05). The serum levels of adiponectin tended to be increased. Liver stiffness significantly decreased from 8.8 ± 6.8 to 6.6 ± 4.0 kPa (P < 0.01). Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity scores were significantly improved from 4.2 ± 1.4 to 3.4 ± 1.6 (P < 0.05) and fibrotic stages tended to be improved from 1.6 ± 0.8 to 1.3 ± 1.1, respectively. No adverse effects of this treatment learn more were noted. Probucol improved clinical and histological findings probably through its ability to reduce insulin resistance and oxidative stress.

Probucol therapy was safe and effective for Japanese NASH patients with dyslipidemia. “
“Ductal plate malformations (DPMs) are developmental anomalies considered to result from lack of ductal plate remodeling during

bile duct morphogenesis. In mice, bile duct development is initiated by the formation of primitive ductal structures lined by two cell types, namely ductal plate cells and hepatoblasts. During ductal plate remodeling, the primitive ductal structures mature to ducts as a result screening assay from differentiation of the ductal plate cells and hepatoblasts to cholangiocytes. Here, we report this process is conserved in human fetal liver. These findings prompted us to evaluate how DPMs develop in three mouse models, namely mice with livers deficient in hepatocyte nuclear factor 6 (HNF6), HNF1β, or cystin-1 (cpk [congenital polycystic kidney] mice). Human liver from a patient with a HNF1B/TCF2 mutation, and from fetuses affected with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) were CHIR-99021 price also analyzed. Despite the epistatic relationship between HNF6, HNF1β, and cystin-1, the three mouse models displayed distinct morphogenic mechanisms of DPM. They all developed biliary cysts lined by cells with abnormal apicobasal polarity. However, the absence of HNF6 led to an early defect in ductal plate cell differentiation. In HNF1β-deficient liver, maturation of the primitive ductal structures was impaired. Normal differentiation and maturation but abnormal duct expansion was apparent in cpk mouse livers and in human fetal ARPKD. Conclusion:

DPM is the common endpoint of distinct defects initiated at distinct stages of bile duct morphogenesis. Our observations provide a new pathogenic classification of DPM. (HEPATOLOGY 2011;) Ductal plate malformations (DPMs) are characterized by the persistence of embryonic biliary structures after birth.1 They consist of biliary cell clusters or duct-like structures with elongated lumina and variable shape, and are found in several congenital diseases.2 DPMs are considered to result from lack of remodeling of the ductal plate during the fetal period. However, recent insight into the mode of biliary tubulogenesis identified a new step in biliary tubulogenesis,3 prompting the need to reassess how DPMs develop.