1RO1-DK069859: GR2HCC study

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Welcome to the HCC molecular study. This proposal is nested in a network of leading liver transplantation centers established to accrue and follow a sufficient number of patients being considered for, and undergoing, LDLT in order to provide generalizable results from adequately powered studies. This network has established the Adult to Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL) http://www.nih-a2all.org/ that will conduct both retrospective and prospective studies of LDLT. For comparison, A2ALL also recruits recipients of cadaveric livers. Six centers from the A2ALL group (Virginia Commonwealth University, Northwestern University, UCLA, UCSF, UNC, and University of Pennsylvania) plus the Data Collection Center (University of Michigan) will participate in the study. The Viral Epidemiology Branch Laboratory (National Cancer Institute) will support this study by providing a critical arm of the quality control program and data analysis.

Liver cells transplantation

In our research laboratories, we established a steady method to isolate human liver cells. Liver cells transplantation has been used in our group to bridge the patients who have liver function failure. By using human liver cells, we genetically engineered human insulin gene and made the cells expressing mature, functional human insulin. The goal is to create factories of blood sugar-regulating cells in the liver that one day may be used in the treatment of patients with severe diabetes. Because liver cells are the only cells in the body that can continually regenerate, they are not vulnerable to autoimmune disease that destroys islet cells in people with diabetes. Dr. Robert A. Fisher is the Principal Investigator.

Contact: Dr. Robert A. Fisher

(804) 828-2461

Organ Transplant Tolerance Studies

Animal model of renal transplantation was created in our research laboratories. Kidney of ACI rat was transplanted into Lewis rat. Mechanisms of tolerance of allografts were investigated by analysis of functional data, renal histological structures and cytokines profiles. Our past studies have demonstrated that Th-2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-10) played key role in the long term tolerance. One of our ongoing projects is the investigation of the early stages of cytokines profile. These studies could improve our understanding of transplant tolerance. Dr. Robert A. Fisher is the Principal Investigator.

Contact: Dr. Robert A. Fisher

(804) 828-2461

Establishing the molecular pathways involved in chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) for testing new non-invasive diagnostic markers (Supplemental Data)

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Genes associated with progression and recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Hepatitis C Patients Waiting and Undergoing Liver Transplantation: Preliminary results . (Transplantation 2007; 83:7.)

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ANGIOGENESIS SOLUBLE FACTORS AS HCC NON-INVASIVE MARKERS FOR MONITORING HCV CIRRHOTIC PATIENTS AWAITING LIVER TRANSPLANTATION. Transplantation (accepted for publication).

Supplemental Table - 1