MicroRNA-29a-3p Prevents Drug-Induced Acute Liver Failure through Inflammation-Related Pyroptosis Inhibition

Objective Little is known about the role of microRNA-29a-3p(miR-29a-3p)in inflammation-related pyroptosis,especially in drug-induced acute liver failure(DIALF).This study aimed to identify the relationship between miR-29a-3p and inflammation-related pyroptosis in DIALF and confirm its underlying mechanisms.Methods Thioacetamide(TAA)-and acetaminophen(APAP)-induced ALF mouse models were established,and human samples were collected.The expression levels of miR-29a-3p and inflammation and pyroptosis markers were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR),Western blotting,or immunochemical staining in miR-29a-3p knock-in transgenic mouse(MIR29A(KI/KI))DIALF models.In addition,RNA sequencing was conducted to explore the mechanisms.Results MiR-29a-3p levels were decreased in TAA-and APAP-induced DIALF models.MiR-29a-3p prevented DIALF caused by TAA and APAP.RNA sequencing and further experiments showed that the protective effect of miR-29a-3p on DIALF was mainly achieved through inhibition of inflammation-related pyroptosis,and the inhibition was dependent on activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway.In addition,miR-29a-3p levels were reduced,and pyroptosis was activated in both peripheral blood mononuclear cells and liver tissues of DIALF patients.Conclusion The study supports the idea that miR-29a-3p inhibits pyroptosis by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway to prevent DIALF.MiR-29a-3p may be a promising therapeutic target for DIALF.

Association of Cytokines with Clinical Indicators in Patients with Drug-Induced Liver Injury

Objective To explore characteristics of clinical parameters and cytokines in patients with drug-induced liver injury(DILI)caused by different drugs and their correlation with clinical indicators.Method The study was conducted on patients who were up to Review of Uncertainties in Confidence Assessment for Medical Tests(RUCAM)scoring criteria and clinically diagnosed with DILI.Based on Chinese herbal medicine,cardiovascular drugs,non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs),antiinfective drugs,and other drugs,patients were divided into five groups.Cytokines were measured by Luminex technology.Baseline characteristics of clinical biochemical indicators and cytokines in DILI patients and their correlation were analyzed.Results 73 patients were enrolled.Age among five groups was statistically different(P=0.032).Alanine aminotransferase(ALT)(P=0.033)and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)(P=0.007)in NSAIDs group were higher than those in chinese herbal medicine group.Interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α)in patients with Chinese herbal medicine(IL-6:P<0.001;TNF-α:P<0.001)and cardiovascular medicine(IL-6:P=0.020;TNF-α:P=0.001)were lower than those in NSAIDs group.There was a positive correlation between ALT(r=0.697,P=0.025),AST(r=0.721,P=0.019),and IL-6 in NSAIDs group.Conclusion Older age may be more prone to DILI.Patients with NSAIDs have more severe liver damage in early stages of DILI,TNF-αand IL-6 may partake the inflammatory process of DILI.

Effects of Yigan Capsule on the expression of HMGB1,RAGE and NF-κB protein in rats with drug-induced liver injury

