Liver transplantation as an alternative for the treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: Past, present, and future directions

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(iCCA)is a rare biliary tract cancer with high mortality rate.Complete resection of the iCCA lesion is the first choice of treatment,with good prognosis after margin-negative resection.Unfortunately,only 12%-40% of patients are eligible for resection at presentation due to cirrhosis,portal hypertension,or large tumor size.Liver transplantation(LT)offers margin-negative iCCA extirpation for patients with unresectable tumors.Initially,iCCA was a contraindication for LT until size-based selection criteria were introduced to identify patients with satisfied post-LT outcomes.Recent studies have shown that tumor biology-based selection can yield high post-LT survival in patients with locally advanced iCCA.Another selection criterion is the tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy.Patients with response to neoadjuvant therapy have better outcomes after LT compared with those without tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy.Another index that helps predict the treatment outcome is the biomarker.Improved survival outcomes have also opened the door for living donor LT for iCCA.Patients undergoing LT for iCCA now have statistically similar survival rates as patients undergoing resection.The combination of surgery and locoregional and systemic therapies improves the prognosis of iCCA patients.

Liver transplantation as an alternative for the treatment of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: A critical review

Background:Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma(phCCC)is a dismal malignancy.There is no consensus regard-ing the best treatment for patients with unresectable phCCC.The present review aimed to gather the current pieces of evidence for liver transplantation and liver resection as a treatment for phCCC and to build better guidance for clinical practice.Data sources:The search was conducted in PubMed,Embase,Cochrane,and LILACS.The related references were searched manually.Inclusion criteria were:reports in English or Portuguese literature that a)patients with confirmed diagnosis of phCCC;b)patients treated with a curative intent;c)patients with the outcomes of liver resection and liver transplantation.Case reports,reviews,letters,editorials,conference abstracts and papers with full-text unavailability were excluded from the analysis.Results:Most of the current literature is based on observational retrospective studies with low grades of evidence.Liver resection has better long-term outcomes than systemic chemotherapy or palliation ther-apy and liver transplantation is a good alternative for selected patients with unresectable phCCC.All candidates for resection or transplantation should be medically fit and free of intrahepatic or extrahep-atic diseases.As a general rule,patients presenting with a tumor having a longitudinal size>3 cm or extending below the cystic duct,lymph node disease,confirmed extrahepatic dissemination;intraoper-atively diagnosed metastatic disease;a history of other malignancies within the last five years,and did not complete chemoradiation regimen and were medically unfit should not be considered for transplan-tation.Some of these criteria should be individually assessed.Liver transplantation or resection should only be considered in highly experienced hepatobiliary centers,and any decision-making must be based on a multidisciplinary evaluation.Conclusions:phCCC is a complex condition with high morbidity.Surgical therapies,including hepatec-tomy and liver transplantation,are the best option for better long-term disease-free survival.

Liver transplantation as an alternative for the treatment of neuroendocrine liver metastasis: Appraisal of the current evidence

Background:Liver transplantation(LT)for neuroendocrine liver metastases(NELM)is still in debate.Studies comparing LT with liver resection(LR)for NELM are scarce,as patient selection is heterogeneous and experience is limited.The goal of this review was to provide a critical analysis of the evidence on LT versus LR in the treatment of NELM.Data sources:A scoping literature search on LT and LR for NELM was performed with PubMed,including English articles up to March 2023.Results:International guidelines recommend LR for NELM in resectable,well-differentiated tumors in the absence of extrahepatic metastatic disease with superior results of LR compared to systemic or liver-directed therapies.Advanced liver surgery has extended resectability criteria whilst entailing increased perioperative risk and short disease-free survival.In highly selected patients(based on the Milan criteria)with unresectable NELM,oncologic results of LT are promising.Prognostic factors include tumor biology(G1/G2)and burden,waiting time for LT,patient age and extrahepatic spread.Based on low-level evi-dence,LT for low-grade NELM within the Milan criteria resulted in improved disease-free survival and overall survival compared to LR.The benefits of LT were lost in patients beyond the Milan NELM-criteria.Conclusions:With adherence to strict selection criteria especially tumor biology,LT for NELM is becoming a valuable option providing oncologic benefits compared to LR.Recent evidence suggests even stricter selection criteria with regard to tumor biology.

