Macroscopic and microscopic observations were made. Gene expression and intracellular signaling pathways were analyzed. Oxidative stress, antioxidant, and macrophage deletion treatments were also performed in parallel with Cygb siRNA or CYGB overexpressing vectors transfection. Results: Model 1: 25 or 0.05 ppm DEN treatment for 25 or 36 weeks induced liver tumor formation in 1 00 or 43% of Cygb-KO mice, respectively, ABT-263 chemical structure compared to 44 or

0% of WT mice. In KO mice, there was liver fibrosis, increased inflammatory gene expression and augmented oxidative stress. Model 2: with as little as 8 weeks of CDAA treatment, Cygb-KO mice showed marked steatohep-atitis, which resulted in advanced fibrosis at 16 weeks, compared Omipalisib nmr with the WT. Surprisingly, at 32 weeks, 100% of Cygb-KO mice of both genders developed liver cancer, compared to 0% in WT mice. At all time points, there was severe inflammation associated with activated liver cancer pathways in the Cygb-KO mice. Cygb-KO HSC (HSC isolated from Cygb-KO mice) and Cygb siRNA-transfected WT-HSC were both primed, as indicated by markedly increased

expression of αSma, collagen 1α1, Tnfα, Tgfβ1, Il-1β, Il-6, Ccl-2, Ccl-3, and Ccl-4 mRNA and superoxide production compared to controls. Oxidative stress and antioxidant defense PCR arrays showed altered expression of 31 genes involved in the metabolism of reactive oxygen species in Cygb-KO mice. N-acetyl cysteine treatment for 2 weeks eliminated the oxidative stress in CDAA-fed Cygb-KO mice in vivo, and in cultures of isolated Cygb-KO HSC. Macrophage deletion after 8 weeks of CDAA feeding reduced the inflammatory reaction, oxidative stress, and fibrosis in Cygb-KO mice. Moreover, Hep-G2 cells overexpressing CYGB showed decreased proliferation under hypoxia compared with plasmid controls, MCE as well as downregulated expression of fibrosis- and angiogenesis-related genes. Conclusion: Cygb deficiency promotes liver

cancer development via HSC priming and augmented inflammation, local fibrosis, and oxidative stress. Disclosures: The following people have nothing to disclose: Thuy T. Le, Yoshinari Matsumoto, Hoang Hai, Katsutoshi Yoshizato, Norifumi Kawada Objective Overexpression of platelet-derived growth factor-C (PDGF-C) in the liver of mice (Pdgf-c Tg) induces hepatic fibrosis, followed by the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. We identified differentially expressed miRNAs in Pdgf-c Tg mice and evaluated their functional relevance in the progression of hepatic fibrosis and the development of HCC. Materials and Method We used TaqMan® Array Rodent MicroRNA A Cards v2.0 containing 384 miRNA assays. miRNAs were knocked down by locked nucleic acid (LNA)-modified antisense oligonu-cleotides (LNA-antimiR) in immortalized human stellate cells, Lx-2. Pdgf-c Tg mice at 32 months of age were injected with LNA-antimiR-214 via the tail vein six times (50 μg each) with 3-week intervals by using Invivofectamine® 2.0.

Likewise, both Raptor and mTOR phosphorylation were increased in obese mice,

indicative of mTORC1 activation. The functional relevance of this for control of hepatocyte growth was evident by enhanced phosphorylation of both 4E-BP1 and elF-4B, which are the key downstream targets of mTOR that control growth, protein synthesis, cell proliferation and cell survival. In order to gain further evidence for the role of mTOR signaling in tumor cell growth, Barasertib manufacturer we treated primary HCC cells derived from DEN-injected foz/foz mice with rapamycin. MTT assay revealed that rapamycin markedly decreased HCC cell viability after 48 hours treatment in dose-dependent manner vs control. Further, rapamycin reduced levels of phospho-mTOR, phospho-4E-BP1 and phospho-p70S6K protein expressions, leading to down-regulation of cyclin D1 and cyclin E. These results further support the crucial role of mTORC1 pathway in hepatocyte growth and proliferation. Conclusions: Enhanced growth of dysplastic hepatocytes in the early stages of obesity-accelerated hepatocarcinogenesis is associated with hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia

that induces and activates the Akt/mTOR pathway to promote hepatocyte growth in obese-diabetic mice with HCC. AS WILKINSON,1,2 KR BRIDLE,1,2 LJ BRITTON,1,2 mTOR inhibitor LA JASKOWSKI,1,2 LM FLETCHER,3 VN SUBRAMANIAM,1,4 DHG CRAWFORD1,2 1School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, 2Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation, Greenslopes Private Hospital, 3Department of Gastroenterology MCE公司 and

