Susceptibility to liver fibrosis in mice expressing a connective tissue growth factor transgene in hepatocytes

ZhenYue Tong, Ruju Chen, Daniel S. Alt, Sherri Kemper, Bernard Perbal, David R. Brigstock – 27 August 2009 – Connective tissue growth factor (CCN2) is a matricellular protein that is up‐regulated in many fibrotic disorders and coexpressed with transforming growth factor β. CCN2 promotes fibrogenesis and survival in activated hepatic stellate cells, and injured or fibrotic liver contains up‐regulated levels of CCN2 that are produced by a variety of different cell types, including hepatocytes.

Potential impact of long‐term nucleoside therapy on the mortality and morbidity of active chronic hepatitis B

Mehlika Toy, Irene K. Veldhuijzen, Robert A. de Man, Jan Hendrik Richardus, Solko W. Schalm – 27 August 2009 – The potential impact of long‐term antiviral therapy on the burden of chronic hepatitis B has hardly been documented. The aim of this study was to estimate the effects of prolonged antiviral therapy and antiviral resistance on the mortality and morbidity of active chronic hepatitis B patients.

The role of the hepatocyte cytokeratin network in bile formation and resistance to bile acid challenge and cholestasis in mice

Peter Fickert, Andrea Fuchsbichler, Martin Wagner, Dagmar Silbert, Kurt Zatloukal, Helmut Denk, Michael Trauner – 27 August 2009 – The intermediate filament cytoskeleton of hepatocytes is composed of keratin (K) 8 and K18 and has important mechanical and nonmechanical functions. However, the potential role of the K8/K18 network for proper membrane targeting of hepatocellular adenosine triphosphate–binding cassette transporters and bile formation is unknown.

Compensatory role of P‐glycoproteins in knockout mice lacking the bile salt export pump

Renxue Wang, Huey‐Ling Chen, Lin Liu, Jonathan A. Sheps, M. James Phillips, Victor Ling – 27 August 2009 – Bile salt export pump (BSEP; ATP‐binding cassette, subfamily B, member 11) mutations in humans result in progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 2, a fatal liver disease with greatly reduced bile flow. However in mice, Bsep knockout leads only to mild cholestasis with substantial bile flow and up‐regulated P‐glycoprotein genes (multidrug resistance protein 1a [Mdr1a] and Mdr1b).

Enhanced liver regeneration following changes induced by hepatocyte‐specific genetic ablation of integrin‐linked kinase

Udayan Apte, Vasiliki Gkretsi, William C. Bowen, Wendy M. Mars, Jian‐Hua Luo, Shashikiran Donthamsetty, Ann Orr, Satdarshan P.S. Monga, Chuanyue Wu, George K. Michalopoulos – 27 August 2009 – Following liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, liver grows back precisely to its original mass and does not exceed it. The mechanism regulating this “hepatostat” is not clear and no exceptions have been found to date. Although pathways initiating liver regeneration have been well studied, mechanisms involved in the termination of liver regeneration are unclear.

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