0000000000429533
AUTHOR
Luca Cicalese
Modeling of Hepatocytes Proliferation Isolated from Proximal and Distal Zones from Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Lesion
Isolation of hepatocytes from cirrhotic human livers and subsequent primary culture are important new tools for laboratory research and cell-based therapeutics in the study of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Using such techniques, we have previously identified different subpopulations of human hepatocytes and among them one is showing a progressive transformation of hepatocytes in HCC-like cells. We have hypothesized that increasing the distance from the neoplastic lesion might affect hepatocyte function and transformation capacity. However, limited information is available in comparing the growth and proliferation of human hepatocytes obtained from different areas of the same cirrhotic liv…
Evidence of Absorptive Function in vivo in a Neo-Formed Bio-Artificial Intestinal Segment Using a Rodent Model.
A promising therapeutic approach for intestinal failure consists in elongating the intestine with a bio-engineered segment of neo-formed autologous intestine. Using an acellular biologic scaffold (ABS), we, and others, have previously developed an autologous bio-artificial intestinal segment (BIS) that is morphologically similar to normal bowel in rodents. This neo-formed BIS is constructed with the intervention of naïve stem cells that repopulate the scaffold in vivo, and over a period of time, are transformed in different cell populations typical of normal intestinal mucosa. However, no studies are available to demonstrate that such BIS possesses functional absorptive characteristics nece…
Multi-Criteria Decision Making support system for pancreatic islet transplantation
Pancreatic islet transplantation consists of replacing insulin-producing cells to restore normal glycemia in diabetic patients. This is a minimal invasive procedure that has been proved successful. Unfortunately unpredictability of islet transplant outcome remains a frustrating and costly issue limiting the clinical implementation of this procedure. Multiple variables are involved in the procedure and assessment is subjective to individual operators. The aim of this study was to generate a system expressing the probability of transplant success in relation to four classes of identified variables (donor, organ, isolation and recipient). We have proposed the utilization of Multi-Criteria Deci…
Hazardous air pollutants and primary liver cancer in Texas.
The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver cancer, is increasing in the US and tripled during the past two decades. The reasons for such phenomenon remain poorly understood. Texas is among continental states with the highest incidence of liver cancer with an annual increment of 5.7%. Established risk factors for HCC include Hepatitis B and C (HBV, HCV) viral infection, alcohol, tobacco and suspected risk factors include obesity and diabetes. While distribution of these risk factors in the state of Texas is similar to the national data and homogeneous, the incidence of HCC in this state is exceptionally higher than the national average and appears to be di…
Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells for the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease caused by the destruction of endocrine pancreas β cells by T lymphocytes, for which genetic and environmental risk factors have been proposed. Patients require daily infusions of recombinant insulin to overcome the reduced production by their own cells, but there is an increasing demand for a permanent and efficient supplementation which could better modulate the need for the hormone during the normal activities. For this reason, transplant-based therapeutic models have been proposed such as whole organ transplantation and Langerhans islets transplantation. These techniques are limited by many factors such as the lack of donors, the risks linked to t…
Transformation of primary human hepatocytes in hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer. Currently, there is limited knowledge of neoplastic transformation of hepatocytes in HCC. In clinical practice, the high rate of HCC local recurrence suggests the presence of different hepatocyte populations within the liver and particularly in the tumor proximity. The present study investigated primary human hepatocyte cultures obtained from liver specimens of patients affected by cirrhosis and HCC, their proliferation and transformation. Liver samples were obtained from seven HCC cirrhotic patients and from three patients with normal liver (NL). Immediately after surgery, cell outgrowth and primary cultures were obtai…