liver-2018-keynote

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Journal of Gastroenterology and Digestive Diseases | Volume 3

May 25-26, 2018 | New York, USA

World Liver Conference 2018

hronic infection by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major

cause of liver diseases, predisposing to liver fibrosis

and end-stage liver complications, the most serious being

hepatocellular carcinoma. Fibrotic tissue remodeling can exert

a pronounced effect on cancer initiation and growth. Liver

fibrosis is characterized by an overly abundant accumulation

of components of the hepatic extracellular matrix (ECM),

such as collagen and elastin fibers, with consequences

on the biomechanical and biochemical properties of this

microenvironment. However, the molecular mechanisms

linking infection to fibrogenesis still remain unclear. Here

I will focus on the pericellular matrix or glycocalyx, the

transition zone between the cell membrane and the ECM.

In this zone, I will more specifically focus on heparan sulfate

proteoglycans (HSPG), key molecules which bind cytokines

and growth factors and modulate their bioavailability in the

ECM. Our data suggest that HCV induces major alterations of

HSPG metabolism, and a reshuffle of the pericellular matrix

to provide a microenvironment favorable for viral replication

and persistence. These key events of HCV pathogenesis could

contribute to fibrogenesis.

Speaker Biography

Eve-Isabelle Pecheur has completed her PhD in 1997 from University Paris XI and Post-

doctoral studies from Groningen University of Medical Sciences, Netherlands. She

leads a research group at the Cancer Research Center of Lyon. She has published more

than 50 papers in reputed journals. She is serving as an Editorial Board Member of

Antiviral Research

, and as an Academic Editor of

PLoS One.

Eve-Isabelle Pecheur

Cancer Research Center of Lyon, France

Chronic hepatitis C, fibrogenesis and heparan sulfate proteoglycans of the hepatic

extracellular matrix