Michael R. Beard, Karla J. Helbig – 26 February 2008

Keane K. Y. Lai, Deepak Kolippakkam, Laura Beretta – 26 February 2008 – We report a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of the mouse liver and plasma proteomes. The method used is based on extensive fractionation of intact proteins, further separation of proteins based on their abundance and size, and high‐accuracy mass spectrometry. This analysis reached a depth in proteomic profiling not reported to date for a mammalian tissue or a biological fluid, with 7099 and 4727 proteins identified with high confidence in the liver and in the corresponding plasma, respectively.

Song Hee Lee, Ran Song, Mi Nam Lee, Chon Saeng Kim, Hanna Lee, Young‐Yun Kong, Hoguen Kim, Sung Key Jang – 26 February 2008 – The hepatitis C virus (HCV) E2 protein has been shown to block apoptosis and has been suggested to facilitate persistent infection of the virus.

J. Eileen Hay – 26 February 2008 – Abnormal liver tests occur in 3%–5% of pregnancies, with many potential causes, including coincidental liver disease (most commonly viral hepatitis or gallstones) and underlying chronic liver disease. However, most liver dysfunction in pregnancy is pregnancy‐related and caused by 1 of the 5 liver diseases unique to the pregnant state: these fall into 2 main categories depending on their association with or without preeclampsia.

Robert Flisiak, Andrzej Horban, Philippe Gallay, Michael Bobardt, Suganya Selvarajah, Alicja Wiercinska‐Drapalo, Ewa Siwak, Iwona Cielniak, Jozef Higersberger, Jarek Kierkus, Christian Aeschlimann, Pierre Grosgurin, Valérie Nicolas‐Métral, Jean‐Maurice Dumont, Hervé Porchet, Raf Crabbé, Pietro Scalfaro – 26 February 2008 – Debio‐025 is an oral cyclophilin (Cyp) inhibitor with potent anti–hepatitis C virus activity in vitro. Its effect on viral load as well as its influence on intracellular Cyp levels was investigated in a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study.

Ainhoa Iglesias Ara, Meng Xia, Komal Ramani, José M. Mato, Shelly C. Lu – 21 February 2008 – We previously showed that S‐adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and its metabolite methylthioadenosine (MTA) blocked lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) expression in RAW (murine macrophage cell line) and Kupffer cells at the transcriptional level without affecting nuclear factor κ B nuclear binding. However, the exact molecular mechanism or mechanisms of the inhibitory effect were unclear. While SAMe is a methyl donor, MTA is an inhibitor of methylation.

Winston Dunn, Ronghui Xu, Jeffrey B. Schwimmer – 21 February 2008 – People at risk for coronary heart disease are often at risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The association of modest wine consumption with NAFLD has not been studied and the recommendation of wine for patients at risk for both diseases is controversial. The aim is to test the hypothesis that modest wine consumption is associated with decreased prevalence of NAFLD.

Masaru Harada, Shinichiro Hanada, Diana M. Toivola, Nafisa Ghori, M. Bishr Omary – 21 February 2008 – The proteasomal and lysosomal/autophagy pathways in the liver and other tissues are involved in several biological processes including the degradation of misfolded proteins. Exposure of hepatocyte cell lines to proteasome inhibitors (PIs) results in the formation of inclusions that resemble Mallory‐Denk bodies (MDBs). Keratins are essential for MDB formation and keratin 8 (K8)‐overexpressing transgenic mice are predisposed to MDB formation.

Ghazaleh Aram, James J. Potter, Xiaopu Liu, Michael S. Torbenson, Esteban Mezey – 19 February 2008 – The role of nitric oxide (NO) in liver injury and fibrosis is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine whether inducible NO synthase deficiency (iNOS−/−) affects liver injury and fibrosis produced in mice by chronic carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) administration. Wild‐type (WT) or iNOS−/− mice were subjected to biweekly CCl4 injections over 8 weeks, whereas controls were given isovolumetric injections of olive oil.

Cédric Coulouarn, Valentina M. Factor, Snorri S. Thorgeirsson – 19 February 2008 – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. The clinical heterogeneity of HCC, and the lack of good diagnostic markers and treatment strategies, has rendered the disease a major challenge. Patients with HCC have a highly variable clinical course, indicating that HCC comprises several biologically distinctive subgroups reflecting a molecular heterogeneity of the tumors.