Effects of denosumab treatment in chronic liver disease patients with osteoporosis

BACKGROUND Effective treatment of osteoporosis is essential for improving morbidity and health-related quality of life in chronic liver disease(CLD)patients.Denosumab has been shown to increase bone mineral density(BMD)and decrease the risk of osteoporotic fracture in the general population.However,there are few reports evaluating the efficacy of denosumab in CLD patients.AIM To investigated the effects and safety of denosumab in CLD patients with osteoporosis.METHODS Sixty CLD patients with osteoporosis were subcutaneously administered denosumab once every 6 mo.The study period for evaluating efficacy and safety was 12 mo.Changes from baseline in BMD at the lumbar spine,femoral neck,and total hip were evaluated at 12 mo of denosumab treatment.Bone turnover and quality were assessed by measuring serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b(bone resorption marker),serum total procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide(bone formation maker),and plasma pentosidine(bone quality marker).RESULTS Among the 405 CLD patients,138(34.1%)patients were diagnosed with osteoporosis;among these,78 patients met the exclusion criteria and thus 60 patients were finally included in the present study.The median percentage changes from baseline to 12 mo of denosumab treatment in BMD at the lumbar spine,femoral neck,and total hip were+4.44%,+3.71%,and+4.03%,respectively.Denosumab significantly improved BMD,regardless of sex,patient age,and presence of liver cirrhosis.Serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b and procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide levels constantly and significantly declined after denosumab treatment(P<0.001).Plasma pentosidine levels were also significantly lower at 12 mo of treatment(P=0.010).No patients experienced fractures and moderate-to-severe adverse events,except for transient hypocalcemia.CONCLUSION Denosumab treatment was safe and increased BMD,suppressed bone turnover,and improved bone quality marker levels in CLD patients with osteoporosis,irrespective of differences in baseline characteristics.

Mouse models for investigating the underlying mechanisms of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-derived hepatocellular carcinoma

As the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) caused by infection with the hepatotropic viruses hepatitis B and hepatitis C decreases, greater attention has become focused on HCC caused by nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH), an advanced form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease which has shown increasing prevalence in correspondence with the overall increase in metabolic syndrome over the recent decades. Several clinical population studies have shown a positive relationship between NASH and HCC, while also providing initial insights into the underlying mechanisms of HCC development from NASH. Research into the pathological progression of NASH to HCC has advanced by use of several beneficial rodent models. In this review, we summarize the established mouse models for preclinical research of NASH-associated HCC and discuss the underlying hepatic mechanisms of NASH-related tumorigenesis identified to date that could lead to new targets for treatment and prevention.