HBV

The escalating spread of drug-resistant bacteria and viruses is a grave concern for global health. Nucleic acids dominate the drug-resistance and transmission of pathogenic microbes. Here, imidazolium-type poly(ionic liquid)/porphyrin (PIL-P) based electrospun nanofibrous membrane and its cerium (IV) ion complex (PIL-P-Ce) are developed. The obtained PIL-P-Ce membrane exhibits high and stable efficiency in eradicating various microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and viruses) and decomposing microbial antibiotic resistance genes and viral nucleic acids under light...

Persistent transcription of HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) is critical for chronic HBV infection. Silencing cccDNA transcription through epigenetic mechanisms offers an effective strategy to control HBV. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), as important epigenetic regulators, have an unclear role in cccDNA transcription regulation. In this study, lncRNA sequencing (lncRNA seq) is conducted on five pairs of HBV-positive and HBV-negative liver tissue. Through analysis, HOXA-AS2 (HOXA cluster antisense RNA 2) is identified as a significantly upregulated lncRNA in HBV-infected livers...

The clearance or transcriptional silencing of integrated HBV DNA is crucial for achieving a functional cure in patients with chronic hepatitis B and reducing the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma development. The PLC/PRF/5 cell line is commonly used as an in vitro model for studying HBV integration. In this study, we employed a range of multi-omics techniques to gain a panoramic understanding of the characteristics of HBV integration in PLC/PRF/5 cells and to reveal the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of integrated HBV DNA...

Background: It is poorly understood what cellular types participate in ductular reaction (DR) and whether DR facilitates recovery from injury or accelerates hepatic fibrosis. The aim of this study is to gain insights into the role of hepatic progenitor cell (HPC)-originated DR during fibrotic progression. Methods: DR in liver specimens of PBC, chronic HBV infection (CHB) or NAFLD, and four rodent fibrotic models by different pathogenic processes was evaluated. Gli1 expression was inhibited in rodent models or cell culture and organoid models by AAV-sh Gli1 or treating with GANT61...

OBJECTIVE: The impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) on the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains a controversial topic. This study aims to analyze the causal relationship between HBV and T2D using Mendelian randomization (MR). METHODS: Single nucleotide polymorphisms on chronic hepatitis B (CHB), liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and T2D were obtained from BioBank Japan Project, European Bioinformatics Institute, and FinnGen. Mendelian randomization was utilized to evaluate exposure-outcome causality...

Cholelithiasis is a common disease of the digestive system. The risk factors for cholelithiasis have been reported and summarized many times in the published literature, which primarily focused on cross-sectional studies. Due to the inherent limitations of the study design, the reported findings still need to be validated in additional longitudinal studies. Moreover, a number of new risk factors for cholelithiasis have been identified in recent years, such as bariatric surgery, hepatitis B virus infection, hepatitis C virus infection, kidney stones, colectomy, osteoporosis, etc...

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes in the serum markers in chronic hepatitis B patients who have had previous treatment with long-acting interferon therapy of nucleoside and those who have not and to assess the value of the serum markers for clinical prognosis evaluation. METHODS: The clinical data of 411 cases of chronic hepatitis B were collected. All cases were given the additional treatment of long-acting interferon between October 2019 to April 2022. The cases were divided into two groups, a previously treated group consisting of patients who had been treated with nucleoside and nucleotide analogues (NAs) for more than 6 months after they became infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) for over 6 months and an initial treatment group, or treatment naïve group, consisting of patients who had HBV infection for over 6 months and received no treatment or patients who have stopped NAs therapy for more than 6 months...

BACKGROUND: Given the superior performance of various therapies over sorafenib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the absence of direct comparisons, it is crucial to explore the efficacy of these treatments in phase III randomized clinical trials. OBJECTIVES: The goal is to identify which patients are most likely to benefit significantly from these emerging therapies, contributing to more personalized and informed clinical decision-making. DESIGN: Systematic review and network meta-analysis...

The WHO African Region had 81 million people with chronic hepatitis B in 2019, which remains a silent killer. Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis delta virus (HDV), and HIV can be transmitted from the mother to child. If the HBV infection is acquired at infancy, it may lead to chronic hepatitis B in 90% of the cases. WHO reports that 6.4 million children under 5 years live with chronic hepatitis B infection worldwide. The prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HBV is therefore critical in the global elimination strategy of viral hepatitis as we take lessons from PMTCT of HIV programs in Africa...

