Volume 16 Issue 2, February 2019

HBV and HCV infections continue to be major global health problems, causing over 1 million deaths annually. Key studies this year investigated the innate and adaptive immune responses in different clinical scenarios in HBV infection, whereas others evaluated the merits of transplanting HCV-infected organs into uninfected recipients.

In 2018, advances were made in immunotherapy for colorectal cancers with microsatellite instability but, by contrast, immunotherapy studies in microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer had disappointing results. However, novel insights into the tumour microenvironment barriers that might limit therapeutic efficacy were identified, thereby offering new strategies.

In 2018, there have been substantial advances in our understanding of the risk factors for advanced liver disease in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, including genetic variants and the gut microbiota. Promising results have also arisen from drugs targeting metabolic pathways involved in the progression of liver damage.

Important studies published in 2018 highlight novel therapeutic strategies along the disease course of IBD, including potential specific dietary modifications at early stages and treatment with adipose-derived stem cells in perianal Crohn’s disease. A treat-to-target approach that involves proactive serial monitoring of inflammatory biomarkers can assist in timely treatment escalation and promises improved patient outcomes.

Deciphering the complex circuitry of liver homeostasis and repair is required to improve regenerative therapies for hepatic diseases. Studies in 2018 have identified subsets of hepatic cells that have unique reparative abilities and clarified the role of biomechanical forces and hepatobiliary reprogramming as sustainable modes of tissue repair.

In 2018, key studies shaped the way we think about environmental factors and their influence on the gut microbiota. These data highlight a new-found appreciation for the role of diet in modifying the gut microbiome and fortifying the intestinal barrier, which ultimately might lead to better treatments for chronic metabolic diseases.

Electric stimulation of nerves might be useful for various gastrointestinal disorders. In this Review, the authors discuss neuromodulation therapies in relation to current knowledge of the nerve circuitry, provide insights into possible mechanisms and explore reasons for limited success and how effectiveness might be improved.

Redox signalling in the gastrointestinal mucosa is held in an intricate balance. This Review addresses both the spectrum and intensity of redox activity pertaining to host–immune and host–microbiota crosstalk during homeostasis and disease processes in the gastrointestinal tract.

The Wnt–β-catenin pathway is a highly conserved pathway that regulates embryogenesis and key regenerative processes in adult organs. Here, the authors discuss the role of Wnt–β-catenin signalling in liver development and disease, including in liver cancer, NAFLD and liver fibrosis.