Differential expression of lumican and fatty acid binding protein‐1: New insights into the histologic spectrum of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Michael Charlton, Kimberly Viker, Anuradha Krishnan, Schuyler Sanderson, Bart Veldt, A. J. Kaalsbeek, Michael Kendrick, Geoffrey Thompson, Florencia Que, James Swain, Michael Sarr – 27 March 2009 – The basis of hepatocellular injury and progressive fibrosis in a subset of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is poorly understood. We sought to identify hepatic proteins that are differentially abundant across the histologic spectrum of NAFLD.

CD133+ liver cancer stem cells from methionine adenosyl transferase 1A–deficient mice demonstrate resistance to transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β–induced apoptosis

Wei Ding, Marialena Mouzaki, Hanning You, Joshua C. Laird, Jose Mato, Shelly C. Lu, C. Bart Rountree – 27 March 2009 – Methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) is an essential enzyme required for S‐adenosylmethionine biosynthesis. Hepatic MAT activity falls during chronic liver injury, and mice lacking Mat1a develop spontaneous hepatocellular carcinoma by 18 months. We have previously demonstrated that CD133+CD45− oval cells isolated from 16‐month‐old Mat1a−/− mice represent a liver cancer stem cell population.

Natural killer T cells regulate the homing of chemokine CXC receptor 3‐positive regulatory T cells to the liver in mice

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.

Thyroid hormone receptor ligands induce regression of rat preneoplastic liver lesions causing their reversion to a differentiated phenotype

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.

Ethanol metabolism alters major histocompatibility complex class I–restricted antigen presentation in liver cells

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.

Killer cell immunoglobulin‐like receptor genotype and killer cell immunoglobulin‐like receptor–human leukocyte antigen C ligand compatibility affect the severity of hepatitis C virus recurrence after liver transplantation

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.

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