Featured Publications
Digoxin improves steatohepatitis with differential involvement of liver cell subsets in mice through inhibition of PKM2 transactivation
Zhao P, Han SN, Arumugam S, Yousaf MN, Qin Y, Jiang JX, Torok NJ, Chen Y, Mankash MS, Liu J, Li J, Iwakiri Y, Ouyang X. Digoxin improves steatohepatitis with differential involvement of liver cell subsets in mice through inhibition of PKM2 transactivation. AJP Gastrointestinal And Liver Physiology 2019, 317: g387-g397. PMID: 31411894, PMCID: PMC6842989, DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00054.2019.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHigh-fat dietSignificant clinical applicabilityHuman nonalcoholic steatohepatitisNonalcoholic steatohepatitisOral digoxinLiver injuryCell subsetsPathway activationMouse modelHigh-fat diet mouse modelLiver injury mouse modelHepatocyte mitochondrial dysfunctionClinical applicabilityDiet mouse modelInjury mouse modelDifferential involvementLarge clinical experienceNLRP3 inflammasome activationSignificant protective effectHIF-1α transactivationHepatic oxidative stress responseHypoxia-inducible factorLiver inflammationHFD miceWide dosage range
2022
SEMA7AR148W mutation promotes lipid accumulation and NAFLD progression via increased localization on the hepatocyte surface
Zhao N, Zhang X, Ding J, Pan Q, Zheng MH, Liu WY, Luo G, Qu J, Li M, Li L, Cheng Y, Peng Y, Xie Q, Wei Q, Li Q, Zou L, Ouyang X, Cai SY, Boyer JL, Chai J. SEMA7AR148W mutation promotes lipid accumulation and NAFLD progression via increased localization on the hepatocyte surface. JCI Insight 2022, 7: e154113. PMID: 35938531, PMCID: PMC9462498, DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.154113.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIntegrin β1Lipid accumulationPrimary mouse hepatocytesProtein interactionsLipid droplet accumulationMouse liverFatty acid oxidationHeterozygous mutationsIntegrin β1 proteinPKC-α phosphorylationFA uptakeGenetic determinantsMouse peritoneal macrophagesCell membraneStrong genetic determinantsMutationsMouse hepatocytesDroplet accumulationΒ1 proteinCD36 expressionAcid oxidationPKCTriglyceride synthesisGenetic polymorphismsAccumulation
2019
Inflammasome Is Activated in the Liver of Cholestatic Patients and Aggravates Hepatic Injury in Bile Duct–Ligated Mouse
Cai SY, Ge M, Mennone A, Hoque R, Ouyang X, Boyer JL. Inflammasome Is Activated in the Liver of Cholestatic Patients and Aggravates Hepatic Injury in Bile Duct–Ligated Mouse. Cellular And Molecular Gastroenterology And Hepatology 2019, 9: 679-688. PMID: 31887435, PMCID: PMC7160576, DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2019.12.008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWT BDL miceCholestatic liver injuryBDL liversBDL miceBile duct ligationBile acidsLiver injuryCholestatic patientsIL-1βM2 anti-inflammatory macrophagesPrimary sclerosing cholangitisPlasma IL-1βLiver hydroxyproline contentLiver of patientsPrimary biliary cholangitisHealthy control subjectsCD206-positive cellsAnti-inflammatory macrophagesIL-1β inductionEndogenous bile acidsCaspase-1 cleavageProcaspase-1 cleavageMouse hepatocytesSclerosing cholangitisLiver histology
2018
β-Hydroxybutyrate protects from alcohol-induced liver injury via a Hcar2-cAMP dependent pathway
Chen Y, Ouyang X, Hoque R, Garcia-Martinez I, Yousaf MN, Tonack S, Offermanns S, Dubuquoy L, Louvet A, Mathurin P, Massey V, Schnabl B, Bataller R, Mehal WZ. β-Hydroxybutyrate protects from alcohol-induced liver injury via a Hcar2-cAMP dependent pathway. Journal Of Hepatology 2018, 69: 687-696. PMID: 29705237, PMCID: PMC6098974, DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2018.04.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlcohol-induced liver injuryAlcoholic hepatitisAlanine aminotransferase levelsLiver injuryNeutrophil influxAminotransferase levelsΒ-hydroxybutyrateDevelopment of AHPlasma alanine aminotransferase levelsGreater neutrophil influxExcess alcohol intakeAlcoholic liver diseaseLife-threatening conditionExcess alcohol consumptionDependent pathwayHigher plasma alanine aminotransferase levelsIntrahepatic macrophagesLiver inflammationLiver diseaseAlcohol intakeHepatoprotective roleReduced steatosisM2 phenotypeTherapeutic effectHepatitis
2017
Bile acids initiate cholestatic liver injury by triggering a hepatocyte-specific inflammatory response
Cai SY, Ouyang X, Chen Y, Soroka CJ, Wang J, Mennone A, Wang Y, Mehal WZ, Jain D, Boyer JL. Bile acids initiate cholestatic liver injury by triggering a hepatocyte-specific inflammatory response. JCI Insight 2017, 2: e90780. PMID: 28289714, PMCID: PMC5333973, DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.90780.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLiver injuryInflammatory responseBile acid-induced liver injuryCholestatic liver injuryInflammatory liver injuryProinflammatory cytokine expressionCholestatic liver diseaseBile duct ligationVivo mouse modelHepatic infiltrationInflammatory injurySerum aminotransferasesLiver diseaseCholestatic patientsCytokine expressionChemokine inductionPathophysiologic concentrationsNeutrophil chemotaxisDuct ligationPathophysiologic levelsMouse modelNew therapiesInnate immunityInjuryPeriportal areas
2016
Hepatocyte mitochondrial DNA drives nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by activation of TLR9
Garcia-Martinez I, Santoro N, Chen Y, Hoque R, Ouyang X, Caprio S, Shlomchik MJ, Coffman RL, Candia A, Mehal WZ. Hepatocyte mitochondrial DNA drives nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by activation of TLR9. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2016, 126: 859-864. PMID: 26808498, PMCID: PMC4767345, DOI: 10.1172/jci83885.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDevelopment of NASHNonalcoholic steatohepatitisTLR9 pathwayTLR9 pathway activationCommon liver diseaseObesity-induced changesHigh-fat dietActivation of TLR9Progressive diseaseLiver diseaseInflammatory phenotypeTLR9 antagonistTLR9Animal modelsPlasma mtDNAHepatocyte originPathway activationSteatohepatitisDiseaseMiceCellular requirementsActivationActivation capacityHigh levelsCirrhosis