Single-cell transcriptomic analysis reveals a novel cell state and switching genes during hepatic stellate cell activation in vitro.

BACKGROUND: The transformation of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) to myofibroblast is a key event during liver fibrogenesis. However, the differentiation trajectory of HSC-to-myofibroblast transition and the switching genes during this process remains not well understood. METHODS: We applied single-cell sequencing data to reconstruct a single-lineage pseudotime trajectory of HSC transdifferentiation in vitro and analyzed the gene expression patterns along the trajectory. GeneSwitches was used to identify the order of critical gene expression and functional events during HSC activation. RESULTS: A novel cell state during HSC activation was revealed and the HSCs belonging to this state may be an important origin of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Combining single-cell transcriptomics with GeneSwitches analyses, we identified some distinct switching genes and the order at which these switches take place for the new state of HSC and the classic culture-activated HSC, respectively. Based on the top switching genes, we established a four-gene combination which exhibited highly diagnostic accuracy in predicting advanced liver fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or hepatitis B (HBV). CONCLUSION: Our study revealed a novel cell state during HSC activation which may be relevant to CAFs, and identified switching genes that may play key roles in HSC transdifferentiation and serve as predictive markers of advanced fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases.

ANDC: an early warning score to predict mortality risk for patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019.

BACKGROUND: Patients with severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) will progress rapidly to acute respiratory failure or death. We aimed to develop a quantitative tool for early predicting mortality risk of patients with COVID-19. METHODS: 301 patients with confirmed COVID-19 admitted to Main District and Tumor Center of the Union Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Wuhan, China) between January 1, 2020 to February 15, 2020 were enrolled in this retrospective two-centers study. Data on patient demographic characteristics, laboratory findings and clinical outcomes was analyzed. A nomogram was constructed to predict the death probability of COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: Age, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, D-dimer and C-reactive protein obtained on admission were identified as predictors of mortality for COVID-19 patients by LASSO. The nomogram demonstrated good calibration and discrimination with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.921 and 0.975 for the derivation and validation cohort, respectively. An integrated score (named ANDC) with its corresponding death probability was derived. Using ANDC cut-off values of 59 and 101, COVID-19 patients were classified into three subgroups. The death probability of low risk group (ANDC < 59) was less than 5%, moderate risk group (59 ≤ ANDC ≤ 101) was 5% to 50%, and high risk group (ANDC > 101) was more than 50%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The prognostic nomogram exhibited good discrimination power in early identification of COVID-19 patients with high mortality risk, and ANDC score may help physicians to optimize patient stratification management.

[Effect of Notch signaling on the activation of hepatic stellate cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether Notch signaling is activated in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), and to determine whether manipulation of the Notch signaling pathway can effect the activation of HSCs. METHODS: The expression of Notch signaling components in unactivated or TGF-b1-activated HSC-T6 cells was detected by Taqman Probe-based gene expression analysis. Differential expression of Notch3 and Jagged1 was detected by immunofluorescence analysis. Notch3-mediated expression of the myofibroblastic markers, a-SMA and collagen I, was detected in HSC-T6 cells transfected with pcDNA3.1-N3ICD or Notch3 siRNA by Western blotting. RESULTS: Notch signaling components were expressed in both unactivated and activated HSC-T6 cells, but the TGF-b1-treated cells showed significantly higher expression levels of Jagged1 (3.9-fold, F = 2543.482), Notch3 (4.2-fold, F = 287.982), and HES1 (3.2-fold, F = 1719.851). Transfection-mediated over-expression of Notch3 led to significantly increased expression of a-SMA (6.8-fold, t = 13.157) and collagen I (5.5-fold, t = 9.810) (both P less than 0.01). Transient knock-down of Notch3 expression by siRNA decreased expression of the myofibroblastic markers (a-SMA by approximately 90%, t = 19.863 and collagen I by 84%, t = 10.376; both, P less than 0.01). Moreover, knock-down of Notch3 antagonized the TGF-b1-induced expression of a-SMA and collagen I. CONCLUSION: Notch signaling may participate in liver fibrogenesis by regulating HSC activation. Selective interruption of Notch3 may represent a new anti-fibrotic strategy to treat liver fibrosis.

