"Constitution of a Biological Collection to Establish Preclinical Translational Models for the Study of Tumors and Chronic Liver Diseases".

The Institute for Research on Viral and Hepatic Diseases, Inserm Unit UMR_S 1110, in Strasbourg, studies hepatic diseases such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (CHC). These diseases can be induced by hepatitis viruses, B (HBV), C (HCV) and D (VHD), but also a poor lifestyle combining overeating and the sedentary lifestyle of our current living patterns.

To date, no treatment is available to cure non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis, and prevent the development of liver tumors. One of the reasons for the lack of specific treatment is the limited knowledge of the pathophysiology of the liver and the hepatic microenvironment. In addition, the heterogeneity of HCC and associated underlying liver diseases, and the lack of adequate preclinical models are at the root of the difficulties in identifying an effective therapeutic target for these diseases.

Thus, new molecular profiling techniques and strategies are needed to meet these medical needs, in particular the prediction of the response to treatment of HCC, which is still largely unsatisfactory, and the discovery of new therapeutic targets. Using innovative approaches, UMR_S 1110 utilizes single cell RNA sequencing, which is a high resolution technique to analyze gene expression at the individual cell level. This technique represents the most advanced tool for studying heterogeneous tissues such as cancerous tissue.

An in-depth knowledge of HCC and the liver tumor environment at the single-cell level is crucial for understanding the progression of liver disease, for identifying new therapeutic targets and improving clinical outcomes by allowing for estimate the response to treatment and thus improve the patient's vital prognosis, by offering him an adapted personalized treatment. In order to identify factors determining hepatocarcinogenesis, predictors of response to treatment and new therapeutic targets, the investigators propose to analyze tissues from patients with chronic liver disease.

The investigator aim :