Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
9.0
6.0
Journals
Cells
Special Issues
Biomarkers in Hepatology
share announcement

Biomarkers in Hepatology

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cellular Pathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 May 2021) | Viewed by 41216

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Alessandra Mangia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
Interests: HCV; HBV; cirrhosis; HCC
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Numerous “biomarkers” are available for viral hepatitis that may be helpful in diagnosis, measuring severity, and identifying timing for treatment start and discontinuation. Despite the discovery of several candidate biomarkers, their use in clinical practice remains limited.

The clinical relevance of these biomarkers, the selection of the right biomarker in the right context, and implementation in real-world practice will be the subject of this Special Issue.

Prof. Alessandra Mangia
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • HBV
  • HCV
  • HDV
  • NASH
  • biomarkers

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 187 KiB  
Editorial
Biomarkers Use and Development in Hepatology: Insights on the Latest Applications
by Alessandra Mangia
Cells 2023, 12(1), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12010104 - 27 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1312
Abstract
Biomarkers can be defined as measurable characteristics to be evaluated as indicators of normal or pathogenic biological processes, or as predictors of treatment response [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomarkers in Hepatology)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

13 pages, 2787 KiB  
Article
Increased HERV-K(HML-2) Transcript Levels Correlate with Clinical Parameters of Liver Damage in Hepatitis C Patients
by Melanie Weber, Vidya Padmanabhan Nair, Tanja Bauer, Martin F. Sprinzl, Ulrike Protzer and Michelle Vincendeau
Cells 2021, 10(4), 774; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10040774 - 31 Mar 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2608
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is closely associated with a plethora of diseases, including cancers and autoimmune disorders. However, the distinct triggers and cellular networks leading to such HCV-derived diseases are poorly understood. Around 8% of the human genome consists of human [...] Read more.
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is closely associated with a plethora of diseases, including cancers and autoimmune disorders. However, the distinct triggers and cellular networks leading to such HCV-derived diseases are poorly understood. Around 8% of the human genome consists of human endogenous retroviruses. They are usually silenced but can be reactivated by environmental conditions, including viral infections. Our current understanding indicates that the activation of one specific family—namely, HERV-K(HML-2)—is linked to distinct pathologies, including cancer and autoimmunity. In this study, we analyzed the transcription levels of HERV-K(HML-2) in 42 HCV-infected patients receiving direct-acting antiviral therapies. Samples from the start of treatment until 12 weeks post-treatment were investigated. Our results show increased HERV-K(HML-2) transcript levels in patients with HCV-derived liver cirrhosis throughout the observation period. Several clinical parameters specifying poor liver function are positively correlated with HERV-K(HML-2) expression. Of note, patients without a sustained viral clearance showed a drastic increase in HERV-K(HML-2) transcript levels. Together, our data suggest that increased HERV-K(HML-2) expression is correlated with reduced liver function as well as therapy success in HCV-infected patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomarkers in Hepatology)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