Association of Complement C3 with Clinical Deterioration Among Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The role of the complement system in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum complement C3 levels, clinical worsening, and risk of death in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. METHODS: Data were collected from 216 adults with COVID-19 admitted to a designated clinical center in Wuhan Union Hospital (China) between February 13, 2020, and February 29, 2020. Their complement C3 levels were measured within 24 h of admission. The primary outcome was a clinical worsening of 2 points on a 6-point ordinal scale. The secondary outcome was all-causes of death. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis was conducted to adjust for the baseline confounders. RESULTS: The median value of C3 was 0.89 (interquartile range, 0.78-1.01) g/L. Clinical worsening occurred in 12.3% (7/57) and 2.5% (4/159) of patients with baseline C3 levels < and ≥0.79 g/L, respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 5.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.53-17.86). After IPTW adjustment, the risk for clinical worsening was 4-fold greater (weighted HR, 4.61; 95% CI, 1.16-18.4) in patients with C3 levels less than 0.79 g/L comparatively. The sensitivity analyses revealed the robustness of the results. No significant associations between C3 levels and death were observed on unadjusted (HR, 2.92; 95% CI, 0.73-11.69) and IPTW analyses (weighted HR, 3.78; 95% CI, 0.84-17.04). CONCLUSION: Low complement C3 levels are associated with a higher risk for clinical worsening among inpatients with COVID-19. The serum C3 levels may contribute to the identification of patient populations that could benefit from therapeutic complement inhibition.

No significant benefit of moderate-dose vitamin C on severe COVID-19 cases.

There is no specific drug for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to investigate the possible clinical efficacy of moderate-dose vitamin C infusion among inpatients with severe COVID-19. Data of 397 adult patients with severe COVID-19 admitted to a designated clinical center of Wuhan Union Hospital (China) between February 13 and February 29, 2020, were collected. Besides standard therapies, patients were treated with vitamin C (2-4 g/day) or not. The primary outcome was all-cause death. Secondary outcome was clinical improvement of 2 points on a 6-point ordinal scale. About 70 participants were treated with intravenous vitamin C, and 327 did not receive it. No significant association was found between vitamin C use and death on inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis (weighted hazard ratio [HR], 2.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.91-7.89). Clinical improvement occurred in 74.3% (52/70) of patients in the vitamin C group and 95.1% (311/327) in the no vitamin C group. No significant difference was observed between the two groups on IPTW analysis (weighted HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.55-1.07). Our findings revealed that in patients with severe COVID-19, treatment with moderate dose of intravenous vitamin C had no significant benefit on reducing the risk of death and obtaining clinical improvement.

Anti-tumor angiogenesis with a recombinant ag43/FGFR1 chimeric protein as a model antigen.

In order to investigate the anti-tumor angiogenesis activity with a recombinant Ag43/FGFR1 chimeric protein (AF) vaccine in a mouse H22 hepatoma model, tumor volume and survival rate of the mice were studied at a 3-day interval. Microvessel density (MVD) was detected by immunohistochemistry. The endothelial deposition of autoantibodies within tumor tissues was examined by immunofluorescent staining, and anti-FGFR1 antibody-producing B cells (APBCs) were tested by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay. Compared with the three control groups, the tumor volume was significantly decreased and the survival time was significantly prolonged in AF-immunized group (P<0.05). The number of APBCs in AF-immunized mice (129.6+/-10.9) was more than in controls [6.2+/-1.1 (FGFR1), 6.0+/-1.2 (Ag43) and 5.2+/-1.4 (NS), P<0.01]. Moreover, the endothelial deposition of autoantibodies was found in tumor tissues from AF-immunized mice, but not in control groups. MVD in AF-immunized group was significantly lower than in FGFR1-immunized group, Ag43-immunized group and NS group (10.3+/-3.1 vs 39.4+/-8.6 vs 42.3+/-9.8 and 43.6+/-10.6, P<0.01). These findings demonstrated that the AF protein vaccine effectively inhibited tumor angiogenesis and growth via production of autoantibodies against self-FGFR1.

