Abstract: Plasma levels of different sub-populations of microvesicles (endothelial, leukocyte, platelet and hepatocyte) were measured by flow cytometry or ELISA/filtration on blood samples from 125 patients with cirrhosis, for which 36 of them were diagnosed with HCC at inclusion. The inventors show that the levels of microvesicles of endothelial origin (CD62E+) could predict the occurrence of HCC in patients with cirrhosis. Therefore the present invention relates to a method for determining whether a patient suffering from cirrhosis is at risk of having or developing hepatocellular carcinoma comprising determining the level of endothelial-derived microvesicles (e.g. by flow cytometry) in a blood sample obtained from the patient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for predicting the survival time of patients with decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for predicting the survival time of a patient with decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis comprising i) determining the expression level of OAS2 or MX2 in a sample of peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from the patient, ii) comparing the level determined at step i) with a predetermined reference value and iii) and concluding that the patient will have a short survival time when the level determined at step i) is higher than its predetermined reference value or concluding that the patient will have a long survival time when the level determined at step i) is lower than the predetermined reference value.

Abstract: Following a prospective clinical study that includes 242 patients, the inventors show that hepatocyte-derived MV levels predicted transplantation-free survival at 6 months in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, this association was shown to be independent of Child-Pugh and of MELD score. Thus the present invention thus relates to a method of predicting the transplantation-free survival time of a patient suffering from cirrhosis comprising determining the level of hepatocyte-derived microvesicles (e.g. by an ELISA assay) in a blood sample obtained from the patient.

Abstract: Plasma levels of different sub-populations of microvesicles (endothelial, leukocyte, platelet and hepatocyte) were measured by flow cytometry or ELISA/filtration on blood samples from 125 patients with cirrhosis, for which 36 of them were diagnosed with HCC at inclusion. The inventors show that the levels of microvesicles of endothelial origin (CD62E+) could predict the occurrence of HCC in patients with cirrhosis. Therefore the present invention relates to a method for determining whether a patient suffering from cirrhosis is at risk of having or developing hepatocellular carcinoma comprising determining the level of endothelial-derived microvesicles (e.g. by flow cytometry) in a blood sample obtained from the patient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for predicting the survival time of patients with decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for predicting the survival time of a patient with decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis comprising i) determining the expression level of OAS2 or MX2 in a sample of peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from the patient, ii) comparing the level determined at step i) with a predetermined reference value and iii) and concluding that the patient will have a short survival time when the level determined at step i) is higher than its predetermined reference value or concluding that the patient will have a long survival time when the level determined at step i) is lower than the predetermined reference value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining whether a patient with cirrhosis is at risk of having clinically significant portal hypertension comprising the steps consisting of i) quantifying the levels of leuko-endothelial (CD31+/41?), pan-leukocyte (CD11a+), lymphocyte (CD4+), erythrocyte (CD235a+) and hepatocyte-derived (cytokeratin-18+) microparticles in a blood sample obtained from the patient and ii) comparing said levels with predetermined reference values wherein a difference between the levels quantified at step i) and the predetermined reference values is indicative whether the patient is at risk of having clinically significant portal hypertension.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), in particular to a compound that inhibits miR-21 expression for use in the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining whether a patient with cirrhosis is at risk of having clinically significant portal hypertension comprising the steps consisting of i) quantifying the levels of leuko-endothelial (CD31+/41?), pan-leukocyte (CD11a+), lymphocyte (CD4+), erythrocyte (CD235a+) and hepatocyte-derived (cytokeratin-18+) microparticles in a blood sample obtained from the patient and ii) comparing said levels with predetermined reference values wherein a difference between the levels quantified at step i) and the predetermined reference values is indicative whether the patient is at risk of having clinically significant portal hypertension.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), in particular to a compound that inhibits miR-21 expression for use in the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.