Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Grazia Pennisi, Rosaria Maria Pipitone, Daniela Cabibi, Marco Enea, Manuel Romero-Gomez, Mauro Vigano, Elisabetta Bugianesi, Vincent Wai-Sun Wong, Anna Ludovica Fracanzani, Giada Sebastiani, Annalisa Berzigotti, Francesca Di Salvo, Antonino Giulio Giannone, Claudia La Mantia, Giulia Lupo, Rossana Porcasi, Federica Vernuccio, Rossella Zito, Vito Di Marco, Calogero Camma, Antonio Craxi, Victor de Ledinghen, Stefania Grimaudo, Salvatore Petta
Summary: The presence of a cholestatic pattern in patients with NAFLD predicts a higher risk of major liver-related outcomes independently from other features of liver disease.
LIVER INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Huan Lan, Ying Zhang, Minqi Fan, Bingxin Wu, Caiyan Wang
Summary: This review summarizes the role and progress of PXR in the treatment of CLI, which improves CLI by ameliorating cholestasis, inhibiting inflammation, and reducing fibrosis.
DRUG METABOLISM REVIEWS
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Huan Lan, Ying Zhang, Minqi Fan, Bingxin Wu, Caiyan Wang
Summary: Cholestatic liver injury (CLI) is a disease caused by the accumulation of toxic bile acids (BAs) in the liver, resulting in inflammation and liver fibrosis. The regulation of BA synthesis and homeostasis, particularly through the activation of the Pregnane X receptor (PXR), has shown promise in treating CLI. PXR plays a crucial role in the metabolism of endobiotics and xenobiotics, ultimately modulating BA homeostasis and exerting anti-cholestatic effects. Recent studies have also demonstrated the antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory properties of PXR, providing new insights into CLI treatment.
DRUG METABOLISM REVIEWS
(2023)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Halima Sultana, Michio Komai, Hitoshi Shirakawa
Summary: Vitamin K plays a critical role in liver diseases, particularly in conditions related to cholestasis. By modulating PXR, vitamin K may have a positive impact on cholestasis and liver fibrosis.
Review
Immunology
Rocio Gallego-Duran, Rocio Montero-Vallejo, Douglas Maya-Miles, Ana Lucena, Franz Martin, Javier Ampuero, Manuel Romero-Gomez
Summary: MAFLD is the most prevalent form of liver disease globally, with immune responses playing a key role in its development, leading to various injuries and loss of function in the liver due to metabolic and immune changes.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
James B. Maurice, Robert Goldin, Andrew Hall, Jennifer C. Price, Giada Sebastiani, Caryn G. Morse, Laura Iogna Prat, Hugo Perazzo, Lucy Garvey, Patrick Ingiliz, Giovanni Guaraldi, Emmanouil Tsochatzis, Maud Lemoine
Summary: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasingly recognized cause of liver disease in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH). This study found a strong association between body mass index and NAFLD, as well as between type 2 diabetes and advanced fibrosis in PLWH. Additionally, further optimization of serological markers for fibrosis is needed.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Guido A. Baselli, Oveis Jamialahmadi, Serena Pelusi, Ester Ciociola, Francesco Malvestiti, Marco Saracino, Luigi Santoro, Alessandro Cherubini, Paola Dongiovanni, Marco Maggioni, Cristiana Bianco, Federica Tavaglione, Annalisa Cespiati, Rosellina M. Mancina, Roberta D'Ambrosio, Valentina Vaira, Salvatore Petta, Luca Miele, Umberto Vespasiani-Gentilucci, Alessandro Federico, Jussi Pihlajamaki, Elisabetta Bugianesi, Anna L. Fracanzani, Helen L. Reeves, Giorgio Soardo, Daniele Prati, Stefano Romeo, Luca VC. Valenti
Summary: This study investigated the impact of rare variants on severe non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and found that loss-of-function variants in the ATG7 gene promote the progression of NAFLD.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Leke Wiering, Pallavi Subramanian, Linda Hammerich
Summary: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease with a wide range of severity, from simple hepatic steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH can lead to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, making hepatic fibrosis an important predictor of outcomes. Recent advancements in understanding the activation and inactivation of hepatic stellate cells, which drive fibrosis development, have shed light on the disease progression in NAFLD/NASH.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Antonella Mosca, Luca Della Volpe, Anna Alisi, Silvio Veraldi, Paola Francalanci, Giuseppe Maggiore
Summary: The study showed that Hepamet and APRI perform better than NFS and FIB-4 in identifying fibrosis in NAFLD patients. However, their positive predictive values are not high enough to be considered diagnostic, indicating the need for further research on new markers for fibrosis.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Nisreen Nimer, Ibrahim Choucair, Zeneng Wang, Ina Nemet, Lin Li, Janet Gukasyan, Taylor L. Weeks, Naim Alkhouri, Nizar Zein, W. H. Wilson Tang, Michael A. Fischbach, J. Mark Brown, Hooman Allayee, Srinivasan Dasarathy, Valentin Gogonea, Stanley L. Hazen
Summary: Metabolomic studies have shown that plasma levels of bile acids are elevated in subjects with NAFLD compared to healthy controls. Specific bile acids are associated with the transition from simple hepatic steatosis to NASH, as well as genetic determinants. This suggests a potential role for bile acid metabolism in the development and progression of NASH.
