Loehr, Hermann Stef-fens, Christine John, Peter R Geyer, Thomas

Loehr, Hermann Stef-fens, Christine John, Peter R. Geyer, Thomas Witthoeft, Andreas Herrmann, Mark Hoesl, Elmar Zehnter Aim:

With the recent use of more effective direct acting antiviral agents (DAA), HCV RNA undetectability appears earlier during therapy and most patients have undetectable viral load at week 4 of triple therapy. The objective was to assess within the ANRS CO20-CUPIC cohort whether the viral load (VL) at week 2/week 6 for telaprevir/boceprevir-based triple therapy, respectively, was predictive of sustained virological EX 527 supplier response (SVR) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and to study the relevance of this measurement to early diagnose drug

resistance. Methods: Observational study of HCV genotype 1 patients with compensated cirrhosis (Child-Pugh A), non-responders to a prior course of interferon (IFN)-based therapy and who started triple therapy. Patients received either 12 weeks of telaprevir in combination with PEG-IFN/ribavirin (RBV) then 36 weeks of PEG-IFN/RBV, or 4 weeks of PEG-IFN/ RBV then 44 weeks of PEG-IFN/RBV and boceprevir. Only patients with viral load assessment check details at week 2 for telaprevir or week 6 for boceprevir were kept for the analysis. HCV-RNA levels were measured at baseline and at weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, ABT199 and 48 of therapy, and 12 weeks after the end of treatment, with a real-time PCR based assay, either COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan (Roche Molecular Systems, Pleas-anton, California) with a lower limit of detection of 15 IU/ml, or m2000SP/m2000RT (Abbott Molecular, Des Moines,

Illinois), with a lower limit of detection of 12 IU/ml. Results: Data on 288 patients were analyzed. For telaprevir-treated patients, 28% had undetectable VL at W2 of whom 81% achieved SVR12 whereas 67% had undetectable VL at W4 of whom 67% achieved SVR12. For boceprevir-treated patients 20% had undetectable VL at W6 and 86% of them achieved SVR12 whereas 36% had undetectable VL at W8 among whom 73% achieved SVR12. Five telaprevir-treated patients had a VL increase between W2 and W4 after a decrease between D0 and W2. Four of them did not achieve SVR12. Similarly, six boceprevir-treated patients had a VL increase between W6 and W8 after a decrease between D0 and W6. Five did not reach SVR12.

Loehr, Hermann Stef-fens, Christine John, Peter R Geyer, Thomas

Loehr, Hermann Stef-fens, Christine John, Peter R. Geyer, Thomas Witthoeft, Andreas Herrmann, Mark Hoesl, Elmar Zehnter Aim:

With the recent use of more effective direct acting antiviral agents (DAA), HCV RNA undetectability appears earlier during therapy and most patients have undetectable viral load at week 4 of triple therapy. The objective was to assess within the ANRS CO20-CUPIC cohort whether the viral load (VL) at week 2/week 6 for telaprevir/boceprevir-based triple therapy, respectively, was predictive of sustained virological http://www.selleckchem.com/products/BAY-73-4506.html response (SVR) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and to study the relevance of this measurement to early diagnose drug

resistance. Methods: Observational study of HCV genotype 1 patients with compensated cirrhosis (Child-Pugh A), non-responders to a prior course of interferon (IFN)-based therapy and who started triple therapy. Patients received either 12 weeks of telaprevir in combination with PEG-IFN/ribavirin (RBV) then 36 weeks of PEG-IFN/RBV, or 4 weeks of PEG-IFN/ RBV then 44 weeks of PEG-IFN/RBV and boceprevir. Only patients with viral load assessment learn more at week 2 for telaprevir or week 6 for boceprevir were kept for the analysis. HCV-RNA levels were measured at baseline and at weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, Pembrolizumab and 48 of therapy, and 12 weeks after the end of treatment, with a real-time PCR based assay, either COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan (Roche Molecular Systems, Pleas-anton, California) with a lower limit of detection of 15 IU/ml, or m2000SP/m2000RT (Abbott Molecular, Des Moines,

Illinois), with a lower limit of detection of 12 IU/ml. Results: Data on 288 patients were analyzed. For telaprevir-treated patients, 28% had undetectable VL at W2 of whom 81% achieved SVR12 whereas 67% had undetectable VL at W4 of whom 67% achieved SVR12. For boceprevir-treated patients 20% had undetectable VL at W6 and 86% of them achieved SVR12 whereas 36% had undetectable VL at W8 among whom 73% achieved SVR12. Five telaprevir-treated patients had a VL increase between W2 and W4 after a decrease between D0 and W2. Four of them did not achieve SVR12. Similarly, six boceprevir-treated patients had a VL increase between W6 and W8 after a decrease between D0 and W6. Five did not reach SVR12.

