Association of tattooing and hepatitis C virus infection: A multicenter case‐control study

Kerrilynn Carney, Sameer Dhalla, Ayse Aytaman, Craig T. Tenner, Fritz Francois – 12 January 2013 – Although injection drug use (IDU) and blood transfusions prior to 1992 are well‐accepted risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, many studies that evaluated tattooing as a risk factor for HCV infection did not control for a history of IDU or transfusion prior to 1992.

Canonical Notch2 signaling determines biliary cell fates of embryonic hepatoblasts and adult hepatocytes independent of Hes1

Petia Jeliazkova, Simone Jörs, Marcel Lee, Ursula Zimber‐Strobl, Jorge Ferrer, Roland M. Schmid, Jens T. Siveke, Fabian Geisler – 12 January 2013 – Notch signaling through the Notch2 receptor is essential for normal biliary tubulogenesis during liver development. However, the signaling events downstream of Notch2 critical for this process are less well defined. Furthermore, whether Notch signaling also underlies adult hepatic cell fate decisions is largely unknown.

Activation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and Raf/Pyk2 by growth factor‐mediated Eph receptor 2 (EphA2) is required for cholangiocarcinoma growth and metastasis

Xiang‐Dan Cui, Mi‐Jin Lee, Jong‐Hyun Kim, Pei‐Pei Hao, Lan Liu, Goung‐Ran Yu, Dae‐Ghon Kim – 11 January 2013 – Eph receptor 2 (EphA2) overexpression is frequently accompanied by the loss of its cognate ligand during tumor progression. However, the molecular mechanism of this ligand‐independent promotion of tumor by EphA2 remains unclear in highly malignant and fatal cholangiocarcinoma (CC). We examined the biological role of EphA2 in tumor growth and metastasis in CC tissues and cells according to the degree of differentiation and we explored the downstream signaling pathways of EphA2.

Mitochondrial adaptations and dysfunctions in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Karima Begriche, Julie Massart, Marie‐Anne Robin, Fabrice Bonnet, Bernard Fromenty – 8 January 2013 – The worldwide epidemic of obesity and insulin resistance favors nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Insulin resistance (IR) in the adipose tissue increases lipolysis and the entry of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) in the liver, whereas IR‐associated hyperinsulinemia promotes hepatic de novo lipogenesis. However, several hormonal and metabolic adaptations are set up in order to restrain hepatic fat accumulation, such as increased mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (mtFAO).

Hypoxia‐mediated sorafenib resistance can be overcome by EF24 through Von Hippel‐Lindau tumor suppressor‐dependent HIF‐1α inhibition in hepatocellular carcinoma

Yingjian Liang, Tongsen Zheng, Ruipeng Song, Jiabei Wang, Dalong Yin, Luoluo Wang, Haitao Liu, Lantian Tian, Xiang Fang, Xianzhi Meng, Hongchi Jiang, Jiaren Liu, Lianxin Liu – 8 January 2013 – The increasing incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is of great concern not only in the United States but throughout the world. Although sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor with antiangiogenic and antiproliferative effects, currently sets the new standard for advanced HCC, tumor response rates are usually quite low.

Cost‐effectiveness of sorafenib treatment in field practice for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Calogero Cammà, Giuseppe Cabibbo, Salvatore Petta, Marco Enea, Massimo Iavarone, Antonio Grieco, Antonio Gasbarrini, Erica Villa, Claudio Zavaglia, Raffaele Bruno, Massimo Colombo, Antonio Craxì, on behalf of the WEF and the SOFIA study groups – 8 January 2013 – The purpose was to assess the cost‐effectiveness of sorafenib in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients incorporating current prices and the results of the recent published field practice SOraFenib Italian Assessment (SOFIA) study.

Hepatic‐specific activation of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ coactivator‐1β protects against steatohepatitis

Elena Bellafante, Stefania Murzilli, Lorena Salvatore, Dominga Latorre, Gaetano Villani, Antonio Moschetta – 8 January 2013 – Development of hepatic steatosis and its progression to steatohepatitis may be the consequence of dysfunction of several metabolic pathways, such as triglyceride synthesis, very low‐density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion, and fatty acid β‐oxidation. Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ coactivator‐1β (PGC‐1β) is a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism, lipogenesis, and triglyceride (TG) secretion.

Reticulon 4B (Nogo‐B) facilitates hepatocyte proliferation and liver regeneration in mice

Lili Gao, Teruo Utsumi, Keitaro Tashiro, Bo Liu, Dahai Zhang, E. Scott Swenson, Yasuko Iwakiri – 8 January 2013 – Nogo‐B, also known as reticulon 4B, promotes liver fibrosis and cirrhosis by facilitating the transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β) signaling pathway in activated hepatic stellate cells. The aim of this study was to determine the role of Nogo‐B in hepatocyte proliferation and liver regeneration. Partial hepatectomy (PHx, 70% resection) was performed in male wild‐type (WT) and Nogo‐A/B knockout mice (referred to as Nogo‐B KO mice).

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