Modulating HBV transcriptional factors by metformin in combination with NA therapy would potentiate anti-HBV activity and reduce the incidence of HCC in HBcrAg-positive patients.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the most fatal of malignancies with an extremely poor prognosis. The objectives of this study were to provide a detailed understanding of PDAC pathophysiology in view of the host immune response. We examined the PDAC tissues, sera, and peripheral blood cells of PDAC patients using immunohistochemical staining, the measurement of cytokine/chemokine concentrations, gene expression analysis, and flow cytometry. The PDAC tissues were infiltrated by macrophages, especially CD33+CD163+ M2 macrophages and CD4+ T cells that concomitantly express programmed cell death-1 (PD-1). Concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-7, IL-15, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and interferon-γ-inducible protein-1 in the sera of PDAC patients were significantly elevated. The gene expression profile of CD14+ monocytes and CD4+ T cells was discernible between PDAC patients and healthy volunteers, and the differentially expressed genes were related to activated inflammation. Intriguingly, PD-1 was significantly upregulated in the peripheral blood CD4+ T cells of PDAC patients. Correspondingly, the frequency of CD4+PD-1+ T cells was increased in the peripheral blood cells of PDAC patients, and this increase correlated to chemotherapy resistance. In conclusion, inflammatory conditions in both PDAC tissue and peripheral blood cells in PDAC patients were prominent, highlighting monocytes/macrophages as well as CD4+ T cells with influence of the clinical prognosis.We examined the inflammatory features of PDAC patients using the PDAC tissues, sera, and peripheral blood by immunohistochemical staining, measurement of cytokines/chemokines, gene expression analysis, and flow cytometry. We foundg that monocyte/macrophage cells and CD4+ T cells were highlighted immune-mediating cells in local cancer tissue as well as in peripheral blood of PDAC patients, among which the important subfraction with clinical impact influencing PDAC prognosis by chemotherapy was involved.

A comprehensive understanding and management of dynamic changes in liver functional reserve during sorafenib treatment contributed to the efficacy of subsequent therapy (e.g. regorafenib) and to better outcomes for patients with advanced HCC.

IntroductionAdipose tissue stromal cells contain a substantial number of mesenchymal stem cells. As such, their application to regeneration of miscellaneous impaired organs has attracted much attention.MethodsWe designed a clinical study to investigate freshly isolated autologous adipose tissue-derived stromal/stem (regenerative) cell (ADRC) therapy for liver cirrhosis and conducted treatment in four cirrhotic patients. ADRCs were isolated from autologous subcutaneous adipose tissue obtained by the liposuction method, followed with use of the Celution system adipose tissue dissociation device. The primary endpoint is assessment of safety one month after treatment. We also characterized the obtained ADRCs.ResultsTwo patients had type C cirrhosis, one had nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-cirrhosis, and one had type B cirrhosis. No serious adverse events were observed during the 1-month study period after freshly isolated ADRC infusion. Serum albumin concentrations were maintained or improved during this period as well as during the succeeding follow-up of approximately 1 year in two patients and 6 months in another patient. Liver regeneration-related factors, namely hepatocyte growth factor and interleukin-6, were elevated 1 day after ADRC treatment in all patients. The obtained freshly isolated ADRCs were expanded in culture and found to express mesenchymal stem cell markers. Gene expression profile analysis of ADRCs was shown to involve inflammatory features, suggesting that characteristics of the obtained ADRCs were related to immunomodulatory biological effects.ConclusionThis clinical study treatment for liver cirrhosis using ADRCs was proven to be safely conductible, and can be further investigated in future for regeneration/repair of liver cirrhosis.

