Arab Journal of Gastroenterology最新文献

{"title":"Licoricidin suppresses growth and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting PI3K/AKT signaling","authors":"Xiaosong Li ,&nbsp;Zhigang Pan","doi":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.09.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.09.018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Licoricidin is a prenylated isoflavone isolated from <em>Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch</em>, and its biological activities and pharmacological properties have been reported in recent years. This study comprehensively explored the licoricidin’s effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and elucidated its underlying mechanism.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>HCC Hep3B and Huh-7 cells were treated with licoricidin at various concentrations. The experimental methods <em>in vitro</em>, including CCK-8, colony formation, EdU, flow cytometry, wound healing, and transwell were performed to evaluate the licoricidin’s effect on HCC cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. The antitumor and anti-metastasis activities of licoricidin were validated using a Hep3B xenograft model and a metastasis model. Western blot or RT-qPCR was used to measure the levels of apoptosis–, epithelial-mesenchymal transition–, and PI3K/AKT–related proteins.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results indicated that the antiproliferation effect of licoricidin in HCC was related to cell cycle arrest (S phase) and apoptosis induction. Licoricidin upregulated Bax and cleaved caspase3/9 expression and downregulated Bcl-2 expression in cancer cells. In a subcutaneous xenograft model, licoricidin treatment suppressed the growth of tumor. Nontoxic concentrations of licoricidin reduced the migration and invasion abilities of HCC cells. Licoricidin downregulated N-cadherin and vimentin expression, while upregulating E-cadherin expression. Licoricidin treatment reduced the number of metastatic lung nodules in a metastasis model. Inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling might be a potential mechanism behind the licoricidin’s anticancer effect.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Overall, licoricidin suppresses growth and metastasis of HCC by targeting.</div><div>PI3K/AKT signaling, suggesting that licoricidin might be a promising candidate for HCC treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48674,"journal":{"name":"Arab Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":"27 1","pages":"Pages 11-21"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145460044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of hypoxia-associated genes as potential diagnostic biomarkers for ulcerative colitis","authors":"Yuhan Ren ,&nbsp;Guoshu Cao ,&nbsp;Gang Wei,&nbsp;Ying Liu,&nbsp;Yong Liu,&nbsp;Fan Wang,&nbsp;Jingjing Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.09.022","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.09.022","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) is on the rise globally, highlighting the need for new diagnostic methods to alleviate UC burden.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To explore the value of hypoxia-related genes (HRGs) as UC diagnostic markers.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>UC-related datasets (GSE87466 and GSE92415) were obtained from GEO database. Differential analysis was undertaken on GSE87466 dataset, followed by intersection analysis of HRGs, thus yielding UC-related differentially expressed HRGs (DEHRGs). Enrichment analyses were undertaken on DEHRGs. Hub genes were identified through a PPI network. Small molecules associated with hub genes were predicted using CMap, and diagnostic value was validated via ROC curves in GSE92415 dataset. Clinical samples of UC were collected and subjected to qRT-PCR for detecting the diagnostic value of hub genes. Potential miRNAs and transcription factors (TFs) that may modulate hub genes, and biological functions and signaling pathways of hub genes, were analyzed.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Our research obtained 28 DEHRGs and used PPI networks to identify 9 hub genes in UC. The prediction of small molecular drugs suggested that chloroquine and pantoprazole were potential drugs to treat UC. ROC results demonstrated that all 9 hub genes had great diagnostic ability (AUC &gt; 0.7), of which PPARGC1A had the best diagnostic value. Detection of clinical samples from UC patients also revealed that the expression of 9 hub genes differed significantly between the UC and the control groups, and this result was consistent with the prediction results from bioinformatics. These 9 hub genes were potentially modulated by 32 miRNAs and 55 TFs. Twenty genes functionally similar to hub genes were identified, which were mainly enriched in biological functions such as response to corticosteroid, negative regulation of MAP kinase activity, and activating transcription factor binding.