Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Alessandra Mangia, Rosa Cotugno, Giovanna Cocomazzi, Maria Maddalena Squillante, Valeria Piazzolla
Summary: The World Health Organization's goal of eliminating Hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030 using direct-acting antiviral treatments has become less attainable post the 2020 pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019. Therefore, a more realistic approach of micro-elimination in population segments where targeted strategies of prevention and treatment are easily attained has been promoted in Europe. Active involvement of stakeholders and community participation are essential components for the success of a micro-elimination project tailored at the geographical level according to HCV epidemiology and individual country's income.
WORLD JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Anshuman Das, Efrain E. Rivera-Serrano, Xin Yin, Christopher M. Walker, Zongdi Feng, Stanley M. Lemon
Summary: In this Review, the authors discuss quasi-enveloped virions, their entry and release from human host cells, and their impact on host immunity and pathogenesis. They focus on hepatitis A and E viruses, which were previously considered non-enveloped but are now known to be released as quasi-enveloped virions cloaked in host membranes. Despite lacking virally encoded proteins on their surface, these virions efficiently enter cells and replicate. The authors also describe the mechanisms by which specific peptide sequences in the capsids of these virions mediate their release from hepatocytes and the current understanding of their cell entry mechanism.
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Alba Rodriguez-Garcia, Maria Linares, Maria Luz Morales, Sophie Allain-Maillet, Nicolas Mennesson, Ricardo Sanchez, Rafael Alonso, Alejandra Leivas, Alfredo Perez-Rivilla, Edith Bigot-Corbel, Sylvie Hermouet, Joaquin Martinez-Lopez
Summary: This study reports on the association between HCV infection and the progression of MGUS and MM. The results suggest a causal relationship and show that antiviral treatment can lead to better disease progression. When HCV is eliminated, clonal plasma cells can be controlled, providing new possibilities for the treatment of MGUS and myeloma.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Isabelle Desombere, Freya Van Houtte, Ali Farhoudi, Lieven Verhoye, Caroline Buysschaert, Yvonne Gijbels, Sibyl Couvent, Wilfried Swinnen, Hans Van Vlierberghe, Andre Elewaut, Andrea Magri, Zania Stamataki, Philip Meuleman, Jane A. McKeating, Geert Leroux-Roels
Summary: Hepatitis C virus can be transmitted by B cells, but B cells from recently infected patients failed to transmit the virus to mice, while all serum samples were infectious. The study also observed an association between circulating antibodies and B cell transmission of HCV.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Virology
Aleksei Suslov, Markus H. Heim, Stefan Wieland
Summary: Infectious diseases cause significant human suffering and socioeconomic burden worldwide. Understanding the interactions between human pathogens and hosts is crucial for developing effective treatment strategies. However, there is a lack of model systems that accurately replicate these interactions. The tropism of hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses for the human liver poses challenges in studying their interactions during the natural progression of these infections. This review summarizes the efforts to advance our knowledge of virus-host interactions in chronic HCV and HBV infection through the analysis of surplus liver biopsy tissue donated by patients.
Article
Immunology
Siddharth Sridhar, Cyril Chik-Yan Yip, Kelvin Hon-Yin Lo, Shusheng Wu, Jianwen Situ, Nicholas Foo-Siong Chew, Kit-Hang Leung, Helen Shuk-Ying Chan, Sally Cheuk-Ying Wong, Anthony Wai-Shing Leung, Cindy Wing-Sze Tse, Kitty S. C. Fung, Owen Tak-Yin Tsang, Kam-Lun Hon, Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng, Ken Ho-Leung Ng, Kwok-Yung Yuen
Summary: This study investigated human HEV-C1 infections detected in Hong Kong, with a focus on outcomes in immunocompromised individuals. The findings showed that immunocompromised HEV-C1-infected patients frequently progress to persistent HEV-C1 infection, for which ribavirin is a suitable treatment option.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Hsiao-Sang Chu, Olivia J. Killeen, Yi-Ting Hsieh, Tung-Hung Su, H. Kaz Soong, Chung-Liang Shih, Fung-Rong Hu
Summary: This study aims to investigate the rationality of the allocation guidelines in a hepatitis B endemic area that uses corneas from hepatitis B donors. The results showed that allocating corneas from HBsAg(+) or anti-HBc(+) donors to HBsAg(+) or hepatitis B surface antibody recipients maximizes cornea usage from hepatitis B donors without compromising transplant safety.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Kai Zhang, Xinyuan Lai, Ji Song, Lingyuan He, Luwei Wang, Guomin Ou, Xing Tian, Lei Wang, Juan Deng, Jiajia Zhang, Chuanyun Li, Hui Zhuang, Tong Li, Kuanhui Xiang
Summary: The coinfection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) can lead to severe liver disease, but a robust HBV/HCV coinfection cell culture model has been established to investigate their interaction. This model supports infection and replication of both HBV and HCV, allowing for a better understanding of their molecular details and outcomes.
ANTIVIRAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Chen-Hua Liu, Jia-Horng Kao
Summary: Acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, with varying incidence rates globally, is most common in individuals who have received unsafe medical procedures, used injection drugs, and lived with human immunodeficiency virus. Diagnosing acute HCV infection is challenging in immunocompromised, reinfected, and superinfected patients due to difficulties in detecting anti-HCV antibody seroconversion and HCV ribonucleic acid. Clinical trials have recently shown the treatment benefits of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Early initiation of DAAs is recommended for acute HCV infection before spontaneous viral clearance, and shorter treatment durations can be effective. Standard DAA regimens have similar efficacy in treating HCV-reinfected patients and DAA-naive ones. For specific cases, such as HCV-viremic liver and non-liver solid organ transplant recipients, different treatment durations and courses of DAAs are suggested. Prophylactic HCV vaccines are currently unavailable, so prevention measures, harm reduction, safe sex, and vigilant surveillance after viral clearance are crucial for reducing HCV transmission. (Clin Mol Hepatol 2023;29:623-642)
CLINICAL AND MOLECULAR HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohammad Enamul Hoque Kayesh, Michinori Kohara, Kyoko Tsukiyama-Kohara
Summary: This review discusses the importance of TLR responses in HCV infection and the mechanisms adopted by HCV to avoid immune surveillance mediated by TLRs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biology
Altaira D. Dearborn, Ashish Kumar, Joseph Marcotrigiano
Summary: A domain in the ORF1 polyprotein of the hepatitis E virus, previously believed to be a protease, is actually a zinc-binding domain.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Gamal Shiha, Reham Soliman, Nabiel N. H. Mikhail, Philippa Easterbrook
Summary: This study demonstrates a significant reduction in new HCV infections in a general population sample in Egypt following a high coverage testing and treatment program. The new infections were found to be significantly associated with healthcare-related exposures.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Nadia Marascio, Salvatore Rotundo, Angela Quirino, Giovanni Matera, Maria Carla Liberto, Chiara Costa, Alessandro Russo, Enrico Maria Trecarichi, Carlo Torti
Summary: Despite significant differences in virology and clinical presentation, HEV and HCV share many similarities in terms of transmission, pathogenesis, and treatment response. The study of coinfection and its consequences remains largely unexplored, which is important for research and clinical practice.
WORLD JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Ru Cheng, Fu Zhu, Min Huang, Qiang Zhang, Hui Hong Yan, Xiao Hui Zhao, Fu Kang Luo, Chun Mei Li, Hui Liu, Gao Lin Liang, Cheng Zhi Huang, Jian Wang
Summary: In this study, a new biosensor named hepatitis virus indicator was developed for the simultaneous detection of HBV and HCV. The biosensor utilized Exo III assisted signal amplification strategy and particle counting technology with a dark-field microscopy, enabling sensitive and selective detection.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Davaalkham Dambadarjaa, Otgonbayar Radnaa, Ser-Od Khuyag, Oyu-Erdene Shagdarsuren, Uranbaigali Enkhbayar, Yerkyebulan Mukhtar, Enkh-Oyun Tsogzolbaatar, Gunchmaa Nyam, Shatar Shaarii, Pramil Singh, Masaharu Takahashi, Bira Namdag, Hiroaki Okamoto
Summary: Hepatitis B, C, and D virus infections are a major public health problem in Mongolia, with high prevalence of dual and triple infections. The general population has a high infection rate, and most people are unaware of their infection status, especially young people.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Zobair M. Younossi, Andrei Racila, Andrew Muir, Marc Bourliere, Alessandra Mangia, Rafael Esteban, Stefan Zeuzem, Massimo Colombo, Michael Manns, George Papatheodoridis, Maria Buti, Anand Chokkalingam, Anuj Gaggar, Fatema Nader, Issah Younossi, Linda Henry, Maria Stepanova
Summary: Achieving sustained virologic response improves patient reported outcomes in patients with HCV cirrhosis. Patients with compensated cirrhosis have severe impairment in baseline PROs, but show significant improvement after achieving SVR. Patients with decompensated cirrhosis also experience improvement in PROs, but there is a declining trend after 2 years.
CLINICAL GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Alessandra Mangia, Annarita Valeria Piazzolla, Maria Maddalena Squillante, Giovanna Cocomazzi, Vanna Maria Valori, Massimiliano Copetti, Paola Parente, Vito Attino, Maria Guido
Summary: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can progress to severe liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. The presence of portal inflammation, high triglycerides levels, advanced fibrosis at baseline, and the duration of follow-up are predictors of disease progression in NAFLD patients.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Chiara Pizzolitto, Francesca Scognamiglio, Pasquale Sacco, Sara Lipari, Maurizio Romano, Ivan Donati, Eleonora Marsich
Summary: This study investigated the effect of different viscoplastic ECM mimics on the osteogenic engagement of MSCs. By developing a soft hydrogel, it was found that the presence of temporary cross-links led to early osteogenic commitment of MSCs, while purely elastic hydrogels required a longer time for differentiation to occur.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Stefano Fagiuoli, Pierluigi Toniutto, Nicola Coppola, Domenica Daniela Ancona, Margherita Andretta, Fausto Bartolini, Fulvio Ferrante, Alessandro Lupi, Stefano Palcic, Francesca Vittoria Rizzi, Davide Re, Gema Alvarez Nieto, Candido Hernandez, Francesca Frigerio, Valentina Perrone, Luca Degli Esposti, Alessandra Mangia
Summary: This study investigates the impact of polymedication and aging on the prevalence of drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in HCV patients treated with SOF/VEL or GLE/PIB. The study finds that SOF/VEL patients are older and have more comorbidities and polypharmacy compared to GLE/PIB patients. The simultaneous use of multiple medications can lead to DDIs and increase treatment risks.
