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Wilson disease is an inherited disorder of copper transport. Whereas penicillamine is used therapeutically to re-establish copper balance, trientine is indicated for patients with penicillamine intolerance. We aimed to compare penicillamine with trientine tetrahydrochloride (TETA4) for maintenance therapy in patients with Wilson disease.

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH) is a rare inherited disorder resulting in extremely elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Current guidance about its management and prognosis stems from small studies, mostly from high-income countries. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical and genetic characteristics, as well as the impact, of current practice on health outcomes of HoFH patients globally.

Hardikar syndrome (MIM 612726) is a rare multiple congenital anomaly syndrome characterized by facial clefting, pigmentary retinopathy, biliary anomalies, and intestinal malrotation, but with preserved cognition. Only four patients have been reported previously, and none had a molecular diagnosis. Our objective was to identify the genetic basis of Hardikar syndrome (HS) and expand the phenotypic spectrum of this disorder.

In this study we investigate the disease etiology in 12 patients with de novo variants in FAR1all resulting in an amino acid change at position 480 (p.Arg480Cys/His/Leu).

Galactokinase (GALK1) deficiency is a rare hereditary galactose metabolism disorder. Beyond cataract, the phenotypic spectrum is questionable. Data from affected patients included in the Galactosemias Network registry were collected to better characterize the phenotype.

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Since 2005, a New Wilson Index (NWI) =11 is used as a predictor of death without transplantation in fulminant Wilson disease (WD). Plasma exchange is advocated as a new treatment modality. We present a patient with fulminant WD treated with plasma exchange. All published cases applying plasma exchange for fulminant WD were reviewed systematically. A 14-year-old girl presented with hemolysis and fulminant liver failure. She had no encephalopathy; NWI was 14. As a bridge to transplantation plasma exchange was started immediately. Complete remission was achieved with plasma exchange and later chelation therapy with D-penicillamine. She is now at 3-year transplant-free survival. Literature review identified 37 patients presenting with fulminant WD and NWI =11 who were treated with plasma exchange. Seventeen of these patients (ie, 46%) recovered without transplantation. Multiple case reports and case series demonstrate transplant free survival after plasma exchange and subsequent chelation therapy, despite a NWI =11. Plasma exchange affects the clinical course and is a therapeutic option in children and young adults presenting with fulminant WD.

Niemann-Pick type C (NPC)1 disease is a rare genetic condition in which the function of the lysosomal cholesterol transporter NPC1 protein is impaired. Consequently, sphingolipids and cholesterol accumulate in lysosomes of all tissues, triggering a cascade of pathological events that culminate in severe systemic and neurological symptoms. Lysosomal cholesterol accumulation is also a key factor in the development of atherosclerosis and NASH. In these two metabolic diseases, the administration of plant stanol esters has been shown to ameliorate cellular cholesterol accumulation and inflammation. Given the overlap of pathological mechanisms among atherosclerosis, NASH, and NPC1 disease, we sought to investigate whether dietary supplementation with plant stanol esters improves the peripheral features of NPC1 disease. To this end, we used an NPC1 murine model featuring a Npc1-null allele (Npc1nih), creating a dysfunctional NPC1 protein. Npc1nihmice were fed a 2% or 6% plant stanol ester-enriched diet over the course of 5 weeks. During this period, hepatic and blood lipid and inflammatory profiles were assessed. Npc1nihmice fed the plant stanol-enriched diet exhibited lower hepatic cholesterol accumulation, damage, and inflammation than regular chow-fed Npc1nihmice. Moreover, plant stanol consumption shifted circulating T-cells and monocytes in particular toward an anti-inflammatory profile. Overall, these effects were stronger following dietary supplementation with 6% stanols, suggesting a dose-dependent effect. The findings of our study highlight the potential use of plant stanols as an affordable complementary means to ameliorate disorders in hepatic and blood lipid metabolism and reduce inflammation in NPC1 disease.

