Dietary fructose promotes tumor growth in animal models of melanoma, breast cancer and cervical cancer. However, fructose does not directly fuel tumors, according to the study published Dec. 4 in the journal Nature. Instead, WashU scientists discovered that the liver converts fructose into usable nutrients for cancer cells, a compelling finding that could open up new avenues for care and treatment of many different types of cancer.
Tag: LIVER
Removing Bile Acid Receptor in Gut Blocks Intestinal Inflammation
Removing a nuclear bile acid receptor that regulates glucose and lipid stability from the intestine blocked gut inflammation in mice, according to researchers at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Study finds targeting inflammation may not help reduce liver fibrosis in MAFLD
Researchers at UCLA Health uncovered new information about the role inflammation plays in mitigating liver fibrosis, which is associated with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), one of the most common diseases in the world affecting up to 40 percent of U.S. adults.
Alcohol misuse can disrupt gut microbiota, causing inflammation that leads to organ damage
Alcohol researchers have long known that excessive drinking can cause damage to the liver, pancreas, heart, muscle, bone, and brain. However, only a subset of patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) appear to develop organ damage. New research shows that alcohol-induced gut inflammation is the missing link between unhealthy drinking and organ damage among certain AUD patients.
Study Details Toxic Elements Found in Stranded Whales, Dolphins Over 15 Years
Researchers evaluated the prevalence, concentration and tissue distribution of essential and non-essential trace elements, including heavy metal toxicants in tissue (blubber, kidney, liver, skeletal muscle, skin) and fecal samples. Findings reveal how toxicant levels relate to their sex, breed, age and other demographic factors.
This ultrasound sticker senses changing stiffness of deep internal organs
MIT engineers have developed a small ultrasound sticker that can monitor the stiffness of organs deep inside the body.
Oregon State researchers uncover mechanism for treating dangerous liver condition
A study spearheaded by Oregon State University has shown why certain polyunsaturated fatty acids work to combat a dangerous liver condition, opening a new avenue of drug research for a disease that currently has no FDA-approved medications.
New Cancer Therapy Target Stops Tumor Cells From Sharing Resources
Researchers at University of California San Diego have discovered a process in which liver cells share molecules in order to multiply under conditions that would ordinarily suppress cell proliferation. They also found evidence that this process occurs in various types of cancer cells.
Interferon-γ priming enhances the therapeutic effects of menstrual blood-derived stromal cells in a mouse liver ischemia-reperfusion model
BACKGROUNDMesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used in liver transplantation and have certain effects in alleviating liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and regulating immune rejection. However, some studies have indicated that the e
A readily available dietary supplement may reverse organ damage caused by HIV and antiretroviral therapy
MitoQ, a mitochondrial antioxidant that is available to the public as a diet supplement, was found in a mouse study to reverse the detrimental effects that HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART) have on mitochondria in the brain, heart, aorta, lungs, kidney and liver.
UChicago Medicine celebrates 2022 transplant milestones
The University of Chicago Medicine liver transplant teams performed their 2,000th liver transplant in 2022, a milestone figure for the South Side academic medical center.
AASLD Hepatology Award with Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program
In support of our unwavering commitment to champion diversity, equity and inclusion in the field of hepatology, AASLD is pleased to announce the development of our own hepatology award.
Father’s Life is Saved after Receiving Heart, Kidney and Liver Transplant
After a rare disease caused organ failure, UC San Diego Heath transplant teams performed a heart, liver and kidney transplant on a patient. The surgery is a first for UC San Diego Health and a first in the nation to use three organs from a donor after circulatory death.
National ‘Acuity Circles’ Policy Leads to Delays in Liver Donor Procurements
A national policy change to facilitate the broader sharing of donor livers through “acuity circles” has resulted in procurement delays, according to a researcher at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Mineral Supplement Could Stop Fatty Liver Disease Progression
Results from a preclinical study add new evidence that a multi-mineral dietary supplement known as Aquamin could be a simple and effective way to reduce the long-term health consequences of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Aquamin, which is derived from calcified red marine algae, is rich in calcium, magnesium and 72 other minerals and trace elements.
