Liver News and Research

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New therapeutic targets in liver diseases

Many patients with liver diseases often encounter difficulties with therapy and ultimately require liver transplant to survive. Since many acute and chronic liver diseases are driven by immune-mediated mechanisms, there is a necessity to find new therapies that can inhibit these immune-based triggers and block liver damage.

6 Mar 2005

Proteins link cellular aging and response to calorie restriction

In the March 3 issue of Nature, Johns Hopkins researchers report that two proteins best known for very different activities actually come together to turn the liver into a sugar-producing factory when food is scarce.

6 Mar 2005

Future diabetes drugs may target new protein interaction

2 Mar 2005

An apple a day keeps breast cancer away

An apple a day can help keep breast cancer away, according to a study in rats by food scientists at Cornell University.

1 Mar 2005

Nature’s most sophisticated biological weapon

Nature’s most sophisticated biological weapon, snake venom, largely evolved from bits of body parts a Melbourne researcher has found.

1 Mar 2005

Cells can regenerate without becoming "younger"

It has long been thought that cells that regenerate tissue do so by regressing to a developmentally younger state. Now two University of Washington researchers have demonstrated that cells can regenerate without becoming "younger."

1 Mar 2005

European approval of Pegasys for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B

The approval is granted for both types of the disease – HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B. Pegasys offers the hope of a treatment-free life for thousands of people with chronic hepatitis B as this innovative drug has been shown to achieve lasting remission for a significant proportion of patients.

27 Feb 2005

Methylphenidate linked to chromosomal changes

In a small but startling preliminary new study, Texas researchers have found that after just three months, every one of a dozen children treated for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with the drug methylphenidate experienced a threefold increase in levels of chromosome abnormalities—occurrences associated with increased risks of cancer and other adverse health effects.

27 Feb 2005

Vast majority of products contaminated with the illegal dye Sudan I have been removed from sale

The Food Standards Agency has announced that the vast majority of products contaminated with the illegal dye Sudan I have been removed from sale. This page contains the lists of the products affected plus latest news from the Agency on the situation.

27 Feb 2005

Childhood obesity is a serious health problem in Australia

Professor Michael Booth, co-director of the University of Sydney's Centre for Overweight and Obesity, said teenagers were already showing signs of serious illness caused by their weight.

24 Feb 2005

Pfizer acquires Idun Pharmaceuticals

Pfizer today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Idun Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of therapies to control apoptosis, a process of cell death that occurs in a broad range of diseases.

24 Feb 2005

Association noted between certain non-lver cancers and hepatitis C

People infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) have a higher risk of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma, according to a recent study of the Swedish population.

22 Feb 2005

Short-term use of selective COX-2 inhibitors may be safe for patients with cirrhosis of the liver

Short-term use of selective COX-2 inhibitors may be safe for patients with cirrhosis of the liver, according to a recent study that compared the effects of celecoxib, naproxen, and a placebo on cirrhotic patients in a double-blind randomized controlled study.

22 Feb 2005

Scientists have replicated hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the laboratory

For the first time, scientists have replicated hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the laboratory. The ability to replicate HCV in cell culture will allow researchers to better study the life cycle and biology of this virus and to test potential antiviral compounds, which may lead to new therapies for the liver disease that results from infection with HCV.

22 Feb 2005

2.5 million euros helps fight liver cancer

The overall project will concentrate on three areas where Europe is in a relatively favourable position compared with the US - human tissue resources, ribonucleic acid (RNA) technology, and structural proteomics. However, the initial focus will be on the development of genomics targets in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or liver cancer as it is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide and has a very poor prognosis.

22 Feb 2005

Pitt researcher presents findings on when to accept organ transplants

A transplant is the only option for someone with end-stage liver disease, but patients face difficult questions when choosing the best time to receive a transplant.

20 Feb 2005

Green tea protects livers

A new study investigating the effects of the major flavonoid component of green tea on hepatic steatosis (fatty liver) found that it significantly protected livers that suffered ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in mice. I/R injury, which is caused by decreased blood flow, can lead to complications after liver transplantation.

20 Feb 2005

Biochemical marker aids prognosis in liver transplant patients

A new study on whether the model used to identify patients most in need of a liver transplant can be improved upon found that measuring serum sodium in potential transplant patients helps to better predict those with a poor prognosis.

20 Feb 2005

Studies reveal methods viruses use to sidestep immune system

A series of studies by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center sheds light on the mechanisms used by viruses to thwart a host's immune defenses and may aid in the development of more effective drugs to fight hepatitis C and West Nile viruses, as well as the flu and the common cold.

17 Feb 2005

Nonsurgical microspheres an option for liver cancer patients

A study in February’s Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology found that patients undergoing liver cancer treatment with Theraspheres?, radioactive microspheres containing Yittrium-90, can tolerate a 150 Gy single dose or 268 Gy repeated dose without risk of radiation-induced liver disease.

17 Feb 2005