Hepatology, Princess Alexandra Hospital 4The Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia Introduction: Iron and/or HFE mutations have been proposed as having an important role in the progression of liver disease in subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Previous work in our laboratory has shown a greater severity of injury in Hfe-/- mice fed a high calorie diet (HCD) compared with wild-type mice. We examined the contribution of iron to the development of steatosis in an animal model of haemochromatosis by feeding mice an iron-deficient diet followed by exposure to a HCD. Methods: Hfe-/- mice were fed either a control diet, HCD, iron-deficient control diet (Fe-Def control) or iron-deficient HCD (Fe-Def HCD) for 8 weeks (n = 10 per group). Livers were analysed for their hepatic iron concentration (HIC) and quantitative expression of iron metabolism genes by real-time PCR. Histological parameters were staged and graded by a specialist liver pathologist in a blinded fashion. Results: Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and liver weights were increased in Hfe-/- mice fed HCD compared to the control diet (Figure 1A). Interestingly, mice fed the iron-deficient HCD had significantly lower liver weights compared to the mice fed HCD (Figure 1B).

34 How MCP-1 modulates oxidative stress pathways or reduces antioxidants NVP-BKM120 cost will be investigated in the future. Similar up-regulation of microsomal CYP2E135 in alcohol-fed WT and MCP-1KO mice indicate the induction of oxidative stress independent of alcohol-metabolizing CYP2E1. Besides cellular mechanisms, such as TLR expression, oxidative stress contributes to LPS sensitization in ALD and enhancement of pro inflammatory cytokine gene expression.36, 37 An in vivo LPS challenge given at the end of chronic alcohol feeding led to an augmentation of proinflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-6 in WT mice, and this was prevented in MCP-1KO mice. Our results suggest that MCP-1 deficiency

inhibits oxidative stress and also impedes sensitization to LPS, independent of TLR4 expression, during alcoholic

liver injury. Studies to unravel the mechanisms of LPS sensitization affected buy MLN8237 by MCP-1 during chronic alcohol exposure will be examined in the future. Among the various mechanistic studies for alcoholic steatosis, alterations in transcription factors, such as PPARα and PPARγ, controlling lipid metabolism have been recognized.24 Previous studies showed that alcohol feeding in rats decreased PPARα activation and downstream target genes important in fatty acid oxidation.19 Here, we show that alcohol-fed MCP-1KO mice exhibit increased PPARα and PPARγ mRNA expression, enhanced nuclear PPARα and PPARγ, PPRE activation in whole liver and isolated hepatocytes, presence

of PPARα/RXRα in the DNA-binding complex, and induction of target genes, such as CPT-1 and ACOX—both enzymes critical in fatty acid oxidation. Previous studies have shown that a secretory product of adipose tissue, likely MCP-1, can induce lipid accumulation in hepatoyctes.13 Our in vitro findings demonstrate that recombinant MCP-1 down-regulates PPARα mRNA expression and DNA-binding activity in hepatocytes, likely contributing to increased triglyceride accumulation in ALD. These results suggest a direct effect of MCP-1 on PPARα and 上海皓元 its target genes and thus steatosis. MCP-1 mediates its action via receptor CCR238 or independent of CCR2.39 Our results show that CCR2KO mice induce alcoholic liver injury similar to alcohol-fed WT mice, indicating CCR2-independent effects of MCP-1. Furthermore, because hepatocytes do not express CCR2,18 as reported here (Supporting Fig. 5A), we predict that MCP-1 mediates its effects in the liver independent of CCR2. Another lipid-modulating transcription factor with anti-inflammatory properties, PPARγ, was up-regulated in alcohol-fed MCP-1KO livers. It is likely that PPARγ inhibits proinflammatory cytokine production in chronic alcohol-exposed MCP-1KO mice. Our results here show that MCP-1 expression is directly up-regulated in hepatocytes during chronic alcohol exposure and likely regulates fatty acid oxidation, resulting in steatosis.

