM: Sarcopenia is reportedly associated with a poor prognosis in patients who undergo living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT), most of whom are not able to tolerate muscle strengthening exercise training. Myostatin is one of the myokines and a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth. The clinical feasibility of an electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) system, which exercises muscle automatically by direct electrical stimulation, has been reported. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of perioperative application of SIXPAD, which is a type of EMS system, with reference to the serum myostatin and sarcopenia in LDLT patients. METHOD: Thirty patients scheduled for LDLT were divided into a SIXPAD group (n = 16) and a control group (n = 14). In the SIXPAD group, EMS was applied to the thighs twice daily. The serum myostatin was measured in samples obtained before use of SIXPAD and immediately before LDLT. The psoas muscle index (PMI) at the level of the third lumbar vertebra and the quadriceps muscle area were compared on computed tomography images before use of SIXPAD and 1 month after LDLT. RESULTS: The preoperative serum myostatin was found to be higher in LDLT patients than in healthy volunteers and EMS significantly reduced the serum myostatin. Electrical muscle stimulation prevented a postoperative reduction not only in the area of the quadriceps muscles but also in the PMI despite direct stimulation of the thigh muscles. CONCLUSION: Stimulation of muscles by EMS decreases the serum myostatin and helps to maintain skeletal muscle in patients who have undergone LDLT.

Resistance exercise in combination with aerobic exercise reduces the incidence of serious events in patients with liver cirrhosis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Exercise, particularly resistance exercise, is beneficial for sarcopenia in patients with liver cirrhosis. However, the effects of exercise on events remain unclear. We aimed to examine the effects of exercise on serious events in patients with liver cirrhosis using a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: A literature search was conducted in 2022. Eleven RCTs were selected for the meta-analysis (exercise group, n = 232; control group, n = 193). Serious events were defined as death or serious complications according to the original articles. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model. The primary outcome was the incidence of serious events. RESULTS: In the 11 RCTs, the incidence of serious events was 5.6% (13/232) and 12.3% (24/193) in the exercise and control groups, respectively. However, a meta-analysis demonstrated no significant difference in the incidence of serious events between the two groups (risk difference [RD] - 0.03, 95% confidence intervals (CI) - 0.07 to 0.02). In a stratification analysis based on a combination of aerobic and resistance exercise, five RCTs (n = 185) were enrolled. The incidence of serious events was 6.25% (7/112) and 24.7% (18/73) in the combination exercise and control groups, respectively. A meta-analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in the incidence of serious events in the combination exercise group compared with the control group (RD - 0.12; 95% CI - 0.21 to - 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Resistance exercise in combination with aerobic exercise reduces serious events in patients with liver cirrhosis. A combination of aerobic and resistance exercise may be beneficial to improve the prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis.

Unique Biology of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Accompanied by Rapidly Impaired Diabetes: A Favorable Long-Term Survival Following Curative Resection.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) are sometimes diagnosed accompanied by rapidly impaired diabetes (PDAC-RID). Although this type of PDAC may have unusual biological features, these features have not been explained. METHODS: Patients with PDAC who underwent upfront pancreatectomy between 2010 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. PDAC-RID was defined as a glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) value of ≥ 8.0% of newly diagnosed diabetes, and acute exacerbation of previously diagnosed diabetes. Other patients were classified as PDAC with stable glycometabolism (PDAC-SG). Clinicopathological factors, long-term survival rates, and recurrence patterns were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 520 enrolled patients, 104 were classified as PDAC-RID and 416 as PDAC-SG. There was no significant difference regarding TNM staging, resectability, or adjuvant chemotherapy rate between the groups. However, 5-years cancer-specific survival (CSS) was significantly higher in the PDAC-RID group than in the PDAC-SG group (45.3% vs. 31.1%; p = 0.02). This survival difference was highlighted in relatively early-stage PDAC (≤ pT2N1) (CSS: 60.8% vs. 43.6%; p = 0.01), but the difference was not significant for advanced-stage PDAC. A multivariate analysis of early-stage PDAC showed that PDAC-SG was an independent risk factor of shorter CSS (hazard ratio 1.76; p = 0.02). The hematogenous metastatic rate in early-stage PDAC was lower in the PDAC-RID group than in the PDAC-SG group (18.3% vs. 35.8%; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: PDAC-RID showed a favorable long-term survival rate after curative resection with low hematogenous metastases, which may be due to its unique biology.

Hepatitis B surface antigen reduction is associated with hepatitis B core-specific CD8+ T cell quality.

