Gene/Protein
Disease
Symptom
Drug
Enzyme
Compound
Pivot Concepts:
Gene/Protein
Disease
Symptom
Drug
Enzyme
Compound
Target Concepts:
Gene/Protein
Disease
Symptom
Drug
Enzyme
Compound
Query: UMLS:C0239946 (
liver fibrosis
)
8,268
document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)
Hepatic fibrosis
is a major consequence of liver aggression. Finding novel ways for counteracting this damaging process, and for evaluating fibrosis with a non-invasive imaging approach, represent important therapeutic and diagnostic challenges. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is an anti-fibrosis cell growth factor that induces apoptosis in activated hepatic stellate cells, reduces excessive collagen deposition, and stimulates hepatocyte regeneration. Thus, using HGF in gene therapy against
liver fibrosis
is an attractive approach. The aims of the present study were: (i) to explore the efficacy of treating
liver fibrosis
using HGF expression vector carried by a novel ultrasound microbubble delivery system; (ii) to explore the diagnostic interest of diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI-MRI) in evaluating
liver fibrosis
. We established a rat model of hepatic fibrosis. The rats were administered HGF linked to novel ultrasound micro-bubbles. Progression of hepatic fibrosis was evaluated by histopathology, hydroxyproline content, and
DWI
-MRI to determine the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Our targeted gene therapy produced a significant anti-fibrosis effect, as shown by liver histology and significant reduction of hydroxyproline content. Moreover, using
DWI
-MRI, the b value (diffusion gradient factor) was equal to 300s/mm(2), and the ADC values significantly decreased as the severity of hepatic fibrosis increased. Using this methodology, F0-F2 could be distinguished from F3 and F4 (P<0.01). This is the first in vivo report of using an ultrasound microbubble-cationic nano-liposome complex for gene delivery. The data indicate that, this approach is efficient to counteract the fibrosis process.
DWI
-MRI appears a promising imaging technique for evaluating
liver fibrosis
.
...
PMID:Efficacy of HGF carried by ultrasound microbubble-cationic nano-liposomes complex for treating hepatic fibrosis in a bile duct ligation rat model, and its relationship with the diffusion-weighted MRI parameters. 2401 21
To evaluate hepatic fibrosis with a monoexponential model of intravoxel incoherent motion magnetic resonance imaging, and assess the potential application value of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) in diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM-
DWI
) in determining staging of
liver fibrosis
. 28 patients with hepatic fibrosis and 25 volunteers with healthy livers had IVIM examination and conventional MRI. All standard apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of IVIM raw data were post-processed off-line after completion of data collection. All regions of interest (ROIs) were manually positioned by two experienced radiologists. All values of the different fibrosis stages in the study group were compared using independent sample
t
tests. Using ROC analysis, both AUC values of ADC
total
and ADC
0-400-600-800
from study and control group were found to be between 0.8 and 1 for staging fibrosis. The mean ADC
total
and ADC
0-400-600-800
values of the liver in the study group were significantly lower than the values in the control group (
P
< 0.05). Spearman rho correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship among fibrosis stages and the ADC
total
and ADC
0-400-600-800
in the study group. As the stage of the fibrosis increased, the values decreased. Significant differences between the two subgroups of
liver fibrosis
stages were found (
P
< 0.05). The monoexponential model of IVIM-
DWI
adopted multiple
b
values for quantitative analysis of the water molecules diffused in the tissue. It could be used as a noninvasive and valuable method for assessment of
liver fibrosis
.
...
PMID:Evaluation of liver fibrosis with a monoexponential model of intravoxel incoherent motion magnetic resonance imaging. 2987 92