Objective:To study the effect of Yigan capsule on the expression of high mobility group protein B1(HMGB1),nuclear factor-B(NF-κB)and receptor for advanced glycation end products(RAGE)in anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury(ATB-DILI),and to explore its protective effect and mechanism on ATB-DILI,so as to provide experimental basis for the clinical application of Yigan capsule.Methods:Twenty-four rats were divided into two groups.Except for the blank group(n=6),the other 18 rats were given isoniazid(INH)+rifampicin(RFP)(50 mg/kg.d)for 4 weeks.Then 18 rats were randomly divided into three groups(model group,low dose group of Yigan capsule and high dose group of Yigan capsule)according to 6 rats in each group.The blank group and the model group were given 0.9%sodium chloride solution by intragastric administration.The low dose group of Yigan capsule was 0.468 g/kg,and the high dose group of Yigan capsule was 1.872 g/kg[1].After 4 weeks,the pathological changes of liver were observed by HE staining.The contents of ALT,AST,ALP,γ-GT and TBIL were detected.The expression of HMGB1,NF-κBp65 and RAGE protein was detected by IHC.The expression levels of HMGB1,NF-κBp65,RAGE,TNF-αand IL-1βwere detected by WB.Result:HE staining showed that the structure of the liver in the model group was disordered,the liver cells showed swelling and fusion,the number of inflammatory cells increased and accompanied by punctate necrosis,while the above pathological changes in each treatment group of Yigan capsule were significantly improved.The contents of ALT,AST,ALP,γ-GT and TBIL in the model group were higher than those in the blank group(P<0.05).The contents of ALT,AST,ALP,γ-GT and TBIL in each treatment group were significantly lower than those in the model group(P<0.05).Compared with the blank group,the expression levels of TNF-αand IL-1βin the model group were increased(P<0.05),and the expression levels of HMGB1,NF-κBp65 and RAGE were increased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the expression levels of TNF-αand IL-1βin each treatment group of Yigan capsule decreased(P<0.05),and the expression of HMGB1,NF-κBp65 and RAGE decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion:Yigan capsule may inhibit the secretion of inflammatory factors through HMGB1/RAGE/NF-κBp65 signaling pathway,thus protecting ATB-DILI.

Contribution of gut microbiota to drug-induced liver injury

Drug-induced liver injury(DILI)is caused by various drugs with complex pathogenesis,and diverse clinical and pathological phenotypes.Drugs damage the liver directly through drug hepatotoxicity,or indirectly through drug-mediated oxidative stress,immune injury and inflammatory insult,which eventually lead to hepatocyte necrosis.Recent studies have found that the composition,relative content and distribution of gut microbiota in patients and animal models of DILI have changed significantly.It has been confirmed that gut microbial dysbiosis brings about intestinal barrier destruction and microorganisms translocation,and the alteration of microbial metabolites may cause or aggravate DILI.In addition,antibiotics,probiotics,and fecal microbiota transplantation are all emerging as prospective therapeutic methods for DILI by regulating the gut microbiota.In this review,we discussed how the altered gut microbiota participates in DILI.

Correlation between preoperative systemic immune inflammation index, nutritional risk index, and prognosis of radical resection of liver cancer

BACKGROUND Radical surgery is the most commonly used treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,the surgical effect remains not ideal,and prognostic evaluation is insufficient.Furthermore,clinical intervention is rife with uncertainty and not conducive to prolonging patient survival.AIM To explore correlations between the systemic immune inflammatory index(SII)and geriatric nutritional risk index(GNRI)and HCC operation prognosis.METHODS This retrospective study included and collected follow up data from 100 HCC.Kaplan–Meier survival curves were used to analyze the correlation between SII and GNRI scores and survival.SII and GNRI were calculated as follows:SII=neutrophil count×platelet count/lymphocyte count;GNRI=[1.489×albumin(g/L)+41.7×actual weight/ideal weight].We analyzed the predictive efficacy of the SII and GNRI in HCC patients using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,and the relationships between the SII,GNRI,and survival rate using Kaplan–Meier survival curves.Cox regression analysis was utilized to analyze independent risk factors influencing prognosis.RESULTS After 1 year of follow-up,24 patients died and 76 survived.The area under the curve(AUC),sensitivity,specificity,and the optimal cutoff value of SII were 0.728(95%confidence interval:0.600-0.856),79.2%,63.2%,and 309.14,respectively.According to ROC curve analysis results for predicting postoperative death in HCC patients,the AUC of SII and GNRI combination was higher than that of SII or GNRI alone,and SII was higher than that of GNRI(P<0.05).The proportion of advanced differentiated tumors,tumor maximum diameter(5–10 cm,>10 cm),lymph node metastasis,and TNM stage III-IV in patients with SII>309.14 was higher than that in patients with SII≤309.14(P<0.05).The proportion of patients aged>70 years was higher in patients with GNRI≤98 than that in patients with GNRI>98(P<0.05).The 1-year survival rate of the SII>309.14 group(compared with the SII≤309.14 group)and GNRI≤98 group(compared with the GNRI>98 group)was lower(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The prognosis after radical resection of HCC is related to the SII and GNRI and poor in high SII or low GNRI patients.

