Cerebral contrast retention after difficult cardiac catheterization: Case report.

BACKGROUND: We report a diagnostic dilemma in a rare case of cerebral contrast retention after difficult cardiac catheterization in an elderly patient loaded with prasugrel. SUMMARY: Our case report describes a 77-year-old female with history of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia who presented to emergency department complaining of chest pain. Patient was found to have an inferior wall ST elevation myocardial infarction. The patient was loaded with aspirin and prasugrel and taken for emergent cardiac catheterization. Cardiac catheterization revealed two-vessel coronary artery disease with unsuccessful attempt of percutaneous intervention. Immediately after procedure, patient developed an episode of seizure. Emergent computed tomography scan of the brain revealed hyperdensity in the right frontoparietal region consistent with intracerebral bleed. Repeat computed tomography (24 h later) revealed substantial interval improvement of hyperdensity. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging of the head was normal. Given the lack of magnetic resonance imaging changes, the rate of resolution on computed tomography without expected subacute changes, and the lack of neurologic findings, the initial hyperdensity seen on computed tomography of the brain was believed to be secondary to contrast leakage during cardiac catheterization as opposed to intracranial hemorrhage.

Conservative management of broken guidewire: Case reports.

Fractures of coronary guidewires during percutaneous coronary intervention within a coronary vessel lumen are a rare but serious complication. There have been several cases reported in the literature, some managed with surgical intervention, others with medical therapy. We present two prospective cases from our center. Both cases were managed successfully with medical therapy.

Gene expression profiling of liver cancer stem cells by RNA-sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence supports that tumor growth and cancer relapse are driven by cancer stem cells. Our previous work has demonstrated the existence of CD90(+) liver cancer stem cells (CSCs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, the characteristics of these cells are still poorly understood. In this study, we employed a more sensitive RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) to compare the gene expression profiling of CD90(+) cells sorted from tumor (CD90(+)CSCs) with parallel non-tumorous liver tissues (CD90(+)NTSCs) and elucidate the roles of putative target genes in hepatocarcinogenesis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: CD90(+) cells were sorted respectively from tumor and adjacent non-tumorous human liver tissues using fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The amplified RNAs of CD90(+) cells from 3 HCC patients were subjected to RNA-Seq analysis. A differential gene expression profile was established between CD90(+)CSCs and CD90(+)NTSCs, and validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) on the same set of amplified RNAs, and further confirmed in an independent cohort of 12 HCC patients. Five hundred genes were differentially expressed (119 up-regulated and 381 down-regulated genes) between CD90(+)CSCs and CD90(+)NTSCs. Gene ontology analysis indicated that the over-expressed genes in CD90(+)CSCs were associated with inflammation, drug resistance and lipid metabolism. Among the differentially expressed genes, glypican-3 (GPC3), a member of glypican family, was markedly elevated in CD90(+)CSCs compared to CD90(+)NTSCs. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that GPC3 was highly expressed in forty-two human liver tumor tissues but absent in adjacent non-tumorous liver tissues. Flow cytometry indicated that GPC3 was highly expressed in liver CD90(+)CSCs and mature cancer cells in liver cancer cell lines and human liver tumor tissues. Furthermore, GPC3 expression was positively correlated with the number of CD90(+)CSCs in liver tumor tissues. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The identified genes, such as GPC3 that are distinctly expressed in liver CD90(+)CSCs, may be promising gene candidates for HCC therapy without inducing damages to normal liver stem cells.

Hematopoietic chimerism in liver transplantation patients and hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in adult human liver.

