AKT regulates IL-1β-induced proliferation and activation of hepatic stellate cells

Background:Activated hepatic stellate cells(HSCs)are closely involved in the initiation,perpetuation,and resolution of liver fibrosis.Pro-inflammatory cytokine levels are positively correlated with the transition from liver injury to fibrogenesis and contribute to HSC pathophysiology in liver fibrosis.Methods:In this study,we investigated the effect of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin(IL)-1βon the proliferation and signaling pathways involved in fibrogenesis in LX-2 cells,an HSC cell line,using western blotting and cell proliferation assays.Results:IL-1βincreased the proliferation rate andα-smooth muscle actin(SMA)expression of LX-2 cells in a dose-dependent manner.Within 1 h after IL-1βtreatment,c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK),p38,and nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)signaling was activated in LX-2 cells.Subsequently,protein kinase B(AKT)phosphorylation and an increase inα-SMA expression were observed in LX-2 cells.Each inhibitor of JNK,p38,or NF-κB decreased cell proliferation,AKT phosphorylation,andα-SMA expression in IL-1β-treated LX-2 cells.Conclusion:These results indicate that JNK,p38,and NF-κB signals converge at AKT phosphorylation,leading to LX-2 activation by IL-1β.Therefore,the AKT signaling pathway can be used as a target for alleviating liver fibrosis by the inflammatory cytokine IL-1β.

Alcoholic liver disease: Treatment

The excess consumption of alcohol is associated with alcoholic liver diseases(ALD). ALD is a major healthcare problem, personal and social burden, and significant reason for economic loss worldwide. The ALD spectrum includes alcoholic fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. The diagnosis of ALD is based on a combination of clinical features, including a history of significant alcohol intake, evidence of liver disease, and laboratory findings. Abstinence is the most important treatment for ALD and the treatment plan varies according to the stage of the disease. Various treatments including abstinence, nutritional therapy, pharmacological therapy, psychotherapy, and surgery are currently available. For severe alcoholic hepatitis, corticosteroid or pentoxifylline are recommended based on the guidelines. In addition, new therapeutic targets are being under investigation.

Invasive and non-invasive diagnosis of cirrhosis and portal hypertension

With advances in the management and treatment of advanced liver disease,including the use of antiviral therapy,a simple,one stage description for advanced fibrotic liver disease has become inadequate.Although refining the diagnosis of cirrhosis to reflect disease heterogeneity is essential,current diagnostic tests have not kept pace with the progression of this new paradigm.Liver biopsy and hepatic venous pressure gradient measurement are the gold standards for the estimation of hepatic fibrosis and portal hypertension(PHT),respectively,and they have diagnostic and prognostic value.However,they are invasive and,as such,cannot be used repeatedly in clinical practice.The ideal noninvasive test should be safe,easy to perform,inexpensive,reproducible as well as to give numerical and accurate results in real time.It should be predictive of long term outcomes related with fibrosis and PHT to allow prognostic stratification.Recently,many types of noninvasive alternative tests have been developed and are under investigation.In particular,imaging and ultrasound based tests,such as transient elastography,have shown promising results.Although most of these noninvasive tests effectively identify severe fibrosis and PHT,the methods available for diagnosing moderate disease status are still insufficient,and further investigation is essential to predict outcomes and individualize therapy in this field.

在韩国引起大豆种腐病的拟茎点霉属Phomopsis/间座壳属(Diaporthe)

大豆是一种能够寄藏间座壳属（Diaporthe）和拟茎点霉属（Phomopsis）病原菌复合体的重要作物，这种复合病原菌侵染体已报道可引起多种大豆病害，包括大豆拟茎点霉属种腐病。该研究采用了大豆拟茎点霉属和间座壳属的2个种病原菌，这2个种分离自大豆植株，并已通过形态学和分子特性鉴定。采用克赫氏法则对大豆幼苗下胚轴致病性进行试验。证明了这2种病菌对大豆具有致病性。大豆拟茎点种腐病菌（Phomopsis longicolla）在韩国被认为是最常见和致病的病原菌。拟茎点霉属病菌（Phomopsis sp．）作为一个新的大豆病原菌，可能已经被传入到其他植物上，且在中国、日本和葡萄牙该拟茎点霉属病菌的相似菌株能够侵染果树，在美国也有侵染蔬菜的报道。

韩国抗大豆拟茎点种腐病(Phomopsis longicolla)的大豆品种评价

大豆拟茎点种腐病（PSO），主要由Phomopsis longicolla引起的，是大豆重要种传病害之一，造成大豆产量严重损失。该研究评价了韩国主要大豆栽培品种对P.Longicolla的抗性，这些主栽品种主要用于亲本基因图谱绘制。2009--2010年间在韩国3个不同地点测定了田间自然发病条件下P．longicolla和其他3种种传真菌的发病率。研究显示被测大豆品种对种传病害敏感性差异明显。品种Tae—kwangkong表现对P．longicolla最大的抗性，平均发病率仅为0．33％，其他种传真菌平均发生率为6．17％。此外，在密阳（Milyang）和大邱（Daegu），品种Taekwangkong没有受到P．lo0ngicolla的侵染。