Prognostic impact of preoperative nutritional and immune inflammatory parameters on liver cancer

The immune response to tissue damage or infection involves inflammation,a multifaceted biological process distinguished by immune cell activation,mediator secretion,and immune cell recruitment to the site of injury.Several blood-based immune-inflammatory biomarkers with prognostic significance in malignancies have been identified.In this issue of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery,they examined the prognosis of liver cancer radical resection in relation to pre-operative systemic immune-inflammation and nutritional risk indices.Comparing older and younger individuals often reveals compromised nutritional and immu-nological statuses in the former.Therefore,performing preoperative evaluations of the nutritional status and immunity in geriatric patients is critical.In addition to being a primary treatment modality,radical resection is associated with a sig-nificant mortality rate following surgery.Insufficient dietary consump-tion and an elevated metabolic rate within tumor cells contribute to the increased proba-bility of malnutrition associated with the ailment,consequently leading to a sub-stantial deterioration in prognosis.Recent studies,reinforce the importance of nu-tritional and immune-inflammatory biomarkers.Prior to surgical intervention,geriatric nutritional risk and systemic immune-inflammatory indices should be prioritized,particularly in older patients with malignant diseases.

Multifunctional roles of inflammation and its causative factors in primary liver cancer:A literature review

Primary liver cancer is a severe and complex disease,leading to 800000 global deaths annually.Emerging evidence suggests that inflammation is one of the critical factors in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Patients with viral hepatitis,alcoholic hepatitis,and steatohepatitis symptoms are at higher risk of developing HCC.However,not all inflammatory factors have a pathogenic function in HCC development.The current study describes the process and mechanism of hepatitis development and its progression to HCC,particularly focusing on viral hepatitis,alcoholic hepatitis,and steatohepatitis.Furthermore,the roles of some essential inflammatory cytokines in HCC progression are described in addition to a summary of future research directions.

Establishment and validation of a nomogram for predicting the risk of liver inflammation in chronic HBV infection

Objective:To establish a non-invasive quantitative and visual predictive model for assessing the occurrence of significant inflammation in chronic HBV infection,and to present nomogram to validate the efficacy.Methods:A total of 180 patients with chronic HBV infection that were admitted to the Department of Infectious Liver Diseases of the First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical College from January 2019 to December 2021 with informed consent and underwent liver biopsy puncture were selected,and to prevent overfitting of the model,131 patients and 49 patients were randomly divided into a model group and a validation group according to randomization,to collect the clinic information,serological examination,liver elastography and liver histopathology results.The patients were divided into non-significant inflammation and significant inflammation groups in the modeling group.The R 4.1.1 package and the rms package were used to build the column line graph model,while the Bootstrap method was applied to repeat the sampling 1000 times for internal and external validation,and the H-L goodness of fit test and ROC curve were used to assess the calibration and discrimination of the column line graph model respectively.Results:A total of 180 patients with chronic HBV infection were included,and 92 patients(51.1%)had significant inflammation.In the modeling set,67 patients(51.1%)had significant inflammation.In the modeled group,comparison of HBV DNA,PLT,ALT,AST,ALP,GGT,PAB,H.A,PⅢP,CⅣ,L.N,IL-6,LSM and HBeAg for non-significant inflammation and significant inflammation showed statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Nomogram were obtained using stepwise regression analysis to establish a predictive model for the risk of significant inflammation following chronic HBV infection.The χ^(2) values of the H-L goodness-of-fit test for the modelling and validation groups were 0.279 and 2.098,respectively,corresponding to P values of 0.87 and 0.35,suggesting that the nomogram has good predictive accuracy;the area under the ROC curve of the column line plot predicting the occurrence of significant inflammation after HBV infection for the modelling and validation groups was 0.895[95%CI(0.843-0.948)]and 0.760[95%CI(0.622-0.897)],suggesting that the column line plot model has good discrimination.Conclusion:After stepwise regression analysis,it was established that PLT,Ln(HBV-DNA),AST,C桇and LSM were more closely associated with the occurrence of significant inflammation after HBV infection,and a visualization of the occurrence of significant inflammation nomogram was established by comprehensive assessment,and the effectiveness was good.