3D imaging reveals neural ‘vicious cycle’ in fatty liver disease
With the application of a novel three-dimensional imaging technology, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have discovered that one portion of the autonomic nervous system in the liver undergoes severe degeneration in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The study, which is…
Melanoma of the eye: Preclinical tests show path toward treatment
A small molecule inhibitor has been identified that reduces the growth of uveal melanoma, a rare and deadly cancer of the eye
Scientists identify new gut-liver drug recycling process
Implications for developing treatments for intestinal diseases
Revealing the mystery behind the threat of non-alcoholic liver disease
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common liver disorder worldwide and is present in approximately 25 percent of the world’s population. Over 90 percent of obese, 60 percent of diabetic, and up to 20 percent of normal-weight people develop…
Keeping the world up to date on irritable bowel syndrome research in China
Scientists condense Chinese studies over the past decade on this common gastrointestinal disorder in a review article
Selective, Toxin-Bearing Antibodies Could Help Treat Liver Fibrosis
UC San Diego researchers discovered that immunotoxins targeting the protein mesothelin prevent liver cells from producing collagen, a precursor to fibrosis and cirrhosis, in mouse models of human disease.
The ethics of split liver transplantation: Analyzing case studies to make the right decision
Split liver transplantation (SLT) provides an opportunity to divide a donor liver and offer transplants to two small patients, one or both of whom could be a child. SLT, which is underused in the United States, could be used more…
Scientists find liver drug candidates among pesticides
Skoltech biologists and their colleagues from Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russia, and the Chemistry Department of Taras Shevchenko University in Ukraine have discovered fairly unlikely drug candidates for treating liver fibrosis and other pathologies — among pest control chemicals.…
NYU Abu Dhabi researchers unlock secrets behind liver regrowth and regenerative medicine
New insight into the liver’s unique ability to regenerate holds promise for developing treatments for the lung, heart, and other organs that currently must be replaced by transplants
Missing bile ducts offer clues to mechanism of liver injury
PITTSBURGH, July 6, 2021 – Scientists from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine described a new phenomenon in which the deletion of a single gene involved in liver embryogenesis completely wipes out bile ducts of newborn mice. But despite…
Evidence based recommendations to support physical exercise for adults with obesity
Synthesis of the evidence and recommendations from the European Association for the Study of Obesity Physical Activity Working Group
Liver cancer call for help
Indigenous communities missing care — expert
About the beginning of life, bacteria in the gut and collective intelligence in bees
News from the life sciences
Compounds derived from hops show promise as treatment for common liver disease
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Research by Oregon State University suggests a pair of compounds originating from hops can help thwart a dangerous buildup of fat in the liver known as hepatic steatosis. The findings, published today in eLife , are important…
Malaysia registers first hepatitis C treatment developed through South-South cooperation
New treatment combination for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an additional affordable option for millions still waiting for access to lifesaving treatments in middle-income countries
Higher alcohol content beer popularity growing, as overall beer consumption down
PITTSBURGH, June 10, 2021 – Americans are consuming more craft beer with higher alcohol content but are drinking less beer by volume, according to a new analysis led by epidemiologists at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.…
New Potential Therapy for Fatty Liver Disease
In a subset of patients with partial lipodystrophy and/or NASH, the hormone leptin can be leveraged as a therapeutic agent to move fat out of the liver.
