Jared D. Evans, Christoph Seeger – 22 February 2006 – Antiviral immunity against a pathogen is mounted upon recognition by the host of virally associated structures.
Paul B. Watkins, Leonard B. Seeff – 22 February 2006 – Idiosyncratic drug induced liver injury (DILI) remains poorly understood. It is assumed that the affected individuals possess a rare combination of genetic and non genetic factors that, if identified, would greatly improve understanding of the underlying mechanisms. This single topic conference brought together basic scientists, translational investigators, and clinicians with an interest in DILI.
Xiaoling Jin, Teresa A. Zimmers, Eduardo A. Perez, Robert H. Pierce, Zongxiu Zhang, Leonidas G. Koniaris – 22 February 2006 – Interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) is an important mediator of liver regeneration and repair that is also elevated in chronic liver diseases, including fatty liver of obesity and cirrhosis. IL‐6 has been reported both to delay and accelerate liver regeneration.
Thomas D. Boyer – 22 February 2006
Alejandro Blasco, Xavier Forns, José A. Carrión, Juan Carlos García‐Pagán, Rosa Gilabert, Antoni Rimola, Rosa Miquel, Miquel Bruguera, Juan‐Carlos García‐Valdecasas, Jaime Bosch, Miquel Navasa – 22 February 2006 – Liver biopsy is essential in the follow‐up of HCV‐infected liver transplant recipients. The aim of this study was to prospectively compare percutaneous (PLB) versus transjugular liver biopsy (TLB) in the assessment of liver damage.
Alexander W. Tarr, Ania M. Owsianka, Judith M. Timms, C. Patrick McClure, Richard J. P. Brown, Timothy P. Hickling, Thomas Pietschmann, Ralf Bartenschlager, Arvind H. Patel, Jonathan K. Ball – 22 February 2006 – The mouse monoclonal antibody (MAb) AP33, recognizing a 12 amino acid linear epitope in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) E2 glycoprotein, potently neutralizes retroviral pseudoparticles (HCVpp) carrying genetically diverse HCV envelope glycoproteins. Consequently, this antibody and its epitope are highly relevant to vaccine design and immunotherapeutic development.
Stephan Hailfinger, Maike Jaworski, Albert Braeuning, Albrecht Buchmann, Michael Schwarz – 22 February 2006 – Gene expression in hepatocytes within the liver lobule is differentially regulated along the portal to central axis; however, the mechanisms governing the processes of zonation within the lobule are unknown. A model for zonal heterogeneity in normal liver is proposed, based on observations of differential expression of genes in liver tumors from mice that harbor activating mutations in either Catnb (which codes for β‐catenin) or Ha‐ras.
David E.J. Jones, Neeraj Bhala, Julia L. Newton – 22 February 2006
Knut Stokkeland, Lena Brandt, Anders Ekbom, Rolf Hultcrantz – 22 February 2006 – Liver cirrhosis may be complicated by the development of esophageal varices. The treatment of esophageal varices has changed radically during the last 30 years. Our aim was to study whether the prognosis for patients with esophageal varices had improved in Sweden between 1969 and 2002.
Richard Moreau, Didier Lebrec – 22 February 2006 – In patients with cirrhosis and type 1 hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), systemic vasodilation, which is mainly attributable to splanchnic vasodilation, plays a critical role in the activation of endogenous vasoconstrictor systems, resulting in renal vasoconstriction and functional renal failure. It has been suggested that the use of splanchnic (and systemic) vasoconstrictors such as terlipressin (a vasopressin analog) or alpha‐1‐adrenoceptor agonists (midodrine or noradrenaline) may improve renal function in patients with type 1 HRS.