Citations

Abstract Accurate, noninvasive biomarkers for diagnosis and longitudinal monitoring of metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH) remain an urgent unmet clinical need. Here, we describe an electrochemical immunoassay that involves capturing hepatic extracellular vesicles (EVs) on antibody-modified electrodes followed by detecting EV-borne biomarkers using redox active gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The intensity of electrochemical redox signal represents a quantitative measure of biomarker abundance. Three MASH-associated biomarkers—S100A11, TNF-α, and TGF-β1—were analyzed on hepatic EVs to assess steatotic, inflammatory, and fibrotic states of the diseased liver. The electrochemical signals for individual biomarkers were added into a composite EV MASH score. Plasma samples from 28 patients with MASH, 22 healthy controls, and 27 patients with non-MASH liver disease were scored in this manner, revealing 100% accuracy in the training cohort and >90% accuracy in an independent validation cohort. Our electrochemical immunosensor represents a minimally invasive liquid liver biopsy, offering a promising alternative to solid liver biopsies for screening and monitoring of MASH. One Sentence Summary Circulating hepatic extracellular vesicles carry biomarkers of liver injury enabling accurate, minimally invasive MASH diagnosis in blood.

Abstract Background Optimal treatment following first-line immunotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains uncertain. This study evaluated futibatinib, a pan-FGFR inhibitor, combined with pembrolizumab in previously treated patients with FGF19-expressing HCC. Methods Eligible patients were ≥18 years old with advanced HCC, prior systemic therapy, Child-Pugh A-B7 liver function, ECOG 0–2, and FGF19 overexpression. Patients received futibatinib 20 mg orally daily plus pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival at 6 months (PFS6). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), quality of life, and safety. Results Between August 2021 and March 2024, 14 patients enrolled and 13 were evaluable. Median age was 72 years (range, 60–87), 53.8% were male, 92.3% had Child-Pugh A liver function, and all had received prior immunotherapy. Median progression-free survival was 15 weeks (95% CI, 9.0–NE), with a PFS6 rate of 23.1% (95% CI, 8.6–62.3%). ORR was 0% (95% CI, 0–24.7%), while stable disease was observed in 53.9% of patients. Median OS was 55.7 weeks (95% CI, 47.3–NE). Grade ≥3 adverse events occurred in 69.2% of patients, and grade ≥4 adverse events in 15.4%. One grade 5 event (acute-on-chronic kidney injury) was deemed unrelated to treatment. Common adverse events included hyperphosphatemia, fatigue, diarrhea, elevated transaminases, dry eye, nail changes, rash, and oral mucositis. Conclusions Futibatinib plus pembrolizumab demonstrated an acceptable safety profile but did not meet efficacy thresholds supporting further study in FGF19-expressing HCC. Effective post-immunotherapy treatment strategies remain an unmet need.

Abstract Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is highly expressed in tumor-associated neovasculature in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), highlighting its promise as a theranostic target. This prospective study aimed to evaluate the utility of novel biomarkers derived from PSMA positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET/CT) to assess treatment response in advanced HCC patients (pts) receiving first line immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Methods: This study (NCT05176223) enrolled unresectable, advanced HCC pts eligible for first-line ICI (atezolizumab/bevacizumab [A/B] or durvalumab/tremelimumab [D/T]) with measurable disease according to RECIST criteria. Primary endpoints: progression-free survival (PFS) per RECIST 1.1 and mRECIST; overall survival (OS); and best overall response. The survival distribution was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Observed agreement is defined as the proportion of pts whose responses, as classified by PET/CT or CT, were concordant. Weighted kappa and Cohen’s kappa were used to quantify the strength of agreement between PET/CT and CT. Pts completed up to five 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT scans and blood collections. Results: Twenty-six pts were enrolled (25 evaluable) between Oct 2022 and Nov 2024. Median follow up was 22.1 months (m) (Q1, Q3: 14.5-23.7). Median age 68 yrs, 72% male, 88% White, 68% Child-Pugh [CP] A, 32% CP B, 32% Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer [BCLC] stage B, 68% BCLC stage C, 36% with microvascular invasion; 56% received A/B and 40% received D/T treatment. PSMA was positive in 96% of pts at baseline with median SUVmax 14.3 (range 5.1-40.5) and median background liver SUVmax 3.9 (range 2.1-6.8). Median (95%CI) PFS was 5.6 m (4.6-12.5) by both RECIST and mRECIST. Median (95%CI) OS was 18.6 m (7.2-not estimable), with 56% deceased. The observed agreement between PET/CT adapted PERCIST criteria compared to RECIST and mRECIST in determining the best response was 46% and 50% and weighted kappa of 0.63 (95% CI: 0.37-0.90) and 0.66 (0.41-0.92), respectively. Observed agreement between PERCIST compared to RECIST and mRECIST for responders’ assessment was 67% and 71% with Cohen’s kappa of 0.36 (0.03-0.68) and 0.43 (0.11-0.76), respectively. Conclusion: In this cohort, PSMA PET/CT avidity was observed in all but one pt with advanced HCC, each demonstrating moderate to high SUVmax values. Median OS and PFS were consistent with outcomes reported in clinical trials. Response assessment using 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT according to PERCIST criteria showed good concordance with both RECIST and mRECIST standards. Analysis of immune biomarkers is ongoing. Citation Format: Nguyen H. Tran, Jacob Hirdler, Ajith Antony, Jacob Teske, Sudhakar K. Venkatesh, Amit Mahipal, Michael S. Torbenson, Scott M. Thompson, Thor R. Halfdanarson, Zhaohui Jin, Lionel Aurelien Kankeu Fonkoua, Leslie A. Washburn, Alexander Revzin, Haidong Dong, Robert R. Mcwilliams, Aminah Jatoi, Hani M. Babiker, Mitesh J. Borad, Tanios Bekaii-Saab, Gregory J. Gores, Lewis R. Roberts, Geoffrey B. Johnson, Ajit H. Goenka. Prospective evaluation of 68Ga-PSMA PET imaging in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing first line immunotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 2611.