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>HRGs play a pivotal part in UC occurrence and progression. Nine hub genes may be promising diagnostic biomarkers for UC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48674,"journal":{"name":"Arab Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":"27 1","pages":"Pages 39-50"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145472205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of peripheral blood neutrophil extracellular traps as fibrotic markers in patients with chronic hepatitis B","authors":"Jianhua Xue ,&nbsp;Peijing Dong ,&nbsp;Maihebuse Pida ,&nbsp;Kang Ma ,&nbsp;Hui Zhao ,&nbsp;Jianjie Chen ,&nbsp;Xiangxiang Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.11.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.11.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and study aims</h3><div>Neutrophil extracellular trapping networks (NETs) are meshwork structures released by activated neutrophils and are composed of various components such as DNA, histones and granulins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of NETs-related indicators (citH3, cfDNA, and MPO-DNA) as noninvasive fibrosis markers in patients with untreated chronic hepatitis B.</div></div><div><h3>Patients and methods</h3><div>A total of 186 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 56 healthy controls were included in this study. The Ishak scoring system was used to determine the fibrosis stage. NETs-related markers were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the relationship between NETs marker levels and inflammation and fibrosis was analyzed. The diagnostic value of NETs indicators was evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, and specificity.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The levels of NETs markers were associated with the activity of liver inflammation. The levels of citH3, cfDNA, and MPO-DNA in the patient group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Additionally, there were differences in the levels of these markers among different fibrosis stages of chronic HBV infection (P &lt; 0.001), with an increase in NETs markers corresponding to higher fibrosis stages. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the levels of citH3, cfDNA, and MPO-DNA distinguished the patient group from the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P &lt; 0.001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our results suggest that NETs markers can be used as indicators for the assessment of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic HBV infection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48674,"journal":{"name":"Arab Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":"27 1","pages":"Pages 102-107"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145710029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Therapeutic potential of Ruta graveolens extract: Protecting against liver fibrosis and oxidative stress in cholestatic conditions in male Wistar rats","authors":"Elham Samkhaniani ,&nbsp;Mahsa Ale-Ebrahim ,&nbsp;Ramin Hajikhani ,&nbsp;Pejman Mortazavi ,&nbsp;Hengameh Alibeik","doi":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.10.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.10.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and study aims</h3><div>This study investigates the therapeutic potential of <em>Ruta graveolens</em>, a dicot herb known for its antioxidant properties, in protecting against oxidative stress and liver fibrosis caused by bile duct ligation (BDL). The research focused on assessing the biochemical and histological effects of <em>Ruta graveolens</em> extract on male Wistar rats subjected to BDL.</div></div><div><h3>Material and methods</h3><div>Forty male Wistar rats were divided into eight groups (n = 5): a control group, control experimental groups receiving three doses of <em>Ruta graveolens</em> extract (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) without BDL, a BDL group, and BDL groups treated with the extract at the similar doses for 45 days. Liver function indicators, antioxidant enzymes, and fibrosis were analyzed using biochemical assays, histopathological staining, and quantitative real-time PCR to evaluate TGF-β and α-SMA gene expression. HPLC analysis was also conducted to identify the bioactive compounds in the extract.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The HPLC results uncovered substantial compounds, including rutin, syringic acid, verbascoside, methoxsalen, cinnamoyl, coumaroyl, and chalepensin. Treatment with <em>Ruta graveolens</em> extract notably reversed the detrimental effects of BDL, significantly improving lipid profiles by lowering cholesterol, LDL, and triglyceride levels while increasing HDL. Further, liver enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) levels were reduced. Histological evaluation exhibited decreased liver impairment and inflammation at higher extract doses, besides downregulation of TGF-β and α-SMA expression.