UNLABELLED: Liver transplantation (LT) is a cure for many liver diseases. Blood chimerism of donor origin can develop after LT, which raises the possibility of the existence of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) in the liver. We characterized the blood chimerism in a large cohort of 249 LT patients and analyzed putative HSPCs in adult human livers. The overall incidence of chimerism was 6.43%, of which 11.11% was among short-term (1 day to 6 months) and 3.77% was among long-term (6 months to 8 years) LT patients. Hematopoietic Lin(-) CD34(+) CD38(-) CD90(+) populations have been demonstrated to generate long-term lymphomyeloid grafts in transplantations. In human adult livers, we detected Lin(-) CD34(+) CD38(-) CD90(+) populations accounting for 0.03% ± 0.017% of the total single liver cells and for 0.05% ± 0.012% of CD45(+) liver cells. Both Lin(-) CD34(+) and Lin(-) CD45(+) liver cells, from extensively perfused human liver grafts, were capable of forming hematopoietic myeloid-lineage and erythroid-lineage methylcellulose colonies. More importantly, Lin(-) CD45(+) or CD45(+) liver cells could be engrafted into hematopoietic cells in an immunodeficient mouse model. These results are the first evidence of the presence of putative HSPC populations in the adult human liver, where the liver is a good ectopic niche. The discovery of the existence of HSPCs in the adult liver have implications for the understanding of extramarrow hematopoiesis, liver regeneration, mechanisms of tolerance in organ transplantation, and de novo cancer recurrence in LT patients. CONCLUSION: The human adult liver contains a small population of HSPCs. In LT patients, there are two types of chimerisms: transient chimerism, resulting from mature leucocytes, and long-term chimerism, derived from putative HSPCs in the liver graft.

Prediction of posthepatectomy recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma by circulating cancer stem cells: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether circulating cancer stem cells (CSCs) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can predict its recurrence after hepatectomy. BACKGROUND: HCC recurrence frequently occurs within the first year after hepatectomy, probably due to circulating tumor cells that have been shed from the primary tumor before hepatectomy. Because CSCs are more likely to initiate tumor growth than mature cancer cells, a high level of circulating CSCs may be a hint for HCC recurrence. METHODS: Multicolor flow cytometry was used to detect the number of circulating CSCs (CD45CD90CD44) in the peripheral circulation of 82 HCC patients 1 day before hepatectomy. The patients were monitored by CT or MRI for recurrence every 3 months. RESULTS: Forty-one (50%) patients had recurrence after a median follow-up period of 13.2 months (range, 1.3-57.1 months). Patients with recurrence had a higher median level of circulating CSCs than patients without recurrence (0.02% vs. 0.01%; P < 0.0001). Circulating CSCs > 0.01% predicted intrahepatic recurrence (relative risk 3.54; 95% CI, 1.41-8.88; P = 0.007) and extrahepatic recurrence (relative risk 10.15; 95% CI, 3-34.4; P = 0.0002). Patients with >0.01% circulating CSCs had a lower 2-year recurrence-free survival rate (22.7% vs. 64.2%; P < 0.0001) and overall survival rate (58.5% vs. 94.1%; P = 0.0005) than patients with ≤0.01% circulating CSCs. On multivariable analysis, circulating CSCs > 0.01%, tumor stage and tumor size were independent factors predicting recurrence-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: Circulating CSCs predicted posthepatectomy HCC recurrence with high accuracy. They may be the target of eradication in the prevention of posthepatectomy HCC metastasis and recurrence.

Enhanced detection of early hepatocellular carcinoma by serum SELDI-TOF proteomic signature combined with alpha-fetoprotein marker.

