Kim R. Bridle, Claudia Popa, Maelle L. Morgan, Amy L. Sobbe, Andrew D. Clouston, Linda M. Fletcher, Darrell H. G. Crawford – 29 September 2009 – Hepatic stellate cell transdifferentiation, epithelial‐mesenchymal cell transition, and the ductular reaction each contribute to the development of hepatic fibrosis in cholestatic liver diseases. Inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin have antifibrotic properties.

Bashar A. Aqel – 29 September 2009

Amalia Gastaldelli, Stephen A. Harrison, Renata Belfort‐Aguilar, Lou Jean Hardies, Bogdan Balas, Steven Schenker, Kenneth Cusi – 28 September 2009 – Pioglitazone treatment improves insulin resistance (IR), glucose metabolism, hepatic steatosis, and necroinflammation in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Because abnormal lipid metabolism/elevated plasma free fatty acids (FFAs) are important to the pathophysiology of NASH, we examined the impact of pioglitazone therapy on adipose tissue insulin resistance (Adipo‐IR) during the treatment of patients with NASH.

Julia Szendroedi, Marek Chmelik, Albrecht Ingo Schmid, Peter Nowotny, Attila Brehm, Martin Krssak, Ewald Moser, Michael Roden – 28 September 2009 – Increased hepatocellular lipids relate to insulin resistance and are typical for individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Steatosis and T2DM have been further associated with impaired muscular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) turnover indicating reduced mitochondrial fitness. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that hepatic energy metabolism could be impaired even in metabolically well‐controlled T2DM.

Yingli Shang, Yong Liu, Lei Du, Youliang Wang, Xuan Cheng, Weiming Xiao, Xiaohui Wang, Haijing Jin, Xiao Yang, Shusen Liu, Quan Chen – 28 September 2009 – Normal hepatocytes do not express endogenous uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) in adult liver, although Kupffer cells do, and it is strikingly induced in hepatocytes in steatotic liver and obese conditions. However, the direct link of UCP2 with the pathogenic development of liver diseases and liver injury remains elusive.

Juan Macías, Juan Berenguer, Miguel A. Japón, José A. Girón, Antonio Rivero, Luis F. López‐Cortés, Ana Moreno, Mercedes González‐Serrano, José A. Iribarren, Enrique Ortega, Pilar Miralles, José A. Mira, Juan A. Pineda – 28 September 2009 – A few studies have assessed the observed fibrosis progression between serial liver biopsies (LB) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) / hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐coinfected patients. Approximately half of the patients progressed at least one fibrosis stage over a short period of time. The risk factors for this fast progression need clarification.

Ju Hyun Shim, Dong Jin Suh, Kang Mo Kim, Young‐Suk Lim, Han Chu Lee, Young‐Hwa Chung, Yung Sang Lee – 28 September 2009 – Entecavir (ETV) is currently recommended as a rescue therapy purely for adefovir (ADV)‐resistant chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. We evaluated the efficacy of ETV in patients who were resistant to lamivudine (LAM)/ADV sequential therapy and in those resistant to LAM monotherapy. Fifty LAM/ADV‐resistant and 38 LAM‐resistant patients who received ETV 1 mg/day for at least 48 weeks were enrolled.

Rohit Loomba, Claude B. Sirlin, Jeffrey B. Schwimmer, Joel E. Lavine – 28 September 2009 – Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the leading cause of chronic liver disease in children and adolescents in the United States. A two‐ to three‐fold rise in the rates of obesity and overweight in children over the last two decades is probably responsible for the NAFLD epidemic. Emerging data suggest that children with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) progress to cirrhosis, which may ultimately increase liver‐related mortality.

Sally Chappell, Tamar Guetta‐Baranés, Nedim Hadzic, Robert Stockley, Noor Kalsheker – 28 September 2009

Miriam B. Vos, Craig J. McClain – 28 September 2009