Hepatitis C virus promotes t‐helper (Th)17 responses through thymic stromal lymphopoietin production by infected hepatocytes

Hai‐Chon Lee, Sung‐Sang J. Sung, Peter D. Krueger, Yoon‐Ah Jo, Hugo R. Rosen, Steven F. Ziegler, Young S. Hahn – 13 November 2012 – Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Here we report that infection of hepatic cells by HCV stimulates nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB)‐dependent production of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). Hepatocyte‐derived TSLP in turn conditions dendritic cells (DCs) to drive T‐helper (Th)17 differentiation.

Preexisting epithelial diversity in normal human livers: A tissue‐tethered cytometric analysis in portal/periportal epithelial cells

Kumiko Isse, Andrew Lesniak, Kedar Grama, John Maier, Susan Specht, Marcela Castillo‐Rama, John Lunz, Badrinath Roysam, George Michalopoulos, Anthony J. Demetris – 13 November 2012 – Routine light microscopy identifies two distinct epithelial cell populations in normal human livers: hepatocytes and biliary epithelial cells (BECs). Considerable epithelial diversity, however, arises during disease states when a variety of hepatocyte‐BEC hybrid cells appear.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress induces hepatic steatosis via increased expression of the hepatic very low‐density lipoprotein receptor

Hyunsun Jo, Sung Sik Choe, Kyung Cheul Shin, Hagoon Jang, Jae Ho Lee, Je Kyung Seong, Sung Hoon Back, Jae Bum Kim – 13 November 2012 – Recent evidence suggests that obese animals exhibit increased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the liver and adipose tissue. Although ER stress is closely associated with lipid homeostasis, it is largely unknown how ER stress contributes to hepatic steatosis. In this study, we demonstrate that the induction of ER stress stimulates hepatic steatosis through increased expression of the hepatic very low‐density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR).

A conformational heparan sulfate binding site essential to infectivity overlaps with the conserved hepatitis B virus A‐determinant

Camille Sureau, Jessica Salisse – 13 November 2012 – Two determinants of infectivity have been identified in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) envelope proteins: a pre‐S1 receptor‐binding site and an uncharacterized determinant in the antigenic loop (AGL), which is structurally related to the antigenic a‐determinant. Infection would proceed through virus attachment to cell surface heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans (HSPGs) before pre‐S1 engages a specific receptor for uptake.

Power of metabolomics in diagnosis and biomarker discovery of hepatocellular carcinoma

Xijun Wang, Aihua Zhang, Hui Sun – 13 November 2012 – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the commonest primary hepatic malignancy and the third most common cause of cancer‐related death worldwide. Incidence remains highest in the developing world and is steadily increasing across the developed world. Current diagnostic modalities, of ultrasound and α‐fetoprotein, are expensive and lack sensitivity in tumor detection. Because of its asymptomatic nature, HCC is usually diagnosed at late and advanced stages, for which there are no effective therapies.

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