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The current findings suggest that <em>Ruta graveolens</em> extract improves liver function in cholestatic conditions in a dose-dependent manner, indicating its potential as a protective treatment for liver diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48674,"journal":{"name":"Arab Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":"27 1","pages":"Pages 91-101"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145490708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genome-wide identification of abnormal alternative splicing and RBP regulators in intestinal failure-associated liver disease","authors":"Tao Zhang ,&nbsp;Xinyi Wang ,&nbsp;Sai Yang ,&nbsp;Huili Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.09.025","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.09.025","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and study aims</h3><div>Prolonged or inappropriate use of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) may lead to the development of intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD), which causes significant morbidity in TPN recipients. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear.</div></div><div><h3>Patients and methods</h3><div>Transcriptomic data of liver samples from Sprague‒Dawley rats treated with TPN or standard chow with 0.9% saline were downloaded from the Sequence Read Archive (SRA). The alternative splicing (AS) events and regulated alternative splicing (RAS) events between IFALD and normal samples were defined and quantified using the SUVA pipeline. The frequency and read proportion of the SUVA AS events (pSAR) of each AS event were calculated to identify the dominant transcripts.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 268 dominant IFALD-RAS events with pSAR ≥ 50 % were identified. The genes associated with these RAS events were enriched mainly in the biological process of cell matrix adhesion. Then, we identified 25 RAS events associated with cell adhesion, including Afdn in AS events clustered at 3p3777. Moreover, we found that the infiltration of M2 macrophages was significantly greater in IFALD livers than in normal livers. Clualt5p19266:Supt20h was significantly positively correlated with the infiltration of M2 macrophages. Finally, we identified 33 differentially expressed RNA-binding proteins (DE-RBPs) and constructed a regulatory network between RBPs and co-disturbed RAS events.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Changes in AS may play vital roles in the pathogenesis of IFALD under TPN. The Mbnl3-Zmynd11 axis may be a potential therapeutic target for IFALD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48674,"journal":{"name":"Arab Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":"27 1","pages":"Pages 67-73"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145472171","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with Crohn’s disease: differences in active and inactive stages","authors":"Minzhi Lin ,&nbsp;Na Diao ,&nbsp;Huili Guo ,&nbsp;Fangqian Li ,&nbsp;Qingfan Yang ,&nbsp;Zhaopeng Huang ,&nbsp;Xiang Gao ,&nbsp;Kang Chao","doi":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.09.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.09.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and study aims</h3><div>Crohn’s disease (CD) activity is a risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, few studies have focused on NAFLD with different CD activities. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence, risk factors, and prognosis of NAFLD in patients with active and inactive CD.</div></div><div><h3>Patients and methods</h3><div>Consecutive patients diagnosed with CD between January 2014 and December 2017 were retrospectively enrolled in a tertiary center of China. The clinical characteristics and prognosis of NAFLD in patients with active and inactive CD were analyzed.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 844 patients with CD were enrolled. The prevalence of NAFLD was 20.38 % (172/844), and it was mainly lean NAFLD (80.23 %). The prevalence of NAFLD and lean NAFLD was higher in active CD than in inactive CD (23.1 % vs. 15.9 %, <em>P</em> = 0.012, 19.5 % vs. 11.3 %, <em>P</em> = 0.039, respectively). In patients with CD, higher body mass index (BMI), higher C-reactive protein, and lower albumin were risk factors. Risk factors for NAFLD was low ALB in active CD. In inactive CD, the risk factors for NAFLD were higher BMI and ongoing use of azathioprine/6-Mercaptopurine. In a follow-up period of 45.46 ± 18.67 months, NAFLD was alleviated in 74.73 % (68/91) and 64.10 % (25/39) patients with active and inactive CD, respectively, after CD-related treatment.