Chronic passive venous congestion drives hepatic fibrogenesis via sinusoidal thrombosis and mechanical forces

Douglas A. Simonetto, Hui‐yin Yang, Meng Yin, Thiago M. de Assuncao, Jung Hee Kwon, Moira Hilscher, Shuchong Pan, Liu Yang, Yan Bi, Arthur Beyder, Sheng Cao, Robert D. Simari, Richard Ehman, Patrick S. Kamath, Vijay H. Shah – 20 August 2014 – Chronic passive hepatic congestion (congestive hepatopathy) leads to hepatic fibrosis; however, the mechanisms involved in this process are not well understood. We developed a murine experimental model of congestive hepatopathy through partial ligation of the inferior vena cava (pIVCL).

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in hepatic fibrosis

Laurie D. DeLeve – 18 August 2014 – Capillarization, lack of liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSEC) fenestration, and formation of an organized basement membrane not only precedes fibrosis, but is also permissive for hepatic stellate cell activation and fibrosis. Thus, dysregulation of the LSEC phenotype is a critical step in the fibrotic process. Both a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)‐stimulated, nitric oxide (NO)‐independent pathway and a VEGF‐stimulated NO‐dependent pathway are necessary to maintain the differentiated LSEC phenotype.

Serum hepatitis B virus RNA levels as an early predictor of hepatitis B envelope antigen seroconversion during treatment with polymerase inhibitors

Florian Bömmel, Anne Bartens, Alena Mysickova, Jörg Hofmann, Detlev H. Krüger, Thomas Berg, Anke Edelmann – 18 August 2014 – Hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion represents an endpoint of treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. We have studied whether levels of serum HBV RNA during polymerase inhibitor treatment might be helpful for predicting HBeAg seroconversion. HBV RNA levels were determined in serial serum samples from 62 patients with chronic HBV infection (50 HBeAg positive).

A screen in mice uncovers repression of lipoprotein lipase by microRNA‐29a as a mechanism for lipid distribution away from the liver

Aras N. Mattis, Guisheng Song, Kelly Hitchner, Roy Y. Kim, Andrew Y. Lee, Amar D. Sharma, Yann Malato, Michael T. McManus, Christine C. Esau, Erich Koller, Suneil Koliwad, Lee P. Lim, Jacquelyn J. Maher, Robert L. Raffai, Holger Willenbring – 18 August 2014

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