The patient, a boy born in 1991, showed pronounced polyostotic fibrous dysplasia due to McCune–Albright syndrome, as well as Gilbert syndrome and Charcot–Marie–Tooth neuropathy caused by a DNM2mutation. In addition, the patient, his sister, mother and maternal grandfather had intermittently increased plasma arginine and lysine levels, most probably due to heterozygosity for a novel pathogenic SLC7A2variant.

There is an ongoing debate about whether and how fructose is involved in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A recent experimental study showed an increased intrahepatic triglyceride (IHTG) content in mice deficient for aldolase B (aldo B-/-), the enzyme that converts fructose-1-phosphate to triose phosphates.

Following the publication of this article, the authors noted that Dr Laura Fancello was not listed among the authors. The corrected author list is given below. Additionally, the following was not included in the author contribution statement: ‘L.F. analyzed RNA sequencing data’.

Most tumours have an aberrantly activated lipid metabolism1,2that enables them to synthesize, elongate and desaturate fatty acids to support proliferation. However, only particular subsets of cancer cells are sensitive to approaches that target fatty acid metabolism and, in particular, fatty acid desaturation3. This suggests that many cancer cells contain an unexplored plasticity in their fatty acid metabolism. Here we show that some cancer cells can exploit an alternative fatty acid desaturation pathway. We identify various cancer cell lines, mouse hepatocellular carcinomas, and primary human liver and lung carcinomas that desaturate palmitate to the unusual fatty acid sapienate to support membrane biosynthesis during proliferation. Accordingly, we found that sapienate biosynthesis enables cancer cells to bypass the known fatty acid desaturation pathway that is dependent on stearoyl-CoA desaturase. Thus, only by targeting both desaturation pathways is the in vitro and in vivo proliferation of cancer cells that synthesize sapienate impaired. Our discovery explains metabolic plasticity in fatty acid desaturation and constitutes an unexplored metabolic rewiring in cancers.

The R98S mutation in ribosomal protein L10 (RPL10 R98S) affects 8% of pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cases, and was previously described to impair cellular proliferation. The current study reveals that RPL10 R98S cells accumulate reactive oxygen species which promotes mitochondrial dysfunction and reduced ATP levels, causing the proliferation defect. RPL10 R98S mutant leukemia cells can survive high oxidative stress levels via a specific increase of IRES-mediated translation of the anti-apoptotic factor B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2), mediating BCL-2 protein overexpression. RPL10 R98S selective sensitivity to the clinically available Bcl-2 inhibitor Venetoclax (ABT-199) was supported by suppression of splenomegaly and the absence of human leukemia cells in the blood of T-ALL xenografted mice. These results shed new light on the oncogenic function of ribosomal mutations in cancer, provide a novel mechanism for BCL-2 upregulation in leukemia, and highlight BCL-2 inhibition as a novel therapeutic opportunity in RPL10 R98S defective T-ALL.

ObjectiveAcute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is associated with dysfunctional circulating monocytes whereby patients become highly susceptible to bacterial infections. Here, we identify the pathways underlying monocyte dysfunction in ACLF and we investigate whether metabolic rewiring reinstates their phagocytic and inflammatory capacity.DesignFollowing phenotypic characterisation, we performed RNA sequencing on CD14+CD16−monocytes from patients with ACLF and decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis. Additionally, an in vitromodel mimicking ACLF patient-derived features was implemented to investigate the efficacy of metabolic regulators on monocyte function.ResultsMonocytes from patients with ACLF featured elevated frequencies of interleukin (IL)-10-producing cells, reduced human leucocyte antigen DR isotype (HLA-DR) expression and impaired phagocytic and oxidative burst capacity. Transcriptional profiling of isolated CD14+CD16−monocytes in ACLF revealed upregulation of an array of immunosuppressive parameters and compromised antibacterial and antigen presentation machinery. In contrast, monocytes in decompensated cirrhosis showed intact capacity to respond to inflammatory triggers. Culturing healthy monocytes in ACLF plasma mimicked the immunosuppressive characteristics observed in patients, inducing a blunted phagocytic response and metabolic program associated with a tolerant state. Metabolic rewiring of the cells using a pharmacological inhibitor of glutamine synthetase, partially restored the phagocytic and inflammatory capacity of in vitrogenerated- as well as ACLF patient-derived monocytes. Highlighting its biological relevance, the glutamine synthetase/glutaminase ratio of ACLF patient-derived monocytes positively correlated with disease severity scores.ConclusionIn ACLF, monocytes feature a distinct transcriptional profile, polarised towards an immunotolerant state and altered metabolism. We demonstrated that metabolic rewiring of ACLF monocytes partially revives their function, opening up new options for therapeutic targeting in these patients.

