Jin‐fang Zhang, Ming‐liang He, Wei‐ming Fu, Hua Wang, Lian‐zhou Chen, Xiao Zhu, Ying Chen, Dan Xie, Paul Lai, Gong Chen, Gang Lu, Marie C.M. Lin, Hsiang‐fu Kung – 2 December 2011 – MiR‐637 (microRNA‐637) is a primate‐specific miRNA belonging to the small noncoding RNA family, which represses gene regulation at the post‐transcriptional expression level. Although it was discovered approximately 5 years ago, its biomedical significance and regulatory mechanism remain obscure.

Richard J.Q. McNally, Peter W. James, Samantha Ducker, Oliver F.W. James – 2 December 2011 – The etiology of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is far from clear. Both genetic and environmental factors are likely to be involved. We have previously reported evidence of space‐time clustering, suggesting that a transient environmental agent may be involved in etiology.

Qiao Ying, Linhui Liang, Weijie Guo, Ruopeng Zha, Qi Tian, Shenglin Huang, Jian Yao, Jie Ding, Meiyan Bao, Chao Ge, Ming Yao, Jinjun Li, Xianghuo He – 2 December 2011 – As the “master” microRNA that is induced by hypoxia, miR‐210 is involved in multiple processes in the hypoxia pathway. However, whether miR‐210 mediates hypoxia‐induced tumor cell metastasis still remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that miR‐210 is frequently up‐regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples and promotes the migration and invasion of HCC cells.

Naohisa Kuriyama, Sergio Duarte, Takashi Hamada, Ronald W. Busuttil, Ana J. Coito – 2 December 2011 – Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (IRI) injury remains a major challenge in clinical orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Tenascin‐C (Tnc) is an extracellular matrix protein (ECM) involved in various aspects of immunity and tissue injury. Using a Tnc‐deficient mouse model, we present data that suggest an active role for Tnc in liver IRI. We show that Tnc‐deficient mice have a reduction in liver damage and a significant improvement in liver regeneration after IRI.

Linda Andrus, Svetlana Marukian, Christopher T. Jones, Maria Teresa Catanese, Timothy P. Sheahan, John W. Schoggins, Walter T. Barry, Lynn B. Dustin, Kartik Trehan, Alexander Ploss, Sangeeta N. Bhatia, Charles M. Rice – 2 December 2011 – Here we demonstrate that primary cultures of human fetal liver cells (HFLC) reliably support infection with laboratory strains of hepatitis C virus (HCV), although levels of virus replication vary significantly between different donor cell preparations and frequently decline in a manner suggestive of active viral clearance.

Christian D. Fingas, Steven F. Bronk, Nathan W. Werneburg, Justin L. Mott, Maria E. Guicciardi, Sophie C. Cazanave, Joachim C. Mertens, Alphonse E. Sirica, Gregory J. Gores – 2 December 2011 – Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) cells paradoxically express the death ligand, tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL) and, therefore, are dependent upon potent survival signals to circumvent TRAIL cytotoxicity. CCAs are also highly desmoplastic cancers with a tumor microenvironment rich in myofibroblasts (MFBs). Herein, we examine a role for MFB‐derived CCA survival signals.

Korosh Khalili, Tae Kyoung Kim, Hyun‐Jung Jang, Leyla Kochak Yazdi, Maha Guindi, Morris Sherman – 2 December 2011 – In the latest hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) management guidelines by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, biopsy is advocated for all nodules deemed indeterminate after imaging work‐up by contrast‐enhanced scans. However, the latest guidelines' imaging work‐up algorithm has been shown to improve sensitivity of characterization of HCC for 1‐2‐cm nodules, decreasing the proportion of HCCs that remain indeterminate after imaging work‐up.

Xin Zeng, Yong Lin, Chuan Yin, Xin Zhang, Bei‐Fang Ning, Qing Zhang, Jun‐Ping Zhang, Lei Qiu, Xiao‐Ran Qin, Yue‐Xiang Chen, Wei‐Fen Xie – 2 December 2011 – Hepatocyte nuclear factor‐1alpha (HNF1α) is one of the key transcription factors of the HNF family, which plays a critical role in hepatocyte differentiation. Substantial evidence has suggested that down‐regulation of HNF1α may contribute to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, human cancer cells and tumor‐associated fibroblasts (TAFs) were isolated from human HCC tissues, respectively.

Jordi Bruix, Maria Reig, Jordi Rimola, Alejandro Forner, Marta Burrel, Ramón Vilana, Carmen Ayuso – 2 December 2011

2 December 2011