Liver transplantation as an alternative for the treatment of non-resectable liver colorectal cancer: Advancing the therapeutic algorithm

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancerrelated mortality,with nearly half of the affected patients developing liver metastases.For three decades,liver resection(LR)has been the primary curative strategy,yet its applicability is limited to about 20%of cases.Liver transplantation(LT)for unresectable metastases was attempted unsuccessfully in the 1990s,with high rates of perioperative death and recurrence.There is now more interest in this strategy due to improvements in systemic therapies and surgical techniques.A significant study conducted by the Oslo group showed that patients receiving liver transplants had a 60%chance of survival after five years.Significantly better results have been achieved by using advanced imaging for risk stratification and further refining selection criteria,especially in the Norvegian SECA trials.This review carefully charts the development and history of LT as a treatment option for colorectal cancer liver metastases.The revolutionary path from the early days of exploratory surgery to the current situation of cautious optimism is traced,highlighting the critical clinical developments and improved patient selection standards that have made LT a potentially curative treatment for such challenging very well selected cases.

Liver transplantation and resection in patients with hepatocellular cancer and portal vein tumor thrombosis: Feasible and effective?

Patients with locally advanced hepatocellular cancer(HCC)and portal vein tumor thrombosis(PVTT)have a dismal prognosis since limited treatment options are available for them.In recent years,effective systemic therapy,and advances in the understanding of technicalities and effectiveness of ablative therapies especially radiotherapy,have given some hope to prolong survival in them.This review summarized recent evidence in literature regarding the possible role of liver resection(LR)and liver transplantation(LT)in patients with locally advanced HCC and PVTT with no extrahepatic disease.Downstaging therapies have helped make curative resection or LT a reality in selected patients.This review emphasizes on the key points to focus on when considering surgery in these patients,who are usually relegated to palliative systemic therapy alone.Meticulous patient selection based on tumor biology,documented downstaging based on imaging and decrease in tumor marker levels,and an adequate waiting period to demonstrate stable disease,may help obtain satisfactory long-term outcomes post LR or LT in an intention to treat strategy in patients with HCC and PVTT.

Use of machine learning models for the prognostication of liver transplantation: A systematic review

BACKGROUND Liver transplantation(LT)is a life-saving intervention for patients with end-stage liver disease.However,the equitable allocation of scarce donor organs remains a formidable challenge.Prognostic tools are pivotal in identifying the most suitable transplant candidates.Traditionally,scoring systems like the model for end-stage liver disease have been instrumental in this process.Nevertheless,the landscape of prognostication is undergoing a transformation with the integration of machine learning(ML)and artificial intelligence models.AIM To assess the utility of ML models in prognostication for LT,comparing their performance and reliability to established traditional scoring systems.METHODS Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines,we conducted a thorough and standardized literature search using the PubMed/MEDLINE database.Our search imposed no restrictions on publication year,age,or gender.Exclusion criteria encompassed non-English studies,review articles,case reports,conference papers,studies with missing data,or those exhibiting evident methodological flaws.RESULTS Our search yielded a total of 64 articles,with 23 meeting the inclusion criteria.Among the selected studies,60.8%originated from the United States and China combined.Only one pediatric study met the criteria.Notably,91%of the studies were published within the past five years.ML models consistently demonstrated satisfactory to excellent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values(ranging from 0.6 to 1)across all studies,surpassing the performance of traditional scoring systems.Random forest exhibited superior predictive capabilities for 90-d mortality following LT,sepsis,and acute kidney injury(AKI).In contrast,gradient boosting excelled in predicting the risk of graft-versus-host disease,pneumonia,and AKI.CONCLUSION This study underscores the potential of ML models in guiding decisions related to allograft allocation and LT,marking a significant evolution in the field of prognostication.