In certain low-income nations, the hepatitis Delta virus and hepatitis B virus (HBV) pose a serious medical burden, where the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is greater than 8%. Especially in rural places, irregular diagnostic exams are the main restriction and reason for underestimation. Utilizing serum samples from a Pakistani isolate, an internal ELISA for the quick identification of anti-HDV was created, and the effectiveness of the test was compared to a commercial diagnostic kit. HDV-positive serum samples were collected, and a highly antigenic domain of HDAg antigen was derived from them...

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of sofosbuvir-velpatasvir in children aged 3-17 years with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection of any genotype were evaluated. METHODS: In this Phase 2, multicenter, open-label study, patients received once daily for 12 weeks either sofosbuvir-velpatasvir 400/100 mg tablet (12-17 years), 200/50 mg low dose tablet or oral granules (3-11 years and ≥17 kg), or 150/37.5 mg oral granules (3-5 years and <17 kg)...

OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the accuracy of spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) by 2D- Shear Wave Elastography (2D-SWE) in predicting high risk for bleeding varices (HRV) in cirrhotic patients. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Medline, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases were searched up to 31/05/2023 for all human studies using 2D-SWE to estimate SSM and endoscopy to detect HRV. Meta-analysis was performed using a generalized linear mixed model...

Due to the comprehensive hepatitis B virus vaccination program in Taiwan since 1986, the development of antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C infection and covered by National health insurance. Besides, the increased prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and currently, approved therapy for NAFLD remain developing. The etiology of liver-related diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma required reinterpretation. This study aimed to analyze the incidence and outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to viral (hepatitis B and hepatitis C) infection compared to that of nonviral etiology...

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is comprised of two predominant subtypes: type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), accounting for approximately 5 % of cases worldwide and resulting from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing β-cells, and type 2 (T2DM), accounting for approximately 95 % of cases globally and characterized by the inability of pancreatic β-cells to meet the demand for insulin due to a relative β-cell deficit in the setting of peripheral insulin resistance. Both types of DM involve derangement of glucose metabolism and are metabolic diseases generally considered to be initiated by a combination of genetic and environmental factors...

A 66-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had been receiving methotrexate (MTX) for 2 years presented with tarry stools. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen revealed irregular wall thickening in the ileocecal region and multiple low-contrast masses in both lobes of the liver. Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a type 2 tumor in the ileocecal region with a semi-peripheral ulcer. Histological examination of liver and colon biopsies showed other iatrogenic immunodeficiency-associated lymphoproliferative disorder (Oi-LPD), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma type, with positivity for Epstein-Barr virus DNA...

This review focuses on three major aspects of oncoviruses' role in cancer development. To begin, we discuss their geographic distribution, revealing that seven oncoviruses cause 20% of all human cancers worldwide. Second, we investigate the primary carcinogenic mechanisms, looking at how these oncogenic viruses can induce cellular transformation, angiogenesis, and local and systemic inflammation. Finally, we investigate the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection reactivating latent oncoviruses, which could increase the risk of further disease...

296 million people worldwide are predisposed to developing severe end-stage liver diseases due to chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. HBV forms covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) molecules that persist as episomal DNA in the nucleus of infected hepatocytes and drive viral replication. Occasionally, the HBV genome becomes integrated into host chromosomal DNA, a process that is believed to significantly contribute to circulating HBsAg levels and HCC development. Neither cccDNA accumulation nor expression from integrated HBV DNA are directly targeted by current antiviral treatments...

BACKGROUND: HBeAg loss is an important endpoint for antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis B (CHB), however there are no reliable biomarkers to identify patients who will respond to the addition of pegylated interferon to nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) therapy. AIM: To evaluate the use of serum biomarkers to predict HBeAg loss. METHODS: HBeAg positive CHB participants on NAs who switched-to or added-on 48 weeks pegylated interferon alpha2b (clinicaltrial...

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a hematologic condition characterized by decreased circulating platelets, resulting in bruising, bleeding gums, and internal bleeding. This disorder can be categorized into two primary forms based on the duration of symptoms and underlying causes. Acute ITP primarily affects young children, typically between the ages of two and six, but it can also impact older children and adults. Viral infections like chickenpox, respiratory infections, or gastroenteritis often precede it...

Hepatic myelopathy (HM) is a rare neurological complication in the end stage of many liver diseases and is characterized by bilateral spastic paraparesis without sensory and sphincter dysfunction. It occurs owing to metabolic disorders and central nervous system dysfunction associated with cirrhosis. Without timely and effective clinical intervention, the prognosis of these patients is devastating. Although liver transplantation (LT) is an effective treatment for HM, the prognosis of these patients remains unsatisfactory...