COVID-19-related liver injury:Focus on genetic and drug-induced perspectives

BACKGROUND Empirical use of potentially hepatotoxic drugs in the management of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection is considered as one of the major etiopathogenetic factors for liver injury.Recent evidence has shown that an underlying genetic factor may also occur.Hence,it is important to understand the host genetics and iatrogenic-based mechanisms for liver dysfunction to make timely remedial measures.AIM To investigate drug-induced and genetic perspectives for the development of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)-related liver injury.METHODS Reference Citation Analysis,PubMed,Google Scholar and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched by employing the relevant MeSH keywords and pertaining data of the duration,site and type of study,sample size with any subgroups and drug-induced liver injury outcome.Genetic aspects were extracted from the most current pertinent publications.RESULTS In all studies,the hepatic specific aminotransferase and other biochemical indices were more than their prescribed upper normal limit in COVID-19 patients and were found to be significantly related with the gravity of disease,hospital stay,number of COVID-19 treatment drugs and worse clinical outcomes.In addition,membrane bound O-acyltransferase domain containing 7 rs641738,rs11385942 G>GA at chromosome 3 gene cluster and rs657152 C>A at ABO blood locus was significantly associated with severity of livery injury in admitted SARS-CoV-2 patients.CONCLUSION Hepatic dysfunction in SARS-CoV-2 infection could be the result of individual drugs or due to drug-drug interactions and may be in a subset of patients with a geneticpropensity. Thus, serial estimation of hepatic indices in hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients shouldbe done to make timely corrective actions for iatrogenic causes to avoid clinical deterioration.Additional molecular and translational research is warranted in this regard.

Drug-induced liver injury in inflammatory bowel disease: 1-year prospective observational study

To analyze 1-year liver injury burden in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients.METHODSDuring a 6-mo inclusion period, consecutive IBD cases having a control visit at IBD center were included. Basic demographics, IBD phenotype and IBD treatment were recorded on entry. Aminotransferase (AT) activities of ALT, AST, ALP and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) were measured at baseline, 3 mo prior to study entry and prospectively every 3 mo for 1 year. Liver injury patterns were predefined as: Grade 1 in ALT 1-3 × upper limit of normal (ULN), grade 2 in ALT > 3 × ULN, hepatocellular injury in ALT > 2 × ULN, cholestatic injury in simultaneous GGT and ALP elevation > ULN. Persisting injury was reported when AT elevations were found on > 1 measurement. Risk factors for the patterns of liver injury were identified among demographic parameters, disease phenotype and IBD treatment in univariate and multivariate analysis. Finally, implications for the change in IBD management were evaluated in cases with persisting hepatocellular or cholestatic injury.RESULTSTwo hundred and fifty-one patients were included having 917 ALT and 895 ALP and GGT measurements. Over one year, grade 1 injury was found in 66 (26.3%), grade 2 in 5 (2%) and hepatocellular injury in 16 patients (6.4%). Persisting hepatocellular injury was found in 4 cases. Cholestasis appeared in 11 cases (4.4%) and persisted throughout the entire study period in 1 case. In multivariate analysis, hepatocellular injury was associated with BMI (OR = 1.13, 1.02-1.26), liver steatosis (OR = 10.61, 2.22-50.7), IBD duration (1.07, 1.00-1.15) and solo infliximab (OR = 4.57, 1.33-15.7). Cholestatic liver injury was associated with prior intestinal resection (OR = 32.7, 3.18-335), higher CRP (OR = 1.04, 1.00-1.08) and solo azathioprine (OR = 10.27, 1.46-72.3). In one case with transient hepatocellular injury azathioprine dose was decreased. In 4 cases with persisting hepatocellular injury, fatty liver or alcohol were most likely causes and IBD treatment was pursued without change. In the case with persisting cholestatic injury, no signs of portal hypertension were identified and treatment with infliximab continued.CONCLUSIONLiver injury was frequent, mostly transient and rarely changed management. Infliximab or azathioprine were confirmed as its risk factors indicating the need for regular AT monitoring.