Effects of early postnatal gastric and colonic microbiota transplantation on piglet gut health

Background Diarrhea is a major cause of reduced growth and mortality in piglets during the suckling and weaning periods and poses a major threat to the global pig industry.Diarrhea and gut dysbiosis may in part be prevented via improved early postnatal microbial colonization of the gut.To secure better postnatal gut colonization,we hypothesized that transplantation of colonic or gastric content from healthy donors to newborn recipients would prevent diarrhea in the recipients in the post-weaning period.Our objective was to examine the impact of transplanting colonic or gastric content on health and growth parameters and paraclinical parameters in recipient single-housed piglets exposed to a weaning transition and challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC).Methods Seventy-two 1-day-old piglets were randomized to four groups:colonic microbiota transplantation(CMT,n=18),colonic content filtrate transplantation(CcFT,n=18),gastric microbiota transplantation(GMT,n=18),or saline(CON,n=18).Inoculations were given on d 2 and 3 of life,and all piglets were milk-fed until weaning(d 20)and shortly after challenged with ETEC(d 24).We assessed growth,diarrhea prevalence,ETEC concentration,organ weight,blood parameters,small intestinal morphology and histology,gut mucosal function,and microbiota composition and diversity.Results Episodes of diarrhea were seen in all groups during both the milk-and the solid-feeding phase,possibly due to stress associated with single housing.However,CcFT showed lower diarrhea prevalence on d 27,28,and 29 compared to CON(all P<0.05).CcFT also showed a lower ETEC prevalence on d 27(P<0.05).CMT showed a higher alpha diversity and a difference in beta diversity compared to CON(P<0.05).Growth and other paraclinical endpoints were similar across groups.Conclusion In conclusion,only CcFT reduced ETEC-related post-weaning diarrhea.However,the protective effect was marginal,suggesting that higher doses,more effective modalities of administration,longer treatment periods,and better donor quality should be explored by future research to optimize the protective effects of transplantation.

Influence of sex on outcomes of liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma:a multicenter cohort study in China

Objective:Sex-specific differences are observed in various liver diseases,but the influence of sex on the outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)after liver transplantation(LT)remains to be determined.This study is the first Chinese nationwide investigation of the role of sex in post-LT outcomes in patients with HCC.Methods:Data for recipients with HCC registered in the China Liver Transplant Registry between January 2015 and December 2020 were analyzed.The associations between donor,recipient,or donor-recipient transplant patterns by sex and the post-LT outcomes were studied with propensity score matching(PSM).The survival associated with different sex-based donor-recipient transplant patterns was further studied.Results:Among 3,769 patients enrolled in this study,the 1-,3-,and 5-year overall survival(OS)rates of patients with HCC after LT were 96.1%,86.4%,and 78.5%,respectively,in female recipients,and 95.8%,79.0%,and 70.7%,respectively,in male recipients after PSM(P=0.009).However,the OS was comparable between recipients with female donors and male donors.Multivariate analysis indicated that male recipient sex was a risk factor for post-LT survival(HR=1.381,P=0.046).Among the donor-recipient transplant patterns,the male-male donor-recipient transplant pattern was associated with the poorest post-LT survival(P<0.05).Conclusions:Our findings highlighted that the post-LT outcomes of female recipients were significantly superior to those of male recipients,and the male-male donor-recipient transplant pattern was associated with the poorest post-LT survival.Livers from male donors may provide the most benefit to female recipients.Our results indicate that sex should be considered as a critical factor in organ allocation.

