AI-based glomerulosclerosis scoring method for rodents using deep learning
Background & aim: Accurate assessment of glomerulosclerosis is essential for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of kidney diseases. Here, we developed a deep learning–based scoring method for glomerulosclerosis in PAS-stained kidney tissue. Additionally, we implemented an AI-based compartmental analysis to evaluate how…
3D AI-Mapping of the HFpEF Heart: Does semaglutide remodel cardiac structure?
Background & aim: Chronic myocardial injury over weeks to months drives cellular hypertrophy and extracellular matrix remodeling, culminating in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Traditional 2D histological sectioning may miss or misrepresent the true spatial heterogeneity of localized…
Dapagliflozin Improves Kidney Function in the Adenine-Induced Mouse Model of Chronic Kidney Disease
Background & aim: Translational models are essential to identify improved treatment options for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. However, most preclinical CKD models do not demonstrate reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) or improvement by standard of care (SoC). The aim…
Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiling of MASH-HCC Development
Background & aim: Bulk RNA-sequencing has limited cellular-level insight into metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and its progression to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by masking rare and tumor-relevant populations. Here, we used single-cell transcriptomics to characterize liver cell-specific transcriptomic changes in the GAN…
Differential therapeutic profile of efruxifermin in the CDAA-HFD and GAN DIO-MASH mouse models
Background & aim: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) plays a key role in hepatic lipid metabolism and holds great promise as therapeutic target for metabolic dysfunctionassociated steatohepatitis (MASH). Efruxifermin (EFX) is a long acting FGF21 analogue currently in phase 3…
Semaglutide improves metabolic and histological outcomes and reverses clinically relevant biomarker alterations in the GAN diet-induced obese and biopsy-confirmed mouse model of MASH
Background & aim: The long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP1) receptor agonist semaglutide was recently approved as the first GLP-1–based therapy for people with MASH and moderate-to-severe fibrosis. Clinical studies have demonstrated that semaglutide not only improves liver histology but also reverses…
Therapeutic efficacy, biomarker signatures, and translatability of semaglutide in the liver biopsy-confirmed GAN DIO-MASH mouse model
Background & aim: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have emerged as promising therapeutic candidates for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Importantly, semaglutide was recently approved as the first GLP-1-based treatment for people with MASH with moderate-to-severe fibrosis. Translational models that recapitulate…