Despite treatment, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) persists in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), suggesting the likely presence of the virus in the body. CD8+ T cell responses are essential for managing viral replication, but their effect on HBsAg levels remains unclear. We studied the traits of activated CD8+ T cells and HBV-specific CD8+ T cells in the blood of CHB patients undergoing nucleos(t)ide analog (NUC) therapy. For the transcriptome profiling of activated CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), CD69+ CD8+ T cells were sorted from six donors, and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis was performed. To detect HBV-specific CD8+ T cells, we stimulated PBMCs from 26 donors with overlapping peptides covering the HBs, HBcore, and HBpol regions of genotype A/B/C viruses, cultured for 10 days, and analyzed via multicolor flow cytometry. scRNA-seq data revealed that CD8+ T cell clusters harboring the transcripts involved in the cytolytic functions were frequently observed in donors with high HBsAg levels. Polyfunctional analysis of HBV-specific CD8+ T cells utilized by IFN-γ/TNFα/CD107A/CD137 revealed that HBcore-specific cells exhibited greater polyfunctionality, suggesting that the quality of HBV-specific CD8+ T cells varies among antigens. Moreover, a subset of HBcore-specific CD8+ T cells with lower cytolytic potential was inversely correlated with HBsAg level. Our results revealed a stimulant-dependent qualitative difference in HBV-specific CD8+ T cells in patients with CHB undergoing NUC therapy. Hence, the induction of HBcore-specific CD8+ T cells with lower cytolytic potential could be a new target for reducing HBsAg levels.

Exercise changes the intrahepatic immune cell profile and inhibits the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in a mouse model.

BACKGROUND: NASH is an increasingly common cause of chronic liver disease and can progress to cirrhosis and HCC. Although exercise suppresses inflammation during acute hepatitis, its impact on the progression of chronic liver disease remains unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of exercise on disease progression and intrahepatic immune cell composition in a mouse model of NASH. METHOD: Mice were assigned to 4 groups: 2 control groups (normal diet) and 2 NASH groups (western diet and low-dose carbon tetrachloride injection). One of each group remained sedentary and one was exercised on a treadmill for 12 weeks (60 min/d, 5 times/wk). All mice were then analyzed for liver histomorphology, steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis; liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle expression of genes related to metabolism and inflammation; and intrahepatic immune cell composition. RESULT: Compared with the normal diet mice, NASH mice exhibited enhanced liver steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis; upregulated expression of liver lipogenesis-related and inflammation-related genes; and increased frequencies of intrahepatic F4/80 int CD11b hi bone marrow-derived macrophages and programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) + CD8 + T cells. Expression of inflammatory cytokines and the frequencies of bone marrow-derived macrophages and PD-1 + CD8 + T cells correlated positively with liver steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Exercise was shown to reduce NASH-induced hepatic steatosis, liver inflammation, and fibrosis; induce alterations in metabolism-related genes and inflammatory cytokines in the liver; and suppress accumulation of liver bone marrow-derived macrophages and PD-1 + CD8 + T cells. In addition, we showed that exercise induced increased expression of IL-15 in muscle and its deficiency exacerbated the pathology of NASH. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise alters the intrahepatic immune cell profile and protects against disease progression in a mouse model of NASH.

Gene-regulation modules in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease revealed by single-nucleus ATAC-seq.

We investigated the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease from fatty liver to steatohepatitis using single-nucleus and bulk ATAC-seq on the livers of rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Rats fed HFD for 4 wk developed fatty liver, and those fed HFD for 8 wk further progressed to steatohepatitis. We observed an increase in the proportion of inflammatory macrophages, consistent with the pathological progression. Utilizing machine learning, we divided global gene regulation into modules, wherein transcription factors within a module could regulate genes within the same module, reaffirming known regulatory relationships between transcription factors and biological processes. We identified core genes-central to co-expression and protein-protein interaction-for the biological processes discovered. Notably, a large part of the core genes overlapped with genes previously implicated in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Single-nucleus ATAC-seq, combined with data-driven statistical analysis, offers insight into in vivo global gene regulation as a combination of modules and assists in identifying core genes of relevant biological processes.

A third dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine sufficiently improves the neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in liver transplant recipients.

Introduction: We examined the neutralizing antibody production efficiency of the second and third severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine doses (2nd- and 3rd-dose) and neutralizing activity on mutant strains, including, the Ancestral, Beta and Omicron strains using green fluorescent protein-carrying recombinant SARS-CoV-2, in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) recipients. Methods: The patients who were administered vaccines other than Pfizer- BioNTechBNT162b2 and who had coronavirus disease 2019 in this study period were excluded. We enrolled 154 LDLT recipients and 50 healthy controls. Result: The median time were 21 days (between 1st and 2nd vaccination) and 244 days (between 2nd and 3rd vaccination). The median neutralizing antibody titer after 2nd-dose was lower in LDLT recipients than in controls (0.46 vs 1.00, P<0.0001). All controls had SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies, whereas 39 LDLT recipients (25.3%) had no neutralizing antibodies after 2nd-dose; age at vaccination, presence of ascites, multiple immunosuppressive treatments, and mycophenolate mofetil treatment were significant risk factors for nonresponder. The neutralizing activities of recipient sera were approximately 3-fold and 5-fold lower than those of control sera against the Ancestral and Beta strains, respectively. The median antibody titer after 3rd-dose was not significantly different between recipients and controls (1.02 vs 1.22, p=0.0758); only 5% recipients was non-responder. The neutralizing activity after third dose to Omicron strains were enhanced and had no significant difference between two groups. Conclusion: Only the 2nd-dose was not sufficiently effective in recipients; however, 3rd-dose had sufficient neutralizing activity against the mutant strain and was as effective as that in healthy controls.