Telomerase RNA component (TERC) is the template that telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) uses to add telomere-repeats to DNA. The authors describe successful lung-liver transplants in two patients with liver fibrosis/cirrhosis and pulmonary fibrosis from telomeropathies from heterozygous mutations in TERC or TERT.

Abnormal polyol metabolism is predominantly associated with diabetes, where excess glucose is converted to sorbitol by aldose reductase (AR). Recently, abnormal polyol metabolism has been implicated in phosphomannomutase 2 congenital disorder of glycosylation (PMM2-CDG) and an AR inhibitor, epalrestat, proposed as a potential therapy. Considering that the PMM2 enzyme is not directly involved in polyol metabolism, the increased polyol production and epalrestat’s therapeutic mechanism in PMM2-CDG remained elusive. PMM2-CDG, caused by PMM2 deficiency, presents with depleted GDP-mannose and abnormal glycosylation. Here, we show that, apart from glycosylation abnormalities, PMM2 deficiency affects intracellular glucose flux, resulting in polyol increase. Targeting AR with epalrestat decreases polyols and increases GDP-mannose both in patient-derived fibroblasts and in pmm2mutant zebrafish. Using tracer studies, we demonstrate that AR inhibition diverts glucose flux away from polyol production toward the synthesis of sugar nucleotides, and ultimately glycosylation. Finally, PMM2-CDG individuals treated with epalrestat show a clinical and biochemical improvement.

Liver failure is reported with increasing frequency in patients who underwent bariatric surgery for morbid obesity. In most cases, liver transplantation is the only possible treatment to avoid fatal outcome. Although most cases are observed after older bariatric surgery techniques characterized by high malabsorption rates, we report on a 38-year-old woman who developed liver failure seven months after long-limb gastric bypass.

Indeterminate biliary strictures and difficult bile duct stones remain clinically arduous and challenging situations. We aimed to evaluate the utility of the single-operator cholangioscopy (SOC)-system SpyGlass in both conditions in a single-center biliopancreatic interventional unit and in perspective of available aggregated literature. Usefulness of SOC was assessed for the above-mentioned indications by means of the combination of successful procedural completion, clinical success and incidence of procedure-related adverse events in our own prospective cohort from 3/2010 to 7/2014 and all available literature till 6/2015. Our single-center cohort constituted of 84 patients undergoing SpyGlass either for indeterminate strictures (n= 45) or difficult stones (n= 39). In addition, a comprehensive literature review yielded 851 patients (from 15 series) for either stenosis (n= 646, 75.9 %) and difficult stones (n= 205, 24.1 %). In our series, overall procedural success amounted to 85.7 % (with 88.9 % for stenosis or 82.1 % for stones) compared to 90.7, 91.5 and 88.3 % in overall literature, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for visual diagnosisin our cohort added up to 83.3, 82.9 and 82.9 % compared to 90.8, 90.9 and 90.8 % in the pooled analysis. Respective figures for SOC-directed biopsiestotaled 85.7, 100 and 95.7 % in our cohort and 72.4, 100 and 84 % overall. Overall procedure-related complications varied between 9.4 and 21.4 %. The SOC-platform SpyGlass can be considered useful in the context of indeterminate biliary strictures and difficult-to-remove biliary stones. In both, SpyGlass-assisted intervention is associated with high procedural success and alters clinical outcome compared to conventional approaches with an acceptable safety profile.

TMEM165 deficiency is a severe multisystem disease that manifests with metabolic, endocrine, and skeletal involvement. It leads to one type of congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG), a rapidly growing group of inherited diseases in which the glycosylation process is altered. Patients have decreased galactosylation by serum glycan analysis. There are >100 CDGs, but only specific types are treatable.

