Ethanol‐induced oxidative stress suppresses generation of peptides for antigen presentation by hepatoma cells

Natalia A. Osna, Ronda L. White, Sandra Todero, Benita L. Mc Vicker, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Dahn L. Clemens, Dean J. Tuma, Terrence M. Donohue – 22 December 2006 – Processing of peptides for antigen presentation is catalyzed by antigen‐trimming enzymes, including the proteasome and leucine aminopeptidase. Oxidative stress suppresses proteasome function. We hypothesized that in liver cells, processing of antigenic peptides is altered by ethanol metabolism.

Hepatitis C virus eradication in intravenous drug users maintained with subcutaneous naltrexone implants

Gary P. Jeffrey, Gerry MacQuillan, Fern Chua, Sam Galhenage, Judith Bull, Emma Young, Gary Hulse, George O'Neil – 22 December 2006 – The effectiveness of HCV antiviral therapy in patients who have undergone recent drug dependency treatment and continue to inject drugs sporadically is presently not clear. Patients attending a community‐based drug rehabilitation and naltrexone implant clinic from October 2002 until March 2005 were screened for HCV infection and if positive offered further assessment and treatment with interferon and ribavirin therapy.

Keratin 18 overexpression but not phosphorylation or filament organization blocks mouse Mallory body formation

Masaru Harada, Pavel Strnad, Evelyn Z. Resurreccion, Nam‐On Ku, M. Bishr Omary – 22 December 2006 – Several human liver diseases are associated with formation of Mallory body (MB) inclusions. These hepatocyte cytoplasmic deposits are composed primarily of hyperphosphorylated keratins 8 and 18 (K8/K18). Feeding a 3,5‐diethoxycarbonyl‐1,4‐dihydrocollidine (DDC)‐containing diet is a well‐established mouse model of MBs. K8 overexpression, and K8‐null or K18‐null mouse models, indicate that a K8‐greater‐than‐K18 expression ratio is critical for MB formation.

Transcriptome classification of HCC is related to gene alterations and to new therapeutic targets

Sandrine Boyault, David S. Rickman, Aurélien de Reyniès, Charles Balabaud, Sandra Rebouissou, Emmanuelle Jeannot, Aurélie Hérault, Jean Saric, Jacques Belghiti, Dominique Franco, Paulette Bioulac‐Sage, Pierre Laurent‐Puig, Jessica Zucman‐Rossi – 22 December 2006 – Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) are a heterogeneous group of tumors that differ in risk factors and genetic alterations. We further investigated transcriptome‐genotype‐phenotype correlations in HCC.

Long‐acting octreotide versus placebo for treatment of advanced HCC: A randomized controlled double‐blind study

Gerhild Becker, Hans‐Peter Allgaier, Manfred Olschewski, Andreas Zähringer, Hubert Erich Blum – 22 December 2006 – Although numerous treatment modalities have been explored in patients with advanced HCC, the therapeutic options are still limited. Somatostatin has been shown to have antimitotic activity in endocrine as well as in a variety of nonendocrine tumors. Expression of somatostatin receptors is found in HCCs, but the efficacy of the somatostatin analogue octreotide remains controversial.

Regulation of Toll‐like receptor‐2 expression in chronic hepatitis B by the precore protein

Kumar Visvanathan, Narelle A. Skinner, Alex J.V. Thompson, Stephen M. Riordan, Vitini Sozzi, Roslyn Edwards, Sally Rodgers, Jelica Kurtovic, Judy Chang, Sharon Lewin, Paul Desmond, Stephen Locarnini – 22 December 2006 – Toll‐like receptors (TLRs) play a key role in the innate immune response. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The TLR2 and TLR4 expression on hepatocytes and Kupffer cells from fresh liver biopsies was measured from 21 patients with untreated hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)‐positive and HBeAg‐negative CHB.

Uridine supplementation antagonizes zalcitabine‐induced microvesicular steatohepatitis in mice

Dirk Lebrecht, Yetlanezi A. Vargas‐Infante, Bernhard Setzer, Janbernd Kirschner, Ulrich A. Walker – 22 December 2006 – Zalcitabine is an antiretroviral nucleoside analogue that exhibits long‐term toxicity to hepatocytes by interfering with the replication of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Uridine antagonizes this effect in vitro. In the present study we investigate the mechanisms of zalcitabine‐induced hepatotoxicity in mice and explore therapeutic outcomes with oral uridine supplementation.

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