ABSTRACT Encapsulation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) has high relevance for biomedical applications ranging from tissue engineering to drug screening and cellular therapies. Microcapsules serve a multitude of purposes—from promoting hPSC organization into spheroids to enabling scalable differentiation in vitro and providing immunoisolation in vivo. While multiple encapsulation strategies have been reported, there is typically a tradeoff between the structural complexity of capsules and throughput of their generation. Our paper describes a novel 3D printed microfluidic encapsulation device for fabricating structurally complex microcapsules with a hydrogel shell and aqueous core at rates of up to 1825 Hz. The use of 3D printing allowed to dramatically decrease device footprint when compared to standard soft lithography‐based microfluidic encapsulation devices. Leveraging decreased footprint and the ability to arrange fluidic networks in a 3D space, we fabricated a 10‐nozzle microencapsulation device that generated microcapsules at a rate 10‐times that of the single‐nozzle device. The novel microfluidic device was used to encapsulate hPSCs, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Hydrogel microcapsules with aqueous core promoted hPSCs aggregation into spheroids or embryoid bodies, which maintained high levels of pluripotency. Our technology enables safe and effective encapsulation of hPSCs on a scale (billions of cells) required to treat patients.

561 Background: For patients with aHCC, second-line treatment options are not well established. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Futi, an FGFR 1-4 inhibitor, in combination with Pem as a second line therapy in patients with FGF19-expressing aHCC. Methods: Patients aged ≥ 18 years, with histological/cytological diagnosis or radiological diagnosis of HCC, Child-Pugh (CP) class A-B7, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) A, B or C, ECOG performance status of 0-2, and FGF19+, by in-situ hybridization or immunohistochemistry, received Futi 20 mg once daily plus i.v. Pem 200mg every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival at 6 months (PFS6). Secondary endpoints include overall survival (OS). The study was designed to enroll 22 evaluable patients to detect PFS6 from 25% (historical control) to 47%, assuming a 1-sided alpha of 0.1 with 80% power. All patients provided written consent. Eligible patients with consent who started treatment are considered evaluable. Results: The study was closed to enrollment early at the request of funding agency due to poor accrual. Between 8/2021 and 3/2024, 14 patients enrolled with 1 patient withdrawing consent before beginning protocol treatment. Among 13 evaluable patients, median age was 72 (range: 60-87) years, 7 (53.8%) were male, 12 CP A (92.3%), 7 BCLC C (53.8%), with 7 (53.8%) having received prior liver directed therapy. Median PFS was 15 weeks (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.0-Not Estimable) and PFS6 was 23.1% (95% CI: 8.6%, 62.3%). Objective response rate was 0% (95% CI: 0%, 24.71%) and stable disease occurred in 7 (53.9%) of patients. Median OS was 55.7 weeks (95% CI: 47.3-NE). Nine (69.2%) patients experienced at least 1 grade 3+ adverse event (AE), and 2 (15.4%) patients experienced at least a grade 4+ AE. One patient had a grade 5 AE unrelated to study treatment (acute kidney injury). Most commonly reported AEs (occurring in more than 31% of patients) were hyperphosphatemia (76.9%), fatigue (69.3%), diarrhea (61.6%), AST (53.9%) and ALT (46.2%), dry eye (38.5%), nail changes (38.5%), rash-maculo-papular (38.5%), and mucositis oral (38.5%). Conclusions: This prospective study evaluated the use of a targeted treatment in combination with immunotherapy following first line immune-based therapy. This combination had modest activity as a second line therapy for patients with aHCC but did not meet the primary endpoint. The safety profile was acceptable and consistent with prior reports. An optimal second-line regimen remains a critical need. Clinical trial information: NCT04828486 .