“
“Despite the benefits of endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (NBD) in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) and nose/throat discomfort can result. We aimed to determine whether the use of a smaller catheter alleviates these complications. A randomized, controlled trial at a tertiary care center compared 4 Fr and 6 Fr NBD catheters; 165 ERCP patients with naïve papillae were randomly assigned

to a catheter-size group. The prevalence of PEP was significantly lower in the 4 Fr group (3.7%; 3/82) than in the 6 Fr group (15.7%; 13/83; P = 0.019). No spontaneous catheter displacement occurred within 24 h. Discomfort visual analog scores were 2.6 and 4.3 in the 4 Fr and 6 Fr groups, respectively (P = 0.0048) on procedure day; on the following day, the scores were 2.3 and 3.6 (P = 0.028). Bile output was 16.3 mL/h and 21.4 mL/h Ceritinib research buy in the 4 Fr and 6 Fr groups (P = 0.051). On obstructive jaundice

subgroup analysis, bile drainage was 19.2 mL/h and 22.1 mL/h in the 4 Fr and 6 Fr groups (P = 0.40). The 4 Fr group required 5.6 days to reduce bilirubin levels versus 6.1 days in the see more 6 Fr group (P = 0.51). In patients with naïve papillae, lower rates of PEP and less nose/throat discomfort are associated with the use of 4 Fr NBD catheters. In patients with obstructive jaundice, 4 Fr and 6 Fr catheters are comparable with regard to bile output and bilirubin level reduction. “
“Background and Aim:  Three potentially functional polymorphisms: −765G>C, −1195G>A, and 8473T>C in the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene were identified and proposed to be associated with cancer susceptibility. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between these three polymorphisms and the risk of cancer in diverse populations. Methods:  All case-control studies published up to November 2009 on the association between the three 上海皓元医药股份有限公司 polymorphisms of COX-2 and cancer risk were identified by searching PubMed. The cancer risk associated with the three polymorphisms of the COX-2 gene was estimated for each study by OR together with its 95% confidence interval (CI), respectively. Results:  A total of 47

case-control studies were included, and variant genotypes GA/AA of −1195G>A were associated with a significantly increased cancer risk (GA/AA vs GG: odds ratio [OR], 1.29; 95% CI, 1.18–1.41; Pheterogeneity = 0.113), and this significant association was mainly observed within cancers of the digestive system (e.g. colorectal, gastric, esophageal, oral, biliary tract, gallbladder, and pancreatic) without between-study heterogeneity (GA/AA vs GG: OR, 1.36; 95% CI; 1.23–1.51; Pheterogeneity = 0.149). Furthermore, a stratification analysis showed that the risk of COX-2−1195G>A associated with cancers in the digestive system was more evident among Asians than Caucasians. However, for COX-2−765G>C and 8473T>C, no convincing association between the two polymorphisms and risk of cancer or cancer type was observed.

1). The incidence rate was 3.6 of 100 person-years but was lower among the more educated, Selleckchem MK1775 the seroreversion rate was 1.0 of 100 person-years. In their second article focussing on children [5], they investigated adolescents born in 1990. The prevalence of H. pylori was 66.2%, lower in subjects with more educated parents and higher in those having more than one sibling and for smokers. The incidence was 4.1 of 100 person-years. The authors concluded that gastric cancer will remain an important public health problem in this generation of Portuguese. Ueda et al. [6] studied the prevalence of H. pylori infection in Japan

comparing location and birth cohort; 14,716 subjects aged 20 years or more who underwent a health checkup were studied. The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection was 37.6% in women and 43.2% in men. Figure 2 shows the rapid fall in prevalence according to birth cohort. When comparing the prevalence of infection and age-adjusted mortality rates of gastric cancer, they found that H. pylori prevalence generally correlated with gastric cancer mortality rates. Yan et al. [7] reviewed the literature reporting recrudescence and reinfection in patients who had undergone earlier successful treatment. They compared recurrence rates with the

