Hepatology highlights
Neil Kaplowitz – 20 April 2006
Classification of human liver transplant recipients by their preoperative CD8+ T cell subpopulation and its relation to outcome
Koichi Tanaka, Kazue Ozawa, Satoshi Teramukai, Yasutsugu Takada, Hiroto Egawa, Satoshi Kaihara, Yasuhiro Fujimoto, Yasuhiro Ogura, Mureo Kasahara, Masako Ono, Hiroshi Sato, Kenji Takai, Masanori Fukushima, Nagahiro Minato – 20 April 2006 – The primed status of T cells is markedly different among liver transplant recipients, due to a lifetime of antigen exposure and reduced thymopoiesis by aging, and diseases. This study aims to characterize the preoperative immunological status of CD8+ T cell subpopulations and relate it to the outcome for liver transplant recipients.
Antioxidant therapy in liver ischemia‐reperfusion injury
Jesús Medina, Ricardo Moreno‐Otero – 20 April 2006
Id1 is a critical mediator in TGF‐β–induced transdifferentiation of rat hepatic stellate cells
Eliza Wiercinska, Lucia Wickert, Bernd Denecke, Harun M. Said, Jafar Hamzavi, A. M. Gressner, Midori Thorikay, Peter ten Dijke, Peter R. Mertens, Katja Breitkopf, Steven Dooley – 20 April 2006 – Transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β is critically involved in the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) that occurs during the process of liver damage, for example, by alcohol, hepatotoxic viruses, or aflatoxins. Overexpression of the TGF‐β antagonist Smad7 inhibits transdifferentiation and arrests HSCs in a quiescent stage.
Prophylactic strategies for hepatitis B patients undergoing liver transplant: A cost‐effectiveness analysis
Yock Young Dan, Chun Tao Wai, Khay Guan Yeoh, Seng Gee Lim – 20 April 2006 – Hepatitis B immunoglobulin with lamivudine prophylaxis (LAM/HBIG) is effective in preventing Hepatitis B (HBV) recurrence posttransplant but is expensive and inconvenient. Lamivudine‐resistant HBV, which has limited the usefulness of lamivudine monoprophylaxis in transplant, can now be effectively controlled with adefovir dipivoxil.
Response to antioxidant therapy in liver ischemia‐reperfusion injury
Georgios K. Glantzounis, Brian R. Davidson – 20 April 2006
Bile duct strictures after liver transplantation: A changing landscape of the Achilles' heel
Baburao Koneru, Mark J. Sterling, Phillip F. Bahramipour – 20 April 2006
The difficulty in timing for liver transplantation in cirrhotic patients coinfected with HIV: In search for a prognosis score
Didier Samuel, Jean‐Charles Duclos‐Vallee – 20 April 2006
Thermoreversible gelation polymer induces the emergence of hepatic stem cells in the partially injured rat liver
Masaki Nagaya, Sunao Kubota, Noboru Suzuki, Katsuya Akashi, Toshihiro Mitaka – 20 April 2006 – Focal injury of the adult liver causes formation of granulomatous tissue and fibrosis. When thermoreversible gelation polymer (TGP) was applied to such defects of the rat liver, complete recovery of hepatic tissues was observed without granulation. We analyzed the mechanism of the regeneration. TGP is a chemically synthesized biocompatible polymer material whose sol‐gel transition is reversible by changing the temperature. Cooled TGP was poured into a penetration lesion of the rat liver.
Identification of a hepatitis C virus–reactive T cell receptor that does not require CD8 for target cell recognition
Glenda G. Callender, Hugo R. Rosen, Jeffrey J. Roszkowski, Gretchen E. Lyons, Mingli Li, Tamson Moore, Natasha Brasic, Mark D. McKee, Michael I. Nishimura – 20 April 2006 – Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been reported to elicit B and T cell immunity in infected patients. Despite the presence of antiviral immunity, many patients develop chronic infections leading to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver failure that can require transplantation.