Magali Gary‐Bobo, Ghizlane Elachouri, Jean François Gallas, Philip Janiak, Pietro Marini, Christine Ravinet‐Trillou, Michèle Chabbert, Noël Cruccioli, Christian Pfersdorff, Claude Roque, Michèle Arnone, Tiziano Croci, Philippe Soubrié, Florence Oury‐Donat, Jean Pierre Maffrand, Bernard Scatton, Frederic Lacheretz, Gérard Le Fur, Jean Marc Herbert, Mohammed Bensaid – 24 May 2007 – This study investigated the effects of rimonabant (SR141716), an antagonist of the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1), on obesity‐associated hepatic steatosis and related features of metabolic syndrome: inflammation

Shin‐ya Morita, Aya Kobayashi, Yasukazu Takanezawa, Noriyuki Kioka, Tetsurou Handa, Hiroyuki Arai, Michinori Matsuo, Kazumitsu Ueda – 23 May 2007 – Human ABCB4 (multidrug resistance [MDR]3 P‐glycoprotein) is expressed in the canalicular membrane of the hepatocyte. ABCB4 has been shown to be required for phosphatidylcholine (PC) secretion into the bile and to translocate PC across the plasma membrane. To further investigate the function of ABCB4, we established a cell line stably expressing ABCB4 (human embryonic kidney [HEK]/ABCB4).

Wing‐Kin Syn, Peter Nightingale, Bridget Gunson, Stefan G. Hubscher, James M. Neuberger – 22 May 2007 – Unexplained chronic hepatitis (CH) in the adult liver allograft recipient is not uncommon, but its natural history and clinical significance is unknown. A retrospective study was undertaken of adult liver allograft recipients to determine the frequency and natural history of unexplained CH.

Gregory J. Dore, Joanne Micallef – 26 April 2007

Natsumi Watanabe, Minoru Tanaka, Kaori Suzuki, Atsushi Kumanogoh, Hitoshi Kikutani, Atsushi Miyajima – 26 April 2007 – Liver development is regulated by various extracellular molecules such as cytokines and cell surface proteins. Although several such regulators have been identified, additional molecules are likely to be involved in liver development. To identify such molecules, we employed the signal sequence trap (SST) method to screen cDNAs encoding a secreted or membrane protein from fetal liver and obtained a number of clones.

Ralf Weiskirchen, Steffen K. Meurer – 26 April 2007

José M. Mato, Shelly C. Lu – 26 April 2007 – S‐Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) has rapidly moved from being a methyl donor to a key metabolite that regulates hepatocyte growth, death, and differentiation. Biosynthesis of SAMe occurs in all mammalian cells as the first step in methionine catabolism in a reaction catalyzed by methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT). Decreased hepatic SAMe biosynthesis is a consequence of all forms of chronic liver injury.

Valerio Pazienza, Sophie Clément, Paolo Pugnale, Stéphanie Conzelman, Michelangelo Foti, Alessandra Mangia, Francesco Negro – 26 April 2007 – Both molecular and clinical evidence support a link between HCV infection and insulin resistance. We examined the in vitro interaction between the HCV core protein of genotypes 3a and 1b with the insulin‐signaling pathway.

Christoph F. Dietrich, Joachim C. Mertens, Barbara Braden, Gudrun Schuessler, Michaela Ott, Andre Ignee – 26 April 2007 – Differentiation of small and atypical hemangiomas from other hepatic masses using imaging methods can be difficult, especially in patients with underlying malignant disease. Therefore, contrast‐enhanced ultrasound was assessed in patients with histologically confirmed hemangiomas with respect to contrast‐enhancing kinetics and tumor characteristics.

Frédéric Le Gal, Corinne Castelneau, Elyanne Gault, Nasser al Hawajri, Emmanuel Gordien, Patrick Marcellin, Paul Dény – 26 April 2007