Gut
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Stage-dependent gut microbiome and functional signatures across the liver disease spectrum: an integrative multicohort study

Mar 23, 2026

The authors aim to elucidate how gut microbial ecology and function vary across different stages of liver disease, from healthy controls to hepatocellular carcinoma. Their findings reveal a decline in microbial diversity with disease progression, identifying specific microbial and functional signatures associated with each stage, which could serve as potential non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosis and prognostic assessment in liver diseases.

Dysbiotic microbiota trigger colitis-associated colorectal cancer and imprint a distinctive bile acid profile in a PSC-IBD model

Mar 23, 2026

The authors investigate whether colorectal neoplasia in primary sclerosing cholangitis-associated ulcerative colitis (PSC-UC) is driven by microbiota-mediated inflammation linked to secondary bile acid loss. Their findings reveal that PSC-UC is associated with increased inflammatory activity and dysplasia compared to UC-only, and that restoring specific microbial functions related to bile acid transformation may be a more effective therapeutic strategy than simply replacing secondary bile acids.

Hypoxia-related and immune phenotype-related fusion model for non-invasive prognostication of hepatocellular carcinoma treated by TACE: a multicentre study

Mar 19, 2026

The authors aimed to develop and validate a multimodal prognostication model for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) to improve survival outcome predictions. By integrating deep learning, conventional radiomics, and clinical variables, their clinical-radiologic model (CRM) demonstrated superior risk stratification compared to existing models. Additionally, multi-omic analyses revealed significant insights into the tumor immune microenvironment and cellular pathways associated with high-risk patients.

CAV1-DOT1L axis in TAM-derived EVs orchestrates VM and sensitises PDAC to combined VM and VEGF targeting

Mar 19, 2026

The authors investigate the regulatory mechanisms of vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and explore therapeutic strategies to counteract VM-driven tumor progression. They identify a CAV1-DOT1L-ATG5 axis in tumor-associated macrophage (TAM)-derived extracellular vesicles that promotes VM, and demonstrate that combined inhibition of DOT1L and VEGF receptor (VEGFR) effectively targets both VM and compensatory angiogenesis, offering a promising approach for PDAC treatment.

Extrinsic lipids are absorbed and accumulate in colorectal cancer

Mar 19, 2026

The authors aimed to investigate the uptake of extrinsic fatty acids (FAs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) and their impact on lipid metabolism and tumor progression. They found that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly arachidonic acid, accumulate in CRC tumors, especially in right-sided tumors, and that this uptake is linked to cancer cell proliferation. The study suggests that targeting the pathway of FA absorption, along with the microbiome, could offer new therapeutic strategies for CRC.

Molecular and cellular consequences of tumour-autonomous IL-6 signalling in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Mar 19, 2026

This study investigates the effects of tumour-autonomous interleukin 6 (IL-6) signalling in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), particularly its intracellular and intercellular consequences. The authors demonstrate that chronic IL-6 signalling drives unique transcriptional programs, metabolic vulnerabilities, and immunomodulatory effects, revealing potential therapeutic targets and highlighting the role of IL-6 in shaping both the tumour microenvironment and immune cell interactions.

Token-guided multimodal prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma: a framework steered by tumour-stroma ratio

Mar 18, 2026

The authors aim to investigate whether the tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) exhibits a non-linear prognostic pattern in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to develop an AI-powered framework for standardized TSR assessment and prognosis prediction. Their findings reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between TSR and mortality, leading to the creation of a novel multimodal framework that integrates whole-slide imaging and clinical data, demonstrating improved prognostic accuracy. This study emphasizes the potential of combining AI with biological insights for enhanced computational pathology in HCC.

<em>Roseburia inulinivorans</em> increases muscle strength

Mar 10, 2026

The authors aimed to investigate the association between specific gut microbial species and muscle strength, as well as the underlying mechanisms linking gut microbiota to muscle health. They found that the gut bacterium *Roseburia inulinivorans* was positively correlated with muscle strength in both humans and mice, enhancing muscle performance and altering muscle fiber composition. These results suggest *R. inulinivorans* may serve as a potential probiotic for addressing age-related muscle-wasting disorders.

SLC6A14-mediated carnitine transmembrane uptake from PPARγ⁺ cancer-associated fibroblasts promotes recurrence of pancreatic cancer

Mar 9, 2026

This study investigates the role of the SLC6A14 gene in the recurrence of pancreatic cancer (PC), particularly focusing on how carnitine uptake from PPARγ⁺ cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) influences tumor growth. The authors found that elevated carnitine levels in tumor cells promote early recurrence through enhanced fatty acid β-oxidation, and they suggest that targeting the carnitine shuttle system in combination with existing therapies could be an effective strategy to reduce recurrence rates in PC.

Novel insights into autoimmune gastritis: clinical profile and gastric neoplastic risk from an international multicentre study

Mar 6, 2026

The authors aimed to characterize the clinical features of autoimmune gastritis (AIG) and assess the associated risks of gastric adenocarcinoma and type 1 gastric neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) across different regions. Their multicenter study revealed significant regional variations in AIG presentation and neoplastic risks, with specific factors linked to increased incidence of adenocarcinoma and NETs. The findings suggest a need for tailored follow-up strategies based on regional differences in AIG.