Repeated inoculation with rumen fluid accelerates the rumen bacterial transition with no benefit on production performance in postpartum Holstein dairy cows

Background The dairy cow’s postpartum period is characterized by dramatic physiological changes,therefore imposing severe challenges on the animal for maintaining health and milk output.The dynamics of the ruminal microbiota are also tremendous and may play a crucial role in lactation launch.We aim to investigate the potential benefits of early microbial intervention by fresh rumen microbiota transplantation(RMT)and sterile RMT in postpartum dairy cows.Twelve fistulated peak-lactation dairy cows were selected to be the donors for rumen fluid collection.Thirty postpartum cows were divided into 3 groups as the transplantation receptors respectively receiving 10 L fresh rumen fluid(FR),10 L sterile rumen fluid(SR),or 10 L saline(CON)during 3 d after calving.Results Production performance,plasma indices,plasma lipidome,ruminal microbiome,and liver transcriptome were recorded.After fresh and sterile RMT,we found that the molar proportion of propionic acid was increased on d 7 in the FR and SR groups and the bacterial composition was also significantly changed when compared with the CON group.A similarity analysis showed that the similarities between the CON group and FR or SR group on d 7 were 48.40%or 47.85%,whereas the similarities between microbiota on d 7 and 21 in the FR and SR groups were 68.34%or 66.85%.Dry matter intake and feed efficiency were not affected by treatments.Plasmaβ-hydroxybutyrate concentration in the FR group was decreased and significantly different lipids mainly included phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine containing polyunsaturated fatty acids.Hepatic transcriptomics analysis indicated acutephase response pathways were upregulated in the SR group.Conclusions Our study suggests that RMT can shorten the transition process of the ruminal microbiota of postpartum dairy cows with no benefit on dry matter intake or feed efficiency.Inoculation with rumen fluid may not be a useful approach to promote the recovery of postpartum dairy cows.

Ginkgo biloba extract alleviates fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome in laying hens via reshaping gut microbiota

Background Ginkgo biloba extract(GBE)is evidenced to be effective in the prevention and alleviation of metabolic disorders,including obesity,diabetes and fatty liver disease.However,the role of GBE in alleviating fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome(FLHS)in laying hens and the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated.Here,we investigated the effects of GBE on relieving FLHS with an emphasis on the modulatory role of GBE in chicken gut microbiota.Results The results showed that GBE treatment ameliorated biochemical blood indicators in high-fat diet(HFD)-induced FLHS laying hen model by decreasing the levels of TG,TC,ALT and ALP.The lipid accumulation and pathological score of liver were also relieved after GBE treatment.Moreover,GBE treatment enhanced the antioxidant activity of liver and serum by increasing GSH,SOD,T-AOC,GSH-PX and reducing MDA,and downregulated the expression of genes related to lipid synthesis(FAS,LXRα,GPAT1,PPARγand Ch REBP1)and inflammatory cytokines(TNF-α,IL-6,TLR4 and NF-κB)in the liver.Microbial profiling analysis revealed that GBE treatment reshaped the HFD-perturbed gut microbiota,particularly elevated the abundance of Megasphaera in the cecum.Meanwhile,targeted metabolomic analysis of SCFAs revealed that GBE treatment significantly promoted the production of total SCFAs,acetate and propionate,which were positively correlated with the GBE-enriched gut microbiota.Finally,we confirmed that the GBE-altered gut microbiota was sufficient to alleviate FLHS by fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT).Conclusions We provided evidence that GBE alleviated FLHS in HFD-induced laying hens through reshaping the composition of gut microbiota.Our findings shed light on mechanism underlying the anti-FLHS efficacy of GBE and lay foundations for future use of GBE as additive to prevent and control FLHS in laying hen industry.

Transplantation of fibrin-thrombin encapsulated human induced neural stem cells promotes functional recovery of spinal cord injury rats through modulation of the microenvironment

Recent studies have mostly focused on engraftment of cells at the lesioned spinal cord,with the expectation that differentiated neurons facilitate recovery.Only a few studies have attempted to use transplanted cells and/or biomaterials as major modulators of the spinal cord injury microenvironment.Here,we aimed to investigate the role of microenvironment modulation by cell graft on functional recovery after spinal cord injury.Induced neural stem cells reprogrammed from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells,and/or thrombin plus fibrinogen,were transplanted into the lesion site of an immunosuppressed rat spinal cord injury model.Basso,Beattie and Bresnahan score,electrophysiological function,and immunofluorescence/histological analyses showed that transplantation facilitates motor and electrophysiological function,reduces lesion volume,and promotes axonal neurofilament expression at the lesion core.Examination of the graft and niche components revealed that although the graft only survived for a relatively short period(up to 15 days),it still had a crucial impact on the microenvironment.Altogether,induced neural stem cells and human fibrin reduced the number of infiltrated immune cells,biased microglia towards a regenerative M2 phenotype,and changed the cytokine expression profile at the lesion site.Graft-induced changes of the microenvironment during the acute and subacute stages might have disrupted the inflammatory cascade chain reactions,which may have exerted a long-term impact on the functional recovery of spinal cord injury rats.