Toll-like receptor 7 agonist, GS-986, is an immune-stimulant inducing follicular helper T cells and expanding HBs antigen-specific B cells in vitro.

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS: Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists have been developed as adjuvants to efficiently induce antiviral immune responses. Specificity and potency of these compounds are essential requirements for clinical trial applications. In patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections, sustained loss of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is a therapeutic goal, which may be achievable by the sequential activation of follicular helper T cells (Tfh) and antibody-secreting B cells. We aimed to elucidate whether novel TLR7 agonist, GS-986, could activate immune responses involved in HBV elimination. METHODS: To clarify the impact of GS-986 on pDCs, we quantified the expression levels of surface markers and evaluated for Tfh induction in a culture model consisting of human pDCs with allogeneic naïve CD4+ T cells. In addition, we examined whether GS-986 could enhance HBs antibody production capacity using PBMC from CHB patients. RESULTS: pDCs from CHB patients had lower OX40L expression and as well as impaired capacity for Tfh induction compared with those from healthy donors. However, GS-986-stimulated pDCs from CHB patients expressed OX40L and produced IL-6 and IL-12, resulting in the induction of IL-21-producing Tfh cells (CXCR5+ PD-1+ CD4+ ) from naïve CD4+ T cells. The Tfh-inducing capacity of GS-986 was reduced in the presence of an anti-OX40L blocking antibody. Furthermore, GS-986 promoted HBsAg-specific antibody production in PBMCs from CHB patients. CONCLUSIONS: GS-986 is an adjuvant that stimulates pDCs to induce Tfh differentiation and antigen-specific B-cell production. This immune profile may be beneficial for therapeutic application as an immune modulator in CHB patients.

A low-intensity 10-min resistance exercise program that ameliorated hepatic fibrosis indices and altered G-CSF/IP-10/PDGF-BB in a patient with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A case report.

We developed a low-intensity 10-min resistance exercise program for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We report a case of NAFLD with elevated hepatic fibrosis indices, which were improved by a 60-week daily exercise program. A 71-year-old female patient with NAFLD whose hepatic fibrosis stage corresponded to F2 was referred to our hospital. She performed the exercise once a day with no changes in other lifestyle habits and medications. The homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance value and NAFLD-liver fat score, the Hepamet fibrosis score, and the enhanced liver fibrosis score decreased. The FIB-4 index and serum levels of Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer decreased to the reference values. We investigated the changes in chemokines/cytokines. The serum granulocyte-colony stimulating factor level was increased, and serum interferon-gamma-induced protein-10 and platelet-derived growth factor-BB levels were decreased. Our program may be beneficial for improving hepatic fibrosis in patients with NAFLD.

Serum osteopontin predicts the response to atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Combination therapy with anti-programmed death-ligand 1 and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibodies has become the standard treatment for un-resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). We aimed to identify predictive circulating biomarkers for the outcome/response of the combination therapy in uHCC patients. METHODS: This prospective multicenter study enrolled 70 patients with uHCC who received atezolizumab and bevacizumab (Atez/Bev). We evaluated 47 circulating proteins in sera before and after 1 and 6 weeks of Atez/Bev therapy by multiplex bead-based immunoassay and ELISA. As controls, we analyzed the sera from 62 uHCC patients before treatment of lenvatinib (LEN) and healthy volunteers (HVs). RESULTS: The disease control rate was 77.1%. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.7 months (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.8-9.5). The pretreatment levels of osteopontin (OPN), angiopoietin-2, VEGF, S100-calcium-binding protein A8/S100-calcium-binding protein A9, soluble programmed cell death-1, soluble CD163, and 14 cytokines/chemokines were higher in patients with uHCC than in HVs. Among these, pretreatment OPN levels were higher in PD group than in non-PD group for Atez/Bev. The PD rate was higher in high OPN group than in low OPN group. Multivariate analysis identified high pretreatment OPN and high α-fetoprotein levels as independent predictors of PD. In the sub-analysis of Child-Pugh class A patients, PFS was also shorter in the high OPN group than in the low OPN group. Pretreatment OPN level was not associated with treatment response for LEN. CONCLUSION: High serum OPN levels were associated with poor response to Atez/Bev in patients with uHCC.

