Beate Katharina Straub, Pamela Stoeffel, Hans Heid, Ralf Zimbelmann, Peter Schirmacher – 7 February 2008 – Fatty change (steatosis) is the most frequent liver pathology in western countries and is caused by a broad range of disorders such as alcohol abuse and metabolic syndrome. The surface layer of lipid droplets (LDs) contains members of a protein family that share homologous sequences and domains, the so‐called PAT proteins, named after their constituents, perilipin, adipophilin, and TIP47.

Eve A. Roberts, Michael L. Schilsky – 4 February 2008

Yann Malato, Leif E. Sander, Christian Liedtke, Malika Al‐Masaoudi, Frank Tacke, Christian Trautwein, Naiara Beraza – 4 February 2008 – Nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) is one of the main transcription factors involved in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH). It is activated upon IκB phosphorylation by the IκB kinase (IKK) complex comprising inhibitor of kappaB kinase 1 (IKK1), inhibitor of kappaB kinase 2 (IKK2), and nuclear factor‐B essential modifier (NEMO). We studied the impact of hepatocyte‐specific IKK2 deletion during liver regeneration.

Charbel El Boustany, Gabriel Bidaux, Antoine Enfissi, Philippe Delcourt, Natalia Prevarskaya, Thierry Capiod – 4 February 2008 – Store‐operated calcium entry (SOCE) is the main Ca2+ influx pathway involved in controlling proliferation of the human hepatoma cell lines Huh‐7 and HepG2. However, the molecular nature of the calcium channels involved in this process remains unknown. Huh‐7 and HepG2 cells express transient receptor potential canonical 1 (TRPC1) and TRPC6, as well as STIM1 and Orai1, and these 4 channels are the most likely candidates to account for the SOCE in these cells.

Peter Ferenci, Harald Brunner, Hermann Laferl, Thomas‐Matthias Scherzer, Andreas Maieron, Michael Strasser, Gabriele Fischer, Harald Hofer, Martin Bischof, Rudolf Stauber, Michael Gschwantler, Petra Steindl‐Munda, Katharina Staufer, Karin Löschenberger – 4 February 2008 – We compared the efficacy and tolerability of 24 weeks of treatment with ribavirin 800 mg/day (group A) or 400 mg/day (group B) plus peginterferon alfa‐2a 180 μg/week in treatment‐naive patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 or 3.

Samuel Martín‐Vílchez, Paloma Sanz‐Cameno, Yolanda Rodríguez‐Muñoz, Pedro L. Majano, Francisca Molina‐Jiménez, Manuel López‐Cabrera, Ricardo Moreno‐Otero, Enrique Lara‐Pezzi – 4 February 2008 – Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major cause of liver fibrosis, eventually leading to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the involvement of the X protein of HBV (HBx) in viral replication and tumor development has been extensively studied, little is known about its possible role in the development of fibrosis.

Yannick Ladeiro, Gabrielle Couchy, Charles Balabaud, Paulette Bioulac‐Sage, Laura Pelletier, Sandra Rebouissou, Jessica Zucman‐Rossi – 1 February 2008 – Molecular classifications defining new tumor subtypes have been recently refined with genetic and transcriptomic analyses of benign and malignant hepatocellular tumors. Here, we performed microRNA (miRNA) profiling in two series of fully annotated liver tumors to uncover associations between oncogene/tumor suppressor mutations and clinical and pathological features.

Maureen M. Jonas, Deirdre Kelly, Henry Pollack, Jacek Mizerski, Jeff Sorbel, David Frederick, Elsa Mondou, Franck Rousseau, Etienne Sokal – 1 February 2008 – This study investigated the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) in children and adolescents with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). A total of 173 treatment‐naive and treatment‐experienced children with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)+ CHB were randomized to ADV or placebo. Randomization was stratified by age (2 to <7 years; >7 to <12 years; >12 to <18 years) and prior treatment.

Martin Lagging, Nina Langeland, Court Pedersen, Martti Färkkilä, Mads Rauning Buhl, Kristine Mørch, Amar P. Dhillon, Åsa Alsiö, Kristoffer Hellstrand, Johan Westin, Gunnar Norkrans – 1 February 2008 – Previous trials investigating the efficacy of treatment durations shorter than the standard of 24 weeks for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2/3 infections have yielded discordant results. The aims of this investigator‐initiated phase III study were to compare the efficacy of 12 or 24 weeks of treatment and to identify patients suitable for short‐term therapy.

Bart J. Veldt, Wendong Chen, E. Jenny Heathcote, Heiner Wedemeyer, Juerg Reichen, W. Peter Hofmann, Robert J. de Knegt, Stefan Zeuzem, Michael P. Manns, Bettina E. Hansen, Solko W. Schalm, Harry L. A. Janssen – 1 February 2008 – Recent studies suggest that diabetes mellitus increases the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study is to quantify the risk of HCC among patients with both diabetes mellitus and hepatitis C in a large cohort of patients with chronic hepatitis C and advanced fibrosis. We included 541 patients of whom 85 (16%) had diabetes mellitus.