Lok – Advisory Committees or Review Panels:

Gilead, Immun

Lok – Advisory Committees or Review Panels:

Gilead, Immune Targeting System, MedImmune, Arrowhead, Bayer, GSK, Janssen, Novartis, ISIS, Tekmira; Grant/Research Support: Abbott, BMS, Gilead, Merck, Roche, Boehringer David R. Nelson – Advisory Committees or Review Panels: Merck; Grant/Research Support: Abbot, BMS, Beohringer Ingelheim, Gilead, Genentech, Merck, Bayer, Idenix, Vertex, Jansen Michael W. Fried – Consulting: Genentech, Merck, Abbvie, Vertex, Janssen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead; Grant/Research selleckchem Support: Genentech, Merck, AbbVie, Vertex, Janssen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead; Patent Held/Filed: HCCPlex The following people have nothing to disclose: Mark E. Mailliard, Lucy Akus-kevich Trio Health is a disease management program for hepatitis C that includes academic medical http://www.selleckchem.com/products/epz-6438.html centers and community physicians in partnership with specialty pharmacies to deliver optimal care for HCV with a managed adherence and compliance program. Since January 2014, Trio has been managing over 6000 HCV patients. AIM: To evaluate outcomes with newly available agents sofosbuvir and simeprevir in a real-world, heterogeneous

population. METHODS: The Trio health database was used to identify all patients who were included in the outcomes data cohort who started medication prior to April 1st 2014. 1,010 patients were identified in 119 practices, 33% of which were academic centers and 67% community practices, and are included in this study report. RESULTS: Mean age was 57 with 197 patients (20%) 65 years or older, 57% male and mean BMI 27.9. Genotype 1 was seen in 669 patients (66%), genotype 2 in 197 patients (20%), genotype 3 in 110 patients (11%), genotype 4 in 16 patients (2%), genotype 6 in 3 patients (<1%), mixed genotypes in 2 patients (<1%) and an unknown genotype for 13 patients (1%). Comorbidities included diabetes 12% and anxiety or depression in 14%. Viral load > 800,000 IU was

seen in 64%, mean ALT 82, AST 73 and platelets 177,000. 58% were treatment naïve and 42% had failed an interferon based regimen including patients who were 1st generation protease inhibitor failures. Cirrhosis was present in 34% of patients. TREATMENT selleck chemicals llc REGIMENS: 12 week regimens for genotype 1 included PEG+RBV+SOF in 44% and SMV+SOF in 42% with 12% receiving a 24 week regimen of RBV+SOF. 12 week RBV+SOF was used in 95% of genotype 2 and 24 week RBV+SOF was used in 93% of genotype 3. PEG+RBV+SOF was used in 1% and 6% for genotypes 2 and 3 respectively. CONCLUSION: An examination of a heterogeneous real life hepatitis C population is underway and SVR data for all genotype 1 and 2 patients on 12 week regimens will be available at the meeting. Disclosures: Douglas Dieterich – Advisory Committees or Review Panels: merck, Idenix, Jans-sen ; Consulting: Gilead, BMS Bruce R.

V drug use Screening of blood products for HCV has eradicated tr

V drug use. Screening of blood products for HCV has eradicated transfusion-transmitted hepatitis C (in most of the countries since 1992). In Bosnia and Herzegovina due to the war circumstances, since selleck products 1995. More than 100 000 blood transfusions were administered only in Sarajevo Capital, in a period 1992–1995., that were not tested fof HCV. Aim: To investigate influence

of source infection of HCV on therapeuticall response in patient treated for chronic HCV infection with combined therapy. Methods: We diagnosed chronic HCV infection in 246 patients in period of five years (2005–2010) and selected them according to the reported source of infection. Pegilated interferon alfa 2a or alfa 2b with ribavirin was administered in a duration that was depending the genotype. HCV RNA levels in sera were measured by real time PCR. HCV RNA test was performed with modular analysis AMPLICOR and COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR test v2.0, which has proved Selleckchem Ferroptosis inhibitor infection and was used for quantification of the viruses and monitoring of the patients respond to the therapy. Liver histology was evaluated in accordance to the level of necroinflammation activity and stadium of fibrosis. Results: Regardless

the genotype SVR was achieved in 67% of the patients. 25% of the patient who were infected with not tested blood transfusion did not achieve ETR, and 6% of patients that had war surgery. Patients with infection source „war surgery“responded better to therapy learn more than blood transfusion (p = 0, 023). Narcotics as well responded much better to therapy than blood transfusion at the end of therapy (p = 0, 049). It was detected Large positive difference (MD) in fibrosis stage for blood transfusion infected patients compared to blood donors