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Approximately one-fifth of patients with CD developed NAFLD, mainly lean NAFLD. NAFLD in active and inactive CD exhibits different characteristics and risk factors, suggesting that the underlying mechanisms of NAFLD in different CD activities may differ. Most of CD patients with NAFLD were alleviated after CD-related treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48674,"journal":{"name":"Arab Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":"27 1","pages":"Pages 6-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145716522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in Jordan, Middle East is it different? A quasi experimental study","authors":"Mu’taz Massad ,&nbsp;Mohanad Odeh ,&nbsp;Anas Bani-hani ,&nbsp;Samer Jebreen ,&nbsp;Muntasir Alanasweh ,&nbsp;Sara Dweik ,&nbsp;Lina Shraim ,&nbsp;Zain aldeen Saleh ,&nbsp;Younis Hizzani ,&nbsp;Layan Alsbeehat ,&nbsp;Marah Jaber ,&nbsp;Laith Khalaf ,&nbsp;Lna Qutifan ,&nbsp;Zaid Sallam ,&nbsp;Layth Saleh ,&nbsp;Safieh Shehada ,&nbsp;Hashem Abu Serhan ,&nbsp;Sara Irshaidat","doi":"10.1016/j.ajg.2026.01.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajg.2026.01.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and study aims</h3><div><em>Helicobacter pylori</em> is a major cause of peptic ulcer disease and is strongly associated with gastric cancer. Rising resistance to Clarithromycin-based regimens has led to evaluation of alternative therapies, including Levofloxacin-based combinations. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of Clarithromycin- versus Levofloxacin-containing triple therapy in a Jordanian population, and to assess the impact of diagnostic methods and metronidazole use on treatment outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Patients and methods</h3><div>In this prospective, non-randomized controlled trial, 364 adults with confirmed <em>H. pylori</em> infection were recruited from two governmental hospitals in Jordan. Patients received either Clarithromycin- or Levofloxacin-based triple therapy, with or without metronidazole. Diagnosis and treatment response were assessed using gastric biopsy, rapid urease test, or stool antigen test. Follow-up testing occurred four weeks post-treatment. Chi-square tests and Cramer’s V were used for statistical analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The overall eradication rate was 65.1 %. Clarithromycin-based therapy showed a higher eradication rate (70.8 %) than Levofloxacin-based therapy (60.2 %), though the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.64). Among patients diagnosed via stool antigen testing, Clarithromycin therapy was significantly more effective (66.3 % vs. 40.4 %, P = 0.003). Neither metronidazole addition nor type of proton pump inhibitor influenced eradication outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Clarithromycin-based therapy may be more effective than Levofloxacin-based regimens, particularly when stool antigen testing is used for diagnosis. These findings emphasize the importance of selecting treatment based on local resistance patterns and diagnostic approaches. Further studies are needed to confirm these results and optimize <em>H. pylori</em> treatment strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48674,"journal":{"name":"Arab Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":"27 1","pages":"Pages 128-134"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146067952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of allopurinol in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: A randomized clinical trial","authors":"Elnaz Khani ,&nbsp;Manouchehr Khoshbaten ,&nbsp;Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi ,&nbsp;Haleh Rezaei ,&nbsp;Mehrnaz Rahmani ,&nbsp;Elnaz Shaseb","doi":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.11.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.11.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and study aims</h3><div>Despite being the leading cause of liver-related mortality, the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) remains challenging. This study aimed to assess the effects of allopurinol on hepatic enzymes and ultrasonographic grading of MASLD patients, given the important role of uric acid in MASLD pathogenesis.</div></div><div><h3>Patients and methods</h3><div>This randomized clinical trial enrolled 104 patients with MASLD to receive either 100 mg allopurinol daily in addition to the hypocaloric diet (n = 51) or the hypocaloric diet alone (n = 53) for 6 months. Ultrasonographic grading and serum levels of hepatic enzymes, including aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT), were compared at 6 months compared with baseline. Between-group changes were investigated by the chi-squared test and an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) adjusted for age, sex, BMI, and baseline values. The correlation between serum uric acid levels and liver enzymes was also assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Ultrasonographic grading of the allopurinol-treated group, but not the control group, significantly improved from baseline (P = 0.001 and P = 0.096). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups. Within the allopurinol-treated group, ALT and AST levels significantly decreased in the sixth month from baseline (P = 0.004 and P = 0.022, respectively), while no significant changes were observed in the control group (P = 0.571 and P = 0.526, respectively) or between the two groups.<!--> <!