BACKGROUND: Biomarkers for accurate diagnosis of early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are limited in number and clinical validation. We applied SELDI-TOF-MS ProteinChip technology to identify serum profile for distinguishing HCC and liver cirrhosis (LC) and to compare the accuracy of SELDI-TOF-MS profile and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level in HCC diagnosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum samples were obtained from 120 HCC and 120 LC patients for biomarker discovery and validation studies. ProteinChip technology was employed for generating SELDI-TOF proteomic features and analyzing serum proteins/peptides. RESULTS: A diagnostic model was established by CART algorithm, which is based on 5 proteomic peaks with m/z values at 3324, 3994, 4665, 4795, and 5152. In the training set, the CART algorithm could differentiate HCC from LC subjects with a sensitivity and specificity of 98% and 95%, respectively. The results were assessed in blind validation using separate cohorts of 60 HCC and 60 LC patients, with an accuracy of 83% for HCC and 92% for LC patients. The diagnostic odd ratio (DOR) indicated that SELDI-TOF proteomic signature could achieve better diagnostic performance than serum AFP level at a cutoff of 20 ng/mL (AFP(20)) (92.72 vs 9.11), particularly superior for early-stage HCC (87% vs 54%). Importantly, a combined use of both tests could enhance the detection of HCC (sensitivity, 95%; specificity, 98%; DOR, 931). CONCLUSION: Serum SELDI-TOF proteomic signature, alone or in combination with AFP marker, promises to be a good tool for early diagnosis and/screening of HCC in at-risk population with liver cirrhosis.

An Akt/hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha/platelet-derived growth factor-BB autocrine loop mediates hypoxia-induced chemoresistance in liver cancer cells and tumorigenic hepatic progenitor cells.

PURPOSE: The goals of the present study were to investigate the mechanism of hypoxia-mediated chemoresistance in liver cancer cells and tumorigenic hepatic progenitor (oval) cells and to determine whether disrupting an Akt/hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha)/platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB autocrine loop can enhance chemotherapeutic efficacy in hypoxia. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Five hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines and two hepatic progenitor cell lines were treated in vitro with cisplatin under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. To generate ischemic hypoxia for tumor cells in vivo, hepatic artery ligation was applied to an orthotopic HCC model. Cisplatin and YC1, which is a HIF-1alpha inhibitor, were administered by portal vein and intratumoral injections, respectively. RESULTS: Cell viability was higher under hypoxic than normoxic conditions. HIF-1alpha and Akt were up-regulated under hypoxic conditions, forming an autocrine signaling loop with PDGF-BB. Akt/HIF-1alpha/PDGF-BB signaling regulated Akt to confer cisplatin resistance to HCC cell lines in vitro. This autocrine signaling loop also contributed to chemoresistance in the tumorigenic hepatic progenitor cell line PIL2 under hypoxic conditions but not in the nontumorigenic cell line PIL4. In an orthotopic HCC model, combining blockade of HIF-1alpha activity with ischemic hypoxia significantly enhanced the efficacy of chemotherapy, leading to suppression of tumor growth and prolongation of animal survival. CONCLUSION: Blockade of Akt/HIF-1alpha/PDGF-BB autocrine signaling could enhance the chemosensitivity of liver cancer cells and tumorigenic hepatic progenitor cells under hypoxic conditions and thus provide an effective therapeutic strategy for HCC.

Systemic inflammatory response after natural orifice translumenal surgery: transvaginal cholecystectomy in a porcine model.

OBJECTIVE: We analyzed circulating TNF-alpha and IL-6 to determine systemic inflammatory responses associated with transvaginal cholecystectomy in a porcine model. METHODS: Six female pigs were used for a survival study after transvaginal cholecystectomy (NOTES group) using endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) instruments and a single-channel endoscope. Blood was drawn preoperatively and 24 hours and 48 hours postoperatively. Four pigs were used as controls. In addition, laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 2 pigs for laparoscopic control. RESULTS: In all 6 pigs in the NOTES group, no major intraoperative complications occurred. No significant differences were found between control, laparoscopic, and NOTES groups in terms of preoperative IL-6 level (P=0.897) and at 24 hours (P=0.790), and 48 hours postoperatively (P=0.945). Similarly, there was no significant difference in mean preoperative (P=0.349) and mean day 2 postoperative TNF-alpha levels (P=0.11). But a significant increase in day 1 postoperative TNF-alpha levels in the laparoscopic group compared with that in the control and NOTES groups was observed (P=0.049). One limitation of our study is that the sample size was relatively small. CONCLUSION: NOTES is safe in animal models in terms of anatomical and cellular level changes with minimal systemic inflammatory host responses elicited. Further study needs to be carried out in humans before NOTES can be recommended for routine use.