(blood transfusion as infection source implies larger fibrosis stage than in blood donors; g = 1, 177; s2 = 0, 577). Large positive difference was also found in necroinflammatory activity for blood transfusion infected patients compared to blood donors (blood transfusion and narcotics as infection source implies significantly larger necroinflammatory activity than in blood donors; g = 1, 456; s2 = 0, 618). We further tested if source of infection (Narcotics, War related, Other, Unknown) was related to HCV genotype (1a, 1b and 3), age (grouped 1945–1965 versus others) or gender, deploying Chi-square independence test for contingency tables. In order to obtain relevant results, we selected only the variables with sufficient contingents.

2 HBx alters several host functions that may lead to the carcinog

2 HBx alters several host functions that may lead to the carcinogenic process, including cell proliferation, viability, DNA repair, and genome

stability.2 Although HBx does not bind directly to DNA, it may activate the transcription of a wide range of cellular genes by different mechanisms involving activation of signal transduction pathways or direct interaction with components of the transcriptional machinery.2 Recently, it has been proposed that HBx may also alter gene expression by promoting epigenetic changes in the DNA methylation profile4 or by enhancing the stability of transcription factors such as HIF-1α5 and c-myc.6 Thus, HBx expression results in transcriptional activation of a variety Compound Library of cellular genes involved in inflammation, angiogenesis, fibrosis, oxidative stress, and tumor development and progression.2 Pituitary tumor–transforming gene 1 (PTTG1)-encoded protein, originally isolated from pituitary tumor cells,7 was later identified as a human securin, a protein implicated in inhibition of sister chromatid separation during mitosis, which has been associated with malignant transformation and tumor development.8 Furthermore, PTTG1 plays key roles in cellular growth, DNA repair, development, and metabolism.9 Mechanisms of PTTG1 action include protein–protein interactions, transcriptional activity, and

paracrine/autocrine regulation.9 During mitosis LEE011 and following chromosome alignment, PTTG1 is degraded by the proteasome at metaphase to anaphase transition through the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome, releasing inhibition of separase, which in turn mediates the proteolysis of the cohesins ring that

holds sister chromatids together.8 In nonmitotic cells, the Skp1–Cul1–F-box protein ubiquitin ligase complex (SCF) is involved in the degradation of phosphorylated forms of PTTG1.10 Furthermore, the SCF complex is involved in PTTG1 turnover in cycle-arrested cells after ultraviolet radiation.11 PTTG1 overexpression has been reported in a great variety of tumors in which it correlates with invasiveness,9 and it has been identified as selleck a key signature gene associated with tumor metastasis.12 In HCC, PTTG1 is overexpressed, and its expression levels have prognostic significance for the survival of postoperative HCC patients.13 Interestingly, it has been proposed that PTTG1 might be critically involved in the development of HCC through the promotion of angiogenesis.13 PTTG1 specifically interacts with p53, both in vitro and in vivo, and inhibits the ability of p53 to induce cell death, demonstrating its oncogenic potential.14 Additionally, PTTG1 overexpression in hepatoma cell lines negatively regulates the ability of p53 to induce apoptosis.

Conclusion: This pilot prospective study supports the hypothesis

Conclusion: This pilot prospective study supports the hypothesis that radiofrequency ablation could induce an early systemic immune response. Analysis of additional patients and correlation

with tumor relapse are on-going. Disclosures: Marianne Ziol – Grant/Research Support: Echosens Nathalie Ganne-Carrie – Advisory Committees or Review Panels: Roche, MSD; Speaking and Teaching: BMS, Gilead The following people have nothing to disclose: Jean-Charles Nault, Nathalie Bar-get, Lucie Del Pozo, Valerie Bourcier, Francoise Gondois-Rey, Bernadette Barbarat, Gisele Nkontchou, Veronique Grando, Pierre Nahon, Jean Claude Ku-0059436 mw Trinchet, Olivier Seror, Daniel R. Olive Sorafenib – a broad kinase inhibitor – is a standard therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and has been proposed as an anti-fibrosis approach to prevent liver cirrhosis, an underlying pathology in HCC patients. However, the effects of sorafenib on tumor fibrosis – and its consequences GSI-IX on treatment resistance – remain unknown. Here, we show that sorafenib has differential effects on tumor fibrosis versus liver fibrosis in murine models of liver disease. Sorafenib treatment intensifies tumor hypoxia, which increases stromal-derived factor 1α (SDF1α) expression – in cancer and stromal cells – and