METABOLISM-CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL
(2021)
Letter
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Amandeep Singh, Rajat Garg, Rocio Lopez, Naim Alkhouri
Summary: This study aims to develop a simple noninvasive fibrosis score to detect advanced fibrosis in patients with diabetes and compare its performance with other fibrosis scores.
CLINICAL GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Pragyan Acharya, Komal Chouhan, Sabine Weiskirchen, Ralf Weiskirchen
Summary: The liver, a central organ in the human body, is crucial for various metabolic functions and is susceptible to external agents that can lead to diseases like liver fibrosis. Understanding the cellular pathways of fibrosis is key in identifying potential therapeutic targets for liver-related diseases.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Grazia Pennisi, Marco Enea, Alessandra Pandolfo, Ciro Celsa, Michela Antonucci, Carlo Ciccioli, Giuseppe Infantino, Claudia La Mantia, Stefanie Parisi, Adele Tulone, Vito Di Marco, Antonio Craxi, Calogero Camma, Salvatore Petta
Summary: This study aimed to assess the accuracy of AGILE 3+, a score based on various factors, for the diagnosis of advanced fibrosis and the prediction of liver-related events in patients with NAFLD. The results showed that AGILE 3+ had higher diagnostic performance compared to FIB-4 and LSM.
CLINICAL GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Abdulrahman Ismaiel, Daniel-Corneliu Leucuta, Stefan-Lucian Popa, Dan L. Dumitrascu
Summary: After analyzing the role of visfatin in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, it was found that visfatin levels are not associated with NAFLD, presence or severity of hepatic steatosis, liver fibrosis, lobar inflammation, NASH, and gender.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Oncology
James A. Thomas, Bradley J. Kendall, Christine Dalais, Graeme A. Macdonald, Aaron P. Thrift
Summary: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and extrahepatic cancer. The incidence rate of HCC is higher in patients with advanced liver fibrosis or cirrhosis, while the incidence rate of extrahepatic cancers is even higher. These findings emphasize the importance of prevention and early detection of cancer in adults with NAFLD.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Loreta A. Kondili, Maria Giovanna Quaranta, Luisa Cavalletto, Vincenza Calvaruso, Luigina Ferrigno, Roberta D'Ambrosio, Ilaria Simonelli, Giuseppina Brancaccio, Giovanni Raimondo, Maurizia R. Brunetto, Anna Linda Zignego, Carmine Coppola, Andrea Iannone, Elisa Biliotti, Gabriella Verucchi, Marco Massari, Anna Licata, Francesco Barbaro, Marcello Persico, Francesco Paolo Russo, Filomena Morisco, Maurizio Pompili, Mauro Vigano, Massimo Puoti, Teresa Santantonio, Erica Villa, Antonio Craxi, Liliana Chemello
Summary: This study evaluated the long-term risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis after hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication. Age, genotype 3, diabetes, platelets and albumin levels were identified as predictors of HCC risk. Furthermore, post-treatment platelet and albumin levels were found to independently predict HCC occurrence.