Regenerative medicine strategies for chronic complete spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury is a condition in which the parenchyma of the spinal cord is damaged by trauma or various diseases.While rapid progress has been made in regenerative medicine for spinal cord injury that was previously untreatable,most research in this field has focused on the early phase of incomplete injury.However,the majority of patients have chronic severe injuries;therefore,treatments for these situations are of fundamental importance.The reason why the treatment of complete spinal cord injury has not been studied is that,unlike in the early stage of incomplete spinal cord injury,there are various inhibitors of neural regeneration.Thus,we assumed that it is difficult to address all conditions with a single treatment in chronic complete spinal cord injury and that a combination of several treatments is essential to target severe pathologies.First,we established a combination therapy of cell transplantation and drug-releasing scaffolds,which contributes to functional recovery after chronic complete transection spinal cord injury,but we found that functional recovery was limited and still needs further investigation.Here,for the further development of the treatment of chronic complete spinal cord injury,we review the necessary approaches to the different pathologies based on our findings and the many studies that have been accumulated to date and discuss,with reference to the literature,which combination of treatments is most effective in achieving functional recovery.

Versatile strategies for adult neurogenesis:avenues to repair the injured brain

Brain injuries due to trauma or stroke are major causes of adult death and disability.Unfortunately,few interventions are effective for post-injury repair of brain tissue.After a long debate on whether endogenous neurogenesis actually happens in the adult human brain,there is now substantial evidence to support its occurrence.Although neurogenesis is usually significantly stimulated by injury,the reparative potential of endogenous differentiation from neural stem/progenitor cells is usually insufficient.Alternatively,exogenous stem cell transplantation has shown promising results in animal models,but limitations such as poor long-term survival and inefficient neuronal differentiation make it still challenging for clinical use.Recently,a high focus was placed on glia-to-neuron conversion under single-factor regulation.Despite some inspiring results,the validity of this strategy is still controversial.In this review,we summarize historical findings and recent advances on neurogenesis strategies for neurorepair after brain injury.We also discuss their advantages and drawbacks,as to provide a comprehensive account of their potentials for further studies.

Fecal microbiota transplantation:whole grain highland barley improves glucose metabolism by changing gut microbiota

Highland barley(HB)is a high-altitude cereal with rich nutritional components and potential health benefits.To clarify its hypoglycemic effect and mechanism,we investigated the effect of whole grain HB and fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)on glucose metabolism and gut microbiota in high-fat diet and streptozotocin(HFD/STZ)-induced diabetic mice.The results showed that HB(40%)significantly decreased fasting blood glucose and the area under the glucose tolerance curve,significantly increased insulin secretion and improved insulin resistance in HFD/STZ-induced diabetic mice(P<0.05).Inflammatory factors and blood lipid indices were also significantly alleviated after 12 weeks of 40%HB intervention(P<0.05).Additionally,beneficial bacteria,such as Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia,were significantly enriched in the gut of diabetic mice after whole grain HB intervention.Meanwhile,the results of further FMT experiments verified that the fecal microbiota after the 40%HB intervention not only significantly increased the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia but also effectively improved glucose metabolism and alleviated the inflammatory state in HFD/STZ-induced diabetic mice.Collectively,our study confirmed the bridge role of gut microbiota in improving glucose metabolism of whole grain HB,which could promote the development of precision nutrition.