Although ribosomes are ubiquitous and essential for life, recent data indicate that monogenic causes of ribosomal dysfunction can confer a remarkable degree of specificity in terms of human disease phenotype. Box C/D small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are evolutionarily conserved non-protein-coding RNAs involved in ribosome biogenesis. Here we show that biallelic mutations in the gene SNORD118, encoding the box C/D snoRNA U8, cause the cerebral microangiopathy leukoencephalopathy with calcifications and cysts (LCC), presenting at any age from early childhood to late adulthood. These mutations affect U8 expression, processing and protein binding and thus implicate U8 as essential in cerebral vascular homeostasis.

Hereditary haemochromatosis (HH) is the most prevalent genetic liver disease, with an incidence of 1/200 to 1/400 in the Caucasian population. HH patients are treated by family physicians as well as different specialists. When left untreated or insufficiently treated, the complications can become life threatening. To support and evaluate qualitative care for HH, we evaluated and compared the available structured guidelines on screening, diagnosis and management of HH patients.

Endoscopic ampullectomy is established as a valuable treatment for adenomas of the Vaterian papilla. Few large series are available, however, let alone any with long-term follow-up. Moreover, multiple tangible issues remain. The aim of our study was to evaluate efficacy, safety, and outcome of endoscopic ampullectomy and compare it to existing literatureThis is a single-center, retrospective study with a minimal follow-up of 3 years including 91 patients, including familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and non-FAP, who had an endoscopic ampullectomy between 2000 and 2008. Outcome parameters included ampulloma characteristics, biotical accuracy as well as safety, efficacy, recurrence rate, and survival after endoscopic ampullectomy.Endoscopic resection was successful in 71 patients (78 %). Histological review of the resected specimens revealed nonspecific changes (13.8 %), low or medium grade dysplasia (52.9 %), high grade dysplasia (21.8 %) and carcinoma (18.3 %). Bioptic accuracy was 38.3 %. Overall complications were observed in 23 patients (25.2 %): pancreatitis (15.4 %), hemorrhage (12.1 %) and cholangitis (4.9 %). Recurrence occurred in 18.3 %. Fourteen patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. Survival after complete endoscopic ampullectomy was excellent for patients with low to moderate grade dysplasia and high grade dysplasia. Incomplete endoscopic resection of high grade dysplasia or invasive carcinoma was associated with unfavorable outcome when treated merely endoscopically.Endoscopic ampullectomy is obligatory for assessment of the true histological nature of an ampulloma. Endoscopic resection is a safe and efficient procedure for adenomas with low to moderate dysplasia but also for high grade dysplastic lesions, provided that a complete endoscopic resection is achieved.

There are numerous inborn errors of metabolism of the liver, and they are all rare to very rare. To get a clear picture of the indications for gene transfer in these conditions, it is essential to get a clear view on the current (lack of) insight in the pathophysiology of these disorders, the current treatment options and hence on the window of opportunity for new treatments as gene transfer. The aim of this review, is to illustrate the problems related to treatment of inborn errors of metabolism of the liver. General aspects defining the quest for treatments for very rare diseases are touched upon, but for the sake of clarity, this review is restricted to five illustrative examples: Crigler-Najjar type I, the urea cycle defects, phenylketonuria, classic galactosemia and propionic acidemia. These examples reflect the problems that are currently experienced and can be expected, when gene transfer trials for these disorders are undertaken.

Abstract: We used human hepatoma HepAD38 cells, in which HBV production is under the control of a tetracycline-regulated promotor, to investigate changes induced in the host cell by HBV replication that could contribute to malignant transformation. Parameters of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde, glutathione) and cell proliferation were determined at different times after induction (0–96 h). In HBV-producing cells, the redox status peaked at 72 h. cDNA micro array analysis at 72 h post induction revealed 3 groups of genes that were up-regulated by HBV: (i) heat shock proteins, (ii) oxidative and metabolic stress and (iii) growth and apoptosis related genes. Continuous HBV production did not accelerate karyotypic changes in cells cultured for 4 months (18 passages). In conclusion: HBV replication modulates host gene expression and induces oxidative stress. In this HepAD38 model early events (0–4 days) in the host cell after induction of HBV replication can be studied under strictly defined conditions.