[Enhancement of antiviral immunity in HBV mouse model by blocking PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a mouse model for human chronic HBV infection, and to investigate the role of PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway in antiviral immunity. METHODS: A mouse model was established by hydrodynamic injection of the plasmid pAAV/HBV1.2-GFP into the tail vein of C57BL/6 mice, HBV markers were assayed at different time points after injection. After intraperitoneal injection of anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody, the serum ALT, and HBV DNA in the serum, liver and kidney were assayed. RESULTS: The chronic HBV infection mouse model were established successfully, serum HBsAg and high load of HBV DNA were detectable 90 days after plasmid injection. After blocking of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway, the serum ALT level of mice were significantly increased (P < 0.01), and the HBV DNA load in serum (P < 0.01), liver (P < 0.05) and kidney (P < 0.05) were decreased significantly. CONCLUSION: Blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway can enhance antiviral response in mice with chronic HBV infection.

Longitudinal characteristics of lymphocyte responses and cytokine profiles in the peripheral blood of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.

BACKGROUND: The dynamic changes of lymphocyte subsets and cytokines profiles of patients with novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and their correlation with the disease severity remain unclear. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were longitudinally collected from 40 confirmed COVID-19 patients and examined for lymphocyte subsets by flow cytometry and cytokine profiles by specific immunoassays. FINDINGS: Of the 40 COVID-19 patients enrolled, 13 severe cases showed significant and sustained decreases in lymphocyte counts [0·6 (0·6-0·8)] but increases in neutrophil counts [4·7 (3·6-5·8)] than 27 mild cases [1.1 (0·8-1·4); 2·0 (1·5-2·9)]. Further analysis demonstrated significant decreases in the counts of T cells, especially CD8+ T cells, as well as increases in IL-6, IL-10, IL-2 and IFN-γ levels in the peripheral blood in the severe cases compared to those in the mild cases. T cell counts and cytokine levels in severe COVID-19 patients who survived the disease gradually recovered at later time points to levels that were comparable to those of the mild cases. Moreover, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (AUC=0·93) and neutrophil-to-CD8+ T cell ratio (N8R) (AUC =0·94) were identified as powerful prognostic factors affecting the prognosis for severe COVID-19. INTERPRETATION: The degree of lymphopenia and a proinflammatory cytokine storm is higher in severe COVID-19 patients than in mild cases, and is associated with the disease severity. N8R and NLR may serve as a useful prognostic factor for early identification of severe COVID-19 cases. FUNDING: The National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Science and Technology Major Project, the Health Commission of Hubei Province, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and the Medical Faculty of the University of Duisburg-Essen and Stiftung Universitaetsmedizin, Hospital Essen, Germany.

Inhibition of hepatitis B virus replication by pokeweed antiviral protein in vitro.

AIM: To explore the inhibitory effects of pokeweed antiviral protein seed (PAP-S) and PAP encoded by a eukaryotic expression plasmid on hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication in vitro. METHODS: HepG2 2.2.15 cells in cultured medium were treated with different concentrations of PAP-S. HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA in supernatants were determined by ELISA and fluorescent quantitative PCR respectively. MTT method was used to assay for cytotoxicity. HepG2 were cotransfected with various amounts of PAP encoded by a eukaryotic expression plasmid and replication competent wild-type HBV 1.3 fold over-length plasmid. On d 3 after transfection, HBsAg and HBeAg were determined by using ELISA. Levels of HBV core-associated DNA and RNA were detected by using Southern and Northern blot, respectively. RESULTS: The inhibitory effects of PAP-S on HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA were gradually enhanced with the increase of PAP concentration. When the concentration of PAP-S was 10 mug/mL, the inhibition rates of HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA were 20.9%, 30.2% and 50%, respectively. After transfection of 1.0 microg and 2.0 microg plasmid pXF3H-PAP, the levels of HBV nucleocapside-associated DNA were reduced by 38.0% and 74.0% respectively, the levels of HBsAg in the media by 76.8% and 99.7% respectively, and the levels of HBeAg by 72.7% and 99.3% respectively as compared with controls. Transfection with 2 mug plasmid pXF3H-PAP reduced the levels of HBV nucleocapside-associated RNA by 69.0%. CONCLUSION: Both PAP-S and PAP encoded by a eukaryotic expression plasmid could effectively inhibit HBV replication and antigen expression in vitro, and the inhibitory effects were dose-dependent.

