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.

Hepatic fibrosis 2006: Report of the third AASLD Single Topic Conference

Scott L. Friedman, Don C. Rockey, D. Montgomery Bissell – 22 December 2006 – The third American Associated for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD)–sponsored Single Topic Conference on hepatic fibrosis was held in June 2006. The conference was both international, with 6 countries represented, and cross‐disciplinary, linking the basic molecular and cellular biology of fibrogenic cells to clinical trial design for emerging antifibrotic therapies.

Increasing dimethylarginine levels are associated with adverse clinical outcome in severe alcoholic hepatitis

Rajeshwar P. Mookerjee, Mohammed Malaki, Nathan A. Davies, Stephen J. Hodges, R. Neil Dalton, Charles Turner, Sambit Sen, Roger Williams, James Leiper, Patrick Vallance, Rajiv Jalan – 22 December 2006 – Previous studies suggest reduced hepatic endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity contributes to increased intrahepatic resistance. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, undergoes hepatic metabolism via dimethylarginine‐dimethylamino‐hydrolase, and is derived by the action of protein‐arginine‐methyltransferases.

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