Om gruppen
Seksjon for gastromedisin på Rikshospitalet har nasjonalt behandlingsansvar for pasienter med leversykdommen primær skleroserende kolangitt (PSC). Tilstanden representere den vanligste årsaken til levertransplantasjon i Norge.
Flere faktorer, inkludert betydelig økt risiko for gastrointestinal kreft, herunder særlig gallegangskreft, kompliserer oppfølgingen av og sykdomsforløpet til disse pasientene.
Vår forskning har som hovedmål å bedre utredning, oppfølging og behandling av PSC pasienter, herunder har vi særlig fokus på bedret tidlig diagnostikk og behandling av gallegangskreft ved PSC.
Forskningsgruppen administrerer og står for den daglige driften av NoPSC biobanken som utgjør en av verdens største biobankressurser for PSC og som i tillegg har innsamlet materiale fra en rekke andre leversykdommer.
Vi er involvert i administrasjonen av nasjonalt nettverk for autoimmune leversykdommer som ledes av prof. Mette Vesterhus, og har dessuten et tett samarbeid med m.a. epigenetikkgruppen ved DNR ledet av prof. Guro Lind, den internasjonale PSC studiegruppen (IPSCSG) og det europeiske nettverket for cholangiocarcinom forskning (ENSCCA).
Pågående prosjekter
- Identification of molecular alterations in and biomarkers for PSC-associated cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Currently we have two ongoing PhD projects (Grimsrud and Breder) focusing on early detection and improved treatment of CCA:
- In collaboration with the Epigenetics group at the Norwegian Radium Hospital we have used highly sensitive droplet digital PCR to analyze epigenetic biomarkers in more than 300 bile samples that provide early and accurate detection of CCA in patients with PSC. Findings strongly suggest that analyzing aberrant DNA methylation utilizing bile as liquid biopsy material may improve and complement current detection methods for CCA. (Published in Hepatology in 2022; PMID: 34435693).
- By the end of 2022 we are about to finalize the first comprehensive mutational profiling of PSC-associated CCA tumors (exome sequencing, including copy number variation analysis). By this we have delineated both PSC specific and universal driver genes. Findings provide opportunities for better understanding carcinogenesis in PSC, as well as a platform for personalized therapy (manuscript under finalization).
- In addition, we are key collaborators in several projects outgoing from the European Network for Cholangiocarcinoma Research (ENSCCA), including a multicenter study on liquid biopsy protein biomarkers of CCA risk, early diagnosis and survival (under revision in Journal of Hepatology).
- Continued systematic biobanking and registration of clinical data on PSC patients utilizing the infrastructure of the NoPSC biobank and the National network for autoimmune liver diseases.
The biobank and database of the Norwegian PSC Research Center is steadily growing and currently include clinical data and biological samples on close to 1000 Norwegian PSC patients and more than 1000 disease controls. The NoPSC biobank represent a valuable resource for PSC research both nationally and internationally. We also contribute data, imaging and blood samples from PSC patients followed at Rikshospitalet to the National network for autoimmune liver disease - a national multicenter study including a research registry and a prospective research biobank for non-transplant patients with PSC. In addition, we have contributed clinical data and biological samples to several multicenter studies, including those outgoing from the International PSC Study Group (IPSCSG) and the ENSCCA.
Publikasjoner
- Early and accurate detection of cholangiocarcinoma in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis by methylation markers in bile. Hepatology. 2022
- Cholangiocarcinoma landscape in Europe: Diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic insights from the ENSCCA Registry. J Hepatol. 2022.
- Algebraic topology-based machine learning using MRI predicts outcomes in primary sclerosing cholangitis. Eur Radiol. Exp. 2022
- Portal fibroblast with mesenchymal stem cell features form a reservoir of proliferative myofibroblast in liver fibrosis. Hepatology. 2022