Effects of mesenchymal stem cell on dopaminergic neurons,motor and memory functions in animal models of Parkinson's disease:a systematic review and meta-analysis

Parkinson’s disease is chara cterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars com pacta,and although restoring striatal dopamine levels may improve symptoms,no treatment can cure or reve rse the disease itself.Stem cell therapy has a regenerative effect and is being actively studied as a candidate for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.Mesenchymal stem cells are considered a promising option due to fewer ethical concerns,a lower risk of immune rejection,and a lower risk of teratogenicity.We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells and their derivatives on motor function,memory,and preservation of dopamine rgic neurons in a Parkinson’s disease animal model.We searched bibliographic databases(PubMed/MEDLINE,Embase,CENTRAL,Scopus,and Web of Science)to identify articles and included only pee r-reviewed in vivo interve ntional animal studies published in any language through J une 28,2023.The study utilized the random-effect model to estimate the 95%confidence intervals(CI)of the standard mean differences(SMD)between the treatment and control groups.We use the systematic review center for laboratory animal expe rimentation’s risk of bias tool and the collaborative approach to meta-analysis and review of animal studies checklist for study quality assessment.A total of 33studies with data from 840 Parkinson’s disease model animals were included in the meta-analysis.Treatment with mesenchymal stem cells significantly improved motor function as assessed by the amphetamine-induced rotational test.Among the stem cell types,the bone marrow MSCs with neurotrophic factor group showed la rgest effect size(SMD[95%CI]=-6.21[-9.50 to-2.93],P=0.0001,I^(2)=0.0%).The stem cell treatment group had significantly more tyrosine hydroxylase positive dopamine rgic neurons in the striatum([95%CI]=1.04[0.59 to 1.49],P=0.0001,I^(2)=65.1%)and substantia nigra(SMD[95%CI]=1.38[0.89 to 1.87],P=0.0001,I^(2)=75.3%),indicating a protective effect on dopaminergic neurons.Subgroup analysis of the amphetamine-induced rotation test showed a significant reduction only in the intracranial-striatum route(SMD[95%CI]=-2.59[-3.25 to-1.94],P=0.0001,I^(2)=74.4%).The memory test showed significant improvement only in the intravenous route(SMD[95%CI]=4.80[1.84 to 7.76],P=0.027,I^(2)=79.6%).Mesenchymal stem cells have been shown to positively impact motor function and memory function and protect dopaminergic neurons in preclinical models of Parkinson’s disease.Further research is required to determine the optimal stem cell types,modifications,transplanted cell numbe rs,and delivery methods for these protocols.

Prevalence and clinical impact of sarcopenia in liver transplant recipients:A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND The prevalence of sarcopenia in patients undergoing liver transplantation(LT)remains to be determined partly because of different diagnostic criteria.Sarcopenia has recently been recognized as a new prognostic factor for predicting outcomes in LT candidates.AIM To estimate the prevalence of sarcopenia and evaluate its clinical effect on LT candidates.METHODS This systematic search was conducted in PubMed,Web of Science,Embase,and Cochrane Library for original English-language articles that investigated the prevalence and influence of sarcopenia in patients undergoing LT from database inception to November 30,2022.Cohort studies of the definition of sarcopenia that estimate sarcopenia prevalence and evaluate its effect on clinical outcomes and the risk of mortality were included.RESULTS Twenty-five studies involving 7760 patients undergoing LT were included.The pooled prevalence of sarcopenia in patients undergoing LT was 40.7%[95%confidence intervals(95%CI):32.1-49.6].The 1-,3-,and 5-year cumulative probab-ilities of post-LT survival in patients with preoperative sarcopenia were all lower than those without sarcopenia(P<0.05).Sarcopenia was associated with an increased risk of post-LT mortality in patients undergoing LT(adjusted hazard ratio:1.58;95%CI:1.21-2.07).Patients with preoperative sarcopenia had a longer intensive care unit stay,a high risk ratio of sepsis,and serious post-LT complications than those without sarcopenia.CONCLUSION Sarcopenia is prevalent in a substantial proportion of patients undergoing LT and is strongly and independently associated with higher a risk of mortality risk.

