Engineering a biocompatible chitosan/MOF aerogel for hyperbilirubinemia treatment in liver failure.

Liver failure, marked by a rapid or progressive decline in liver function, leads to complications such as hyperbilirubinemia and infections, contributing to approximately 2 million global deaths each year. Current hemoperfusion methods for hyperbilirubinemia treatment are limited by their low adsorption selectivity and inadequate biosafety, necessitating better treatments. In this study, a chitosan-based HKUST-1 aerogel (HC) was developed as a highly selective, biosafe, and antibacterial adsorbent.

Mild hypothermia attenuates hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury by regulating FoxO1/PPARα pathway.

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common complication of hepatectomy and liver transplantation. As far as we know, mild hypothermia (MH) is an effective measure to alleviate liver IRI. However, the precise mechanisms have not been fully elucidated.

The immune duality of osteopontin and its therapeutic implications for kidney transplantation.

Osteopontin (OPN) is a multifunctional glycoprotein with various structural domains that enable it to perform diverse functions in both physiological and pathological states. This review comprehensively examines OPN from multiple perspectives, including its protein structure, interactions with receptors, interactions with immune cells, and roles in kidney diseases and transplantation. This review explores the immunological duality of OPN and its significance and value as a biomarker and therapeutic target in kidney transplantation.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 attenuates renal injury through inhibiting CYP4A expression.

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a prevalent clinical syndrome, yet its underlying pathogenesis remains largely unknown. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), an enzyme responsible for detoxifying lipid aldehydes, has been suggested to play a protective role against IRI. In our study, we observed that Aldh2 knock-out C57BL/6 mice experienced more severe renal functional impairment following IRI.

KLF10 Induced by Hypothermic Machine Perfusion Alleviates Renal Inflammation Through BIRC2 /Noncanonical NF-κB Pathway.

Background: Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) is becoming the main preservation method for donation after circulatory death (DCD) kidneys. It can provide continuous flow and form shear stress (SS) upon endothelial cells (ECs), thereby regulating EC injury. Krüppel-like factor 10 (KLF10) has been shown to lessen vascular damage.

Hypothermic oxygenated perfusion inhibits CLIP1-mediated TIRAP ubiquitination via TFPI2 to reduce ischemia‒reperfusion injury of the fatty liver.

The use of fatty livers in liver transplantation has emerged as a crucial strategy to expand the pool of donor livers; however, fatty livers are more sensitive to ischemia‒reperfusion injury (IRI). Excessive congenital inflammatory responses are crucial in IRI. Hypothermic oxygenated perfusion (HOPE) is a novel organ preservation technique that may improve marginal donor liver quality by reducing the inflammatory response.

Thrombocytopenia Predicts Poor Prognosis of Liver Transplantation.

Background/aim: Platelets not only participate in physiological hemostasis but also play a major role in liver ischemia-reperfusion injury, liver damage, tissue repair, and liver regeneration. A decrease in platelet count can lead to spontaneous bleeding, infection, and other complications that can seriously impact patient prognosis. Thrombocytopenia has been associated with increased complications after partial hepatectomy, although the effects of thrombocytopenia on patient outcomes remain unclear.

Impact of Paxlovid on Tacrolimus Concentration in Kidney Transplant Patients: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Kidney transplant recipients, reliant on lifelong immunosuppressive therapy, face potential drug interactions with emerging treatments such as paxlovid. This study aims to provide guidance for safe administration by examining the impact of paxlovid on tacrolimus levels in kidney transplant recipients. Seven kidney transplant patients who received paxlovid between December 2022 and August 2023 were included for retrospective analysis.

Progress in chitin/chitosan and their derivatives for biomedical applications: Where we stand.

Chitin and its deacetylated form, chitosan, have demonstrated remarkable versatility in the realm of biomaterials. Their exceptional biocompatibility, antibacterial properties, pro- and anticoagulant characteristics, robust antioxidant capacity, and anti-inflammatory potential make them highly sought-after in various applications. This review delves into the mechanisms underlying chitin/chitosan's biological activity and provides a comprehensive overview of their derivatives in fields such as tissue engineering, hemostasis, wound healing, drug delivery, and hemoperfusion.

Biodegradable chitin nanofiber-alginate dialdehyde hydrogel: An injectable, self-healing scaffold for anti-tumor drug delivery.

Injectable hydrogels fabricated from natural polymers have attracted increasing attentions for their potential in biomedical application owing to the biocompatibility and biodegradability. A new class of natural polymer based self-healing hydrogel is constructed through dynamic covalent bonds. The injectable self-healing hydrogels are fabricated by introducing alginate aldehyde to form Schiff base bonds with the chitin nanofibers.

Rictor mediates p53 deactivation to facilitate the malignant transformation of hepatocytes and promote hepatocarcinogenesis.

