Tania Santodomingo‐Garzon, Jinglan Han, Tai Le, Yang Yang, Mark G. Swain – 27 March 2009 – Natural killer T (NKT) cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) are both found within the liver and are known to exhibit immune regulatory functions. Hepatic NKT cells are activated early during inflammatory responses and release cytokines, including interferon gamma (IFN‐γ), which we speculated could regulate Treg recruitment to the liver.

Tetsuji Fujita – 27 March 2009

Pedro Zapater, Rubén Francés, Jose Such – 27 March 2009

Andrea Perra, Marta Anna Kowalik, Monica Pibiri, Giovanna M. Ledda‐Columbano, Amedeo Columbano – 27 March 2009 – Triiodothyronine (T3), through interaction with its intracellular thyroid hormone receptors (TRs), influences various physiological functions, including metabolism, development, and growth. We investigated the effect of T3 and the selective TR‐β agonist GC‐1 in two models of hepatocarcinogenesis. Preneoplastic lesions were induced in F‐344 rats via a single dose of diethylnitrosamine, followed by a choline‐deficient (CD) diet for 10 weeks.

Natalia A. Osna, Ronda L. White, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Terrence M. Donohue – 27 March 2009 – The proteasome is a major enzyme that cleaves proteins for antigen presentation. Cleaved peptides traffic to the cell surface, where they are presented in the context of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I. Recognition of these complexes by cytotoxic T lymphocytes is crucial for elimination of cells bearing “nonself” proteins. Our previous studies revealed that ethanol suppresses proteasome function in ethanol‐metabolizing liver cells.

Robert P. Myers, Abdel Aziz M. Shaheen – 27 March 2009

James D. Perkins – 26 March 2009

Alejandro Espadas de Arias, Simone Elizabeth Haworth, Luca Saverio Belli, Patrizia Burra, Giovambattista Pinzello, Marcello Vangeli, Ernesto Minola, Maria Guido, Patrizia Boccagni, Tullia Maria De Feo, Rosanna Torelli, Massimo Cardillo, Mario Scalamogna, Francesca Poli – 26 March 2009 – In 20% to 30% of infected individuals, hepatitis C virus (HCV) can cause cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, for which liver transplantation is the best treatment available.

David G. Koch, Michael Caplan, Adrian Reuben – 26 March 2009 – Hepatopulmonary syndrome and portopulmonary hypertension are the most common pulmonary vascular complications in patients with cirrhosis. Usually but not universally mutually exclusive, they each may present prior to liver transplantation and, if severe enough, may be a contraindication to transplant. However, there have been a number of case reports describing patients developing pulmonary hypertension de novo after liver transplantation.

Jeong Kyun Seo, Ji Kon Ryu, Sang Hyub Lee, Joo Kyung Park, Ki Young Yang, Yong‐Tae Kim, Yong Bum Yoon, Hae Won Lee, Nam‐Joon Yi, Kyung Suk Suh – 26 March 2009 – Endoscopic intervention is considered to be the primary treatment for biliary stricture after adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) with duct‐to‐duct biliary reconstruction. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors of biliary stricture and the clinical outcomes and predictors of failure after endoscopic retrograde cholangiography with balloon dilation (ERC‐D).