Programmed death-1 expression is associated with the disease status in hepatitis B virus infection.

AIM: To define the potential role of programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand (PD-1/PD-L) pathway in different hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection disease status; we examined the expression of PD-1 on antigen specific CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and acute exacerbation of hepatitis B (AEHB) infection. METHODS: The PD-1 level on CD8+ T lymphocytes and the number of HBV specific CD8+ T lymphocytes in patients and healthy controls (HCs) were analyzed by staining with pentameric peptide-human leukocyte antigen2 (HLA2) complexes combined with flow cytometry. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to measure the serum HBV-DNA levels. RESULTS: The level of PD-1 expression on total CD8+ T cells in CHB patients (13.86% +/- 3.38%) was significantly higher than that in AEHB patients (6.80% +/- 2.19%, P < 0.01) and healthy individuals (4.63% +/- 1.23%, P < 0.01). Compared to AEHB patients (0.81% +/- 0.73%), lower frequency of HBV-specific CD8+ T cells was detected in chronic hepatitis B patients (0.37% +/- 0.43%, P < 0.05). There was an inverse correlation between the strength of HBV-specific CD8+ T-cell response and the level of PD-1 expression. Besides, there was a significant positive correlation between HBV viral load and the percentage of PD-1 expression on CD8+ T cells in CHB and AEHB subjects (R = 0.541, P < 0.01). However, PD-1 expression was not associated with disease flare-ups as indicated by alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (R = 0.066, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results confirm previous reports that HBV specific CD8+ T-cell response in the peripheral blood is more intense in patients with AEHB than in chronic hepatitis B with persistent viral infection. Moreover, there is a negative correlation between the level of PD-1 and the intensity of virus specific CD8+ T cell response.

Reversal effect of Jagged1 signaling inhibition on CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats.

The role of the Notch ligand Jagged1 in hepatic fibrosis remains to be elucidated. In the current study, we investigated the role of Jagged1 in the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and development of hepatic fibrosis in rats. In vitro, Jagged1 in HSCs was downregulated and upregulated by Jagged1 siRNA and pcDNA3.1 Jagged1, respectively. The levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and HSC activation markers were assessed using western blot analysis. The proliferation and migration capacity of HSCs were assessed using 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation and Transwell migration assays. In vivo, a recombinant adeno-associated virus type 1 (rAAV1) vector carrying Jagged1 shRNA (rAAV1-Jagged1-shRNA) was constructed and transferred to rat livers via the tail vein. Reversion of liver fibrosis and the effect of Jagged1 signaling on EMT were studied using pathological, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence methods. Our findings revealed that downregulation and upregulation of Jagged1 inhibited and promoted, respectively, HSC activation. The migratory capacity of HSCs was markedly restrained by Jagged1 siRNA. Furthermore, downregulation of Jagged1 suppressed EMT in HSCs. rAAV1-Jagged1-shRNA was generated to treat CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats. Treatment with rAAV1-Jagged1-shRNA reversed hepatic fibrosis by decreasing EMT. The results of the present study suggest that inhibition of Jagged1 is a potential treatment to ameliorate liver fibrosis.

Predictors for efficacy of combination therapy with a nucleos(t)ide analogue and interferon for chronic hepatitis B.

This study aims to explore the efficacy of interferon-α (IFN-α) combined with either entecavir (ETV) or adefovir (ADV) therapy versus IFN-α mono-therapy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, and to identify the factors associated with treatment outcomes. Totally, 159 CHB patients receiving interferon-based treatment for 48 weeks were enrolled in this retrospective study, including IFN-α mono-therapy group (group A, n=44), IFN-α plus ADV group (group B, n=53) and IFN-α plus ETV group (group C, n=62). The primary measures of efficacy assessments were the changes in HBsAg. Cox regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of treatment outcomes. The predictive values of the factors were assessed by ROC analysis. For patients with baseline hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) level <1000 IU/mL, the reductions in mean HBsAg levels at week 48 were greater in group C than that in group A (P<0.05). Higher rate of HBeAg seroconversion was achieved in the combined therapy group than in IFN-α mono-therapy group at week 48 (P<0.05). Two factors were independently associated with HBeAg seroconversion: baseline HBeAg level <2.215 log10 index/mL and ΔHBeAg (decline in HBeAg from baseline) >0.175 log10 at week 12. In conclusion, interferon-α plus ETV therapy can accelerate HBsAg decline as compared with interferon-α mono-therapy in CHB patients with lower baseline HBsAg levels, and the combination therapy was superior to IFN-α mono-therapy in increasing the rate of HBeAg seroconversion. Baseline HBeAg and ΔHBeAg at week 12 can independently predict HBeAg seroconversion in patients subject to interferon-based therapy for 48 weeks.

