Histopathology of de novo autoimmune hepatitis

Ananya Pongpaibul, Robert S. Venick, Sue V. McDiarmid, Charles R. Lassman – 29 February 2012 – De novo autoimmune hepatitis (DAIH) is a well‐recognized complication of pediatric liver transplantation (LT). The diagnosis is largely based on elevated liver function test results and the development of autoimmune antibodies. The histology of DAIH was first described in 1998. We present detailed histological data from the largest series to date of pretreatment and posttreatment biopsy samples from pediatric LT patients with DAIH.

The impaired immune regulation of autoimmune hepatitis is linked to a defective galectin‐9/tim‐3 pathway

Rodrigo Liberal, Charlotte R. Grant, Beth S. Holder, Yun Ma, Giorgina Mieli‐Vergani, Diego Vergani, Maria Serena Longhi – 28 February 2012 – In autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), liver‐damaging CD4 T cell responses are associated with defective CD4posCD25pos regulatory T cells (T‐regs). Galectin‐9 (Gal9), a β‐galactosidase–binding protein expressed by T‐regs, is key to their function, inhibiting T helper 1 immune responses by binding T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (Tim‐3) on CD4 effector cells.

Hepatitis A virus vaccination in persons with hepatitis C virus infection: Consequences of quality measure implementation

Ian A. Rowe, Richard Parker, Matthew J. Armstrong, Diarmaid D. Houlihan, David J. Mutimer – 28 February 2012 – Hepatitis A virus (HAV) superinfection in persons with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been associated with a high mortality rate, and vaccination is recommended. The incidence of HAV is low, and the aim of this study was to determine the mortality risk of HAV superinfection and the consequences of routine vaccination in persons with HCV infection.

Persistence of hepatitis A vaccine induced seropositivity in infants and young children by maternal antibody status: 10‐year follow‐up

Umid M. Sharapov, Lisa R. Bulkow, Susan E. Negus, Philip R. Spradling, Chriss Homan, Jan Drobeniuc, Michael Bruce, Saleem Kamili, Dale J. Hu, Brian J. McMahon – 28 February 2012 – Persistence of seropositivity conferred by hepatitis A vaccine administered to children <2 years of age is unknown and passively transferred maternal antibodies to hepatitis A virus (maternal anti‐HAV) may lower the infant's immune response to the vaccine.

Pregnane‐x‐receptor controls hepatic glucuronidation during pregnancy and neonatal development in humanized UGT1 mice

Shujuan Chen, Mei‐Fei Yueh, Ronald M. Evans, Robert H. Tukey – 28 February 2012 – In humanized UDP glucuronosyltransferase‐1 (hUGT1) mice that express the entire UGT1 locus, the maternal hepatic UGT1A genes are dramatically induced 12‐14 days after conception. Steroid induction of the UGT1A1 gene indicates that xenobiotic sensors, such as the pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), may underlie the induction process. In contrast, neonatal hUGT1 mice display severe hyperbilirubinemia, with limited expression of the UGT1A genes.

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