12 As hypercholesterolemia and diabetes are strongly associated with major vascular events, a holistic approach to NAFLD treatment is needed, including adequate treatment of metabolic conditions (e.g., diabetes and dyslipidemia).18, 19 As well as the emerging relevance of NAFLD for cardiovascular Idasanutlin ic50 diseases,30 this collaborative study highlights the risk of liver-related events and mortality in NAFLD with advanced fibrosis. The risk factors we identified for liver-related complications are of relevance to the practicing clinician, including

progressive rises in serum bilirubin and fibrosis stage for liver-related mortality and a low platelet count for both ascites and varices (consistent with a portal hypertensive etiology). The MELD score did not predict outcomes in our NAFLD cohort, which can be explained by patients being Child-Pugh class A at enrollment rather than assessment for liver transplantation. Many of the factors that play a role in the MELD equation, such as age, were independent predictors (in this case, of overall mortality and encephalopathy). Interestingly, the AST/ALT ratio (commonly used to differentiate fatty liver clinically from other etiologies) also served as a predictor of overall mortality, having previously been shown to independently distinguish between patients with BIBW2992 order and without advanced

liver fibrosis.31 In summary, in this multicenter, collaborative study, there were independent risk factors for vascular, liver, and all-cause outcomes in patients with NAFLD with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis who had no overt evidence of hepatic decompensation

at enrollment. At these histological stages, NAFLD appears to lead to lower rates of liver-related complications and lower rates of HCC than patients with HCV infection of a similar disease stage, albeit the overall mortality in both conditions seems to be similar. However, larger, prospective studies are necessary to shed further insights on the impact of NAFLD on liver- and vascular-related morbidity and mortality. Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article. “
“The ectodomain of major histocompatibility complex Thalidomide class I–related chain A (MICA) is shed from tumor cells, and may be an important means of evading antitumor immunity. This study investigated the roles of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 9 (ADAM9) in the shedding of MICA in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Small interfering RNA–mediated knockdown (KD) of ADAM9 resulted in up-regulation of membrane-bound MICA expression on the HepG2 and PLC/PRF/5 cellular surfaces and down-regulation of soluble MICA levels in their culture supernatant. ADAM9 was cleaved at a site between Gln347 and Val348 of MICA in vitro.