Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0019204 (hepatocellular carcinoma)
 71,386 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Human hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers run an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), where the expression of HBV genes play the most important role in the initial stage of hepatocarcinogenesis. As the integration of HBV DNA into the cellular DNA of HCC as well as chronic hepatitis was demonstrated very frequently, the virus-cell fusion gene was considered to be most essential for hepatocarcinogenesis. Among the virus-cell fusion genes, the X gene is known to function as a transactivator for viral and cellular genes at the time of chronic infection. One mechanism for hepatocarcinogenesis that appears particularly reasonable is transactivation of cellular oncogenes by the X-cell fusion protein. In 1990, we found a part of the amino acid sequences in the X protein to be highly homologous to functionally essential sequences in the Kunitz domain, characteristic of Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitors. It has been recently demonstrated that X protein expressed in E. coli or from the in vitro translation system binds to a specific serine protease from the liver cells. These results indicate that transactivation function of X protein may be exerted by acting as a protease inhibitor analogue to control the proteolytic pathway of cellular transcription factor(s). On the other hand, viral hepatitis resulting from viruses other than hepatitis A virus and HBV has been referred to as non-A, non-B hepatitis. In 1989, the viral genome was molecularly cloned as a positive-strand RNA having about 10 kb in size and named as hepatitis C virus (HCV). Details of genetic structure and mechanism of expression are currently under investigation at molecular level.
 ...
PMID:[Gene expression of hepatitis viruses in the liver and hepatocarcinogenesis]. 132 91

Patients with liver disease have a variety of coagulation abnormalities. These derangements are of uncertain origin and do not always correlate with disease severity or activity. We have measured the levels and proportions of the total fibrin-related and fibrinogen-related antigens, the principal fibrin (D-dimer) and fibrinogen (D-monomer) degradation fragments and intermediates of fibrin formation (fibrin monomers) in patients with a variety of acute and chronic liver diseases in whom all known other precipitating causes of disseminated intravascular coagulation had been excluded. Fibrin-related and fibrinogen-related antigens were extracted from serum using antihuman fibrinogen-IgG covalently bound to activated amino-phenylthioether paper disks and were subjected to 4% to 11% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under nonreducing conditions. Fibrin-related and fibrinogen-related antigen proportions were determined by densitometry, and their levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Levels of total fibrin-related and fibrinogen-related antigens (and D-dimer) were significantly elevated (p less than 0.01) in patients with cirrhosis (121 to 641 ng/ml) and hepatocellular carcinoma (416 to 8,786 ng/ml) when compared with patients with acute viral hepatitis (84 to 322 ng/ml) and control subjects (38 to 186 ng/ml). In addition, D-monomer levels were elevated. These findings strongly suggest that disseminated intravascular coagulation is a component of the coagulopathy of certain liver diseases. Because fibrin-related and fibrinogen-related antigens have anticoagulant, vasoactive and immunosuppressive properties, their elevated presence may be biologically significant in these patients.
 ...
PMID:Elevated fibrin-related and fibrinogen-related antigens in patients with liver disease. 132 11

Point-mutational activation of the c-Ki-ras proto-oncogene has been shown to be rare in human hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common primary liver cancer and one usually associated with chronic viral infection. To reveal the association of c-Ki-ras activation with cholangiocarcinogenesis under different etiological backgrounds, the incidence of point mutation at codons 12 and 13 of the c-Ki-ras proto-oncogene was examined in three groups of human liver cancers with differentiation to biliary epithelial cells: Group 1, cholangiocellular carcinoma in Japanese with normal livers; Group 2, cholangiocellular carcinoma in Thais who had lived in an area where the liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini is endemic; and Group 3, combined hepatocellular-cholangiocellular carcinoma, a rare type showing features of both hepatocellular and biliary epithelial differentiation, in Japanese with chronic viral hepatitis with or without cirrhosis. The polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing of its product were used to detect the mutation. Point mutation at codon 12 of the c-Ki-ras gene was detected in five (56%) of nine cases in Group 1. In contrast, the mutation was not detected in any of the cases in Groups 2 and 3. Therefore, point-mutational activation of c-Ki-ras did not seem to be involved in the development of primary liver cancers associated with apparent chronic irritation of liver cells or biliary epithelial cells caused by exogenous liver-fluke or viral infection. On the other hand, point-mutational activation of the c-Ki-ras proto-oncogene may be involved in cholangiocarcinogenesis in liver without preexisting liver-fluke or viral infection.
 ...
PMID:Cholangiocarcinomas in Japanese and Thai patients: difference in etiology and incidence of point mutation of the c-Ki-ras proto-oncogene. 133 66

