WD epithelial hepatoblastoma (HB) cells resemble relatively mature, polarised hepatocytes. They lack IDBE. Absence of hepatocellular IDBE is associated with cyto-plasmic rarefaction, cholestasis, and inflammation, ascribed to injury caused by retained BiS. These changes are not found in HB cells. We hypothesised that HB cells might export BiS by basolateral routes, or not synthesise (or conjugate) bile acids (BiA), or not take BiS or BiA up from plasma, and that in some combination http://www.selleckchem.com/products/LDE225(NVP-LDE225).html this underlay the absence of histopathologic features of BiS

injury despite lack of IDBE. To test this, we retrieved paired samples of banked snap-frozen HB and non-lesional HB background liver (BL) – n=9, paediatric non-fibrolamellar WD HCC and non-lesional BL – n=6, and adult WD HCC and non-lesional BL – n=9; viz., AZD3965 24 sample pairs in 3 cohorts. We extracted RNA and used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction techniques to measure expression of BSEP and other canalicular transporters, of enzymes subserving BiA synthesis and conjugation, and of basolateral BiA and BiS uptake and efflux transporters (22 genes in all), using relative quantification and normalising expression against data for 3 reference genes. Statistical significance of differences within cohorts between tumoural tissue and BL and, across cohorts, between HB and HCC was assessed by Mann-Whitney rank sum

testing. Genes expressed differently of note (all statistically significant, p < at most 0.011) included ABCB11, encoding BSEP (13-fold, HB < HBBL; 12.6-fold, HB < PHCC; 16.9-fold, Carbohydrate HB < AHCC), SLC10A, encoding the basolateral BiA uptake pump Na+/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (13.6-fold, HB < HBBL; 6.4-fold, HB < PHCC / AHCC), and AKR1D1, encoding an enzyme active early in BiA synthesis, delta(4)-3-oxosteroid 5-beta-reductase (20-fold, HB > HBBL). Expression of genes

encoding other participants in BiA synthesis and conjugation and in BiS basolateral efflux did not differ significantly within or across cohorts. Our findings suggest that in HB cells lack of BiA uptake and, perhaps, lack of primary BiA synthesis may underlie lack of IDBE. These features must be accounted for in models of HB biology and may provide clinical tools, such as immunostaining for BSEP, useful in distinction between HCC and pleomorphic or macrotrabecular HB. Disclosures: The following people have nothing to disclose: Corina G. Cotoi, Peter T. Clayton, Alberto Quaglia, A. S. Knisely Introduction: Pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) is a challenging problem with a variety of causes, limited treatments and uncertainty regarding the appropriate timing of transplantation. Encephalopathy (EN) is a leading cause of morbidity/ mortality in PALF and plays a determinative role in interventional decisions.