Serotonin promotes tumor growth in human hepatocellular cancer

Christopher Soll, Jae Hwi Jang, Marc‐Oliver Riener, Wolfgang Moritz, Peter Johannes Wild, Rolf Graf, Pierre‐Alain Clavien – 26 March 2010 – In addition to its function as a neurotransmitter and vascular active molecule, serotonin is also a mitogen for hepatocytes and promotes liver regeneration. A possible role in hepatocellular cancer has not yet been investigated. Human hepatocellular cancer cell lines Huh7 and HepG2 were used to assess the function of serotonin in these cell lines.

Genome‐wide tissue‐specific farnesoid X receptor binding in mouse liver and intestine

Ann M. Thomas, Steven N. Hart, Bo Kong, Jianwen Fang, Xiao‐bo Zhong, Grace L. Guo – 26 March 2010 – Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a bile acid‐activated transcription factor belonging to the nuclear receptor superfamily. FXR is highly expressed in liver and intestine and crosstalk mediated by FXR in these two organs is critical in maintaining bile acid homeostasis. FXR deficiency has been implicated in many liver and intestine diseases. However, regulation of transcription by FXR at the genomic level is not known.

Interplay of hepatic and myeloid signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 in facilitating liver regeneration via tempering innate immunity

Hua Wang, Ogyi Park, Fouad Lafdil, Kezhen Shen, Norio Horiguchi, Shi Yin, Xin‐Yuan Fu, George Kunos, Bin Gao – 26 March 2010 – Liver regeneration triggered by two‐thirds partial hepatectomy is accompanied by elevated hepatic levels of endotoxin, which contributes to the regenerative process, but liver inflammation and apoptosis remain paradoxically limited.

Notch signaling regulates formation of the three‐dimensional architecture of intrahepatic bile ducts in mice

Erin E. Sparks, Kari A. Huppert, Melanie A. Brown, M. Kay Washington, Stacey S. Huppert – 26 March 2010 – Alagille syndrome, a chronic hepatobiliary disease, is characterized by paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts (IHBDs). To determine the impact of Notch signaling specifically on IHBD arborization, we studied the influence of both chronic gain and loss of Notch function on the intact three‐dimensional IHBD structure using a series of mutant mouse models and a resin casting method.

CXC chemokine ligand 4 (Cxcl4) is a platelet‐derived mediator of experimental liver fibrosis

Mirko Moreno Zaldivar, Katrin Pauels, Philipp von Hundelshausen, Marie‐Luise Berres, Petra Schmitz, Jörg Bornemann, M. Anna Kowalska, Nikolaus Gassler, Konrad L. Streetz, Ralf Weiskirchen, Christian Trautwein, Christian Weber, Hermann E. Wasmuth – 26 March 2010 – Liver fibrosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Platelets are involved in liver damage, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we investigate the platelet‐derived chemokine (C‐X‐C motif) ligand 4 (CXCL4) as a molecular mediator of fibrotic liver damage.

Homozygosity for the patatin‐like phospholipase‐3/adiponutrin I148M polymorphism influences liver fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Luca Valenti, Ahmad Al‐Serri, Ann K. Daly, Enrico Galmozzi, Raffaela Rametta, Paola Dongiovanni, Valerio Nobili, Enrico Mozzi, Giancarlo Roviaro, Ester Vanni, Elisabetta Bugianesi, Marco Maggioni, Anna Ludovica Fracanzani, Silvia Fargion, Christopher P.

Effectiveness of hepatitis C treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin in urban minority patients

Paul Feuerstadt, Ari L. Bunim, Heriberto Garcia, Jordan J. Karlitz, Hatef Massoumi, Amar J. Thosani, Andrew Pellecchia, Allan W. Wolkoff, Paul J. Gaglio, John F. Reinus – 26 March 2010 – Randomized controlled trials of hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin have demonstrated sustained viral response rates (SVRs) of 54%‐63% (efficacy). Treatment results in clinical practice (effectiveness) may not be equivalent.

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