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National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

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Your Environment. Your Health.

News Items: University of California-San Diego

Superfund Research Program

Control of Toxin and Obesity Induced Liver Fibrosis by B Cells

Project Leader: Michael Karin
Grant Number: P42ES010337
Funding Period: 2017-2023
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News Items List

  • NRF2 activation leads to enlarged liver
    Paper of the Month - May 2020
    An NIEHS-funded study suggested that prolonged activation of a protein nuclear factor called erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) may contribute to liver enlargement and fatty liver diseases. Normally, NRF2 plays an important role in regulating antioxidant defenses. In this study, researchers found that NRF2 also activated a protein called AKT, which is involved in glucose metabolism and other cell processes, and led to persistent production of growth factors associated with liver enlargement.
  • Caspase-2 enzyme implicated in fatty liver disease
    Paper of the Month - November 2018
    NIEHS grantees discovered that a protein-cleaving enzyme known as caspase-2 is a major driver of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is the most aggressive form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). They reported that caspase-2 controls the buildup of cholesterol and triglycerides in liver tissue by activating sterol regulatory element binding proteins, the master regulators of fatty tissue formation in the liver.
  • How carcinogens turn liver cells into cancer cells
    Paper of the Month - August 2018
    A new study by NIEHS grantees and colleagues explains how DNA damage to liver cells can potentially lead to liver cancer. The researchers looked at CD44 proteins, which are located on the cell surface and are involved in binding with other molecules. They found that CD44 proteins may play a role in overriding the body's natural protective response to DNA damage.
  • Distinguished Lecture highlights mechanisms of liver cancer
    Environmental Factor - June 2018
    NIEHS Distinguished Lecturer Michael Karin, Ph.D., began his presentation by saying the war on cancer has been successful- except when it comes to liver cancer. According to estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has seen a significant reduction in mortality from organ-specific cancers in the past 30 years. Nonetheless, the nation s incidence of liver cancer tripled during the same time, with a three percent increase each year. Karin wants to know why liver cancer is the outlier. Could what Americans eat be responsible?
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