Cardiotrophin-1 enhances regeneration of cirrhotic liver remnant after hepatectomy through promotion of angiogenesis and cell proliferation.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Hepatic resection is not applicable to a certain proportion of hepatocellular carcinoma patients owing to an insufficient liver function reserve. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) on improving the function of CCl(4)-induced cirrhotic liver remnant after major hepatectomy. METHODS: CT-1 was administered to rats after hepatectomy according to different protocols. RESULTS: A double-dose CT-1 protocol improved liver function, enlarged the volume of liver remnant, upregulated the expression of von Willebrand factor and increased the number of BrdU(+) or Ki-67(+) hepatocytes. Administration of CT-1 enhanced the expression of nuclear factor-kappaB (P65), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), CyclinD1 and p42/44 in the liver remnant. However, the effects of CT-1 were blocked by a VEGF receptor blocker, PTK787. Although the expression of gp130, a receptor of CT-1, was downregulated in the diseased hepatocytes isolated from the cirrhotic liver, CT-1 could still stimulate the cell proliferation. CT-1 administration enhanced the expression of P65 and VEGF in the diseased hepatocytes, but the augmented P65 and VEGF expression was blocked by PTK787 administration. CONCLUSION: Short-term administration of CT-1 could improve the function of cirrhotic liver remnant and stimulate liver regeneration through promotion of angiogenesis and cell proliferation.

Identification of local and circulating cancer stem cells in human liver cancer.

UNLABELLED: Increasing evidence has revealed the importance of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in carcinogenesis. Although liver CSCs have been identified in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, no data have shown the presence of these cells in human settings. The present study was designed to delineate CSCs serially from HCC cell lines, human liver cancer specimens to blood samples, using CD90 as a potential marker. The number of CD90(+) cells increased with the tumorigenicity of HCC cell lines. CD45(-)CD90(+) cells were detected in all the tumor specimens, but not in the normal, cirrhotic, and parallel nontumorous livers. In addition, CD45(-)CD90(+) cells were detectable in 90% of blood samples from liver cancer patients, but none in normal subjects or patients with cirrhosis. A significant positive correlation between the number of CD45(-)CD90(+) cells in the tumor tissues and the number of CD45(-)CD90(+) cells in the blood samples was identified. CD90(+) cells sorted from cell lines and CD45(-)CD90(+) cells from the tumor tissues and blood samples of liver cancer patients generated tumor nodules in immunodeficient mice. Serial transplantation of CD90(+) cells from tumor xenografts generated tumor nodules in a second and subsequently third batch of immunodeficient mice. Treatment of CD90(+) CSCs with anti-human CD44 antibody induced cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Identification of CD45(-)CD90(+) CSCs in both tumor tissues and circulation suggests that CD45(-)CD90(+) could be used as a marker for human liver cancer and as a target for the diagnosis and therapy of this malignancy.

Significance of CD90+ cancer stem cells in human liver cancer.

This study characterized cancer stem cells (CSCs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, tumor specimens, and blood samples. The CD90+ cells, but not the CD90(-) cells, from HCC cell lines displayed tumorigenic capacity. All the tumor specimens and 91.6% of blood samples from liver cancer patients bore the CD45(-)CD90+ population, which could generate tumor nodules in immunodeficient mice. The CD90+CD44+ cells demonstrated a more aggressive phenotype than the CD90+CD44(-) counterpart and formed metastatic lesions in the lung of immunodeficient mice. CD44 blockade prevented the formation of local and metastatic tumor nodules by the CD90+ cells. Differential gene expression profiles were identified in the CD45(-)CD90+ and CD45(-)CD90(-) cells isolated from tissue and blood samples from liver cancer patients and controls.