DIGESTIVE AND LIVER DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Giuseppina Brancaccio, Barbara Coco, Alessandra Nardi, Maria Giovanna Quaranta, Maria Elena Tosti, Luigina Ferrigno, Irene Cacciola, Vincenzo Messina, Luchino Chessa, Filomena Morisco, Michele Milella, Francesco Barbaro, Alessia Ciancio, Francesco Paolo Russo, Nicola Coppola, Pierluigi Blanc, Ernesto Claar, Gabriella Verucchi, Massimo Puoti, Anna Linda Zignego, Liliana Chemello, Salvatore Madonia, Stefano Fagiuoli, Alfredo Marzano, Carlo Ferrari, Pietro Lampertico, Vito Di Marco, Antonio Craxi, Teresa Antonia Santantonio, Giovanni Raimondo, Maurizia R. Brunetto, Giovanni Battista Gaeta, Loreta A. Kondili
Summary: The study examined the characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus in Italy and found that a significant proportion of patients were non-Italian natives, and there was a decline in HBeAg prevalence and stable anti-HDV prevalence. Cirrhosis was common in both cohorts, with a higher proportion in the PITER cohort, and variables such as age, sex, BMI, and anti-HDV positivity were associated with cirrhosis. The study also observed an increase in adherence to antiviral treatment recommendations over time. In conclusion, chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Italy appears to be under control, but HDV infection remains a health concern.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniela Gabbia, Sara De Martin
Summary: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second-leading cause of cancer-related death globally, and efforts have been made to find novel biomarkers for predicting patients' survival and treatment outcomes, especially in immunotherapy. The role of tumor mutational burden (TMB), the total number of mutations per coding area of a tumor genome, has been studied to determine whether it could be a reliable biomarker for stratifying HCC patients into subgroups with different responsiveness to immunotherapy or predicting disease progression, particularly in relation to different HCC etiologies. This review summarizes the recent advances in studying TMB and TMB-related biomarkers in HCC, focusing on their feasibility as guides for therapy decisions and predictors of clinical outcomes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Adam M. Passman, Magnus J. Haughey, Emanuela Carlotti, Marc J. Williams, Bianca Cereser, Meng-Lay Lin, Shruthi Devkumar, Jonathan P. Gabriel, Enrico Gringeri, Umberto Cillo, Francesco Paolo Russo, Matthew Hoare, Joanne ChinAleong, Marnix Jansen, Nicholas A. Wright, Hermant M. Kocher, Weini Huang, Malcolm R. Alison, Stuart A. C. McDonald
Summary: The origin and expansion dynamics of hepatocyte clones in the normal human liver have been determined using lineage tracing, methylation sequence analysis, and next-generation sequencing. Clonal patches of hepatocytes commonly associate with portal tracts and can lineage-trace with cholangiocytes, indicating a common ancestor at this niche. The patterns of mitochondrial DNA variants reveal spatially restricted mutations and limited clonal mutations, indicating slow growth and quiescence of clonal patches.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Dermatology
Christian Ciolfi, Riccardo Balestri, Federico Bardazzi, Martina Burlando, Karin Chersi, Antonio Costanzo, Paolo Dapavo, Paolo Gisondi, Piergiorgio Malagoli, Miriam Pizzolato, Giulia Rech, Francesco Paolo Russo, Sara Battistella, Stefano Piaserico
JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY AND VENEREOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Nicola Pugliese, Vincenza Calvaruso, Mario Masarone, Roberta D'Ambrosio, Sara Battistella, Anna Licata, Marcello Persico, Maria Paola Anolli, Marco Distefano, Salvatore Petta, Francesco Paolo Russo, Vito Di Marco, Alessio Aghemo
Summary: This retrospective study found that G/P treatment achieved high SVR rates of 97.9% in Caucasian patients aged 75 years and older with chronic HCV infection. The study included 570 patients who received G/P treatment at five referral centers in Italy between October 2017 and January 2022.
