Kwang‐Hoon Song, Tiangang Li, Erika Owsley, Stephen Strom, John Y. L. Chiang – 28 December 2008 – Mouse fibroblast growth factor 15 (FGF15) and human ortholog FGF19 have been identified as the bile acid–induced intestinal factors that mediate bile acid feedback inhibition of cholesterol 7α‐hydroxylase gene (C YP7A1) transcription in mouse liver. The mechanism underlying FGF15/FGF19 inhibition of bile acid synthesis in hepatocytes remains unclear.

Ángeles Domínguez‐Soto, Laura Aragoneses‐Fenoll, Fernando Gómez‐Aguado, María Teresa Corcuera, Joan Clária, Carmelo García‐Monzón, Matilde Bustos, Angel L. Corbí – 28 December 2008 – Human LSECtin (liver and lymph node sinusoidal endothelial cell C‐type lectin, CLEC4G) is a C‐type lectin encoded within the L‐SIGN/DC‐SIGN/CD23 gene cluster. LSECtin acts as a pathogen attachment factor for Ebolavirus and the SARS coronavirus, and its expression can be induced by interleukin‐4 on monocytes and macrophages.

M. Isabel Fiel, Thomas Schiano – 28 December 2008

Indra Neil Guha – 28 December 2008

Alan F. Hofmann – 28 December 2008

Stephen A. Harrison, Will Fecht, Elizabeth M. Brunt, Brent A. Neuschwander‐Tetri – 28 December 2008 – The aim of this study was to determine if orlistat, an inhibitor of fat absorption, combined with caloric restriction in overweight subjects with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis results in weight loss and improved liver histology. Fifty overweight subjects (body mass index = ≥27) with biopsy proven nonalcoholic steatohepatitis were randomized to receive a 1,400 Kcal/day diet plus vitamin E (800 IU) daily with or without orlistat (120 mg three times a day) for 36 weeks.

Montserrat Laguno, Carmen Cifuentes, Javier Murillas, Sergio Veloso, Maria Larrousse, Antoni Payeras, Lucia Bonet, Francese Vidal, Ana Milinkovic, Antoni Bassa, Concha Villalonga, Iñaki Pérez, Cristina Tural, Maria Martínez‐Rebollar, Marta Calvo, Jose Luis Blanco, Estaban Martínez, Jose M. Sánchez‐Tapias, Jose M. Gatell, Jose Mallolas – 28 December 2008 – Although two pegylated interferons (Peg‐IFN) are available to treat chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, no head‐to‐head comparative studies have been published.

Benedikte Serruys, Freya Van Houtte, Phebe Verbrugghe, Geert Leroux‐Roels, Peter Vanlandschoot – 28 December 2008 – Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections cause 500,000 to 700,000 deaths per year as a consequence of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Efficient and safe antivirals to treat chronically infected patients and consequently to prevent development of hepatocellular carcinoma are still awaited. We isolated five single‐domain antibodies (VHHs) that recognize the most abundant envelope protein (S) of HBV.

Kosho Yamanouchi, Hongchao Zhou, Namita Roy‐Chowdhury, Frank Macaluso, Liping Liu, Toshiyuki Yamamoto, Govardhana Rao Yannam, Charles Enke, Timothy D. Solberg, Anthony B. Adelson, Jeffrey L. Platt, Ira J. Fox, Jayanta Roy‐Chowdhury, Chandan Guha – 28 December 2008 – Engraftment of donor hepatocytes is a critical step that determines the success of hepatocyte transplantation. Rapid and efficient integration of donor cells would enable prompt liver repopulation of these cells in response to selective proliferative stimuli offered by a preparative regimen.

Willy Hsu, Weici Zhang, Koichi Tsuneyama, Yuki Moritoki, William M. Ridgway, Aftab A. Ansari, Ross L. Coppel, Zhe‐Xiong Lian, Ian Mackay, M. Eric Gershwin – 28 December 2008 – Interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) receptor α knockout (IL‐2Rα−/−) mice have a deficiency of CD25 and a corresponding functional defect in T regulatory cells (Tregs). These mice spontaneously develop portal inflammation with biliary ductular damage and colitis with features similar to human inflammatory bowel disease with T cell infiltrates in both the liver and colon.