Gr-1+ myeloid cell infiltration in ortotopically implanted and in spontaneous HCC. SDF1α/CXCR4 pathway directly promotes hepatic stellate cell (HSC) differentiation and activation via MAP kinase selleck kinase inhibitor pathway. SDF1α increases the survival of HSCs after treatment with sorafenib as well as their α-SMA and expression

of Collagen I, resulting in increased tumor fibrosis. Moreover, Gr-1 + myeloid cells mediate HSC differentiation/activation in a paracrine manner. CXCR4 inhibition in combination with sorafenib treatment prevents the increase in tumor fibrosis -despite elevated hypoxia – in part by reducing Gr-1+ myeloid cell infiltration, and inhibits HCC growth. Similarly, antibody blockade of Gr-1 also reduces tumor fibrosis and inhibits HCC growth when combined with sorafenib treatment. Thus, blocking SDF1α/CXCR4 or Gr-1 + myeloid cell infiltration may be a novel approach to inhibit HCC resistance to sorafenib by targeting pro-fibrosis signals activated by sorafenib treatment. Model of tumor-associated fibrosis regulation by SDF1α/CXCR4 pathway in HCC. Sorafenib has differential effects of fibrosis in the tumor versus the surrounding liver. These effects are the result of increased intratumoral hypoxia, SDF1α expression and Gr-1 + myeloid cell infiltration. Blocking CXCR4 prevents Gr-1+ myeloid cell infiltration and hepatic stellate cells differentiation and activation, and synergizes with the anti-tumor effects of sorafenib.

TNF-α induces cell death that can be ameliorated by nuclear facto

TNF-α induces cell death that can be ameliorated by nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB)

activation. We investigated the regulation of TNF-α signal transduction in HCV-infected cells this website and identified HCV proteins responsible for sensitization to TNF-α-induced cell death. We studied the effect of HCV infection on TNF-α signal transduction using an in vitro HCV infection model (JFH-1, genotype 2a) with Huh-7 and Huh-7.5 cells. We found that TNF-α-induced cell death significantly increased in HCV-infected cells. HCV infection diminished TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of IκB kinase (IKK) and inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB), which are upstream regulators of NF-κB activation. HCV infection also inhibited nuclear translocation of NF-κB and expression of NF-κB-dependent anti-apoptotic proteins, such as B-cell lymphoma—extra large (Bcl-xL), X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), and the long form of cellular-FLICE inhibitory protein (c-FLIP). Decreased levels of Bcl-xL, XIAP, and c-FLIP

messenger RNA and protein were also observed PLX4032 datasheet in livers with chronic hepatitis C. Transfection with plasmids encoding each HCV protein revealed that core, nonstructural protein (NS)4B, and NS5B attenuated TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation and enhanced TNF-α-induced cell death. Conclusion: HCV infection enhances TNF-α-induced cell death by suppressing NF-κB activation through the action of core, NS4B, and NS5B. This mechanism may contribute to immune-mediated liver injury in HCV infection. (HEPATOLOGY 2012;56:831–840) Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an enveloped hepatotropic virus with a positive-sense RNA genome. The 9.6-kb genome encodes one large polyprotein that is cleaved into 10 viral proteins: core, envelope protein (E)1, E2, p7, nonstructural protein (NS)2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B.1, 2 HCV infection tends to progress selleck chemicals llc to chronic hepatitis, which is often complicated by

liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).3 Thus, HCV represents a serious, worldwide public health problem.4 Cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for liver injury in HCV infection remain poorly understood. Because HCV infection has no cytopathic effect, liver injury is considered to be induced by host immune responses.5-7 Especially, T-cell responses are known to be responsible for both liver injury and viral clearance in HCV infection. Histological studies have demonstrated that enhanced apoptosis of hepatocytes is a common feature of HCV-infected livers, and the abundance of infiltrating T cells suggests a crucial role for T cells in the apoptosis of hepatocytes.8-10 In T-cell-mediated hepatocyte killing, perforin, Fas ligand, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) are major effector molecules.8, 11 TNF-α is produced not only by immune cells, but also by hepatocytes,12 and systemic TNF-α levels increase during HCV infection.13 In several ways, TNF-α plays a pivotal role in the inflammatory processes of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and hepatocyte death.

