The utility of genome‐wide association studies in hepatology

Tom H. Karlsen, Espen Melum, Andre Franke – 22 April 2010 – Over the last 4 years, more than 450 genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) have been successfully performed in a variety of human traits, of which approximately 2% relates to the field of hepatology. Whereas the many robust susceptibility gene findings have provided insight into fundamental physiological aspects of the phenotypes that have been studied, the widespread application has also revealed important limitations of the GWAS design.

Hepatitis B virus activates deoxynucleotide synthesis in nondividing hepatocytes by targeting the R2 gene

Dorit Cohen, Yaarit Adamovich, Nina Reuven, Yosef Shaul – 22 April 2010 – Hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes liver diseases from acute hepatitis to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Currently, more than 350 million people are chronic HBV carriers, with devastating prognosis. HBV is a small enveloped noncytopathic virus, containing a circular partially double‐stranded DNA genome, and exhibits strong tropism for human liver cells. Infected individuals (acute and chronic) secrete about 107 to 1011 virions per day to the bloodstream, with each infected cell releasing 50‐300 viruses per day.

Forkhead box p3+ regulatory T cell underlies male resistance to experimental type 2 autoimmune hepatitis

Pascal Lapierre, Kathie Béland, Caroline Martin, Fernando Alvarez, Fernando Alvarez – 22 April 2010 – Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), like many autoimmune diseases, is most prevalent in young women. The immunological basis of this age and sex susceptibility bias was investigated in a murine model of AIH. Xenoimmunization of 7‐week‐old female C57BL/6 mice resulted in more severe AIH with higher levels of liver inflammation, serum alanine aminotransferase, specific T‐cell cytotoxicity, and autoantibody than younger and older females.

Hedgehog signaling is critical for normal liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in mice

Begoña Ochoa, Wing‐Kin Syn, Igotz Delgado, Gamze F. Karaca, Youngmi Jung, Jiangbo Wang, Ana M. Zubiaga, Olatz Fresnedo, Alessia Omenetti, Marzena Zdanowicz, Steve S. Choi, Anna Mae Diehl – 22 April 2010 – Distinct mechanisms are believed to regulate growth of the liver during fetal development and after injury in adults, because the former relies on progenitors and the latter generally involves replication of mature hepatocytes.

Determination of immune memory to hepatitis B vaccination through early booster response in college students

Chyi‐Feng Jan, Kuo‐Chin Huang, Yin‐Chu Chien, Donald E. Greydanus, H. Dele Davies, Tai‐Yuan Chiu, Li‐Min Huang, Chien‐Jen Chen, Ding‐Shinn Chen – 22 April 2010 – The long‐term protection of hepatitis B (HB) vaccination has been debated for years. The purpose here was to evaluate the kinetic changes of antibody to HB surface antigen (anti‐HBs) and define immune memory of the HB vaccine among college students who had previously received full neonatal immunization against HB.

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