Artificial neural networks and decision tree model analysis of liver cancer proteomes.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a heterogeneous cancer and usually diagnosed at late advanced tumor stages of high lethality. The present study attempted to obtain a proteome-wide analysis of HCC in comparison with adjacent non-tumor liver tissues, in order to facilitate biomarkers' discovery and to investigate the mechanisms of HCC development. A cohort of 66 Chinese patients with HCC was included for proteomic profiling study by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) analysis. Artificial neural network (ANN) and decision tree (CART) data-mining methods were employed to analyze the profiling data and to delineate significant patterns and trends for discriminating HCC from non-malignant liver tissues. Protein markers were identified by tandem MS/MS. A total of 132 proteome datasets were generated by 2-DE expression profiling analysis, and each with 230 consolidated protein expression intensities. Both the data-mining algorithms successfully distinguished the HCC phenotype from other non-malignant liver samples. The detection sensitivity and specificity of ANN were 96.97% and 87.88%, while those of CART were 81.82% and 78.79%, respectively. The three biological classifiers in the CART model were identified as cytochrome b5, heat shock 70 kDa protein 8 isoform 2, and cathepsin B. The 2-DE-based proteomic profiling approach combined with the ANN or CART algorithm yielded satisfactory performance on identifying HCC and revealed potential candidate cancer biomarkers.

Induction of long-term liver allograft survival by delayed immunosuppression is dependent on interleukin-10.

This study aims to investigate the potential role of endogenous interleukin (IL)-10 in long-term liver allograft survival induced by delayed immunosuppression (FK506 days 2-7). Liver transplantation was performed by using Dark Agouti and Lewis rats as donors and recipients, respectively. The delayed immunosuppression protocol induced indefinite allograft survival. A transient upregulation of plasma IL-10 levels was detected in the nontreatment and FK506 treatment groups. Macrophages were found to be one of the major sources of IL-10 produced from the liver allografts. Administration of IL-10-neutralizing antibody shortened the long-term isograft survival and FK506-induced indefinite allograft survival, particularly in the FK506 group. Damaged liver graft histology and increase of plasma alanine aminotransferase levels were detected in the groups with IL-10 antibody treatment. In an ex vivo setting, IL-10 recombinant protein augmented the expression of Foxp3, downregulated the expression of IL-2 and interferon gamma, and induced the generation of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) and CD8(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) cells, but this effect was blocked by the administration of IL-10 antibody. Finally, administration of IL-10 recombinant protein after the decline of endogenous IL-10 levels improved allograft survival, and a 100% long-term allograft survival was achieved by the combination of IL-10 with low-dose FK506. In conclusion, the delayed immunosuppression could induce long-term liver allograft survival in the presence of endogenous IL-10 produced by the tissue macrophages. Supplementary exogenous IL-10 administration combined with low-dose immunosuppressive drug may be a useful strategy to induce long-term liver allograft survival.

Therapeutic potential of cardiotrophin 1 in fulminant hepatic failure: dual roles in antiapoptosis and cell repair.

HYPOTHESIS: Administration of cardiotrophin 1 (CT-1) can treat experimental fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). DESIGN: Rat model with FHF induced by D-galactosamine (D-gal). SETTING: Fulminant hepatic failure is a rapidly progressive disease that lacks effective nonsurgical treatment. Cardiotrophin 1 is a member of the interleukin 6 family that can protect cells from damage in some animal disease models. ANIMALS: A rat model of FHF was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of D-gal (1.4 g/kg of body weight). Cardiotrophin 1 was administered at different time points after D-gal injection. RESULTS: Administration of CT-1 at 12 and 18 hours had a survival rate of 80% (12/15) and 70% (7/10), respectively, which was significantly higher than that of nontreatment (28% [5/18]). In addition, improvement of liver histologic findings, shortening of activated clotting time, and decrease in serum levels of total bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase were detected with CT-1 treatment. Administration of CT-1 decreased apoptotic cells and increased Ki-67 cells in the liver tissues. In vitro, CT-1 administration significantly decreased apoptotic cells and sequentially down-regulated the expression of proapoptotic molecules and up-regulated the expression of antiapoptotic molecules at different culture periods. D-galactosamine culture induced morphologic damage in a hepatocyte cell line, which was greatly improved by CT-1 administration. In addition, CT-1-treated cells demonstrated increased expression of glycoprotein 130 and up-regulation of cyclin D1 and heat shock protein 90. CONCLUSION: Cardiotrophin 1 may improve the outcome of D-gal-induced FHF through its effects on antiapoptosis and cell repair.

