Juliane Winkler, Alessandro Ori, Kerstin Holzer, Carsten Sticht, Daniel Dauch, Eva Maria Eiteneuer, Federico Pinna, Robert Geffers, Volker Ehemann, Amparo Andres‐Pons, Kai Breuhahn, Thomas Longerich, Justo Lorenzo Bermejo, Norbert Gretz, Lars Zender, Peter Schirmacher, Martin Beck, Stephan Singer – 6 May 2014 – Proteins of the karyopherin superfamily including importins and exportins represent an essential part of the nucleocytoplasmic transport machinery. However, the functional relevance and regulation of karyopherins in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is poorly understood.

Bryan C. Fuchs, Yujin Hoshida, Kenneth K. Tanabe – 5 May 2014

Xiaodan Zhang, William S. Harmsen, Teresa A. Mettler, W. Ray Kim, Rosebud O. Roberts, Terry M. Therneau, Lewis R. Roberts, Roongruedee Chaiteerakij – 3 May 2014 – The risks and benefits of metformin use in patients with cirrhosis with diabetes are debated. Although data on a protective effect of metformin against liver cancer development have been reported, metformin is frequently discontinued once cirrhosis is diagnosed because of concerns about an increased risk of adverse effects of metformin in patients with liver impairment.

Natasha K. Martin, Peter Vickerman, David Goldberg, Matthew Hickman – 3 May 2014

Marine Baptissart, Aurélie Vega, Emmanuelle Martinot, Aurélien J. Pommier, Sander M. Houten, Geoffroy Marceau, Angélique de Haze, Silvère Baron, Kristina Schoonjans, Jean‐Marc A. Lobaccaro, David H. Volle – 3 May 2014 – Bile acids (BAs) are signaling molecules that are involved in many physiological functions, such as glucose and energy metabolism. These effects are mediated through activation of the nuclear and membrane receptors, farnesoid X receptor (FXR‐α) and TGR5 (G‐protein‐coupled bile acid receptor 1; GPBAR1).

Sonya Parpart, Stephanie Roessler, Fei Dong, Vinay Rao, Atsushi Takai, Junfang Ji, Lun‐Xiu Qin, Qing‐Hai Ye, Hu‐Liang Jia, Zhao‐You Tang, Xin Wei Wang – 3 May 2014 – Globally, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 70%‐85% of primary liver cancers and ranks as the second leading cause of male cancer death. Serum alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP), normally highly expressed in the liver only during fetal development, is reactivated in 60% of HCC tumors and associated with poor patient outcome. We hypothesize that AFP+ and AFP− tumors differ biologically.

Sulyi Kim, Tomoko Date, Hiroshi Yokokawa, Tamaki Kono, Hideki Aizaki, Patrick Maurel, Claire Gondeau, Takaji Wakita – 3 May 2014 – Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 3a infection poses a serious health problem worldwide. A significant association has been reported between HCV genotype 3a infections and hepatic steatosis. Nevertheless, virological characterization of genotype 3a HCV is delayed due to the lack of appropriate virus cell culture systems. In the present study, we established the first infectious genotype 3a HCV system by introducing adaptive mutations into the S310 strain.

Changchun Cai, Hai Huang, Sean Whelan, Li Liu, Benjamin Kautza, Jason Luciano, Guoliang Wang, Guoqiang Chen, Sladjana Stratimirovic, Allan Tsung, Timothy R. Billiar, Brian S. Zuckerbraun – 3 May 2014 – Acetaminophen (APAP) toxicity is the most common cause of acute liver failure in industrialized countries. Understanding the mechanisms of APAP‐induced liver injury as well as other forms of sterile liver injury is critical to improve the care of patients. Recent studies demonstrate that danger signaling and inflammasome activation play a role in APAP‐induced injury.

Koen Vercauteren, Naomi Van Den Eede, Ahmed Atef Mesalam, Sandrine Belouzard, Maria Teresa Catanese, Dorothea Bankwitz, Flossie Wong‐Staal, Riccardo Cortese, Jean Dubuisson, Charles M. Rice, Thomas Pietschmann, Geert Leroux‐Roels, Alfredo Nicosia, Philip Meuleman – 3 May 2014 – Hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐induced endstage liver disease is currently a major indication for liver transplantation. After transplantation the donor liver inevitably becomes infected with the circulating virus.

Michael H. Levy, Sarah Larney – 3 May 2014