TNF-α induces cell death that can be ameliorated by nuclear facto

TNF-α induces cell death that can be ameliorated by nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB)

activation. We investigated the regulation of TNF-α signal transduction in HCV-infected cells Volasertib and identified HCV proteins responsible for sensitization to TNF-α-induced cell death. We studied the effect of HCV infection on TNF-α signal transduction using an in vitro HCV infection model (JFH-1, genotype 2a) with Huh-7 and Huh-7.5 cells. We found that TNF-α-induced cell death significantly increased in HCV-infected cells. HCV infection diminished TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of IκB kinase (IKK) and inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB), which are upstream regulators of NF-κB activation. HCV infection also inhibited nuclear translocation of NF-κB and expression of NF-κB-dependent anti-apoptotic proteins, such as B-cell lymphoma—extra large (Bcl-xL), X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), and the long form of cellular-FLICE inhibitory protein (c-FLIP). Decreased levels of Bcl-xL, XIAP, and c-FLIP

messenger RNA and protein were also observed selleck inhibitor in livers with chronic hepatitis C. Transfection with plasmids encoding each HCV protein revealed that core, nonstructural protein (NS)4B, and NS5B attenuated TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation and enhanced TNF-α-induced cell death. Conclusion: HCV infection enhances TNF-α-induced cell death by suppressing NF-κB activation through the action of core, NS4B, and NS5B. This mechanism may contribute to immune-mediated liver injury in HCV infection. (HEPATOLOGY 2012;56:831–840) Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an enveloped hepatotropic virus with a positive-sense RNA genome. The 9.6-kb genome encodes one large polyprotein that is cleaved into 10 viral proteins: core, envelope protein (E)1, E2, p7, nonstructural protein (NS)2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B.1, 2 HCV infection tends to progress selleck chemicals llc to chronic hepatitis, which is often complicated by

liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).3 Thus, HCV represents a serious, worldwide public health problem.4 Cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for liver injury in HCV infection remain poorly understood. Because HCV infection has no cytopathic effect, liver injury is considered to be induced by host immune responses.5-7 Especially, T-cell responses are known to be responsible for both liver injury and viral clearance in HCV infection. Histological studies have demonstrated that enhanced apoptosis of hepatocytes is a common feature of HCV-infected livers, and the abundance of infiltrating T cells suggests a crucial role for T cells in the apoptosis of hepatocytes.8-10 In T-cell-mediated hepatocyte killing, perforin, Fas ligand, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) are major effector molecules.8, 11 TNF-α is produced not only by immune cells, but also by hepatocytes,12 and systemic TNF-α levels increase during HCV infection.13 In several ways, TNF-α plays a pivotal role in the inflammatory processes of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and hepatocyte death.

2A; Supporting Fig 1F) Twenty-three of twenty-seven cases of HC

2A; Supporting Fig. 1F). Twenty-three of twenty-seven cases of HCCs (85%) showed a decreased Rnd3 expression, when compared to peritumor tissue. Mean tumor/nontumor ratio click here was 0.68 ± 0.08 (P = 0.0005). Using IHC, Rnd3 expression in peritumor tissue varied from faint to intense and was predominantly localized to the cytoplasm of hepatocytes (Fig. 2B). In contrast, low or no expression was observed in tumor samples (Fig. 2B). Rnd3 protein expression was also determined in healthy primary human hepatocytes as well as in the tumor cell lines, Huh6, Huh7, SNU398, SNU475, Hep3B,

and HepG2. Results showed that Rnd3 expression was reduced in all tumor cell lines tested, as compared to primary hepatocytes (Fig. 2C). Because RND3 expression showed a strong correlation with the presence of satellite nodules in HCC, we analyzed the effect of changes in RND3 expression level on cell invasion in the