Human Development Index (HDI), a measurement based on life expectancy, education and the prosperity of the community under consideration. In the 92 papers that fulfilled the inclusion criteria, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor clinical trial 16,827 patients 上海皓元 were followed for between 6 months and 10 years. Recurrence varied considerably and was inversely proportional to the HDI (Fig. 3) The study was

unable to distinguish, however, between recrudescence and reinfection. Ferro et al. [8] researched worldwide trends in gastric cancer mortality between 1980 and 2011 using WHO data and made predictions concerning incidence to 2015. Recent annual percent changes have been around −3% for the European Union (EU) and major European countries, as well as in Japan and Korea, and around −2% in North America and major Latin American countries. In the United States of America, European Union and other major countries worldwide, the estimated annual percent changes were lower than in previous years. The predictions for 2015 suggest a levelling off of rates in the USA and a few other countries. The relative contribution of cardia to noncardia gastric cancers is generally higher in countries with lower gastric cancer incidence and mortality rates. This is a valuable article with detailed data. It concludes that despite the global downward trends in gastric cancer mortality, further declines in gastric cancer mortality rates may require more intensive efforts for the prevention and control of H.

We will also seek to cooperate with other organizations already working in this area, including the US President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Currently, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health’s Vietnam Administration for HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), PEPFAR is helping develop national injection safety guidelines, PI3K Inhibitor Library mw providing training related to dissemination of these guidelines, and procuring sharps-disposal equipment for eight focus provinces. As part of our project, we will assess what we may contribute to these efforts. We will also

assess how we may contribute to the development and nationwide dissemination of guidelines for proper sterilization of medical equipment, such as that used for dialysis. The goal will be to help ensure that health-care providers nationwide will have clear guidance on the risks and absolute

unacceptability of re-use of contaminated needles, syringes, and inadequately sterilized medical equipment, and that all health-care settings will adhere to the guidelines for injection safety and proper disposal of injection equipment, as well as to guidelines for proper sterilization of medical equipment. Within this task, we will also assess how to Nivolumab best reach traditional medicine practitioners with clear information on these risks, and training on properly following injection safety guidelines. As part of this task, we will also assess how we might provide additional resources to help expand the success of harm reduction projects, including needle/syringe exchange programs. Although most such efforts to date have focused on reducing HIV infection rates, there is also an extremely high risk of acquisition of both HBV and HCV from needles and syringes re-used by IDU. As discussed in the main text of this paper, a recent peer educator-based syringe/needle exchange program carried

out in northern Viet Nam showed both the feasibility medchemexpress of carrying out such programs, and their potential to reduce unsafe injection practices while providing safe disposal of used injection equipment, thus protecting community members from accidental exposure to contaminated equipment. As part of our task we will reach out to the ongoing programs working in this area to see how we might contribute. It will also be important to address the risk of infections from commercial re-use of needles and other sharp instruments in tattoo parlors, and of razors in barbershops. As part of this task, we will investigate the best approaches for reaching out to these commercial enterprises in order to provide guidance on eliminating unsafe practices by barbers and tattoo artists nationwide.

High-density single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) selleck chemicals arrays now provide the possibility of defining genome-wide copy number changes.8, 9 Additionally, there has been little progress in determining specific genes targeted by various common copy number gains and losses, in part due to limited availability of complementary transcriptional data on sufficient numbers of specimens to focus on a small list of candidate genes. Although

several studies have been conducted to define potential cancer genes through combined analyses of genomic alterations and transcriptomes in HCC, they are constrained by the use of different sets and small sizes of tumor samples or by the use of relatively lower-resolution platforms.10-12 In this study we applied a whole-genome SNP 6.0 array to define a comprehensive copy number profile of 58 paired HCC and nontumor tissues. We further identified potential cancer genes by adopting a combined approach to define somatic CNAs and transcriptomes in the same set of paired HCC specimens. AFP, alpha-fetoprotein; CNA, copy number alteration; DEG, differentially expressed gene; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; HEY1, hairy/enhancer-of-split related with YRPW motif 1; IHC, immunohistochemistry; q-PCR, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction;

siRNA, small interfering RNA; SNP, single nucleotide polymorphism; SNRPE, small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide E; TRIM35, tripartite

