Richard G. Ruddell, Belinda Knight, Janina E. E. Tirnitz‐Parker, Barbara Akhurst, Lesa Summerville, V. Nathan Subramaniam, John K. Olynyk, Grant A. Ramm – 28 December 2008 – Lymphotoxin‐beta (LTβ) is a proinflammatory cytokine and a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily known for its role in mediating lymph node development and homeostasis. Our recent studies suggest a role for LTβ in mediating the pathogenesis of human chronic liver disease. We hypothesize that LTβ co‐ordinates the wound healing response in liver injury via direct effects on hepatic stellate cells.

Joo Chun Yoon, Masaaki Shiina, Golo Ahlenstiel, Barbara Rehermann – 28 December 2008 – Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been shown to readily escape from virus‐specific T and B cell responses, its effects on natural killer (NK) cells are less clear. Based on two previous reports that recombinant, truncated HCV E2 protein inhibits NK cell functions via crosslinking of CD81, it is now widely believed that HCV impairs NK cells as a means to establish persistence. However, the relevance of these findings has not been verified with HCV E2 expressed as part of intact virions.

Sylvie Naveau, Guillaume Gaudé, Amani Asnacios, Hélène Agostini, Annie Abella, Nadège Barri‐Ova, Barbara Dauvois, Sophie Prévot, Yen Ngo, Mona Munteanu, Axel Balian, Micheline Njiké‐Nakseu, Gabriel Perlemuter, Thierry Poynard – 28 December 2008 – FibroTest has been validated as a biomarker of fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, with a similar prognostic value as biopsy. The aim of the study was to compare the diagnostic and prognostic values of FibroTest versus the recently patented biomarkers, FibrometerA, and Hepascore.

Hashem B. El‐Serag, Eric A. Engels, Ola Landgren, Elizabeth Chiao, Louise Henderson, Harshinie C. Amaratunge, Thomas P. Giordano – 28 December 2008 – Hepatitis C virus (HCV) may increase the risk of hepatopancreaticobiliary tumors other than hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Previous case control studies indicated a possible association between HCV and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Little is known about the association between HCV and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC) or pancreatic cancer.

Ricardo Rodríguez‐Calvo, Emma Barroso, Lucía Serrano, Teresa Coll, Rosa M. Sánchez, Manuel Merlos, Xavier Palomer, Juan C. Laguna, Manuel Vázquez‐Carrera – 28 December 2008 – High fructose intake contributes to the overall epidemic of obesity and metabolic disease. Here we examined whether atorvastatin treatment blocks the activation of the carbohydrate response element binding protein (ChREBP) in the fructose‐fed rat.

Andrew Scanga, Kris Kowdley – 28 December 2008

Daniel H. Palmer, Rachel S. Midgley, Noweeda Mirza, Elizabeth E. Torr, Forhad Ahmed, Jane C. Steele, Neil M. Steven, David J. Kerr, Lawrence S. Young, David H. Adams – 28 December 2008 – This is a phase II clinical trial investigating the safety and efficacy of intravenous vaccination with mature autologous dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed ex vivo with a liver tumor cell line lysate (HepG2) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Yuzo Kodama, David A. Brenner – 28 December 2008

Eran Elinav, Mohammad Ali, Rafi Bruck, Eli Brazowski, Adam Phillips, Yami Shapira, Meirav Katz, Gila Solomon, Zamir Halpern, Arieh Gertler – 28 December 2008 – Leptin signaling is involved in T‐cell polarization and is required for profibrotic function of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Leptin‐deficient ob/ob mice do not develop liver fibrosis despite the presence of severe long‐standing steatohepatitis.

Linling Cheng, Qiang You, Hao Yin, Michael Holt, Christopher Franklin, Cynthia Ju – 28 December 2008 – Drug‐induced liver injury (DILI) is a challenging problem in drug development and clinical practice. Patient susceptibility to DILI is multifactorial, making these reactions difficult to predict and prevent. Clinical observations have suggested that concurrent bacterial and viral infections represent an important risk factor in determining patient susceptibility to developing adverse drug reactions, although the underlying mechanism is not clear.