Cholangiocarcinoma in cirrhosis: Absence of contrast washout in delayed phases by magnetic resonance imaging avoids misdiagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Jordi Rimola, Alejandro Forner, Maria Reig, Ramon Vilana, Carlos Rodríguez de Lope, Carmen Ayuso, Jordi Bruix – 27 August 2009 – This study assesses the magnetic resonance (MR) features of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) in patients with cirrhosis with specific analysis of the contrast enhancement pattern. Cholangiocarcinoma may show increased contrast uptake in the arterial phase, and, if washout in the delayed venous phase were to be detected, the noninvasive diagnostic criteria proposed in the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases guidelines would be refuted.

Cyclooxygenase‐2 prevents fas‐induced liver injury through up‐regulation of epidermal growth factor receptor

Guiying Li, Chang Han, Lihong Xu, Kyu Lim, Kumiko Isse, Tong Wu – 27 August 2009 – Cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2)–derived prostaglandins participate in a number of pathophysiological responses such as inflammation, carcinogenesis, and modulation of cell growth and survival. This study used complementary approaches of COX‐2 transgenic (Tg) and knockout (KO) mouse models to evaluate the mechanism of COX‐2 in Fas‐induced hepatocyte apoptosis and liver failure in vivo. We generated Tg mice with targeted expression of COX‐2 in the liver by using the albumin promoter‐enhancer–driven vector.

Notch2 signaling promotes biliary epithelial cell fate specification and tubulogenesis during bile duct development in mice

Jan S. Tchorz, Jochen Kinter, Matthias Müller, Luigi Tornillo, Markus H. Heim, Bernhard Bettler – 27 August 2009 – Intrahepatic bile duct (IHBD) development begins with the differentiation of hepatoblasts into a single continuous biliary epithelial cell (BEC) layer, called the ductal plate. During ductal plate remodeling, tubular structures arise at distinct sites of the ductal plate, forming bile ducts that dilate into the biliary tree.

Dysfunctional very‐low‐density lipoprotein synthesis and release is a key factor in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis pathogenesis

Koji Fujita, Yuichi Nozaki, Koichiro Wada, Masato Yoneda, Yoko Fujimoto, Mihoyo Fujitake, Hiroki Endo, Hirokazu Takahashi, Masahiko Inamori, Noritoshi Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Kirikoshi, Kensuke Kubota, Satoru Saito, Atsushi Nakajima – 27 August 2009 – The specific mechanisms of nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) pathogenesis remain unknown. In the present study we investigated the differences between NAFL and NASH in terms of liver lipid metabolites and serum lipoprotein.

Angiotensin‐converting‐enzyme 2 inhibits liver fibrosis in mice

Christoph H. Österreicher, Kojiro Taura, Samuele De Minicis, Ekihiro Seki, Melitta Penz‐Österreicher, Yuzo Kodama, Johannes Kluwe, Manfred Schuster, Gavin Y. Oudit, Josef M. Penninger, David A. Brenner – 27 August 2009 – The renin‐angiotensin system (RAS) plays a major role in liver fibrosis. Recently, a homolog of angiotensin‐converting‐enzyme 1 (ACE1), termed ACE2, has been identified that appears to be a negative regulator of the RAS by degrading Ang II to Ang1‐7.

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