Hep3B HCC cell line. Lentiviral transduction led to a 6-fold overexpression of Rnd3, which was associated with a 4.5-fold reduction in cell ability to invade Matrigel (Fig. 3A). On the other hand, transient Rnd3 knockdown using two different siRNAs led to decreased expression of Rnd3 protein by 95% (S1) or 75% (S3) (Fig. 3B) and resulted in a significant increase in invasion (Fig. 3B). The increase was more drastic with S1 than S3, which is in agreement with their silencing efficacy. While performing invasion assays, we also analyzed cell growth and found that Rnd3 knockdown led to an inhibition of HCC cell growth (Fig. 3C). Thus, our results demonstrate that Rnd3 expression levels selleck chemical inversely regulate HCC cell-invasion and growth properties. Because of our initial observation that down-regulation of Rnd3 was associated with evidence of an invasive phenotype in patients, and to better characterize Rnd3 involvement in HCC progression, we focused our study on the invasion mechanism. Because loss of the cell-junction protein, E-cadherin, is associated find more with HCC cell invasiveness,23, 24 we evaluated E-cadherin

expression in Rnd3-depleted cells. Rnd3 silencing in Hep3B (Fig. 4A,B) using both siRNAs led to a significant decrease in E-cadherin mRNA expression, whereas a significant down-regulation of E-cadherin protein was only observed with S1. However, decrease of E-cadherin protein expression was significantly observed with both siRNAs in Huh7 cells (Supporting Fig. 2A). IF analyses confirmed that E-cadherin expression was strongly reduced at cell-cell contacts in Rnd3-silenced cells (Supporting Fig. 2B). These results suggest that Rnd3 depletion affected the integrity of adherens junctions. We then sought to analyze E-cadherin protein levels in the 27 HCCs previously used for measuring Rnd3 expression. E-cadherin expression was down-regulated in 16 of 27 HCCs, as compared to peritumor tissue (Supporting Fig. 3).

These findings suggest that the protective effect of polyI:C agai

These findings suggest that the protective effect of polyI:C against APAP-mediated hepatotoxicity could result from the repression of nuclear hormone receptors and their target genes. Previous studies have demonstrated that the PXR/RXRα activator PCN can increase APAP-hepatotoxicity through induction of CYP3A11 and see more CYP1A2 in mice.27 If polyI:C-mediated protection against APAP hepatotoxicity is caused through the repression of nuclear hormone receptors and their target CYP genes, then polyI:C

should also be effective at protecting against nuclear hormone receptor enhanced APAP hepatotoxicity. Pretreatment of mice with PCN led to induction of CYP3A11, an effect which was suppressed in the presence of polyI:C (Fig. 4A). Consequently, PCN pretreatment greatly enhanced serum ALT levels following treatment

with normally nontoxic levels of APAP (Fig. 4B). Administration of polyI:C abrogated APAP-induced hepatotoxicity which was enhanced by PCN. This was seen by both serum ALT measurement and histology (Fig. 4B,E). Additionally, polyI:C administration protected mice against PCN-enhanced APAP lethality, further supporting the mechanism where polyI:C protection occurs through repression of nuclear hormone receptors and downstream CYPs (Fig. 4C). Another example of hepatotoxicity from APAP in combination with CYP-inducing substances is APAP therapy following regular alcohol ingestion, which induces expression of CYP2E1 and CYP3A isoforms and enhances sensitivity to APAP.28, 29 Indeed, polyI:C was effective at preventing

ethanol from potentiating APAP induction 26s Proteasome structure of serum ALT levels and hepatotoxicity (Fig. 4D,E). PolyI: C was first utilized to study the effects of viral infections on drug metabolism as an learn more interferon inducing agent.19 However, there has not been a conclusive study which addresses whether the effects of polyI:C on drug metabolism are truly dependent on IFN induction. In our model, polyI:C administration induced transcription of Type I IFNs such as IFNβ in the liver after 24 hours (Fig. 5A). Thus, we evaluated the contribution of IFN in polyI:C-mediated protection against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in mice deficient in IFN signaling. Because IFN receptor-1 and IFN receptor-2 need to heterodimerize for effective IFN signaling, IFN signaling is absent in Type I interferon receptor-1 (IFNAR) deficient mice.30 In our model, polyI:C was able to reduce RXRα and PXR mRNA levels and their downstream CYPs in IFNAR-deficient mice similar to wildtype mice after 24 hours (Fig. 5B, Supporting Fig. 3). Furthermore, in mice deficient for IFNAR, polyI:C was still able to attenuate APAP metabolism and toxicity (Fig. 5C). In order to confirm that polyI:C’s protective effect against APAP toxicity in IFNAR deficient mice were through decreased metabolism, APAP adduct protein levels were measured. Liver sections of polyI:C pretreated wildtype and IFNAR deficient mice did not exhibit APAP-protein adduct formation, suggesting decreased APAP metabolism (Fig.