LIVER INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Aron Emmi, Michele Sandre, Francesco Paolo Russo, Giulia Tombesi, Federica Garri, Marta Campagnolo, Miryam Carecchio, Roberta Biundo, Gaya Spolverato, Veronica Macchi, Edoardo Savarino, Fabio Farinati, Piero Parchi, Andrea Porzionato, Luigi Bubacco, Raffaele De Caro, Gabor G. Kovacs, Angelo Antonini
Summary: This study revealed the presence of neuronal dysfunction and reactive gliosis in the duodenum of patients with Parkinson's disease, suggesting that the enteric nervous system is involved in the pathophysiology of the disease.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS
(2023)
Review
Virology
Sara Battistella, Alberto Zanetto, Martina Gambato, Giacomo Germani, Marco Senzolo, Patrizia Burra, Francesco Paolo Russo
Summary: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a prevalent disease leading to liver transplantation (LT) for cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. The presence of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) accelerates liver injury and HCC progression in HBsAg carriers. Post-transplantation, combination therapy with HBIG and NUCs has improved patient survival by preventing re-infection and recurrence. High-barrier NUCs like entecavir and tenofovir are safe and effective for low-risk HBV reactivation. Last-generation NUCs allow for the use of anti-HBc and HBsAg-positive grafts due to organ shortage.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Erica Nicola Lynch, Francesco Paolo Russo
Summary: The treatment of hepatitis C (HCV) has been revolutionized by the use of direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs), allowing for treatment in advanced stages of liver disease. However, the long-term outcomes and optimal follow-up care for patients after achieving sustained virological response (SVR) are still unclear. Many questions remain regarding patient management after viral eradication, such as predicting liver-related complications and the extent to which viral eradication reduces the risk of liver disease progression. Personalized follow-up care based on individual risk is increasingly supported. This narrative review aims to analyze the impact of viral eradication with DAAs on portal hypertension, hepatocellular carcinoma, and extrahepatic manifestations, as well as summarize indications for optimal follow-up care of HCV patients treated with DAAs.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniela Gabbia, Sara De Martin
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Ugo Fedeli, Claudio Barbiellini Amidei, Veronica Casotto, Enrico Grande, Mario Saia, Alberto Zanetto, Francesco Paolo Russo
Summary: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, trends in mortality from chronic liver disease varied depending on the cause, etiology, and region. The pandemic directly impacted mortality of CLD patients through increased risk for severe illness and death, and indirectly through social isolation, harmful behaviors, and difficulties in accessing care. Limited data is available on changes in CLD-related deaths during the pandemic, but in the USA, there was an increase in mortality for all liver diseases, particularly alcoholic liver disease among young people and specific ethnic groups.
WORLD JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Martina Gambato, Chiara Manuli, Erica N. Lynch, Sara Battistella, Giacomo Germani, Marco Senzolo, Alberto Zanetto, Alberto Ferrarese, Alessandro Vitale, Enrico Gringeri, Umberto Cillo, Patrizia Burra, Francesco Paolo Russo
Summary: This study investigated the long-term impact of sustained virological response (SVR) on fibrosis progression and patient survival in liver transplantation (LT) recipients treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). The results showed that SVR12 was associated with improvement in hepatic function, liver fibrosis, and post-LT survival, regardless of the baseline fibrosis level. Presence of portal hypertension before DAAs had an impact on patient survival even after SVR12.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Elisa Pinto, Filippo Pelizzaro, Fabio Farinati, Francesco Paolo Russo
Summary: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common liver malignancy, and angiogenesis plays a crucial role in its development and progression. Deregulated angiogenic pathways have been identified as therapeutic targets in HCC. Locoregional and systemic treatments aim to disrupt tumor blood supply, but this may induce neoangiogenesis and tumor recurrence. Currently available tyrosine kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies primarily target angiogenic pathways for HCC treatment.
MEDICINA-LITHUANIA
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Giacomo Germani, Alberto Ferrarese, Francesca D'Arcangelo, Francesco Paolo Russo, Marco Senzolo, Martina Gambato, Alberto Zanetto, Umberto Cillo, Paolo Feltracco, Paolo Persona, Eugenio Serra, Giuseppe Feltrin, Giovanni Carretta, Alfio Capizzi, Daniele Donato, Michele Tessarin, Patrizia Burra
Summary: This study assessed the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with acute or chronic liver disease referred using an integrated referral program. The results showed that the development of an integrated referral program may represent the first step to standardize already existing referral networks between hub and spoke centers.
UNITED EUROPEAN GASTROENTEROLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Katia Sayaf, Ilaria Zanotto, Daniela Gabbia, Dafne Alberti, Giulia Pasqual, Alice Zaramella, Alberto Fantin, Sara De Martin, Francesco Paolo Russo
Summary: This study investigated the mechanisms of liver fibrosis and regeneration, and found that liver fibrosis was more severe in male mice, while liver repair and regeneration were more efficient in females.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
