High molecular weight adiponectin inhibits proliferation of hepatic stellate cells via activation of adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase

Masayuki Adachi, David A. Brenner – 26 January 2008 – Adiponectin is an adipocyte‐derived, antidiabetic, antiatherogenic adipocytokine that is present in serum as 3 isoforms. Decreased plasma adiponectin levels are closely associated with the severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases. This study was designed to elucidate a role of adiponectin and its mediator adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase (AMPK) on proliferation of activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the key cells promoting fibrosis.

Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long‐Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT‐C) Trial

Leonard B. Seeff, Teresa M. Curto, Gyongyi Szabo, Gregory T. Everson, Herbert L. Bonkovsky, Jules L. Dienstag, Mitchell L. Shiffman, Karen L. Lindsay, Anna S. F. Lok, Adrian M. Di Bisceglie, William M. Lee, Marc G. Ghany, HALT‐C Trial Group – 26 January 2008 – Herbal products, used for centuries in Far Eastern countries, are gaining popularity in western countries. Surveys indicate that persons with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) often use herbals, especially silymarin (milk thistle extract), hoping to improve the modest response to antiviral therapy and reduce side effects.

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Pierre Bedossa, Rami Moucari, Emna Chelbi, Tarik Asselah, Valerie Paradis, Michel Vidaud, Dominique Cazals‐Hatem, Nathalie Boyer, Dominique Valla, Patrick Marcellin – 26 January 2008

Cell culture–produced hepatitis C virus impairs plasmacytoid dendritic cell function

Masaaki Shiina, Barbara Rehermann – 26 January 2008 – Previous studies suggested a functional impairment of dendritic cells (DCs) in patients with chronic hepatitis C. To investigate whether this effect was mediated by a direct interaction of hepatitis C virus (HCV) with DCs, we studied the effects of infectious cell culture–produced hepatitis C virus (HCVcc) on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), ex vivo isolated plasmacytoid, and myeloid DCs and in vitro generated monocyte‐derived DCs of healthy blood donors.

Acute viral hepatitis increases liver stiffness values measured by transient elastography

Umberto Arena, Francesco Vizzutti, Giampaolo Corti, Silvia Ambu, Cristina Stasi, Silvia Bresci, Stefania Moscarella, Vieri Boddi, Antonio Petrarca, Giacomo Laffi, Fabio Marra, Massimo Pinzani – 26 January 2008 – Liver tissue alterations other than fibrosis may have an impact on liver stiffness measurement. In this study we evaluated 18 patients without a previous clinical history of liver disease, consecutively admitted for acute viral hepatitis.

HBeAg and hepatitis B virus DNA as outcome predictors during therapy with peginterferon alfa‐2a for HBeAg‐positive chronic hepatitis B

Michael W. Fried, Teerha Piratvisuth, George K. K. Lau, Patrick Marcellin, Wan‐Cheng Chow, Graham Cooksley, Kang‐Xian Luo, Seung Woon Paik, Yun‐Fan Liaw, Peter Button, Matei Popescu – 26 January 2008 – The aims of this study were to evaluate the usefulness of quantitative hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) values for predicting HBeAg seroconversion in patients treated with peginterferon alfa‐2a and to assess the dynamic changes in quantitative HBeAg during therapy, compared with conventional measures of serum hepatitis B virus DNA.

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