novel-vivo-micro-computed-tomography-imaging-techniques-for-assessing

Novel <em>In Vivo</em> Micro-Computed Tomography Imaging Techniques for Assessing the Progression of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a growing global health issue, and the impact of NAFLD is compounded by the current lack of effective ...

Celiac disease is a complex chronic immune-mediated disorder of the small intestine. Today, the pathobiology of the disease is unclear, perplexing differential diagnosis, patient stratification, and decision-making in the clinic.

Novel genetic risk variants for pediatric celiac disease.

Increased Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Related to Smoking Intensity and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Senescence is considered to be a cardinal player in several chronic inflammatory and metabolic pathologies. The two dominant mechanisms of senescence include replicative senescence, predominantly depending on age-induced telomere shortening, and stress-induced senescence, triggered by external or intracellular harmful stimuli. Recent data indicate that hepatocyte senescence is involved in the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, previous studies have mainly focused on age-related senescence during NAFLD, in the presence or absence of obesity, while information about whether the phenomenon is characterized by replicative or stress-induced senescence, especially in non-aged organisms, is scarce. Herein, we subjected young mice to two different diet-induced NAFLD models which differed in the presence of obesity. In both models, liver fat accumulation and increased hepatic mRNA expression of steatosis-related genes were accompanied by hepatic senescence, indicated by the increased expression of senescence-associated genes and the presence of a robust hybrid histo-/immunochemical senescence-specific staining in the liver. Surprisingly, telomere length and global DNA methylation did not differ between the steatotic and the control livers, while malondialdehyde, a marker of oxidative stress, was upregulated in the mouse NAFLD livers. These findings suggest that senescence accompanies NAFLD emergence, even in non-aged organisms, and highlight the role of stress-induced senescence during steatosis development independently of obesity.

Hepatic Senescence Accompanies the Development of NAFLD in Non-Aged Mice Independently of Obesity.

 Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with the emergence of cardiovascular disease, while chronic inflammation is considered a common denominator for their parallel progression. The Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9)/LDL-Receptor (LDLR) system is of high importance during atherogenesis, via regulating the clearance of LDL from the circulation; nevertheless the role of this molecular mechanism during RA-related atheromatosis is not known.  Herein, high-resolution ultrasound measurements for arterial hypertrophy, atheromatosis and arterial stiffness as well as comprehensive biochemical profiling were performed in 85 RA patients. The circulating levels of PCSK9 and LDLR were measured and their potential associations as well as of the PCSK9/LDLR ratio with patients' characteristics and the degree of atherosclerosis were investigated.  Increased LDLR levels and decreased PCSK9/LDLR ratio were found in RA patients with at least 2 atheromatic plaques as compared to the ones without any plaques. In addition the levels of both PCSK9 and LDLR were positively correlated with the presence of atheromatic plaques as an age- and gender- adjusted multivariate analysis revealed.  Our data imply that the PCSK9/LDLR system plays a significant role during RA-related atherosclerosis and may therefore be used as a screening tool for disease progression in the future.

PCSK9/LDLR System and Rheumatoid Arthritis-Related Atherosclerosis.

Mitochondrial dysfunction has long been proposed to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of a considerable number of disorders, such as neurodegeneration, cancer, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders, including obesity-related insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that undergo functional and structural adaptations to meet the metabolic requirements of the cell. Alterations in nutrient availability or cellular energy needs can modify their formation through biogenesis and the opposite processes of fission and fusion, the fragmentation, and connection of mitochondrial network areas respectively. Herein, we review and discuss the current literature on the significance of mitochondrial adaptations in obesity and metabolic dysregulation, emphasizing on the role of hepatocyte mitochondrial flexibility in obesity and NAFLD.

Hepatocyte Mitochondrial Dynamics and Bioenergetics in Obesity-Related Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Chemotherapy (CT) is central to the treatment of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), but drug toxicity and resistance place strong restrictions on treatment regimes. Fasting sensitizes cancer cells to a range of chemotherapeutic agents and also ameliorates CT-associated adverse effects. However, the molecular mechanism(s) by which fasting, or short-term starvation (STS), improves the efficacy of CT is poorly characterized.

Short term starvation potentiates the efficacy of chemotherapy in triple negative breast cancer via metabolic reprogramming.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), characterized by inflammation and fibrosis. Fibrosis is mediated by hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and their differentiation into activated myofibroblasts; the latter process is also promoted by inflammation. Here we studied the role of the pro-inflammatory adhesion molecule vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in HSCs in NASH. VCAM-1 expression was upregulated in the liver upon NASH induction, and VCAM-1 was found to be present on activated HSCs. We therefore utilized HSC-specific VCAM-1-deficient and appropriate control mice to explore the role of VCAM-1 on HSCs in NASH. However, HSC-specific VCAM-1-deficient mice, as compared to control mice, did not show a difference with regards to steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis in two different models of NASH. Hence, VCAM-1 on HSCs is dispensable for NASH development and progression in mice.

Article	Year
Novel genetic risk variants for pediatric celiac disease. Human genomics\| PubMed ID: 27836013	2016
Increased Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Related to Smoking Intensity and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Thrombosis and haemostasis\| PubMed ID: 32772350	2020
Hepatic Senescence Accompanies the Development of NAFLD in Non-Aged Mice Independently of Obesity. International journal of molecular sciences\| PubMed ID: 33810566	2021
PCSK9/LDLR System and Rheumatoid Arthritis-Related Atherosclerosis. Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine\| PubMed ID: 34692791	2021
Hepatocyte Mitochondrial Dynamics and Bioenergetics in Obesity-Related Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Current obesity reports\| PubMed ID: 35501558	2022
Short term starvation potentiates the efficacy of chemotherapy in triple negative breast cancer via metabolic reprogramming. Journal of translational medicine\| PubMed ID: 36869333	2023
Analysis of the Role of Stellate Cell VCAM-1 in NASH Models in Mice. International journal of molecular sciences\| PubMed ID: 36902241	2023

Aigli-Ioanna Legaki

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