BackgroundPancreatic ductular adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the most dreadful of malignancies, in part due to the lack of efficacious chemotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, including anti-programmed cell death 1 (anti-PD-1) antibodies, are novel promising forms of systemic immunotherapy. In the current study, we assessed whether gemcitabine (GEM) combined with anti-PD-1 antibody treatment was efficacious as immunochemotherapy for advanced PDAC using a murine model of liver metastasis.MethodsThe murine model of PDAC liver metastasis was established by intrasplenically injecting the murine pancreatic cancer cell line PAN02 into immunocompetent C57BL/6J mice. The mice were treated with an anti-PD-1 antibody, GEM, or a combination of GEM plus anti-PD-1 antibody, and compared with no treatment (control); liver metastases, immune cell infiltration, gene expression, immune cell response phenotypes, and overall survival were investigated.ResultsIn the metastatic tumor tissues of mice treated with GEM plus anti-PD-1 antibody, we observed the increased infiltration of Th1 lymphocytes and M1 macrophages. Gene expression profile analysis of peripheral blood cells obtained from mice treated with GEM plus anti-PD-1 antibody clearly highlighted T cell and innate immune signaling pathways. Survival of PDAC liver metastasis mice was significantly prolonged by the combination therapy (median survival, 66 days) when compared with that of GEM alone treatment (median survival, 56 days). Expanded lymphocytes, which were isolated from the splenocytes of PDAC liver metastasis mice treated with GEM plus anti-PD-1 antibody, had an increased number of M1 macrophages.ConclusionThe combination of anti-PD-1 antibody immunotherapy with GEM was beneficial to treat a murine model of PDAC liver metastasis by enhancing the immune response mediated by Th1 lymphocytes and M1 macrophages and was associated with CD8+ T cells.

As a proof of concept that removal of blood amyloid-β (Aβ) can reduce Aβ deposition in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, cortices of patients who had undergone hemodialysis (HD), which removes Aβ from the blood, were histochemically analyzed; postmortem brain sections were stained with anti-Aβ antibodies. Brains from patients who had undergone HD had significantly fewer senile plaques than those of patient who had not undergone HD. This significant difference was also confirmed by silver staining. Our findings suggest that removal of blood Aβ by hemodialysis results in lower accumulation of Aβ in the brain.

AimMost patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have underlying chronic liver disease, which potentially deteriorated the liver functional reserve that often affects the patients' clinical course. We investigated and compared the changes in liver functional reserve during lenvatinib or sorafenib therapy in patients with advanced HCC.MethodsWe prospectively collected medical information about patients with advanced HCC with a Child–Pugh score of 5–7 to compare the liver functional reserve during treatment in those who were treated with lenvatinib or sorafenib. We also evaluated the effect of the change in the liver functional reserve on patients' outcome. Moreover, we analyzed the contributing factors for maintaining the liver functional reserve during treatment.ResultsPatients were treated with lenvatinib (n = 45) or sorafenib (n = 157). Forty‐five patients in the lenvatinib group and 135 patients in the sorafenib group were selected through a propensity score matching analysis. More patients treated with lenvatinib had a Child–Pugh score that was maintained or improved after 4 and 12 weeks compared with those treated with sorafenib (P = 0.048, P = 0.036, respectively). Lenvatinib was identified as one of the variables that was associated with maintaining Child–Pugh scores. Multivariate analysis revealed that a worsened Child–Pugh score after 4 weeks was an independent unfavorable predictive factor for overall survival.ConclusionsMore patients treated with lenvatinib for advanced HCC maintained their liver functional reserves compared with those treated with sorafenib. Maintaining the liver functional reserve contributed to better outcomes for patients with advanced HCC.

To obtain the proof of concept of a novel therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD), we conducted two prospective studies with hemodialysis patients who had amyloid β protein (Aβ) removed from their blood three times a week. One major pathological change in the brain associated with AD is Aβ deposition, mainly 40 amino acids Aβ1-40 and 42 amino acids Aβ1-42. Impaired Aβ clearance is proposed to be one cause of increased Aβ in the AD brain. Thus, we hypothesized that an extracorporeal removal system of Aβ from the blood may remove brain Aβ and be a useful therapeutic strategy for AD. In the first prospective study, plasma Aβ levels and the cognitive function of 30 hemodialysis patients (65-76 years old) were evaluated at baseline as well as 18 or 36 months after. Although plasma Aβ1-40 levels either decreased or remained unchanged, levels of Aβ1-42 either remained unchanged or increased at the second time point. Mini-Mental State Examination scores of most subjects increased or were maintained at the second time point. Aβ1-40 influx into the blood correlated with MMSE at the second time point. In the second prospective study, five patients (51-84 years old) with renal failure were evaluated before and after the initiation of hemodialysis. Plasma Aβ levels decreased, while cognitive function improved after initiating blood Aβ removal. Therefore, long-term hemodialysis, which effectively removes blood Aβ, might alter Aβ influx and help maintain cognitive function.