18 pages, 1408 KiB  
Review
Point-of-Care Tests for Hepatitis B: An Overview
by Yinzong Xiao, Alexander J. Thompson and Jessica Howell
Cells 2020, 9(10), 2233; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9102233 - 2 Oct 2020
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 6905
Abstract
Despite the heavy disease burden posed by hepatitis B, around 90% of people living with hepatitis B are not diagnosed globally. Many of the affected populations still have limited or no access to essential blood tests for hepatitis B. Compared to conventional blood [...] Read more.
Despite the heavy disease burden posed by hepatitis B, around 90% of people living with hepatitis B are not diagnosed globally. Many of the affected populations still have limited or no access to essential blood tests for hepatitis B. Compared to conventional blood tests which heavily rely on centralised laboratory facilities, point-of-care testing for hepatitis B has the potential to broaden testing access in low-resource settings and to engage hard-to-reach populations. Few hepatitis B point-of-care tests have been ratified for clinical use by international and regional regulatory bodies, and countries have been slow to adopt point-of-care testing into hepatitis B programs. This review presents currently available point-of-care tests for hepatitis B and their roles in the care cascade, reviewing evidence for testing performance, utility, acceptability, costs and cost-effectiveness when integrated into hepatitis B diagnosis and monitoring programs. We further discuss challenges and future directions in aspects of technology, implementation, and regulation when adopting point-of-care testing in hepatitis B programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomarkers in Hepatology)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 688 KiB  
Review
Biomarkers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Diagnosis, Prognosis and Treatment Response Assessment
by Federico Piñero, Melisa Dirchwolf and Mário G. Pessôa
Cells 2020, 9(6), 1370; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9061370 - 1 Jun 2020
Cited by 267 | Viewed by 15876
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the main cancer-related causes of death worldwide. Thus, there is a constant search for improvement in screening, diagnosis, and treatment strategies to improve the prognosis of this malignancy. The identification of useful biomarkers for surveillance and early [...] Read more.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the main cancer-related causes of death worldwide. Thus, there is a constant search for improvement in screening, diagnosis, and treatment strategies to improve the prognosis of this malignancy. The identification of useful biomarkers for surveillance and early HCC diagnosis is still deficient, with available serum biomarkers showing low sensitivity and heterogeneous specificity despite different cut-off points, even when assessed longitudinally, or with a combination of serum biomarkers. In contrast, HCC biomarkers used for prognostic (when associated with clinical outcomes) or predictive purposes (when associated with treatment response) may have an increased clinical role in the near future. Furthermore, some serum biomarkers are already implicated as a treatment selection tool, whether to provide access to certain therapies or to assess clinical benefit after treatment. In the present review we will discuss the clinical utility and foreseen future of HCC biomarkers implicated in surveillance, diagnosis, prognosis, and post-treatment assessment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomarkers in Hepatology)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 466 KiB  
Review
Noninvasive Diagnosis of NAFLD and NASH
by Valeria Annarita Piazzolla and Alessandra Mangia
Cells 2020, 9(4), 1005; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9041005 - 17 Apr 2020
Cited by 145 | Viewed by 11056
Abstract
The aim of this review is to outline emerging biomarkers that can serve as early diagnostic tools to identify patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and, among them, the subgroup of best candidates for clinical trials on emerging [...] Read more.
The aim of this review is to outline emerging biomarkers that can serve as early diagnostic tools to identify patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and, among them, the subgroup of best candidates for clinical trials on emerging compounds. Regarding possible predictors of NAFLD, a number of studies evaluated a combination of serum biomarkers either available in routine practice (or investigational) or proprietary and expensive. So far, magnetic resonance imaging-derived proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) appears to be the most accurate for fatty liver diagnosis. In clinical practice, the main question is how to diagnose NASH early. There are new promising biomarkers that can help in diagnosing early stages of NASH, yet they include variables not routinely tested. In the setting of NASH, most studies confirm that, in spite of several well-known limitations, transient elastography or point shear wave elastography can help in enriching the pool of patients that should be screened for investigational treatments. Newer multiomics biomarkers including those focusing on microbiota can be useful but require methods to be standardized and implemented. To date, one biomarker alone is not able to non- or minimally invasively identify patients with NASH and mild to moderate fibrosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomarkers in Hepatology)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 325 KiB  
Review
Emerging Diagnostic Tools to Decide When to Discontinue Nucleos(t)ide Analogues in Chronic Hepatitis B
by Margarita Papatheodoridi and George Papatheodoridis
Cells 2020, 9(2), 493; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9020493 - 20 Feb 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2734
Abstract
The aim of this review is to outline emerging biomarkers that can serve as diagnostic tools to identify non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who could safely discontinue nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) before HBsAg loss. Regarding possible predictors of post-NAs outcomes, a number of [...] Read more.
The aim of this review is to outline emerging biomarkers that can serve as diagnostic tools to identify non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who could safely discontinue nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) before HBsAg loss. Regarding possible predictors of post-NAs outcomes, a number of studies have evaluated numerous factors, which can be categorised in markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) activity, markers of host immune response and markers of other patient characteristics. In clinical practice, the most important question for patients who discontinue NAs is to differentiate those who will benefit by achieving HBsAg loss or at least by remaining in remission and those who will relapse requiring retreatment. Most of the discontinuation studies so far came from Asian and only few from European populations and examined the rates and predictors of post-NA virological and/or combined relapses or HBsAg loss. To date, there is still controversy about predictors of post-NA relapses, while only HBsAg serum levels at NA discontinuation seem to be the most robust predictive marker of the probability of subsequent off-treatment HBsAg seroclearance. Newer viral markers such as HBV RNA and hepatitis B core-related antigen seem promising, but further research is required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomarkers in Hepatology)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-6
Back to TopTop