International Hepatology

In the field of chronic HBV infection, the discovery of basic core promoter (BCP) and pre-core (PC) mutations dates back nearly thirty years. However, the potential link between these mutations and the progression of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), as well as their impact on antiviral treatment response, has been a focal point for virologists for a long time. At the 2024 European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting, Professor Fengmin Lu from the Peking University Center for Infectious Diseases shared his team’s latest research findings. Firstly, they revealed the impact of BCP+PC mutant virus infection on hepatocytes, indicating that this mutant virus induces more extensive and severe hepatocyte degeneration and cytoplasmic vacuolization, and suppresses the endogenous IFN-α/γ signaling pathway in human hepatocytes. This discovery may offer a new explanation for the poor response to interferon therapy in some patients. Additionally, Professor Lu delved into the regulation and secretion mechanisms of HBsAg expression in integrated HBV DNA, proposing new strategies for CHB treatment based on these findings. We had an in-depth interview with Professor Lu, and the content is organized here for our readers.

On June 8, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting concluded successfully in Milan, Italy. This conference brought together top experts and scholars from around the world to discuss the latest technologies and future trends in liver disease treatment. Among the key topics was the development of new drugs for metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Professor Jian Gao Fan, Director of the Gastroenterology Department at Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, shared insights on the current state and cutting-edge progress in MAFLD drug development.

With the changing modern lifestyle and dietary patterns, Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) has gradually become one of the significant public health concerns globally. At the 2024 EASL Congress, there have been groundbreaking developments in the pharmacological treatment of MAFLD. Particularly, studies on the dual receptor agonists for Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) and Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide (GIP), survodutide, and tirzepatide, have revealed significant effects in alleviating hepatic steatosis and improving fibrosis. Additionally, due to its association with a range of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other chronic metabolic disorders, the complex relationship between MAFLD and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) has also garnered significant attention. Our journal had the privilege to interview Professor Arun J Sanyal, the Chair of the NASH Clinical Research Network at the National Institutes of Health, who summarized the latest clinical research progress on MAFLD from this conference and discussed the "Sugar-Liver Co-Management" strategy for patients with MAFLD and T2DM, aiming to provide new insights for clinical treatment and patient management.

The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting was successfully held in Milan, Italy, from June 5 to 8, 2024. During the conference, four research posters from Professor Wei Lu 's team at the Hepatobiliary Tumor Department of Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital were presented. These studies cover the fields of liver cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, and liver cirrhosis. This report provides an overview of their findings for our readers.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a complex syndrome characterized by acute deterioration of liver function in patients with chronic liver disease, accompanied by high mortality rates due to liver and extrahepatic organ failure. The short-term mortality rate of medical comprehensive treatment for ACLF can reach 50% to 90%. Given the high mortality and complex pathogenesis, research and treatment strategies for ACLF are particularly important. At the 2024 European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting, Professor Hai Li from Renji Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, provided insightful commentary on three significant research findings in the ACLF field. These studies delve into the roles and effects of immunosuppression and microbiome variations in acute decompensation (AD) of cirrhosis and ACLF, offering new perspectives for understanding the complex mechanisms of liver disease progression and potential targets for developing new ACLF treatment strategies.

Traditionally, radiation dosage for yttrium-90 (90Y) resin microsphere radiation segmentectomy (RS) was determined using body surface area or partition models, which often resulted in lower prescription activities. Recent studies have used the Medical Internal Radiation Dosimetry (MIRD) formula to determine radiation doses, providing higher tumor absorption doses. A recent retrospective study published in Radiology by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, demonstrated that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients receiving 90Y resin microsphere RS achieved high tumor absorption doses and sustained tumor remission with good safety profiles. International Hepatology invited Professor Lin Zhang from the Tsinghua University Affiliated Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Interventional Center to introduce and comment on this study.

From June 5-8, 2024, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting was held in Milan, Italy. This event brought together over 7,000 liver disease specialists from around the world. On the third day of the conference, "Hepatology Digest" invited Dr. Wenyi Gu, a protégé of Professors Jonel Trebicka from University Hospital Münster and Hai Li from Renji Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, to share her insights on two exciting studies presented at this year's Milan EASL conference and her takeaways from the event.

From June 5 to 8, 2024, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting was successfully held in Milan, Italy. During the conference, Professor Liang Peng's team from the Third Affiliated Hospital ,Sun Yat-sen University unveiled the significant link between hepatocyte pyroptosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). The research found that IL-1β released from pyroptotic hepatocytes activates the IL1R1/MyD88/TBK1 pathway in neutrophils, promoting the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and exacerbating liver injury. Through bioinformatics analysis, mouse model experiments, and clinical patient data validation, the team confirmed this mechanism and identified IL-1R1 and MyD88 as potential therapeutic targets for ACLF. This discovery provides new perspectives and strategies for the treatment of ACLF.

With the rapid development of modern medical technology, non-invasive assessment methods have attracted more and more attention. In the field of metabolically associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), liver hardness measurement (LSM) has become an important indicator for non-invasive assessment of liver-related events. At the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) this year, Dr.Terry Yip of the Chinese University of Hong Kong presented an exciting research result, which explored the prognostic significance of liver hardness measurement in patients with MAFLD through a large-scale international collaborative study. The study provides a new perspective for clinicians and patients, revealing the great potential of non-invasive assessment in the management of liver disease.