Risk factors related to significant hepatic inflammation in patients with acute drug-induced liver injury

Background and aims:Currently,research on biopsy-proven acute drug-induced liver injury(DILI)remains limited.This study aimed to identify clinical characteristics and risk factors for significant hepatic inflammation in patients with acute DILI.Methods:An ambispective cohort study was conducted on biopsy-proven acute DILI patients admitted to our hospital from 2012 to 2018.Using the Scheuer scoring system,patients were categorized into G0-2 or G3-4 groups and followed up for 12 months after first admission.Clinical characteristics and outcomes were retrieved from medical records.Results:The median age of the 157 enrolled patients(65.6%female)was 40.4(interquartile range(IQR),31.9-49.1)years.The median latency and length of hospitalization were 30.0(IQR,5.0-60.0)and 18.0(IQR,12.0-26.0)days.The proportions of patients in the G0-2 and G3-4 groups were 54.8%and 45.2%,respectively.Logistic regression analysis revealed that females(odds ratio(OR):2.623,95%confidence interval(CI):1.169-5.887,p=0.019),higher body mass index(OR:1.168,95%CI:1.029-1.325,p=0.016),higher total bilirubin(OR:1.004,95%CI:1.000-1.007,p=0.047),and lower prothrombin activity(OR:0.976,95%CI:0,957-0.995,p=0.013)were associated with significant hepatic inflammation.The predominance of the hepatocellular injury pattern(60.5%)at admission transformed into a predominance of the cholestatic pattern(60.5%)at discharge.During follow-up,23 patients(14.6%)developed chronic DILI,with nine patients(5.7%)progressing to cirrhosis.Moreover,15 female patients(9.6%)developed autoimmunity(3cases in the G0-2 group vs 12 cases in the G3-4 group,p<0.05).Conclusion:Acute DILI patients with high-risk factors were more likely to develop significant hepatic inflammation,and females with significant inflammation were at a higher risk of developing autoimmunity during follow-up.

Essential oil extracted from Quzhou Aurantii Fructus prevents acute liver failure through inhibiting lipopolysaccharide-mediated inflammatory response

Quzhou Aurantii Fructus(QAF)has a long history as a folk medicine and food for the treatment of liver diseases.While our earlier study provided evidence of hepatoprotective properties contained within the flavonoids and limonins constituents in QAF,the potential preventative effects afforded by essential oil components present within QAF remains enigmatic.In this study,we prepared Quzhou Aurantii Fructus essential oil(QAFEO)and confirmed its anti-inflammatory effects on liver inflammation through experimentation on lipopolysaccharide and D-galactosamine(LPS/D-GalN)induced acute liver failure(ALF)mouse models.Using RNA-sequence(RNA-seq)analysis,we found that QAFEO prevented ALF by systematically blunting the pathways involved in response to LPS and toll-like receptor signaling pathways.QAFEO effectively suppressed the phosphorylation of tank-binding kinase 1(TBK1),TGF-beta activated kinase 1(TAK1),interferon regulatory factor 3(IRF3),and the activation of mitogen activated kinase-like protein(MAPK)and nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)pathways in vivo and in vitro.Importantly,QAFEO substantially reduced myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88(MyD88)-toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)interaction levels.Moreover,8 compounds from QAFEO could directly bind to REAL,TAK1,MyD88,TBK1,and IRF3.Taken together,the results of our study support the notion that QAFEO exerts a hepatoprotective effect through inhibiting LPS-mediated inflammatory response.

Allyl isothiocyanate ameliorates lipid accumulation and inflammation in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease via the Sirt1/AMPK and NF-κB signaling pathways