Background: Mutations in TP53 gene is considered a main driver of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While TP53 mutations are the leading cause of p53 dysfunction, their occurrence rates may drop to approximately 10% in cohorts without hepatitis B virus and aflatoxin exposure. This observation suggests that the deactivation of wild-type p53 (p53) may be a critical factor in the majority of HCC cases.

ALDH2 deficiency exacerbates MCD-diet induced MASLD by modulating bile acid metabolism.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), an acetaldehyde dehydrogenase in mitochondria, is primarily responsible for metabolizing alcohol-derived acetaldehyde and other endogenous aldehydes. Inactivating ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism is found in up to 8 % of the global population and 40 % of the East Asian population. Recent studies have shown that rs671 SNP mutation in the human ALDH2 gene is associated with an increased risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseases (MASLD), but the mechanism remains unclear.

RBM45 reprograms lipid metabolism promoting hepatocellular carcinoma via Rictor and ACSL1/ACSL4.

Reprogramming of lipid metabolism during hepatocarcinogenesis is not well elucidated. Here, we aimed to explore pivotal RNA-binding motif proteins (RBMs) in lipid metabolism and their therapeutic potential in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Through bioinformatic analysis, we identified RBM45 as a critical gene of interest among differentially expressed RBMs in HCC, with significant prognostic relevance.

Photothermal Fibrous Chitosan/Polydopamine Sponge for Intraoperative Hemostasis and Prevention of Tumor Recurrence in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Resection.

Hepatectomy, a surgical procedure for liver cancer, is often plagued by high recurrence rates worldwide. The recurrence of liver cancer is primarily attributed to microlesions in the liver, changes in the immune microenvironment, and circulating tumor cells in the bloodstream. To address this issue, a novel intervention method that combines intraoperative hemostasis with mild photothermal therapy is proposed, which has the potential to ablate microlesions and improve the immune microenvironment simultaneously.

New Drainage Management Following Liver Transplant Results in Fewer Postoperative Hospital Days.

Objectives: Drain tube management after liver transplant is controversial. A new peritoneal drainage management protocol was developed to validate clinical characteristics, such as drain characteristics, postoperative complications, duration of postoperative hospital stay, changes in albumin levels, and 30-day readmission rates.

Materials And Methods: Data from 183 consecutive patients who underwent deceased donor liver transplant at our institution between January 2019 and June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.

Artificial ovaries constructed from biodegradable chitin-based hydrogels with the ability to restore ovarian endocrine function and alleviate osteoporosis in ovariectomized mice.

Background: Artificial ovary (AO) is an alternative approach to provide physiological hormone to post-menopausal women. The therapeutic effects of AO constructed using alginate (ALG) hydrogels are limited by their low angiogenic potential, rigidity, and non-degradability. To address these limitations, biodegradable chitin-based (CTP) hydrogels that promote cell proliferation and vascularization were synthesized, as supportive matrix.

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.

Factors influencing the success of cryopreserved parathyroid autotransplantation: A systematic review.

Permanent hypoparathyroidism is a postoperative complication of thyroid and parathyroid surgery and can be cured by cryopreserved parathyroid autotransplantation (CPAT). However, due to the lack of unified and standardized guidelines, the limited ability of the parathyroid tissue itself to withstand cryopreservation, and some yet-to-be-defined processes or technologies, the success rate of cryopreserved parathyroid autotransplantation varies between institutions; it is low for some institutions and high for others. Due to the sparsity of data, views vary on which factors most influence the success rate of cryopreserved parathyroid autotransplantation.

Effect of Matrix Metalloproteinase 23 Accelerating Wound Healing Induced by Hydroxybutyl Chitosan.

Skin wounds may cause severe financial and social burden due to the difficulties in wound healing. Original inert dressings cannot meet multiple needs in the process of wound healing. Therefore, the development of materials to accelerate healing progress is essential and urgent.

Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 Protects the Kidney from Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Suppressing the IB/NF-B/IL-17C Pathway.

Objective: Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is an important cause of delayed functional recovery after transplantation. This study is aimed at investigating the molecular mechanism of ALDH2 in a kidney ischemia-reperfusion model based on RNA-seq.

Methods: We performed kidney ischemia-reperfusion in ALDH2 and WT mice and evaluated kidney function and morphology using SCr, HE staining, TUNEL staining, and TEM.

High-strength, antibacterial, antioxidant, hemostatic, and biocompatible chitin/PEGDE-tannic acid hydrogels for wound healing.

Natural polymer hydrogels are widely used in various aspects of biomedical engineering, such as wound repair, owing to their abundance and biosafety. However, the low strength and the lack of function restricted their development and application scope. Herein, we fabricated novel multifunctional chitin/PEGDE-tannic acid (CPT) hydrogels through chemical- and physical-crosslinking strategies, using chitin as the base material, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDE) and tannic acid (TA) as crosslinking agents, and 90 % ethanol as the regenerative bath.