motif-containing 35. Methods and selleck screening library any associated references are available in the Supporting Materials. We analyzed the hybridization signal intensities of 58 paired HCC and nontumor tissues from the same individuals to identify regions of somatically generated CNAs. A total of 2,206 CNAs were identified in the 58 HCC genomes. A genome-wide view of segmented copy numbers revealed that most chromosomal arms undergo either 上海皓元医药股份有限公司 copy number gain or loss in a large proportion of the samples (Fig. 1A). The 2,206 CNAs spanned from 0.28 kb to 30 Mb in size (median, 6.22 Mb). There was a mean of 38 CNAs per HCC genome and copy number gains were more commonly observed than losses (1.9:1). To find evidence of driver alterations in tumor genomes we further evaluated the recurrent regions of copy number gains and losses using the following parameters: the minimum physical length of putative CNAs was more than 100 kb; the CNAs was present in at least three tumor samples; and finally, the overlapping common regions among multiple tumors were calculated. Accordingly, a total of 1,241 significant CNAs were obtained, including 963 amplifications and 278 deletions (Fig. 1B). These regions were highly concordant with previous findings, including the recurrent gains at 1q, 6p, 7q, 8q, 11q, 17q, and 20q and recurrent losses at 4q, 8p, 16q, and 17p.

80-1.25 were chosen to assess the effect of boceprevir on cyclosporine levels. Tacrolimus monitoring using trough concentrations is generally easier and more reliable than cyclosporine monitoring using the modified

AUC format, which is prone to greater individual find more point variability. The effect of boceprevir on tacrolimus was considered not clinically meaningful if the 90% CI for AUC and Cmax of tacrolimus with boceprevir versus tacrolimus alone would be between 0.7 and 1.43. Analysis of the available clinical data for 800 mg three times a day boceprevir in healthy volunteers and patients indicated that confidence bounds for the 90% CI for AUC or Cmax of (0.50-2.00) would be appropriate to control resistance generation and/or treatment failure as well as prevent clinically significant safety concerns (data on file). Ten subjects were enrolled and completed the cyclosporine study. There were seven females and three males, all of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. The overall mean age was 36 years

(SD 7.1 years), and the mean BMI was 26.8 kg/m2 (SD 2.8 kg/m2). Coadministration of boceprevir with cyclosporine Small molecule library purchase resulted in increased cyclosporine exposure, with the mean AUCinf increasing from 1,800 ng/hour/mL to 4,870 ng/hour/mL and mean Cmax levels increasing from 388 ng/mL to 737 ng/mL (Fig. 2, Table 1). The GMRs for AUCinf and Cmax parameters for the comparison of cyclosporine plus boceprevir versus cyclosporine alone were 2.7 and 2.0, with 90% CIs for the GMRs falling outside the predefined range for defining clinically meaningful drug-drug interactions of 0.80-1.25 (Table 2). Consistent with the increase in exposure, there was an approximately 2-fold reduction in apparent cyclosporine clearance in the presence of boceprevir (mean CL/F of 21.0 L/hour versus 58.8 L/hour when administered alone; Table 1). The mean cyclosporine half-life increased by approximately 25%, from 11.3 hours to 15.7 hours, in the presence of boceprevir versus cyclosporine alone. Boceprevir AUCinf and Cmax increased 16% and 8%, respectively (Table

2). The 90% CIs were within the predefined limits of 0.5 and 2.00, so that the observed increase in boceprevir concentrations is MCE公司 not considered clinically meaningful (Table 2). An approximate 2-fold increase in mean Cmax and AUCinf of the inactive metabolite SCH 629144 was observed following coadministration of boceprevir and cyclosporine (data not shown). No subjects discontinued treatment because of an AE, and there were no serious AEs or deaths. Furthermore, no clinically meaningful changes in blood chemistry, hematology, blood pressure, pulse rate, oral body temperature, or electrocardiogram parameters were observed. A total of 21 AEs were reported by eight subjects in the cyclosporine study, all of which were of mild intensity, with 17 considered possibly drug-related.

We selleck chemicals llc show that in the CCl4 model, administration of the CB2 agonist JWH-133 reduces the extent

of liver injury, whereas CB2−/− mice are more susceptible to the toxic insult. These findings corroborate previous studies demonstrating hepatoprotective properties of CB2 receptors in experimental models of acute liver injury elicited by ischemia/reperfusion injury, thioacetamide or concanavalin A.6, 19, 34 In addition, we identify iNOS as a central mediator in the beneficial effects mediated by CB2 receptors. Indeed, CCl4-treated CB2−/− mice show impaired induction of hepatic iNOS, and treatment of these mice with the NO donor SIN-1 reduces their exacerbated susceptibility to liver injury. These findings are in line with the reported protective effects of hepatocyte iNOS on liver injury. Thus, iNOS−/− mice display enhanced hepatocyte apoptosis when exposed to either CCl4,26, 27 or to partial hepatectomy.28 In addition, cultured hepatocytes are more resistant to apoptosis in the presence of NO donors, or following induction of iNOS with cytokines, such as TNF-α.29 Interestingly,

