ERK2 but not ERK1 plays a key role in hepatocyte replication: An RNAi‐mediated ERK2 knockdown approach in wild‐type and ERK1 null hepatocytes

Christophe Frémin, Frédéric Ezan, Pierre Boisselier, Anne Bessard, Gilles Pagès, Jacques Pouysségur, Georges Baffet – 28 March 2007 – The mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) ERK1 and ERK2 have been implicated in various physiological events, and specific targeting of these MAPKs could affect cell proliferation in many cell types. First, to evaluate the potential specific roles of these two MAPKs, we analyzed the mitogenic response in regenerating liver after partial hepatectomy (PH) and in primary culture of hepatocytes isolated from ERK1‐deficient mice.

Bile acid treatment alters hepatic disease and bile acid transport in peroxisome‐deficient PEX2 Zellweger mice

Megan H. Keane, Henk Overmars, Thomas M. Wikander, Sacha Ferdinandusse, Marinus Duran, Ronald J. A. Wanders, Phyllis L. Faust – 28 March 2007 – The marked deficiency of peroxisomal organelle assembly in the PEX2−/− mouse model for Zellweger syndrome provides a unique opportunity to developmentally and biochemically characterize hepatic disease progression and bile acid products. The postnatal survival of homozygous mutants enabled us to evaluate the response to bile acid replenishment in this disease state.

Erythropoietic protoporphyria and pretransplantation treatment with nonbiological liver assist devices

Martin Eefsen, Allan Rasmussen, Hans Christian Wulf, Axel Brock, Bent Adel Hansen – 20 March 2007 – Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is a disease of the heme metabolism due to a deficiency of ferrochelatase, leading to accumulation of protoporphyrin (PPIX) in the erythrocyte (red blood cell [RBC]). The major clinical manifestation in EPP is photosensitivity; however, in a small number of patients liver failure is a significant complication and liver transplantation is the only treatment option.

Sustained virologic response to therapy of recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation is related to early virologic response and dose adherence

Pratima Sharma, Jorge A. Marrero, Robert J. Fontana, Joel K. Greenson, Hari Conjeevaram, Grace L. Su, Frederick Askari, Patricia Sullivan, Anna S. Lok – 20 March 2007 – Sustained virologic response (SVR) after antiviral therapy for recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in liver transplant (LT) recipients is consistently lower than that achieved in non‐LT patients. We evaluated efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) therapy in LT recipients with recurrent HCV and factors associated with SVR.

Serum sickness following rabbit antithymocyte‐globulin induction in a liver transplant recipient: Case report and literature review

Andrew L. Lundquist, Ravi S. Chari, James H. Wood, Geraldine G. Miller, Heidi M. Schaefer, David S. Raiford, Kelly J. Wright, D. Lee Gorden – 20 March 2007 – Thymoglobulin® (Genzyme, Cambridge, MA) is an antithymocyte globulin preparation used for induction immunosuppression therapy in solid organ transplantation. It is being utilized with increasing frequency in orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in an effort to minimize or delay the use of calcineurin inhibitors due to their inherent nephrotoxicity. Experience with thymoglobulin in OLT remains limited.

Liver transplantation for HCV cirrhosis: Improved survival in recent years and increased severity of recurrent disease in female recipients: Results of a long term retrospective study

Luca S. Belli, Andrew K. Burroughs, Patrizia Burra, Alberto B. Alberti, Dimitrios Samonakis, Calogero Cammà, Luciano De Carlis, Ernesto Minola, Alberto Quaglia, Claudio Zavaglia, Marcello Vangeli, David Patch, Amar Dhillon, Umberto Cillo, Maria Guido, Stefano Fagiuoli, Alessandro Giacomoni, Omar A. Slim, Aldo Airoldi, Sara Boninsegna, Brian R. Davidson, Keith Rolles, Giovambattista Pinzello – 16 March 2007 – In recent years, a worsening outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐positive recipients and a faster progression of recurrent disease to overt cirrhosis has been reported.

Usefulness of corticosteroids for the treatment of severe and fulminant forms of autoimmune hepatitis

Philippe Ichai, Jean‐Charles Duclos‐Vallée, Catherine Guettier, Sonia Ben Hamida, Theresa Antonini, Valérie Delvart, Faouzi Saliba, Daniel Azoulay, Denis Castaing, Didier Samuel – 16 March 2007 – Immunosuppressive therapy, and particularly corticosteroids with or without azathioprine, can achieve a remission in more than 80% of patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). By contrast, the usefulness of corticosteroid therapy in severe forms of AIH remains a subject of debate.

Early indicators of prognosis in fulminant hepatic failure: An assessment of the Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease (MELD) and King's College Hospital Criteria

Radha K. Dhiman, Sanjay Jain, Uma Maheshwari, Ashish Bhalla, Navneet Sharma, Jasmina Ahluwalia, Ajay Duseja, Yogesh Chawla – 16 March 2007 – While King's Hospital Criteria (KCH) criteria are used worldwide, the Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease (MELD) is a more recently developed scoring system that has been validated as an independent predictor of patient survival in conditions for liver transplantation (LT). The aim of the present study was to compare MELD and KCH criteria with other early clinical prognostic indicators (CPI) in a cohort of patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF).

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