Sheng‐Han Wang, Shiou‐Hwei Yeh, Wei‐Hsiang Lin, Hurng‐Yi Wang, Ding‐Shinn Chen, Pei‐Jer Chen – 29 October 2009 – Hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurs more often in men than in women. Male HBV carriers usually have higher viral loads, which is a well‐known risk factor for HCC. Whether and how the male androgen axis regulates HBV transcription and replication is investigated here. We used HBV transgenic mice to evaluate any sex disparity of serum hepatitis B surface antigen and HBV titers as well as the castration effect on this disparity.

Minggang Zhang, Yanmei Han, Chaofeng Han, Sheng Xu, Yan Bao, Zhubo Chen, Yan Gu, Dajing Xia, Xuetao Cao – 29 October 2009 – The β2 integrins play a key role in inflammation and immune responses. The β2 integrin CD11b has been shown recently to be important in the maintenance of tolerance; however, the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully understood. Natural killer (NK) cells are an important effector of innate immunity but are also a regulator of adaptive immune response.

Banishree Saha, Dipankar Nandi – 29 October 2009 – Hepatotoxicity due to overdose of the analgesic and antipyretic acetaminophen (APAP) is a major cause of liver failure in adults. To better understand the contributions of different signaling pathways, the expression and role of Ras activation was evaluated after oral dosing of mice with APAP (400–500 mg/kg). Ras–guanosine triphosphate (GTP) is induced early and in an oxidative stress‐dependent manner.

Neal D. Freedman, Teresa M. Curto, James E. Everhart – 29 October 2009

Leonardo Baiocchi, Ilaria Lenci, Marco Carbone, Mario Angelico – 29 October 2009

James Neuberger – 29 October 2009 – Key Points

Paige M. Porrett, John Hsu, Abraham Shaked – 29 October 2009 – Key Points

Patrizia Burra – 29 October 2009 – Key Points

Zhong‐bin Deng, Yuelong Liu, Cunren Liu, Xiaoyu Xiang, Jianhua Wang, Ziqiang Cheng, Spandan V. Shah, Shuangyin Zhang, Liming Zhang, Xiaoying Zhuang, Sue Michalek, William E. Grizzle, Huang‐Ge Zhang – 29 October 2009 – Chronic inflammation plays a critical role in promoting obesity‐related disorders, such as fatty liver disease. The inflammatory cells that mediate these effects remain unknown. This study investigated the accumulation of immature myeloid cells in the liver and their role in liver inflammation.

Jittima Weerachayaphorn, Shi‐Ying Cai, Carol J. Soroka, James L. Boyer – 29 October 2009 – The bile salt export pump (BSEP) is the major determinant of bile salt–dependent bile secretion, and its deficiency leads to cholestatic liver injury. BSEP/Bsep gene expression is regulated by the nuclear farnesoid X receptor. However, BSEP expression, though reduced, is retained in the livers of Fxr−/− mice, indicating that additional transcriptional factors may regulate its expression.