Effects of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and pioglitazone on FIB-4 index in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND: The antidiabetic drugs sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) and thiazolidinediones have beneficial effects on the liver dysfunction of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to determine the efficacy of these drugs for the treatment of liver disease in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and T2DM. METHODS: We undertook a retrospective study of 568 patients with MAFLD and T2DM. Of these, 210 were treating their T2DM with SGLT2is (n = 95), 86 with pioglitazone (PIO), and 29 with both. The primary outcome was the change in Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index between baseline and 96 weeks. RESULTS: At 96 weeks, the mean FIB-4 index had significantly decreased (from 1.79 ± 1.10-1.56 ± 0.75) in the SGLT2i group, but not in the PIO group. The aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index, serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), hemoglobin A1c, and fasting blood sugar significantly decreased in both groups (ALT: SGLT2i group, -17 ± 3 IU/L; PIO group, -14 ± 3 IU/L). The bodyweight of the SGLT2i group decreased, but that of the PIO group increased (-3.2 kg and +1.7 kg, respectively). When the participants were allocated to two groups according to their baseline ALT (>30 IU/L), FIB-4 index significantly decreased in both groups. In patients taking pioglitazone, the addition of SGLT2i improved liver enzymes but not FIB-4 index for 96 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with SGLT2i causes a larger improvement in FIB-4 index than PIO in patients with MAFLD over 96 weeks.

Peripheral-dominant liver fibrosis and tumor distribution in a mouse model of congestive hepatopathy.

AIM: Congestive hepatopathy often leads to liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Imaging modalities provided clinical evidence that elevation of liver stiffness and tumor occurrence are mainly induced in the periphery of the liver in patients with congestive hepatopathy. However, clinical relevance of liver stiffness and liver fibrosis is unclear because liver congestion itself increases liver stiffness in congestive hepatopathy. It also unclear which factors configure such regional disparity of tumor development in patients with congestive hepatopathy. To answer these questions, we evaluated the macroscopic spatial distribution of liver fibrosis and tumors in the murine model of congestive hepatopathy. METHODS: Chronic liver congestion was induced by partial ligation of the suprahepatic inferior vena cava. Distribution of liver congestion, fibrosis, and tumors in partial ligation of the suprahepatic inferior vena cava mice were assessed by histological findings, laser microdissection (LMD)-based qPCR and enhanced computed tomography. LMD-based RNA-sequencing was performed to identify causal factors that promote tumor development in congestive hepatopathy. RESULTS: Liver fibrosis was mainly induced in the periphery of the liver and co-localized with distribution of liver congestion. Liver tumors were also induced in the periphery of the liver where liver congestion and fibrosis occurred. LMD-based RNA-sequencing revealed the upregulation of extracellular matrix/collagen fibril-, wound healing-, angiogenesis-, morphogenesis-, and cell motility-related signaling pathways in periphery of liver compared with liver center. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed the experimental relevance of liver congestion, fibrosis, and tumor development in congestive hepatopathy, and may provide important locational information. Macroscopic regional disparity observed in this murine model should be considered to manage patients with congestive hepatopathy.

Preoperative serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor as a predictive biomarker for sepsis after living-donor liver transplantation.

AIM: Although the survival rate after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is improving, sepsis still limits the prognosis. Immune dysfunction and sarcopenia are often observed in LDLT patients, and increase susceptibility to infection. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a myokine produced by immune cells and skeletal muscle. We aimed to determine whether serum BDNF could be a feasible biomarker for sepsis of LDLT patients. METHODS: We measured serum samples from 124 patients who underwent LDLT and 9 healthy volunteers for BDNF. We examined its correlation with incidence rate of sepsis. To clarify the source of BDNF, we examined its expression in lymphocytes, skeletal muscle cells, and hepatocytes. RESULTS: Patients who experienced sepsis showed worse short-term survival. Preoperative serum BDNF was lower in LDLT patients compared with healthy volunteers, and was also lower in Child-Pugh C compared with Child-Pugh A or B. Serum BDNF was inversely correlated with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease and controlling nutritional status (CONUT) scores, but had a weak positive correlation with skeletal muscle mass index (SMI). Multivariate analysis revealed that serum BDNF was independently associated with sepsis. Preoperative serum BDNF was a better predictor of sepsis in LDLT patients than CONUT score or SMI. Serum BDNF was positively correlated with lymphocyte counts, especially T cells. In vitro, T cells and skeletal muscle cells produced BDNF. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative serum BDNF could be a predictive biomarker for sepsis after LDLT, by reflecting the systemic condition including hepatic function, nutritional status, and immune status.