Prdx1-encoded peroxiredoxin is important for vascular development in zebrafish.

Genetic signaling and redox homeostasis are required for proper growth of blood vessels. Here, we report a novel function of peroxiredoxin1 (Prdx1) in vascular development in zebrafish. Knockdown of prdx1 impairs the growth of intersegmental vessel and caudal vein plexus (CVP), and reduces the expression of vascular markers, thus suggesting a role for prdx1 in vasculature and indicating that the antioxidant function of prdx1 is important. We found that H2 O2 -treated embryos also have CVP defects and observed synergistic effects when prdx1 knockdown was combined with H2 O2 treatment. Moreover, N-acetyl-cysteine treatment rescues the vascular defects in prdx1 morphants. These results suggest that oxidative stress disturbs vascularization. Furthermore, we show that the regulation of prdx1 is mediated by Notch and BMP signals.

Inhibition of Notch Signaling Attenuates Schistosomiasis Hepatic Fibrosis via Blocking Macrophage M2 Polarization.

Macrophages play a key role in the pathogenesis of liver granuloma and fibrosis in schistosomiasis. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully characterized. This study revealed that the macrophages infiltrating the liver tissues in a murine model of Schistosoma japonica infection exhibited M2 functional polarization, and Notch1/Jagged1 signaling was significantly upregulated in the M2 polarized macrophages in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, the blockade of Notch signaling pathway by a γ-secretase inhibitor could reverse macrophage M2 polarization in vitro and alleviate liver granuloma and fibrosis in the murine model of schistosomiasis. These results implied that the Notch1/Jagged1 signaling-dependent M2 polarization of macrophages might play an important role in liver granuloma and fibrosis in schistosomiasis, and the inhibition of Notch1/Jagged1 signaling might provide a novel therapeutic approach to administrate patients with schistosomiasis.

Analysis of prognosis on patients with severe viral hepatitis using the model for end-stage liver disease.

AIM: To study the practical use of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) on clinic and assess its validity by the concordance (C)-statistic in predicting the prognosis of the patient with severe viral hepatitis. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-one patients were divided into plasma exchange group and non-plasma exchange group, and were graded with MELD formula. The death rate was observed within 3 mo. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients died within 3 mo (35 cases in PE group, 46 cases in non-PE group). The mortality of patients in PE group whose MELD score between 20-30 and 30-40 were 31.6% and 57.7%, respectively, but in non-PE cases they were 67.6%, 81.3% respectively. There was significant difference between PE group and non-PE group (P<0.05). However, the mortality of patients whose MELD score higher than 40 were 93.3% in PE group and 100% in non-PE group and there was no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.65>0.05). The optimal cut-off values of MELD to predict the prognosis of patients were 30 in PE group whose sensitivity, specificity and C-statistic were 80.0%, 52.0% and 0.777, but in non-PE group they were 25, 82.6%, 86.7% and 0.869, respectively. CONCLUSION: The MELD score can act as a disease severity index for patients with severe viral hepatitis, and the mortality of the patient increases with the increase of the MELD score. The MELD can accurately predict the short-term prognosis of patients with severe viral hepatitis.

Prognosis of acute-on-chronic liver failure patients treated with artificial liver support system.