BACKGROUND Allyl isothiocyanate(AITC),a classic anti-inflammatory and antitumorigenic agent,was recently identified as a potential treatment for obesity and insulin resistance.However,little is known about its direct impact on the liver.AIM To investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of AITC in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(commonly referred to as NAFLD).METHODS To establish a mouse and cellular model of NAFLD,C57BL/6 mice were fed a high fat diet(HFD)for 8 wk,and AML-12 cells were treated with 200μM palmitate acid for 24 h.For AITC treatment,mice were administered AITC(100 mg/kg/d)orally and AML-12 cells were treated with AITC(20μmol/L).RESULTS AITC significantly ameliorated HFD-induced weight gain,hepatic lipid accumulation and inflammation in vivo.Furthermore,serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were markedly reduced in AITC-treated mice.Mechanistically,AITC significantly downregulated the protein levels of sterol regulatory elementbinding protein 1(SREBP1)and its lipogenesis target genes and upregulated the levels of proteins involved in fatty acidβ-oxidation,as well as the upstream mediators Sirtuin 1(Sirt1)and AMPactivated protein kinaseα(AMPKα),in the livers of HFD-fed mice.AITC also attenuated the nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)signaling pathway.Consistently,AITC relieved palmitate acid-induced lipid accumulation and inflammation in AML-12 cells in vitro through the Sirt1/AMPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.Importantly,further studies showed that the curative effect of AITC on lipid accumulation was abolished by siRNA-mediated knockdown of either Sirt1 or AMPKαin AML-12 cells.CONCLUSION AITC significantly ameliorates hepatic steatosis and inflammation by activating the Sirt1/AMPK pathway and inhibiting the NF-κB pathway.Therefore,AITC is a potential therapeutic agent for NAFLD.

Role of inflammation and infection in the pathogenesis of human acute liver failure: clinical implications for monitoring and therapy

Acute liver failure is a rare and devastating clinical condition. At present, emergency liver transplantation is the only life-saving therapy in advanced cases, yet the feasibility of transplantation is affected by the presence of systemic inflammation, infection and resultant multiorgan failure. The importance of immune dysregulation and acquisition of infection in the pathogenesis of acute liver failure and its associated complications is now recognised. In this review we discuss current thinking regarding the role of infection and inflammation in the pathogenesis of and outcome in human acute liver failure, the implications for the management of such patients and suggest directions for future research.

Inflammation and fibrosis in chronic liver diseases including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and hepatitis C

At present chronic liver disease(CLD),the third commonest cause of premature death in the United Kingdom is detected late,when interventions are ineffective,resulting in considerable morbidity and mortality.Injury to the liver,the largest solid organ in the body,leads to a cascade of inflammatory events.Chronic inflammation leads to the activation of hepatic stellate cells that undergo transdifferentiation to become myofibroblasts,the main extra-cellular matrix producing cells in the liver;over time increased extra-cellular matrix production results in the formation of liver fibrosis.Although fibrogenesis may be viewed as having evolved as a“wound healing”process that preserves tissue integrity,sustained chronic fibrosis can become pathogenic culminating in CLD,cirrhosis and its associated complications.As the reference standard for detecting liver fibrosis,liver biopsy,is invasive and has an associated morbidity,the diagnostic assessment of CLD by non-invasive testing is attractive.Accordingly,in this review the mechanisms by which liver inflammation and fibrosis develop in chronic liver diseases are explored to identify appropriate and meaningful diagnostic targets for clinical practice.Due to differing disease prevalence and treatment efficacy,disease specific diagnostic targets are required to optimally manage individual CLDs such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and chronic hepatitis C infection.To facilitate this,a review of the pathogenesis of both conditions is also conducted.Finally,the evidence for hepatic fibrosis regression and the mechanisms by which this occurs are discussed,including the current use of antifibrotic therapy.

Practical guidelines for diagnosis and early management of drug-induced liver injury

The spectrum of drug-induced liver injury （DILI） is both diverse and complex. The first step in diagnosis is a suspicion of DILl based on careful consideration of recent comprehensive reports on the disease. There are some situations in which the suspicion of DILI is particularly strong. Exclusion of other possible etiologies according to the pattern of liver injury is essential for the diagnosis. In patients with suspected DILl, diagnostic scales, such as the Councils for International Organizations of Medical Sciences/ Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method （CIOMS/RUCAM） scale, may be helpful for the final diagnosis. Early management of DILl involves prompt withdrawal of the drug suspected of being responsible, according to serum levels of alanine aminotransferase （ALT）, alkaline phosphatase （ALP）, and total bilirubin （T-Bil）. However, as DILI patients may show resolution of liver injury without discontinuation of the drug, it should be carefully evaluated whether the suspected drug should be discontinued immediately with adequate consideration of the importance of the medication.