The viral hepatitis is a serious public health problem worldwide. Some problem is hepatitis B, particularly superinfection HBV-HDV and least hepatitis C (HCV), because they are transmitted via parenteral routes. About 20% of patients becomes a chronic carrier. Some chronic carriers are healthy: and they have no functional deficiencies. Others however, chronic active hepatitis develops and can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and finally to hepatocellular carcinoma, that is one of the major cancers of the world today. The immunocomplexes play a role in pathogenesis of several syndromes, such as: polyarthritis nodosa, glomerulonephritis, acrodermatitis. In the study based on questionnaires mailed 645 persons after acute viral hepatitis they were observed: cholecystitis--13.9%, stomach and/or duodenum ulcer--11.5%, and cholelithiasis--8.1%. An important results of the investigation is the conclusion that hepatitis caused distinct decrease of the health condition and change of the lifestyle. After the viral hepatitis 9% of patients shifted to a lighter job for a time, 3.8% for good and 5.6% patients after hepatitis B were receiving disability payment. In the light of the problems discussed here the vaccination would prevent not only the acute liver illness but also the sequelae of the disease.
 ...
PMID:[Viral hepatitis sequelae]. 133 49

Reports of an increase in a serum epoxide hydrolase (sEH), immunochemically related to microsomal EH in humans and rats with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), suggested its use as a serum marker for this disease. We have now measured sEH levels (as either immunochemically determined content or enzyme activity) in a number of human and experimental models of liver disease. sEH was elevated above the normal range in at least 50% of individuals with HCC, including: 3 of 6 northern Californians; 4 of 7 Koreans with hepatitis B-associated HCC; hepatitis B-associated HCC in woodchucks; and male rats receiving chronic treatment with aflatoxin B1 or ciprofibrate. sEH was rarely elevated in other forms of chronic liver disease. Only 2 of 9 Koreans with hepatitis B-associated cirrhosis, 1 of 8 carriers, but none with chronic active hepatitis or infection with no apparent liver disease had elevated sEH. In addition, no elevations were found in woodchucks with noncancerous viral hepatitis. In aflatoxin B1- and M1-treated rats sEH was not elevated in those with only hyperplastic foci or hepatocellular adenomas, and in two rat initiation-promotion protocols sEH was elevated only in those rats which received the entire set of treatments. sEH was also increased during acute hepatotoxicity in rats treated with CCl4 or 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane. The mechanism of increase in sEH during hepatocarcinogenesis appears to be different from that of other markers of HCC, for in the Korean patients, there was no correlation between sEH concentrations and those of alpha-fetoprotein or ferritin, nor was there a correlation with alpha-fetoprotein concentrations in the aflatoxin-treated rats. Furthermore, the increase in sEH does not correlate with induction of microsomal EH in the liver of experimental animals. Studies to date indicate that sEH is selective for HCC and severe hepatonecrotic injury, and may be of some use in the diagnosis of HCC, particularly as a complement to other serum markers.
 ...
PMID:Serum epoxide hydrolase (preneoplastic antigen) in human and experimental liver injury. 133 49

The authors studied histochemically the morphologic features of proliferating hepatocytes positive for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA/cyclin) to analyze the process of liver regeneration in embedded tissues fixed with formaldehyde using an anti-PCNA/cyclin monoclonal antibody. In liver specimens from patients with acute viral hepatitis (AVH) and confluent necrosis, many small basophilic hepatocytes surrounding large clear hepatocytes were positively stained in the areas next to the confluent necrosis. Therefore these small hepatocytes may be daughter cells derived from large clear hepatocytes that probably enter the mitotic cell cycle repeatedly to repair a large necrotic area. In the case of AVH with spotty necrosis, the positively stained hepatocytes were scattered around the necrotic foci. In the liver specimens from patients with chronic active hepatitis, most of the positively stained hepatocytes were located next to the necrotic area. As for cirrhosis of the liver, the number of hepatocytes positive for PCNA/cyclin varied greatly in different pseudolobules, and in the specimens of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the HCC cells positive for PCNA/cyclin were detected throughout the cancer nests.
 ...
PMID:Analysis of proliferating hepatocytes using a monoclonal antibody against proliferating cell nuclear antigen/cyclin in embedded tissues from various liver diseases fixed in formaldehyde. 134 35

Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) was separated into nine to 11 isoenzyme bands (designated as GGT I-XI) by vertical slab electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gradient gel. The diagnostic value of GGT isoenzyme II (GGT II) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was studied, and the results were as follows: 1) GGT II was positive in 90% of 90 cases of HCC, and negative in most patients with acute and chronic viral hepatitis, extrahepatic tumors, in pregnant women, and in healthy controls; 2) the positive rate of GGT II assay was higher than that of alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme I (ALP I), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) in 101 cases of HCC. In cases in which the AFP was greater than 50 ng/ml or less than 50 ng/ml, the positive rates of GGT II were 70.8% and 75-100%, respectively; 3) of 14 cases of small-size HCC, the positive rate of GGT II was 78.6%, which was higher than that of AFP (50%), AAT (28.6%), and ALP I (0%); 4) of 62 cases that were false-positive for GGT II assay, 24.2% developed into HCC during a follow-up of 2.1-20 months. In subjects with persistent and recurrent positivity of GGT II, 86.7% and 22.2%, respectively, developed HCC. No patient with temporal positivity of GGT II developed HCC. The results show that GGT II can be applied as an additional marker for HCC, and is valuable not only for the diagnosis of clinical HCC, but for the detection of small or subclinical HCC. Periodic follow-up with assay of GGT II in patients at high risk for HCC may predict the development of hepatoma.
 ...
PMID:Diagnostic value of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase isoenzyme for hepatocellular carcinoma: a 10-year study. 135 62

Recent advances in epidemiology, virology, of clinical of hepatitis are presented in the paper. The authors pointed out that hepatitis A never becomes chronic. On the other hand, with hepatitis B or B and D, evolution to chronicity is possible. Two distinct forms of non-A non-B hepatitis are now distinguished: parenterally transmitted non-A non-B hepatitis, mainly due to hepatitis C virus; enterically transmitted non-A non-B hepatitis mainly due to hepatitis E virus. C virus hepatitis is characterized by a frequent course to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Chronic forms are associated with the presence of anti-HC antibodies in the serum. These antibodies are rarely present in the acute stage of the disease. Hepatitis E is almost exclusively encountered in developing countries. Like with A virus hepatitis, chronicity never occurs. However, fulminant hepatitis is possible in pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy. There is no routine serological test. Development of vaccines against A, E and C viruses can be expected very soon. There is no specific treatment of acute viral hepatitis.
 ...
PMID:[Acute viral hepatitis--present status and perspectives]. 136 29

The concentration of plasma vitronectin was determined and compared with various parameters of liver function including the blood coagulation system in patients with liver diseases. The severity of cirrhosis was graded according to Child's criteria and compared with the plasma vitronectin level. Furthermore, the distribution of vitronectin in the liver of patients with liver diseases was studied by light and electron microscopy using the indirect immunoperoxidase method. The plasma vitronectin level was low in all liver disease groups as compared with the healthy controls. The difference from the controls was significant in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and decompensated cirrhosis. Moreover, the plasma vitronectin level was positively correlated with the levels of serum cholinesterase, albumin, plasma alpha 2 plasmin inhibitor-plasmin complex and the prothrombin time and results of the hepatoplastin test. Plasma vitronectin decreased with increasing severity of cirrhosis according to Child's criteria. These results suggest that the plasma vitronectin level is a useful parameter of hepatic synthetic function in patients with liver diseases; it may also reflect the severity of cirrhosis. Light microscopy revealed vitronectin in the area of focal necrosis and the portal tracts in the liver of patients with acute viral hepatitis, in the area of piecemeal necrosis in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis and along the area of fiber deposition in the liver of patients with cirrhosis. Immunoelectron microscopy showed vitronectin in the rough endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes. Moreover, vitronectin was seen around inflammatory cells, endothelial cells, Ito cells and hepatocytes in the perisinusoidal area near focal necrosis and piecemeal necrosis and on collagen fibers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:Vitronectin in liver disorders: biochemical and immunohistochemical studies. 137 81

The large decrease in the cost of vaccines against hepatitis virus B prompts a reexamination of nationwide vaccination campaign strategies. The present study estimates the costs and benefits that would result from a viral hepatitis B prevention program (with no prior screening) targeted at all under-16 years olds in Israel in 1990 and only neonates in the period 1991-2034. Israel is situated in an area of intermediate endemicity, where the majority of HBsAG carriers are anti-HBe positive. Such a policy would reduce the number of cases of viral hepatitis B in the vaccinated cohort from 654,000 to 270,000 over the period 1990-2059, yielding a benefit-to-cost ratio of 1.88:1 for the health services only. Inclusion also of the indirect benefits of reduced work absences and mortality would increase the benefit-to-cost ratio to 2.77:1. Even when the benefits arising from the reduction in hepatocellular carcinoma and liver transplants were excluded, the benefit-to-cost ratio for the health services alone would still be 1.41:1. The adoption of such a nationwide inoculation policy appears therefore to be not only medically but also economically justifiable. (author's)
 ...
PMID:Cost-benefit analysis of a nationwide inoculation programme against viral hepatitis B in an area of intermediate endemicity. 148 73


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>