Interplay between mesenchymal stromal cells and the immune system after transplantation: implications for advanced cell therapy in the retina

Advanced mesenchymal stromal cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative diseases are widely investigated in preclinical models.Mesenchymal stromal cells are well positioned as therapeutics because they address the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration,namely trophic factor deprivation and neuroinflammation.Most studies have focused on the beneficial effects of mesenchymal stromal cell transplantation on neuronal survival or functional improvement.However,little attention has been paid to the interaction between mesenchymal stromal cells and the host immune system due to the immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stromal cells and the long-held belief of the immunoprivileged status of the central nervous system.Here,we review the crosstalk between mesenchymal stromal cells and the immune system in general and in the context of the central nervous system,focusing on recent work in the retina and the importance of the type of transplantation.

Development of a nomogram for predicting liver transplantation prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND At present,liver transplantation(LT)is one of the best treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Accurately predicting the survival status after LT can significantly improve the survival rate after LT,and ensure the best way to make rational use of liver organs.AIM To develop a model for predicting prognosis after LT in patients with HCC.METHODS Clinical data and follow-up information of 160 patients with HCC who underwent LT were collected and evaluated.The expression levels of alphafetoprotein(AFP),des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin,Golgi protein 73,cytokeratin-18 epitopes M30 and M65 were measured using a fully automated chemiluminescence analyzer.The best cutoff value of biomarkers was determined using the Youden index.Cox regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors.A forest model was constructed using the random forest method.We evaluated the accuracy of the nomogram using the area under the curve,using the calibration curve to assess consistency.A decision curve analysis(DCA)was used to evaluate the clinical utility of the nomograms.RESULTS The total tumor diameter(TTD),vascular invasion(VI),AFP,and cytokeratin-18 epitopes M30(CK18-M30)were identified as important risk factors for outcome after LT.The nomogram had a higher predictive accuracy than the Milan,University of California,San Francisco,and Hangzhou criteria.The calibration curve analyses indicated a good fit.The survival and recurrence-free survival(RFS)of high-risk groups were significantly lower than those of low-and middle-risk groups(P<0.001).The DCA shows that the model has better clinical practicability.CONCLUSION The study developed a predictive nomogram based on TTD,VI,AFP,and CK18-M30 that could accurately predict overall survival and RFS after LT.It can screen for patients with better postoperative prognosis,and improve longterm survival for LT patients.

Relationship among Parkinson’s disease, constipation, microbes, and microbiological therapy

This comprehensive review elucidates the complex interplay between gut microbiota and constipation in Parkinson’s disease(PD),a prevalent non-motor symptom contributing significantly to patients’morbidity.A marked alteration in the gut microbiota,predominantly an increase in the abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes,is observed in PD-related constipation.Conventional treatments,although safe,have failed to effectively alleviate symptoms,thereby necessitating the development of novel therapeutic strategies.Microbiological interventions such as prebiotics,probiotics,and fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)hold therapeutic potential.While prebiotics improve bowel movements,probiotics are effective in enhancing stool consistency and alleviating abdominal discomfort.FMT shows potential for significantly alleviating constipation symptoms by restoring gut microbiota balance in patients with PD.Despite promising developments,the causal relationship between changes in gut microbiota and PD-related constipation remains elusive,highlighting the need for further research in this expanding field.

Role of albumin-bilirubin score in non-malignant liver disease

The albumin-bilirubin(ALBI)score,which was proposed to assess the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma,has gradually been extended to other liver diseases in recent years,including primary biliary cholangitis,liver cirrhosis,hepatitis,liver transplantation,and liver injury.The ALBI score is often compared with classical scores such as the Child-Pugh and model for end-stage liver disease scores or other noninvasive prediction models.It is widely employed because of its immunity to subjective evaluation indicators and ease of obtaining detection indicators.An increasing number of studies have confirmed that it is highly accurate for assessing the prognosis of patients with chronic liver disease;additionally,it has demonstrated good predictive performance for outcomes beyond survival in patients with liver diseases,such as decompensation events.This article presents a review of the application of ALBI scores in various non-malignant liver diseases.