THERAPEUTICS AND CLINICAL RISK MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Alessandra Mangia
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pierluigi Reveglia, Carmela Paolillo, Antonella Angiolillo, Gabriella Ferretti, Ruggero Angelico, Rossana Sirabella, Gaetano Corso, Carmela Matrone, Alfonso Di Costanzo
Summary: Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly population. It not only affects the brain, but also disturbs the overall metabolism of the body. Analysis of blood samples from patients with AD revealed significant dysregulation of metabolites, including upregulation of glycerophospholipids and ceramide, and downregulation of glutamic acid, other phospholipids, and sphingolipids. Pathway analysis showed that at least five metabolic pathways related to polar compounds were dysregulated in AD patients.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ruggero Angelico, Claudio Colombo, Erika Di Iorio, Martin Brtnicky, Jakub Fojt, Pellegrino Conte
Summary: Natural organic matter, such as humic substances (HS), is composed of complex structures stabilized by various interactions. Different models have been proposed to describe the physicochemical properties of HS, including a hydrogel-like structure or mass/surface fractals. This study critically reviews and revisits these models, aiming to provide key insights into the structural organization of HS and their roles in the environment.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Alessandra Mangia, Maria Maddalena Squillante, Filippo Fraticelli, Maria Chiara Cavorsi, Giulia Paroni, Lucia Zaffarano, Annarita Valeria Piazzolla
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of baseline viremia on the natural history of HDV infection. The results demonstrated that HDV RNA levels may help identify a subgroup of patients with slower progression of liver disease.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Michele Porto, Ruggero Angelico, Pietro Calandra, Valeria Loise, Abraham A. Abe, Cesare Oliviero Rossi, Paolino Caputo
Summary: In this investigation, the dynamics of two types of bitumens with different penetration grade were tested under unaged conditions and upon short- and long-term artificial aging using DSR and NMR. The study found that the gel-sol transition temperature increased with aging time, and unexpectedly, the viscosity parameters were correlated with those of simple liquids, indicating a shared basic process at the molecular level. NMR techniques were used to investigate the molecular dynamics, including self-diffusion coefficients and relaxation times, and it was found that the translational diffusion and relaxation times showed broad distributions and continuous unimodal distributions, respectively.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Francesco Piazza, Pietro Parisse, Julia Passerino, Eleonora Marsich, Luca Bersanini, Davide Porrelli, Gabriele Baj, Ivan Donati, Pasquale Sacco
Summary: The rate of cooling after heating is crucial for the structure and performance of agarose hydrogel networks. This study presents a material strategy for the fine modulation of quenching during the temperature-curing steps of agarose, revealing insights into the accumulation and recovery of agarose on the surface. The temperature curing of agarose allows for the production of networks with tunable mechanics and is suitable for mechanobiology studies.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Felice Alfonso Nava, Alessandra Mangia, Marco Riglietta, Lorenzo Somaini, Francesco Giuseppe Foschi, Ernesto Claar, Ivana Maida, Claudio Ucciferri, Francesca Frigerio, Candido Hernandez, Melania Dovizio, Valentina Perrone, Luca Degli Esposti, Massimo Puoti
Summary: This study aimed to analyze the characteristics and clinical features of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected people who use drugs (PWUDs) in Italy, with a focus on comorbidity profile, treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs), and resource consumption. The study found that HCV-positive individuals were older, had more comorbidities, and had higher rates of drug prescriptions and hospitalizations. Untreated patients with DAAs had more severe comorbidities. These findings provide insights for improving healthcare interventions for HCV-infected PWUDs.
THERAPEUTICS AND CLINICAL RISK MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Francesco Piazza, Matilde Colella, Giuseppe Cinelli, Francesco Lopez, Ivan Donati, Pasquale Sacco
Summary: This study investigates the structural changes of chia seed mucilage when treated with alpha-amylase, the most abundant enzyme in human saliva. The results reveal that the material thickens and the elastic modulus increases after enzyme treatment, indicating a restructuring of the chia mucilage network mediated by alpha-amylase. This finding has implications for the commercial processing of chia seed mucilage.
Meeting Abstract
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Alessandra Mangia, Maria Maddalena Squillante, Giovanna Cocomazzi, Chiara Cavorsi, Antonio Manuel Napolitano, Annarita Valeria Piazzolla
Correction
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qiqian Liu, Hui Liu, Pasquale Sacco, Nadia Djaker, Marc Lamy de la Chapelle, Eleonora Marsich, Xiaowu Li, Jolanda Spadavecchia
NANOSCALE ADVANCES
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Pasquale Sacco, Chiara Pizzolitto
TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A
(2022)