Liver progenitor cells as well as hepatic stellate cells have neuroendocrine features. Progenitor cells express chromogranin-A and neural cell adhesion molecule, parathyroid hormone-related peptide, S-100 protein, neurotrophins, and neurotrophin receptors, while hepatic stellate cells express synaptophysin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, neural cell adhesion molecule, nestin, neurotrophins, and their receptors. This phenotype suggests that these cell types form a neuroendocrine compartment of the liver, which could be under the control of the central nervous system. We recently showed that the parasympathetic nervous system promotes progenitor cell expansion after liver injury, since selective vagotomy reduces the number of progenitor cells after chemical injury in the rat. Similarly, after transplantation, which surgically denervates the liver, human livers that develop hepatitis have fewer progenitor cells than native, fully innervated livers with similar degrees of liver injury. There is also accumulating experimental evidence linking the autonomic system, in particular the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), with the pathogenesis of cirrhosis and its complications. Recently, it has been shown that hepatic stellate cells themselves respond to neurotransmitters. Moreover, inhibition of the SNS reduced fibrosis in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury. In view of the denervated state of transplanted livers, it is very important to unravel the neural control mechanisms of regeneration and fibrogenesis. Moreover, since there is a shortage of donor organs, a better understanding of the mechanisms of regeneration could have therapeutic possibilities, which could even obviate the need for orthotopic liver transplantation. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

In the rat the hepatic branch of the nervus vagus stimulates proliferation of hepatocytes after partial hepatectomy and growth of bile duct epithelial cells after bile duct ligation. We studied the effect of hepatic vagotomy on the activation of the hepatic progenitor cell compartment in human and rat liver. The number of hepatic progenitor cells and atypical reactive ductular cells in transplanted (denervated) human livers with hepatitis was significantly lower than in innervated matched control livers and the number of oval cells in vagotomized rat livers with galactosamine hepatitis was significantly lower than in livers of sham-operated rats with galactosamine hepatitis. The expression of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (M1-M5 receptor) was studied by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. In human liver, immunoreactivity for M3 receptor was observed in hepatic progenitor cells, atypical reactive ductules, intermediate hepatocyte-like cells, and bile duct epithelial cells. mRNA for the M1-M3 and the M5 receptor, but not the M4 receptor, was detected in human liver homogenates. In conclusion, the hepatic vagus branch stimulates activation of the hepatic progenitor cell compartment in diseased liver, most likely through binding of acetylcholine to the M3 receptor expressed on these cells. These findings may be of clinical importance for patients with a transplant liver.

During liver development, hepatoblasts differentiate into hepatocytes or biliary epithelial cells (BEC). The BEC delineate the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts, and the gallbladder. The transcription factors that control the development of the biliary tract are unknown. Previous work has shown that the onecut transcription factor HNF6 is expressed in hepatoblasts and in the gallbladder primordium. We now show that HNF6 is also expressed in the BEC of the developing intrahepatic bile ducts, and investigate its involvement in biliary tract development by analyzing the phenotype of Hnf6–/– mice. In these mice, the gallbladder was absent, the extrahepatic bile ducts were abnormal and the development of the intrahepatic bile ducts was perturbed in the prenatal period. The morphology of the intrahepatic bile ducts was identical to that seen in mice whose Hnf1β gene has been conditionally inactivated in the liver. HNF1β expression was downregulated in the intrahepatic bile ducts of Hnf6–/– mice during development. Furthermore, we found that HNF6 can stimulate the Hnf1β promoter. We conclude that HNF6 is essential for differentiation and morphogenesis of the biliary tract and that intrahepatic bile duct development is controlled by a HNF6→HNF1β cascade.