AIM: To establish a new model for predicting survival in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients treated with an artificial liver support system. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-one ACLF patients who were admitted to the hospital from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2014 and were treated with an artificial liver support system were enrolled in this retrospective study, including a derivation cohort (n = 113) and a validation cohort (n = 68). Laboratory parameters at baseline were analyzed and correlated with clinical outcome. In addition to standard medical therapy, ACLF patients underwent plasma exchange (PE) or plasma bilirubin adsorption (PBA) combined with plasma exchange. For the derivation cohort, Kaplan-Meier methods were used to estimate survival curves, and Cox regression was used in survival analysis to generate a prognostic model. The performance of the new model was tested in the validation cohort using a receiver-operator curve. RESULTS: The mean overall survival for the derivation cohort was 441 d (95%CI: 379-504 d), and the 90- and 270-d survival probabilities were 70.3% and 58.3%, respectively. The mean survival times of patients treated with PBA plus PE and patients treated with PE were 531 d (95%CI: 455-605 d) and 343 d (95%CI: 254-432 d), respectively, which were significantly different (P = 0.012). When variables with bivariate significance were selected for inclusion into the multivariate Cox regression model, number of complications, age, scores of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and type of artificial liver support system were defined as independent risk factors for survival in ACLF patients. This new prognostic model could accurately discriminate the outcome of patients with different scores in this cohort (P < 0.001). The model also had the ability to assign a predicted survival probability for individual patients. In the validation cohort, the new model remained better than the MELD. CONCLUSION: A novel model was constructed to predict prognosis and accurately discriminate survival in ACLF patients treated with an artificial liver support system.

Recombinant adeno-associated virus-mediated transfer of shRNA against Notch3 ameliorates hepatic fibrosis in rats.

Liver fibrosis, a wound healing process following all kinds of liver injuries, is characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). Our previous study revealed that Notch3 might participate in liver fibrogenesis by regulating the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The aim of this study was to assess the effects of Notch3 shRNA on hepatic fibrosis in a rat model induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and to clarify the mechanisms underlying those effects. Recombinant adeno-associated virus type 1 (rAAV1) vector carrying Notch3 shRNA (rAAV1-Notch3-shRNA) was generated and transferred to rat livers via the tail vein. The expression of Notch3, Jagged1, Hes1 and α-SMA were detected by real-time RT-PCR and immunofluorescence. The effects of rAAV1-Notch3-shRNA on fibrosis was investigated by pathological and immunohistochemical examination. Our findings showed that Notch3, Jagged1, Hes1 and α-SMA were downregulated. This downregulation was accompanied by improved hepatic fibrosis after the inhibition of Notch3 in vivo. rAAV1-Notch3-shRNA treatment reversed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in fibrotic livers by decreasing the expression of transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1) and vimentin in a line with the increased expression of E-cadherin. The inhibition of Notch3 was not found to play a role in hepatocyte proliferation. Rather, it inhibited hepatocyte apoptosis in vivo to some extent. The results of the present study suggest that the inhibition of Notch3 can protect hepatocytes from undergoing apoptosis and attenuate liver fibrogenesis. This may be a viable therapeutic option for hepatic fibrosis.

A new model to estimate prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after Yttrium-90 radioembolization.

AIMS: The current prognostic model to estimate the survival in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with transarterial hepatic selective internal radiotherapy (SIRT) is not fully characterized. The aim of this study was to establish a new scoring model including assessment of both tumor responses and therapy-induced systemic changes in HCC patients to predict survival at an early time point post-SIRT. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 2008 and 2012, 149 HCC patients treated with SIRT were included into this study. CT images and biomarkers in blood tested at one month post-SIRT were analyzed and correlated with clinical outcome. Tumor responses were assessed by RECIST 1.1, mRECIST, and Choi criteria. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to estimate survival curves. Cox regression was used in uni- and multivariable survival analyses and in the establishment of a prognostic model. RESULTS: A multivariate proportional hazards model was created based on the tumor response, the number of tumor nodules, the score of the model for end stage liver disease (MELD), and the serum C-reactive protein levels which were independent predictors of survival in HCC patients at one month post-SIRT. This prognostic model accurately differentiated the outcome of patients with different risk scores in this cohort (P<0.001). The model also had the ability to assign a predicted survival probability for individual patients. CONCLUSIONS: A new model to predict survival of HCC patients mainly based on tumor responses and therapy-induced systemic changes provides reliable prognosis and accurately discriminates the survival at an early time point after SIRT in these patients.