Daniela C. Kroy, Naiara Beraza, Darjus F. Tschaharganeh, Leif E. Sander, Stephanie Erschfeld, Arne Giebeler, Christian Liedtke, Hermann E. Wasmuth, Christian Trautwein, Konrad L. Streetz – 25 January 2010 – A deregulated cytokine balance is involved in triggering the sequence from steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, ultimately leading to liver fibrosis and cancer. To better define the role of proinflammatory interleukin‐6 (IL‐6)‐type cytokines in hepatocytes we investigated the role of IL‐6 and its shared receptor, glycoprotein 130 (gp130), in a mouse model of steatohepatitis.

Elisa Fabbrini, Shelby Sullivan, Samuel Klein – 25 January 2010 – Obesity is associated with an increased risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Steatosis, the hallmark feature of NAFLD, occurs when the rate of hepatic fatty acid uptake from plasma and de novo fatty acid synthesis is greater than the rate of fatty acid oxidation and export (as triglyceride within very low‐density lipoprotein). Therefore, an excessive amount of intrahepatic triglyceride (IHTG) represents an imbalance between complex interactions of metabolic events.

Ricardo Moreno‐Otero, María Trapero‐Marugán – 25 January 2010

Qiuwei Pan, Herold J. Metselaar, Petra de Ruiter, Jaap Kwekkeboom, Hugo W. Tilanus, Harry L. A. Janssen, Luc J. W. van der Laan – 25 January 2010 – Immunosuppression considerably affects hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence and the outcome of antiviral treatment after liver transplantation. Recent findings have suggested that the calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus (Tac), unlike cyclosporine A (CsA), interferes with the antiviral activity of interferon‐α (IFN‐α) in vitro.

Gisele N'Kontchou, Michel Beaugrand, Olivier Seror – 25 January 2010

Carmen Martínez, Segismundo Galván, Elena Garcia‐Martin, María I. Ramos, Yolanda Gutiérrez‐Martín, José A.G. Agúndez – 25 January 2010 – Association between genetic variations in alcohol‐related enzymes and impaired ethanol biodisposition has not been unambiguously proven, and the effect of many newly described polymorphisms remains to be explored. The aims of this study are to elucidate the influence of genetic factors in alcohol biodisposition and effects.

Inge Mannaerts, Nele R. Nuytten, Vera Rogiers, Karin Vanderkerken, Leo A. van Grunsven, Albert Geerts – 25 January 2010 – Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation is a pivotal step in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. The clarification of this transdifferentiation process is therefore important for the development of effective therapies for fibrosis. We analyzed the effect of a histone deacetylase inhibitor, valproic acid (VPA), on mouse HSC transdifferentiation in vitro and in vivo.

Ting‐Tsung Chang, Ching‐Lung Lai, Seung Kew Yoon, Samuel S. Lee, Henrique Sergio M. Coelho, Flair Jose Carrilho, Fred Poordad, Waldemar Halota, Yves Horsmans, Naoky Tsai, Hui Zhang, Daniel J. Tenney, Ricardo Tamez, Uchenna Iloeje – 25 January 2010 – Sustained virologic suppression is a primary goal of therapy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). In study entecavir (ETV)‐022, 48 weeks of entecavir 0.5 mg was superior to lamivudine for virologic suppression for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)‐positive CHB. A total of 183 entecavir‐treated patients from ETV‐022 subsequently enrolled in study ETV‐901.

Karolina A. Rygiel, Helen Robertson, Joseph D. P. Willet, John G. Brain, Alastair D. Burt, David E. J. Jones, John A. Kirby – 25 January 2010 – Loss of bile duct epithelium is characteristic of early chronic rejection following liver transplantation. Recent studies have suggested that intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells can transform into myofibroblasts. This study examines the induction and molecular regulation of this transition during allograft rejection.

Stephen A. Harrison – 25 January 2010