Synaptophysin is a protein involved in neurotransmitter exocytosis and is a neuroendocrine marker. We studied synaptophysin immunohistochemical expression in 35 human liver specimens (normal and different pathological conditions), in rat models of galactosamine hepatitis and carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhosis, and in freshly isolated rat stellate cells. Synaptophysin reactivity was present in perisinusoidal stellate cells in both human and rat normal liver biopsies. The number of synaptophysin-reactive perisinusoidal cells increased in pathological conditions. Double staining for α-smooth muscle actin and synaptophysin, detected by confocal laser scanning microscopy, unequivocally demonstrated colocalization of both markers in lobular stellate cells. In addition, freshly isolated rat stellate cells expressed synaptophysin mRNA (detected by polymerase chain reaction) and protein. Finally, electron microscopy showed the presence of small electron translucent vesicles, comparable to the synaptophysin-reactive synaptic vesicles in neurons, in stellate cell projections. We conclude that synaptophysin is a novel marker for quiescent as well as activated hepatic stellate cells. Together with the stellate cell's expression of neural cell adhesion molecule, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and nestin, this finding raises questions about its embryonic origin and its differentiation. In addition, the presence of synaptic vesicles in stellate cell processes suggests a hitherto unknown mechanism of interaction with neighboring cells.

Epilepsy, intellectual and cortical sensory deficits, and psychiatric manifestations are the most frequent manifestations of mitochondrial diseases. How mitochondrial dysfunction affects neural structure and function remains elusive, mostly because of a lack of proper in vitroneuronal model systems with mitochondrial dysfunction. Leveraging induced pluripotent stem cell technology, we differentiated excitatory cortical neurons (iNeurons) with normal (low heteroplasmy) and impaired (high heteroplasmy) mitochondrial function on an isogenic nuclear DNA background from patients with the common pathogenic m.3243A > G variant of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS). iNeurons with high heteroplasmy exhibited mitochondrial dysfunction, delayed neural maturation, reduced dendritic complexity, and fewer excitatory synapses. Micro-electrode array recordings of neuronal networks displayed reduced network activity and decreased synchronous network bursting. Impaired neuronal energy metabolism and compromised structural and functional integrity of neurons and neural networks could be the primary drivers of increased susceptibility to neuropsychiatric manifestations of mitochondrial disease.

Introduction. Acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD, also known as Niemann-Pick Type A and Type B disease) is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder. Liver-related issues, including cirrhosis and variceal haemorrhage, are a leading cause of early mortality in individuals with chronic forms of ASMD. Due to the rarity of this lysosomal storage disorder, there can be a lack of awareness that adults with chronic ASMD disease are at significant risk of cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and variceal bleeding. This case highlights an unusual presentation of recurrent variceal bleeding in an adult with cirrhosis and portal hypertension due to chronic visceral ASMD. Case Presentation. A patient with severe splenomegaly was diagnosed with ASMD at age of 25. At age 64 they had multiple hospital admissions for hematochezia (originally diagnosed as ischemic colitis) accompanied by hypotension (blood pressure 91/45 mmHg), anemia (hemoglobin 8.5g/dL, ref 12-16; INR 1.4, ref ≤1.2), and mild renal insufficiency (creatinine 1.33mg/dL, ref 0.51-0.95). Colonoscopy did not reveal a source of bleeding. Computerized tomography scanning imaging showed diffuse venous collaterals and ascites. Arteriographies during subsequent episodes of bleeding were negative for active arterial intestinal bleeding. Recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding was found to originate from a varicose vein cluster connected to the right iliac vein and the superior mesenteric vein, located in the submucosa of a small intestinal loop. Multiple varices were secondary to portal hypertension in the context of cirrhosis. The patient died from recurrent variceal bleeding that exacerbated liver failure worsened by pneumonia and hypovolemic and septic shock. Conclusions. The variceal bleeding in this patient was atypical in that it originated from venous collaterals bleeding into the small intestine rather than the more typical gastroesophageal varices observed in ASMD. With long standing liver dysfunction and gradual development of portal hypertension, intestinal varices rather than occult intestinal bleeding due to ischemia should be considered in ASMD patients presenting with either hematochezia or hematemesis.