drug-induced autoimmune liver disease:a diagnostic dilemma of an increasingly reported disease

The aetiology of autoimmune hepatitis(AIH) is uncer-tain but the disease can be triggered in susceptible patients by external factors such as viruses or drugs.AIH usually develops in individuals with a genetic back-ground mainly consisting of some risk alleles of the major histocompatibility complex(HLA).Many drugs have been linked to AIH phenotypes,which sometimes persist after drug discontinuation,suggesting that they awaken latent autoimmunity.At least three clini-cal scenarios have been proposed that refers to drug- induced autoimmune liver disease(DIAILD):AIH with drug-induced liver injury(DILI); drug induced-AIH(DI-AIH); and immune mediated DILI(IM-DILI).In addi-tion,there are instances showing mixed features of DI-AIH and IM-DILI,as well as DILI cases with positive autoantibodies.Histologically distinguishing DILI from AIH remains a challenge.Even more challenging is the differentiation of AIH from DI-AIH mainly relying in histological features; however,a detailed standard-ised histologic evaluation of large cohorts of AIH and DI-AIH patients would probably render more subtle features that could be of help in the differential diag-nosis between both entities.Growing information on the relationship of drugs and AIH is being available,being drugs like statins and biologic agents more fre-quently involved in cases of DIAILD.In addition,there is some evidence on the fact that patients diagnosed with DIAILD may have had a previous episode of hepa-totoxicity.Further collaborative studies in DIAILD will strengthen the knowledge and understanding of this intriguing and complex disorder which might represent different phenotypes across the spectrum of

Drug-induced liver injury:Is it somehow foreseeable?

The classic view on the pathogenesis of drug-induced liver injury is that the so-called parent compounds are made hepatotoxic by metabolism (formation of neosubstances that react abnormally), mainly by cytochromes P-450 (CYP), with further pathways, such as mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis, also playing a role. Risk factors for drug-induced liver injury include concomitant hepatic diseases, age and genetic polymorphisms of CYP. However, some susceptibility can today be predicted before drug administration, working on the common substrate, by phenotyping and genotyping studies and by taking in consideration patients' health status. Physicians should always think of this adverse effect in the absence of other clear hepatic disease. Ethical and legal problems towards operators in the health care system are always matters to consider.

Roles of hepatic stellate cells in acute liver failure: From the perspective of inflammation and fibrosis

Acute liver failure(ALF)usually results in hepatocellular dysfunction and coagulopathy and carries a high mortality rate.Hepatic stellate cells(HSCs)are famous for their role in liver fibrosis.Although some recent studies revealed that HSCs might participate in the pathogenesis of ALF,the accurate mechanism is still not fully understood.This review focuses on the recent advances in understanding the functions of HSCs in ALF and revealed both protective and promotive roles during the pathogenesis of ALF:HSC activation participates in the maintenance of cell attachment and the architecture of liver tissue via extracellular matrix production and assists liver regeneration by producing growth factors;and HSC inflammation plays a role in relaying inflammation signaling from sinusoids to parenchyma via secretion of inflammatory cytokines.A better understanding of roles of HSCs in the pathogenesis of ALF may lead to improvements and novel strategies for treating ALF patients.

Dissecting the molecular pathophysiology of drug-induced liver injury

Drug-induced liver injury(DILI) has become a major topic in the field of Hepatology and Gastroenterology. DILI can be clinically divided into three phenotypes: hepatocytic, cholestatic and mixed. Although the clinical manifestations of DILI are variable and the pathogenesis complicated, recent insights using improved preclinical models, have allowed a better understanding of the mechanisms that trigger liver damage. In this review, we will discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying DILI. The toxicity of the drug eventually induces hepatocellular damage through multiple molecular pathways, including direct hepatic toxicity and innate and adaptive immune responses. Drugs or their metabolites, such as the common analgesic, acetaminophen, can cause direct hepatic toxicity through accumulation of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial dysfunction. The innate and adaptive immune responses play also a very important role in the occurrence of idiosyncratic DILI. Furthermore, we examine common forms of hepatocyte death and their association with the activation of specific signaling pathways.