Jinfeng Huang, Yue Wang, Yingjun Guo, Shuhan Sun – 23 June 2010 – The hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein has been implicated as a potential trigger of the epigenetic modifications of some genes during hepatocarcinogenesis, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression, are involved in diverse biological functions and in carcinogenesis.

Philipp A. Lang, Mike Recher, Nadine Honke, Stefanie Scheu, Stephanie Borkens, Nicole Gailus, Caroline Krings, Andreas Meryk, Andreas Kulawik, Luisa Cervantes‐Barragan, Nico Van Rooijen, Ulrich Kalinke, Burkhard Ludewig, Hans Hengartner, Nicola Harris, Dieter Häussinger, Pamela S. Ohashi, Rolf M. Zinkernagel, Karl S. Lang – 23 June 2010 – The innate immune response plays an essential role in the prevention of early viral dissemination. We used the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus model system to analyze the role of tissue macrophages/Kupffer cells in this process.

Marta Varela‐Rey, Nuria Martínez‐López, David Fernández‐Ramos, Nieves Embade, Diego F. Calvisi, Aswhin Woodhoo, Juan Rodríguez, Mario F. Fraga, Josep Julve, Elisabeth Rodríguez‐Millán, Itziar Frades, Luís Torres, Zigmund Luka, Conrad Wagner, Manel Esteller, Shelly C. Lu, M. Luz Martínez‐Chantar, José M. Mato – 23 June 2010 – Deletion of glycine N‐methyltransferase (GNMT), the main gene involved in liver S‐adenosylmethionine (SAM) catabolism, leads to the hepatic accumulation of this molecule and the development of fatty liver and fibrosis in mice.

Ayse L. Mindikoglu, Arie Regev, Stephen L. Seliger, Laurence S. Magder – 18 June 2010 – Previous studies of men and women on the liver transplantation (LT) waiting list, without taking transplantation rates into account, have suggested a higher risk of mortality for women on the waiting list. The objective of this study was to compare men and women with respect to dying within 3 years of registration on the LT waiting list and to take into account both the immediate mortality risks and the transplantation rates.

Franco Bonaguidi, Claudio Michelassi, Franco Filipponi, Daniele Rovai – 18 June 2010 – We tested the hypothesis that religiosity (ie, seeking God's help, having faith in God, trusting in God, and trying to perceive God's will in the disease) is associated with improved survival in patients with end‐stage liver disease who have undergone orthotopic liver transplantation. We studied a group of 179 candidates for liver transplantation who responded to a questionnaire on religiosity during the pretransplant psychological evaluation and underwent transplantation between 2004 and 2007.

Laura K. Cole, René L. Jacobs, Dennis E. Vance – 16 June 2010 – Tamoxifen is an anti‐estrogen drug widely used for the treatment of hormone‐sensitive breast cancer. Approximately 43% of breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen develop hepatic steatosis. The mechanism or mechanisms by which tamoxifen may induce lipid accumulation in the liver are unclear. Mice were injected with tamoxifen or vehicle (sesame oil containing 1% benzyl alcohol) for 5 consecutive days. In comparison with the vehicle, tamoxifen increased hepatic triacylglycerol levels by 72%.

Xi‐Dai Long, Yun Ma, Yuan‐Feng Zhou, Ai‐Min Ma, Guo‐Hui Fu – 16 June 2010 – Genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes may influence individual variations in DNA repair capacity, and this may be associated with the risk and outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) related to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure. In this study, we focused on the polymorphism of xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group C (XPC) codon 939 (rs#2228001), which is involved in nucleotide excision repair.

Paul J. Pockros, Fayez M. Hamzeh, Paul Martin, Ellen Lentz, Xiaolei Zhou, Sugantha Govindarajan, Anna S. Lok – 16 June 2010 – Patients with chronic hepatitis C with partial virologic response or nonresponse to interferon‐based therapies can experience treatment‐related improvements in liver histology. This retrospective analysis assessed the histologic response to treatment in patients with varying degrees of virologic response (sustained virologic response [SVR], breakthrough, relapse, or nonresponse), time to hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA undetectability, and duration of viral suppression.

Ulrich Beuers, Simon Hohenester, Lucas J. Maillette de Buy Wenniger, Andreas E. Kremer, Peter L. M. Jansen, Ronald P. J. Oude Elferink – 16 June 2010 – This review focuses on the hypothesis that biliary HCO secretion in humans serves to maintain an alkaline pH near the apical surface of hepatocytes and cholangiocytes to prevent the uncontrolled membrane permeation of protonated glycine‐conjugated bile acids.

Rania A. Tohme, Scott D. Holmberg – 16 June 2010 – Medical opinion varies considerably regarding the transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) through sexual contact. Based on the study design, representativeness of the study population, and the methods used for case ascertainment, we analyzed 80 qualifying reports regarding the evidence for or against sexual transmission. Regarding heterosexual transmission, the weight of evidence is that there is no increased risk of sexual transmission of HCV among heterosexual couples in regular relationships.