People who use methamphetamine likely to report multiple chronic conditions
Medical, mental, and substance use issues all more prevalent among adults who use methamphetamine
Diet plays critical role in NASH progressing to liver cancer in mouse model
When fed diet high in fat and cholesterol, mice that overate became obese, diabetic and developed NASH, which progressed to kidney and cardiovascular disease and liver cancer
Corning launches HepGo™ assay-ready 3D liver spheroid kits
Corning expands cell culture portfolio with 3D liver models that better recapitulate in vivo behavior and deliver a more physiologically relevant model for improved drug safety and efficacy screening
AGA recommends early use of biologics in patients with moderate-to-severe Crohn’s disease
The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) issues new clinical guidelines on drug therapy for the management of moderate-to-severe luminal and fistulizing Crohn’s disease.
Microbial gene discovery could mean greater gut health
URBANA, Ill. – As the owner of a human body, you’re carrying trillions of microbes with you everywhere you go. These microscopic organisms aren’t just hitching a ride; many of them perform essential chemical reactions that regulate everything from our…
Researchers find that blocking a protein in liver cells protects against insulin resistance and fatty liver disease
A new multi-institution study led by a team of researchers at the David Geffen School of Medicine demonstrated that blocking a protein called ABCB10 in liver cells protects against high blood sugar and fatty liver disease in obese mice. ABCB10 activity also prompted insulin resistance in human liver cells.
Gut Check
At a glance:
Researchers identify links between genetic makeup of bacteria in human gut and several human diseases
Clusters of bacterial genes present in conditions including cardiovascular illness, inflammatory bowel disease, liver cirrhosis, and cancer
Work brings scientist closer to developing tests that could predict disease risk or identify disease presence based on a sampling of the genetic makeup of a person’s microbiome
Cancer has ripple effect on distant tissues
A new study with zebrafish shows that a deadly form of skin cancer — melanoma — alters the metabolism of healthy tissues elsewhere in the body. The research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests that these other tissues could potentially be targeted to help treat cancer.“Tumors rely on a constant supply of nutrients to grow.
Which medications are most toxic to the liver?
A new study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology ¬provides insights on how common hospitalized patients develop liver injury from taking different medications. When investigators analyzed the records of 156,570 hospitalized patients, they found 499 cases of drug-induced…
Landscape study launched to detect liver cancer early in Singapore
Singapore, 3 May 2021 – A first of its kind cohort study on patients at high risk of developing primary liver cancer also known as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has been launched to diagnose HCC more accurately at an earlier stage…
A glimmer of hope: New weapon in the fight against liver diseases
Niigata, Japan–Researchers from Niigata University , the University of Tokyo, Osaka University and Tokyo Medical University, Japan have developed a new approach that could revolutionize the treatment, prevention, and possibly reversal of the damages caused by liver diseases. This novel…
Toward a feasible alternative to liver organ transplant
New findings could lead to ways to keep transplanted adult liver cells functioning long term
Researchers work to increase number of transplantable livers
New findings lay groundwork for turning previously unusable donor livers into transplantable organs
Announcing Virtual Press Conference for Experimental Biology 2021 Meeting
Reporters are invited to join a live Q&A discussion of exciting research announcements at the forefront of the life sciences during a virtual press conference for the Experimental Biology (EB) 2021 meeting. The press conference will be held online from 1–1:45 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 26, 2021 (RSVP by Friday, April 23).
Can cirrhosis of the liver be treated with faeces transplantation?
Researchers from Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital replace sick intestinal bacteria with intestinal bacteria from healthy donors in a treatment intended to help patients with cirrhosis of the liver. The Novo Nordisk Foundation supports the
Closer to human — Mouse model more accurately reproduces fatty liver disease
Human non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a little-understood condition that significantly increases the risk of inflammation, fibrosis and liver cancer and ultimately requires liver transplant. “NAFLD has been difficult to study mainly because we had no good animal model,”…
Pathways leading to the extramedullary development of tissue-resident lymphocytes found
Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), teamed up with scientists from Aix Marseille University, discovered that hematopoietic progenitors possessed the differentiation potential to type 1 innate lymphoid cells…
Chronic inflammatory liver disease: cell stress mechanisms identified
International study led by MedUni Vienna appears in “Hepatology”