Takashi Hamada, Constantino Fondevila, Ronald W. Busuttil, Ana J. Coito – 26 December 2007 – Leukocyte transmigration across endothelial and extracellular matrix protein barriers is dependent on adhesion and focal matrix degradation events. In the present study we investigated the role of metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9/gelatinase B) in liver ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury using MMP‐9‐deficient (MMP‐9−/−) animals and mice treated with a specific anti‐MMP‐9 neutralizing antibody or with a broad gelatinase inhibitor for both MMP‐9 and metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2/gelatinase A).

Linda Diehl, Anna Schurich, Regina Grochtmann, Silke Hegenbarth, Lieping Chen, Percy A. Knolle – 26 December 2007 – Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) are unique organ‐resident antigen‐presenting cells capable of cross‐presentation and subsequent tolerization of naïve CD8+ T cells. We investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying this tolerance induction in naive CD8+ T cells.

Olav Dalgard, Kristian Bjøro, Helmer Ring‐Larsen, Einar Bjornsson, Mona Holberg‐Petersen, Eva Skovlund, Olle Reichard, Bjørn Myrvang, Bo Sundelöf, Ståle Ritland, Kjell Hellum, Aril Frydén, Jon Florholmen, Hans Verbaan, North‐C Group – 26 December 2007 – A recent nonrandomized pilot trial showed that hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients with genotype 2/3 and rapid virological response (RVR) had a 90% sustained virological response (SVR) rate after 14 weeks of treatment. We aimed to assess this concept in a randomized controlled trial.

Yuan Zhai, Xiu‐Da Shen, Feng Gao, Alice Zhao, Maria Cecilia Freitas, Charles Lassman, Andrew D. Luster, Ronald W. Busuttil, Jerzy W. Kupiec‐Weglinski – 26 December 2007 – We have shown that activation of toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) and its interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3)‐dependent downstream signaling pathway are required for the development of liver ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). This study focused on the role of TLR4‐IRF3 activation pathway products, in particular, chemokine (C‐X‐C motif) ligand 10 (CXCL10).

Alejandro Forner, Ramón Vilana, Carmen Ayuso, Lluís Bianchi, Manel Solé, Juan Ramón Ayuso, Loreto Boix, Margarita Sala, María Varela, Josep M Llovet, Concepció Brú, Jordi Bruix – 26 December 2007 – This study prospectively evaluates the accuracy of contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of nodules 20 mm or smaller detected during ultrasound (US) surveillance.

Alessandra Mangia, Nicola Minerva, Donato Bacca, Raffaele Cozzolongo, Giovanni L. Ricci, Vito Carretta, Francesco Vinelli, Gaetano Scotto, Giuseppe Montalto, Mario Romano, Giuseppe Cristofaro, Leonardo Mottola, Fulvio Spirito, Angelo Andriulli – 26 December 2007 – It was hypothesized that in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 patients, variable treatment duration individualized by first undetectable HCV RNA is as effective as standard 48‐week treatment.

Michael Kremer, Ashley W. Perry, Richard J. Milton, Richard A. Rippe, Michael D. Wheeler, Ian N. Hines – 26 December 2007 – Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) promotes hepatocellular apoptosis and suppresses hepatic lymphocyte responses in part through activation of Smad3. The purpose of the current study was to determine the importance of Smad3 signaling in an experimental model of autoimmune hepatitis induced by concanavalin A (ConA), a process involving T cell activation and hepatocellular apoptosis.

Ramesh Roop Rai, Pankaj Jain – 26 December 2007

Qiang Cui, Wei Jiang, Yingxin Wang, Chen Lv, Jingjing Luo, Wei Zhang, Fang Lin, Yuexiang Yin, Rong Cai, Ping Wei, Cheng Qian – 26 December 2007 – The constitutive activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) participates in carcinogenesis through up‐regulation of genes encoding apoptosis inhibitors and cell cycle regulators, such as Bcl‐xL, cyclins D1 and D2, and c‐myc. Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) is one of the negative regulators of cytokine signaling and is frequently silenced in diverse cancers.

Guoyang Liao, Yue Wang, Jinhai Chang, Tao Bian, Wenjie Tan, Mingbo Sun, Weidong Li, Huijuan Yang, Junying Chen, Xinwen Zhang, Shengli Bi, Masao Omata, Shude Jiang – 26 December 2007 – DNA immunization has been used to induce either humoral or cellular immune responses against many antigens, including hepatitis C virus (HCV). In addition, DNA immunizations can be enhanced or modulated at the nucleotide level.