Novel mechanisms of protection against acetaminophen hepatotoxicity in mice by glutathione and N‐acetylcysteine

Chieko Saito, Claudia Zwingmann, Hartmut Jaeschke – 23 December 2009 – Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is a major cause of acute liver failure. The glutathione (GSH) precursor N‐acetylcysteine (NAC) is used to treat patients with APAP overdose for up to 48 hours. Although it is well established that early treatment with NAC can improve the scavenging of the reactive metabolite N‐acetyl‐p‐benzoquinone imine, protective mechanisms at later times remain unclear.

Activated monocytes in peritumoral stroma of hepatocellular carcinoma promote expansion of memory T helper 17 cells

Dong‐Ming Kuang, Chen Peng, Qiyi Zhao, Yan Wu, Min‐Shan Chen, Limin Zheng – 23 December 2009 – Although cancer patients exhibit a generalized immunosuppressive status, substantial evidence indicates that the inflammatory reaction at a tumor site can promote tumor growth and progression. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is usually derived from inflamed cirrhotic liver with extensive leukocyte infiltration. We recently found that proinflammatory T helper (Th)17 cells are accumulated in HCC tissue, where they promote disease progression by fostering angiogenesis.

Portal vein thrombosis and survival in patients with cirrhosis

Michael J. Englesbe, James Kubus, Wajee Muhammad, Christopher J. Sonnenday, Theodore Welling, Jeffrey D. Punch, Raymond J. Lynch, Jorge A. Marrero, Shawn J. Pelletier – 23 December 2009 – The effects of occlusive portal vein thrombosis (PVT) on the survival of patients with cirrhosis are unknown. This was a retrospective cohort study at a single center. The main exposure variable was the presence of occlusive PVT. The primary outcome measure was time‐dependent mortality. A total of 3295 patients were analyzed, and 148 (4.5%) had PVT.

Mouse organic solute transporter α deficiency enhances renal excretion of bile acids and attenuates cholestasis

Carol J. Soroka, Albert Mennone, Lee R. Hagey, Nazzareno Ballatori, James L. Boyer – 23 December 2009 – Organic solute transporter alpha‐beta (Ostα‐Ostβ) is a heteromeric bile acid and sterol transporter that facilitates the enterohepatic and renal‐hepatic circulation of bile acids. Hepatic expression of this basolateral membrane protein is increased in cholestasis, presumably to facilitate removal of toxic bile acids from the liver. In this study, we show that the cholestatic phenotype induced by common bile duct ligation (BDL) is reduced in mice genetically deficient in Ostα.

Salvage cystic duct anastomosis using a magnetic compression technique for incomplete bile duct reconstruction in living donor liver transplantation

Shigeru Marubashi, Hiroaki Nagano, Eigoro Yamanouchi, Shogo Kobayashi, Hidetoshi Eguchi, Yutaka Takeda, Masahiro Tanemura, Noboru Maeda, Kaname Tomoda, Hayato Hikita, Shusaku Tsutsui, Yuichiro Doki, Masaki Mori – 23 December 2009 – In living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), bile duct reconstruction is often technically demanding due to the frequently anomalous anatomy of the bile duct, as well as the high incidence of biliary complications. A bile duct branch may also be accidentally left without anastomosis at the time of LDLT and found to be obstructed after surgery.

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