Leo L. Studach, Stephan Menne, Stefano Cairo, Marie Annick Buendia, Ronald L. Hullinger, Lydie Lefrançois, Philippe Merle, Ourania M. Andrisani – 13 April 2012 – Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major risk factor for developing liver cancer, and the HBV X protein (pX) has been implicated as a cofactor in hepatocyte transformation. We have shown that HBV replication as well as in vitro transformation by pX are associated with induction of the mitotic polo‐like kinase 1 (Plk1) and down‐regulation of the chromatin remodeling components Suz12 and Znf198.

Yu‐Chen Hsu, Hsiang‐Po Huang, I‐Shing Yu, Kang‐Yi Su, Shu‐Rung Lin, Wei‐Chou Lin, Hua‐Lin Wu, Guey‐Yueh Shi, Mi‐Hua Tao, Cheng‐Heng Kao, Yao‐Ming Wu, Patricia E. Martin, Shih‐Yao Lin, Pan‐Chyr Yang, Shu‐Wha Lin – 13 April 2012 – The liver architecture plays an important role in maintaining hemodynamic balance, but the mechanisms that underlie this role are not fully understood. Hepsin, a type II transmembrane serine protease, is predominantly expressed in the liver, but has no known physiological functions. Here, we report that hemodynamic balance in the liver is regulated through hepsin.

Simonetta Pazzaglia, Loredana Cifaldi, Anna Saran, Valerio Nobili, Doriana Fruci, Anna Alisi – 13 April 2012

Edward Kai‐Hua Chow, Ling‐ling Fan, Xin Chen, J. Michael Bishop – 13 April 2012 – At least some cancer stem cells (CSCs) display intrinsic drug resistance that may thwart eradication of a malignancy by chemotherapy. We explored the genesis of such resistance by studying mouse models of liver cancer driven by either MYC or the combination of oncogenic forms of activation of v‐akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog (AKT) and NRAS. A common manifestation of chemoresistance in CSCs is efflux of the DNA‐binding dye Hoechst 33342.

John P. Rice, David Burnett, Helena Tsotsis, Mary J. Lindstrom, Daniel D. Cornett, Patricia Voermans, Jill Sawyer, Rob Striker, Michael R. Lucey – 13 April 2012 – The prevalence of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among incarcerated individuals in the United States is estimated to be between 12% and 31%. HCV treatment during incarceration is an attractive option because of improved access to health care and directly observed therapy.

Theresa C. Hemsworth‐Peterson – 13 April 2012

Rohit Loomba, Maria Abraham, Aynur Unalp, Laura Wilson, Joel Lavine, Ed Doo, Nathan M. Bass, the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network – 13 April 2012 – Previous studies have shown familial aggregation of insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Therefore, we aimed to examine whether family history of diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis in patients with NAFLD.

Hang Li, Ke Wu, Kaixiong Tao, Libo Chen, Qichang Zheng, Xiaoming Lu, Jun Liu, Liang Shi, Chuanqiao Liu, Guobin Wang, Weiping Zou – 13 April 2012 – The interaction between T cell immunoglobulin‐ and mucin‐domain‐containing molecule (Tim‐3) expressed on T helper 1 (Th1) cells, and its ligand, galectin‐9, negatively regulates Th1‐mediated immune responses. However, it is poorly understood if and how the Tim‐3/galectin‐9 signaling pathway is involved in immune escape in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Yuko Kageyama, Hitoshi Ikeda, Naoko Watanabe, Masakazu Nagamine, Yoshika Kusumoto, Mitsuru Yashiro, Yumiko Satoh, Tatsuo Shimosawa, Koji Shinozaki, Tomoaki Tomiya, Yukiko Inoue, Takako Nishikawa, Natsuko Ohtomo, Yasushi Tanoue, Hiromitsu Yokota, Takatoshi Koyama, Kazuhiro Ishimaru, Yasuo Okamoto, Yoh Takuwa, Kazuhiko Koike, Yutaka Yatomi – 13 April 2012 – Sinusoidal vasoconstriction, in which hepatic stellate cells operate as contractile machinery, has been suggested to play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of portal hypertension.

Silvia Sookoian, Gustavo O. Castaño, Carlos J. Pirola – 13 April 2012