No abstract

Full-length genomic sequences of hepatitis E virus (HEV) obtained from two consecutive cases of acute self-limiting hepatitis E in a city in northeast Japan were determined. Interestingly, two HEV isolates from each patient shared nucleotide identity of 99.97% in 7 225 nucleotides, and a phylogenetic analysis showed that they formed a cluster of Japanese isolates that is considered as a new HEV subtype 3k. The high similarity of HEV sequences of two isolates from these patients in this study suggested that a subtype 3k HEV strain had spread via a commonly distributed food in the city, possibly pig liver.

BaCKgRoUND aND aIMS: NAFLD is a lipotoxic disease wherein hepatic steatosis and oxidative stress are key pathogenic features. However, whether free amino acids (FAAs) are associated with the oxidative stress response against lipotoxicity has yet to be determined. We hypothesized that an imbalance of FAAs aggravates hepatic steatosis by interfering with the oxidative stress sensor. appRoaCH aND ReSUltS: C57BL/6 mouse immortalized hepatocytes, primary hepatocytes, and organoids were employed. Steatotic hepatocytes treated with oleic acid (OA) were cultured under FAA-modifying media based on the concentrations of FAAs in the hepatic portal blood of wild-type (WT) mice. As in vivo experiments, WT hepatocyte-specific Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) knockout mice (Keap1 ∆hepa ) and Cre-control mice (Keap1 fx/fx ) were fed high-fat (HF) diets with modified amino acid content. The correlations were analyzed between the areas of lipid droplets (LDs) around central vein and plasma OA/FAA ratio in 61 patients with NAFLD. Mice fed an HF, Met-restricted, and tyrosine (Tyr)-deficient diet showed the NAFLD-like phenotype in which the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), triglyceride-rich VLDL,

Methotrexate-related lymphoproliferative disorder (MTX-LPD) is known to be a side effect of MTX, but its involvement in the liver has been rarely reported. We herein report a 70-year-old woman with autoimmune hepatitis and rheumatoid arthritis who developed multiple liver tumors. We initially considered that she had developed rapid-growing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the cirrhotic liver based on imaging tests. A tumor biopsy and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization were thus performed. The tumors were then diagnosed as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma pathologically and considered to be MTX-LPD. This case indicates that MTX-LPD should be considered even in cirrhotic patients with liver tumors resembling HCC.

Switching to tenofovir alafenamide fumarate in chronic hepatitis B patients who had detectable HBV DNA during treatment with entecavir