-->Unlike the control group, serum uric acid correlated with ALT and AST levels in patients treated with allopurinol at the sixth month.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Allopurinol administration in MASLD patients improved ultrasonographic grading and liver enzymes from baseline. However, the comparison with the control group did not support the beneficial effects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48674,"journal":{"name":"Arab Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":"27 1","pages":"Pages 113-117"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146229300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Accuracy of non-invasive indices for diagnosing hepatic steatosis compared to controlled attenuated parameter (CAP) in a Lebanese cohort","authors":"Fady Daniel ,&nbsp;Dima Malak ,&nbsp;Rola Jaafar ,&nbsp;Mohamad Ali Ibrahim ,&nbsp;Zakaria El Kouzi ,&nbsp;Ali R. Chaitou ,&nbsp;Rudy Mrad ,&nbsp;Mariam Kanso ,&nbsp;Mohamad Khalife","doi":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.11.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajg.2025.11.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and study aims</h3><div>Non-invasive liver indices are valuable tools for identifying patients with Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, given their simplicity and relatively low cost. This study examined the accuracy of several published indices, the hepatic steatosis index (HSI), Framingham steatosis index (FSI), and Dallas steatosis index (DSI), in predicting steatosis compared to the Transient elastography controlled attenuation parameter (CAP).</div></div><div><h3>Patients and methods</h3><div>This is a retrospective cross-sectional study on 720 patients who underwent a FibroScan at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, between 2015 and 2020. The following indices, HSI, FSI, and DSI were calculated. The sensitivity, specificity, and C-statistics of each index were determined and compared to CAP.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Out of 557patients who met inclusion criteria, 67 % were found to have hepatic steatosis with an average CAP 289.5 (±70.9). The mean age was 50 (±15.6), and 70 % were male. Those patients were found to have higher BMI and higher prevalence of diabetes and HTN as well as dyslipidemia than the control group with no steatosis. The FSI outperformed the other two indices with fair accuracy in detecting hepatic steatosis based on the C-statistics. HSI and DSI, on the other hand, showed poor discriminatory ability. At the cut-off, where specificity was 90 %, the FSI had the highest sensitivity, 49.6 %, compared to the DSI, 28.6 %, and HSI, 21.8 %.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our study demonstrated the non-invasive index FSI’s accuracy in diagnosing steatosis compared to the transient elastography-CAP and highlighted its superiority to other indices, the HSI and DSI.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48674,"journal":{"name":"Arab Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":"27 1","pages":"Pages 118-122"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146068006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"FGF19/FGFR4/KLB signaling participate in the ferroptosis regulation of hepatocellular carcinoma","authors":"Jinkun Xia ,&nbsp;Mengdi Qiu ,&nbsp;Hucheng Ma ,&nbsp;Haozhen Ren","doi":"10.1016/j.ajg.2024.11.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ajg.2024.11.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main histopathological type of liver cancer and the fourth major cause of cancer-related mortality globally, yet the treatment options are very limited. Ferroptosis is a unique iron-dependent form of oxidative cell death process that plays essential regulatory roles in the occurrence and development of HCC. However, the underlying mechanism in ferroptosis regulation in HCC remains inadequately understood. Aberrant activation of fibroblast growth factor 19-fibroblast growth factor receptor 4-βKlotho (FGF19-FGFR4-KLB) signaling is considered carcinogenic driving pathway in patients with HCC. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that FGFR4 inhibition could trigger ferroptosis process in many tumors. However, as an important ligand of FGFR4, the role of FGF19 in the regulation of ferroptosis remains unclear. In this research, results of western blotting and reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay demonstrated that knock down of KLB enhance the expression of TFRC, a driver gene of ferroptosis, thus blocking the ferroptosis inhibitory effect of FGF19. Based on these available evidence and data, we hypothesize that FGF19 signaling inhibit the ferroptotic cell death in HCC cells through FGFR4-KLB co-receptors, while suppression of FGFR4-KLB could block FGF19 signaling, thus trigger ferroptosis process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48674,"journal":{"name":"Arab Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":"27 1","pages":"Pages 2-5"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146137686","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}