our data also indicate that CCl4-treated CB2−/− mice show decreased induction of TNF-α, a well-characterized inducer of iNOS expression. Whether TNF-α release triggered by CB2 receptors in nonparenchymal cells may contribute Ruxolitinib purchase to the iNOS-dependent antiapoptotic effects in hepatocytes remains to be determined. It is well demonstrated that liver injury triggered by CCl4 is followed by a regenerative response orchestrated by the activation MCE of multiple coordinated pathways, involving cross-talk between hepatocytes and nonparenchymal cells.25 We demonstrate that CB2 receptors display beneficial effects on liver regeneration in this model, as well as in the partial hepatectomy model. We also demonstrate that beneficial effects of CB2 receptors are mediated by a pathway distinct from its protective effects against hepatocyte apoptosis, that involves IL-6. Thus, CCl4-treated CB2−/− mice display reduced hepatic expression of IL-6, and administration of IL-6 to these animals partially

restores PCNA expression. Interestingly, CB2−/− mice and IL-6−/− mice behave similarly in response to acute and chronic liver injury, with increased liver damage, decreased liver regeneration and increased fibrogenesis.17, 35 However, our data indicate that although IL-6 mediates CB2 receptor impact on liver regeneration, the cytokine is not involved in CB2 receptor-dependent antiapoptotic effect. These data are in line with the reported beneficial effects of IL-6 on liver regeneration,25 but contrast with studies reporting the protective role of IL-6 against liver damage.31, 36, 37 The mechanisms underlying these discrepancies, although not fully elucidated, may rely on the duration of IL-6 treatment, as suggested in a recent study.

We thank Mark Magnuson and Tasuku Honjo for providing mice. We also thank Dong Hyun Lee and Kevin Song for help with genotyping mice; Teagan Walter, James Goldenring, Rick Peek, Louis Muglia, Lynette Gillis, D. Brent Polk, and Mark Magnuson for helpful comments and technical suggestions. Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article. “
“Cirrhosis with ascites is associated with a high rate of gut bacterial translocation (GBT) and spontaneous bacterial infections of enteric origin. We addressed the activation state

and role of intestinal dendritic cells (DCs) in experimental ascitic cirrhosis and their relationship with GBT. Cirrhosis with ascites was CCl4 induced in rats. To examine their activation state and functions, this website DCs (CD103+RT1B+CD3−CD45RA−) were isolated from the intestinal lamina propria and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), and the following parameters were determined by flow cytometry: surface antigen expression; spontaneous or

lipopolysaccharide-stimulated tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) production; and in vitro capacity to phagocytose latex beads and to migrate toward the chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 21. GBT was defined as the growth of bacteria in MLNs culture. Bacterial DNA (Bact-DNA) in MLNs was identified by polymerase chain reaction. In rats DAPT chemical structure with Bact-DNA in MLNs without GBT, intestinal and MLNs CD103+-DCs showed features of activation, expansion 上海皓元 of the proinflammatory CD4+-DC subpopulation,

augmented TNF-α production, and increased phagocytic and migratory capacities. In contrast, in rats with GBT, CD103+-DCs showed the absence of an activated phenotype, lowered TNF-α production, and relatively deficient phagocytosis and migration capacities. The CD103+-DC of rats without Bact-DNA in MLNs or GBT were similar to controls. In cirrhotic rats, bowel decontamination with antibiotics eliminated Bact-DNA in MLNs and GBT, normalized the activation state and functions of CD103+-DCs, and increased their TNF-α production. Conclusion: In experimental cirrhosis with ascites, continuous pressure of gut bacteria shapes the phenotypic and functional profile of intestinal DCs to produce effects that range from their activation and enhanced functions to their exhaustion and tolerance. (HEPATOLOGY 2012;56:1861–1869) Dendritic cells (DCs) are sparsely, but widely, distributed cells of hematopoietic origin, specialized in the capture, processing, and presentation of antigens to T cells during immune response.1 Immature DCs capture antigens in the peripheral tissues, are activated to express molecules that bind and stimulate T cells, and migrate through the lymph to the lymph nodes, where they present their captured antigens to T cells. Thus, DCs are critical mediators of both innate and adaptive immune response.