Abstract Vaccine‐induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is a new disorder that emerged in the wake of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccination. It is a rare but life‐threatening condition that requires an aggressive course of treatment to improve patient outcomes. Currently, the diagnosis of VITT relies on a comprehensive panel of criteria, including a history of recent vaccination, platelet count, positive enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) result for a closely related thrombotic disorder, heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), and platelet factor 4 (PF4)‐dependent functional assays. The study describes a technically simple antigenic assay designed to detect autoimmune antibodies associated with VITT. It is first shown that cross‐linked platelet factor 4 (c‐PF4) represents an antigenic target specific for VITT/VITT‐like Abs. This antigenic target is then incorporated into a microfluidic electrochemical biosensor and specific and sensitive detection of VITT/VITT‐like antibodies is demonstrated in a fully automated manner while using microliter volumes of patient sera. Fifty‐five serum samples are tested using the microfluidic electrochemical biosensor and demonstrated high accuracy for the detection of VITT sera and VITT‐like monoclonal gammopathy of thrombotic ignificance (MGTS) antibodies compared to healthy controls and HIT patients. It is envisioned that the microfluidic electrochemical biosensor will be used in combination with other clinical criteria to enable timely, sensitive, and specific diagnosis of VITT.

Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) have emerged as powerful tools in personalized medicine applicable to both non-malignant conditions and to cancer, where they are increasingly used for personalized drug screening and precision treatment strategies in part due to their ability to replicate tumor heterogeneity. They also serve as study model systems to understand disease mechanisms, pathways, and the impact of ex vivo exposures. We present a detailed step-by-step protocol for generating organoids from normal crypts, polyps, and tumors, including methods for tissue processing, crypt isolation, culture establishment, and the transition from basolateral to apical-out polarity for co-culture and exposure-based studies. The protocol also includes immunofluorescence staining procedures for cellular characterization and quality control measures. Our standardized approach successfully generates organoids from diverse colorectal tissues with high efficiency and reproducibility. This comprehensive guide addresses common technical challenges and provides troubleshooting strategies to improve success rates across different sample types. We believe that this resource will enhance reproducibility in organoid research and expand their utility in translational applications, particularly for personalized medicine approaches in colorectal cancer.

Metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a progressive liver disease characterized by complex interactions between lipotoxicity, ER stress responses, and immune-mediated inflammation. We identified enrichment of the proinflammatory alarmin S100 calcium-binding protein A11 (S100A11) on extracellular vesicles stimulated by palmitate-induced lipotoxic ER stress with concomitant upregulation of hepatocellular S100A11 abundance in an IRE1A-XBP1s–dependent manner. We next investigated the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate this stress response. Publicly available human liver ChIP-Seq GEO datasets demonstrated a region of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) acetylation upstream of the S100A11 promoter. H3K27 acetylation ChIP-qPCR demonstrated a positive correlation between lipotoxic ER stress and H3K27 acetylation of the region, which we termed the lipotoxicity-influenced enhancer (LIE) domain. CRISPR-mediated repression of the LIE domain reduced palmitate-induced H3K27 acetylation and corresponding S100A11 upregulation in Huh7 cells and immortalized mouse hepatocytes. Silencing of the murine LIE in 2 independent steatohepatitis models demonstrated reduced S100a11 upregulation and attenuated liver injury. We confirmed H3K27 acetylation and XBP1s occupancy at the LIE domain in human MASH liver samples and an increase in hepatocyte-derived S100A11-enriched extracellular vesicles in MASH patient plasma. Our studies demonstrate a LIE domain that mediates hepatic S100A11 upregulation. This pathway may be a potential therapeutic target in MASH.

This review describes approaches for encapsulation of pluripotent stem cells, the biomaterials used, strategies for differentiation into hepatocytes and β cells, and the impact of microencapsulation on cellular therapy.