Significance of the serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and platelets in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The present study investigated the significance of the serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and platelets in relation to the clinicopathological features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Localization of the BDNF expression in human HCC tissues was performed by immunohistochemistry. The measurement of soluble BDNF in the serum was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. BDNF was expressed in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells. A positive correlation between the tissue and serum levels of BDNF was identified in the HCC patients. The serum levels of BDNF were positively correlated with the platelet counts in the HCC patients. A higher level of serum BDNF was significantly correlated with a tumor size >5 cm, poorly differentiated HCC, the presence of microsatellite tumor nodules, and the absence of cirrhosis in the non-tumorous tissues. A higher level of the serum BDNF/platelet ratio was associated with a poorer disease-free survival after hepatic resection. This study suggested that the tumor cell was a source of serum BDNF in HCC. A higher serum BDNF level was associated with a more advanced tumor status in the HCC patients. The interaction between serum BDNF and platelets might play an important role in HCC tumor progression.

High doses of tyrosine kinase inhibitor PTK787 enhance the efficacy of ischemic hypoxia for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: dual effects on cancer cell and angiogenesis.

The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of combining vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor blockade using tyrosine kinase inhibitor PTK787 with hypoxia for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The in vivo effects of the treatments were determined in a rat orthotopic HCC model, in which hypoxia was generated by hepatic artery ligation (HAL). Compared with HAL alone, PTK787 combined with HAL significantly prolonged the animal survival, reduced the tumor size, induced more tumor tissue necrosis and apoptosis, and down-regulated the expression of von Willebrand factor. The mechanism was explored in vitro using murine HCC and endothelial cell lines, respectively. PTK787 combined with hypoxia decreased the expression of VEGF and VEGF receptors in both cell lines and suppressed the cell viability by induction of cell cycle arrest and promotion of apoptosis. Up-regulation of cleaved form caspase-9 and down-regulation of Bcl-2 and cyclin D1 were detected with the combined treatment. Hypoxia sensitized endothelial cells to the inhibitory effect of PTK787 on forming tubular-like structure. The motility of tumor cells was inhibited by hypoxia and the combined approach, with down-regulation of Rac1, Rho, and phosphorylated Akt expression. However, in the endothelial cells, the combined treatment inhibited the hypoxia-enhanced cell motility, with suppressed Rac1, Rho, and phosphorylated Akt expression. In conclusion, PTK787 combined with hypoxia achieved a better therapeutic efficacy than hypoxia alone through enhancing hypoxia-induced antitumor cell effect and preventing the activation of angiogenic process.

