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.

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).

Leandro R. Soria, Julieta Marrone, Giuseppe Calamita, Raúl A. Marinelli – 8 January 2013 – Hepatocyte mitochondrial ammonia detoxification via ureagenesis is critical for the prevention of hyperammonemia and hepatic encephalopathy. Aquaporin‐8 (AQP8) channels facilitate the membrane transport of ammonia. Because AQP8 is expressed in hepatocyte inner mitochondrial membranes (IMMs), we studied whether mitochondrial AQP8 (mtAQP8) plays a role in ureagenesis from ammonia.

Richard S. Finn, Alexey Aleshin, Judy Dering, Peter Yang, Charles Ginther, Amrita Desai, Danyun Zhao, Erika von Euw, Ronald W. Busuttil, Dennis J. Slamon – 8 January 2013 – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy and is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Recently, the multitargeted kinase inhibitor sorafenib was shown to be the first systemic agent to improve survival in advanced HCC.

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).

Ziyan Wang, Jun Yan, Heng Lin, Fang Hua, Xiaoxing Wang, Hanzhi Liu, Xiaoxi Lv, Jiaojiao Yu, Su Mi, Jiaping Wang, Zhuo‐Wei Hu – 8 January 2013 – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a devastating consequence of chronic inflammatory liver diseases. The goal of this study was to investigate whether Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) activity contributes to HCC initiation and progression in mice.

Min Xia, Yan Liu, Honghui Guo, Duan Wang, Yun Wang, Wenhua Ling – 8 January 2013 – Recent studies have revealed the essential role of retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) in insulin resistance. However, the impact of RBP4 on aberrant lipogenesis, the common hepatic manifestation in insulin resistance states, and the underlying mechanism remain elusive. The present study was designed to examine the effect of RBP4 on sterol regulatory element‐binding protein (SREBP‐1) and hepatic lipogenesis.

Hla‐Hla Thein, Wanrudee Isaranuwatchai, Michael A. Campitelli, Jordan J. Feld, Eric Yoshida, Morris Sherman, Jeffrey S. Hoch, Stuart Peacock, Murray D. Krahn, Craig C. Earle – 8 January 2013 – Although the burden of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an escalating public health problem, it has not been rigorously estimated within a Canadian context. We conducted a population‐based study using Ontario Cancer Registry linked administrative data. The mean net costs of care due to HCC were estimated using a phase of care approach and generalized estimating equations.

Svitlana Kurinna, Sabrina A. Stratton, Zeynep Coban, Jill M. Schumacher, Markus Grompe, Andrew W. Duncan, Michelle Craig Barton – 8 January 2013 – Functions of p53 during mitosis reportedly include prevention of polyploidy and transmission of aberrant chromosomes. However, whether p53 plays these roles during genomic surveillance in vivo and, if so, whether this is done via direct or indirect means remain unknown. The ability of normal, mature hepatocytes to respond to stimuli, reenter the cell cycle, and regenerate liver mass offers an ideal setting to assess mitosis in vivo.

Lucas J. Maillette de Buy Wenniger, Marieke E. Doorenspleet, Paul L. Klarenbeek, Joanne Verheij, Frank Baas, Ronald P. Oude Elferink, Paul P. Tak, Niek de Vries, Ulrich Beuers – 8 January 2013 – Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)‐associated cholangitis (IAC) is a manifestation of the recently discovered idiopathic IgG4‐related disease. The majority of patients have elevated serum IgG4 levels and/or IgG4‐positive B‐cell and plasma cell infiltrates in the affected tissue.