The rtA194T polymerase mutation impacts viral replication and susceptibility to tenofovir in hepatitis B e antigen–positive and hepatitis B e antigen–negative hepatitis B virus strains

Samad Amini‐Bavil‐Olyaee, Ulf Herbers, Julie Sheldon, Tom Luedde, Christian Trautwein, Frank Tacke – 27 March 2009 – Tenofovir is a new effective treatment option for patients with chronic hepatitis B, but could be potentially hampered by mutations in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) polymerase conferring drug resistance. Drug resistance may occur preferentially if long‐term administration is required, for example, in patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)‐negative HBV infection bearing precore (PC) and basal core promoter (BCP) mutations.

Cathepsins B and D drive hepatic stellate cell proliferation and promote their fibrogenic potential

Anna Moles, Núria Tarrats, José C. Fernández‐Checa, Montserrat Marí – 27 March 2009 – Cathepsins have been best characterized in tumorigenesis and cell death and implicated in liver fibrosis; however, whether cathepsins directly regulate hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and proliferation, hence modulating their fibrogenic potential, is largely unknown. Here, we show that expression of cathepsin B (CtsB) and cathepsin D (CtsD) is negligible in quiescent HSCs but parallels the increase of α‐smooth muscle actin and transforming growth factor‐β during in vitro mouse HSC activation.

HBV superinfection in HCV chronic carriers: A disease that is frequently severe but associated with the eradication of HCV

Evangelista Sagnelli, Nicola Coppola, Mariantonietta Pisaturo, Addolorata Masiello, Gilda Tonziello, Caterina Sagnelli, Vincenzo Messina, Pietro Filippini – 27 March 2009 – The impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) superinfection in hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronic carriers was evaluated in a long‐term follow‐up study on 29 chronic anti‐HCV carriers with acute hepatitis B (AVH‐B) (Case group BC) and 29 anti‐HCV negative patients with AVH‐B (Control group B), pair‐matched for age (±5 years), sex, and risk factors for the acquisition of HBV infection.

Hepatitis C virus drug resistance and immune‐driven adaptations: Relevance to new antiviral therapy

Silvana Gaudieri, Andri Rauch, Katja Pfafferott, Eleanor Barnes, Wendy Cheng, Geoff McCaughan, Nick Shackel, Gary P. Jeffrey, Lindsay Mollison, Ross Baker, Hansjakob Furrer, Huldrych F. Günthard, Elizabeth Freitas, Isla Humphreys, Paul Klenerman, Simon Mallal, Ian James, Stuart Roberts, David Nolan, Michaela Lucas – 27 March 2009 – The efficacy of specifically targeted anti‐viral therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) (STAT‐C), including HCV protease and polymerase inhibitors, is limited by the presence of drug‐specific viral resistance mutations within the targeted proteins.

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