Liver intestine-cadherin (CDH17) haplotype is associated with increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer, is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. We previously showed that aberrant mRNA splicing of the liver intestine-cadherin gene CDH17 in liver tissues was triggered by the specific constellation of two CDH17 single nucleotide polymorphisms (651T and IVS6+35G). CDH17 aberrant splicing was highly associated with tumor dissemination and shorter survival of HCC patients. Consequently, it is highly relevant to assess whether the presence of these single nucleotide polymorphisms in the general population represents a risk to the development of HCC. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We conducted a case-control study including 164 HCC and 99 cirrhosis patients and 293 healthy controls. Genotyping was done by PCR and direct sequencing. Odds ratio (OR) and chi2 analysis were used to analyze genotypes and haplotypes. RESULTS: Genotypes 651TT [OR, 2.62; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.34-5.03] and IVS6+35 GG (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.04-3.62) were highly associated with HCC disease. The 651T (C>T) and IVS6+35G (A>G) alleles were also overrepresented in HCC patients and, in particular, the T-G haplotype was the most prevalent in HCC patients when compared with healthy controls (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.167-2.109; P=0.004), which was in agreement with the aberrant splicing observed in tumor tissues. There was no significant difference in genotype and allele frequencies between cirrhosis patients and controls. CONCLUSION: The functional T-G haplotype of CDH17 (651 C>T and IVS6+35A>G) is a genetic susceptibility factor for the development of HCC in a Chinese population.

Platelet activation during tumor development, the potential role of BDNF-TrkB autocrine loop.

Platelets are an important place for the storage of angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The present study aims to investigate the interaction between BDNF-TrkB pathway and platelet activation during tumor development. In an orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model, increased levels of serum and plasma BDNF were detected with tumor progression. Higher numbers of CD62P+ and TrkB+ platelets were found in the tumor-bearing rats. In the in vitro setting, tumor-conditioned-medium (TCM) and BDNF recombinant protein stimulated CD62P upregulation and subsequent BDNF release in the freshly isolated platelets, whereas this effect could be inhibited by TrkB blockade. TCM and BDNF culture augmented the expression of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) in the platelets, which could be reversed by TrkB blockade. In conclusion, this study suggested the presence of BDNF-TrkB autocrine loop in platelets and its importance in regulating platelet activation during tumor development.

Safety limit of large-volume hepatic radiofrequency ablation in a rat model.

BACKGROUND: Large-volume hepatic radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been used to treat large liver tumors, but its safety limit is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the possible systemic responses of large-volume hepatic RFA and to estimate its safety limit in normal and cirrhotic rats. HYPOTHESIS: Large-volume hepatic RFA causes a significant systemic inflammatory reaction. DESIGN: Experimental study. SETTING: University teaching hospital. INTERVENTION: Using the Cool-tip RF System (Radionics, Burlington, Mass), RFA was performed for different percentages of the liver volume by weight in normal and cirrhotic Sprague-Dawley rats. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in concentrations of serum inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-alpha] and interleukin [IL] 6), functions of various end organs, and survival rates were assessed. RESULTS: In the normal liver groups, the concentrations of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were significantly elevated in the early postoperative period when 50% (mean +/- SD TNF-alpha concentration, 130.3 +/- 15.6 pg/mL; mean +/- SD IL-6 concentration, 163.2 +/- 12.2 pg/mL) and 60% (mean +/- SD TNF-alpha concentration, 145.7 +/- 13.0 pg/mL; mean +/- SD IL-6 concentration, 180.8 +/- 11.0 pg/mL) of the liver volume were ablated compared with the control group (mean +/- SD TNF-alpha concentration, 30.4 +/- 9.9 pg/mL, P<.001; mean +/- SD IL-6 concentration, 28.4 +/- 6.7 pg/mL, P<.001). The concentrations of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in other groups remained similar to those in the control group. Thrombocytopenia, prolonged clotting time, and interstitial pneumonitis occurred when 50% and 60% of the liver volume were ablated. The 4-week survival rates were 100%, 60%, and 0% when 40%, 50%, and 60%, respectively, of the liver volume were ablated. Similar systemic inflammatory responses and poor survival rates were observed among the cirrhotic liver groups when 30% and 40% of the liver volume were ablated. CONCLUSIONS: The normal rats can tolerate RFA of 40% of the liver volume with minimal morbidity and no mortality whereas the cirrhotic rats can only tolerate 20% of the ablated liver volume. Beyond that limit, RFA would cause significant systemic inflammatory responses and poor survival.