Marco Arrese, Juan F. Miquel, Meenakshisundaram Ananthanarayanan – 22 December 2005 – We have generated a line of mutant mouse that lacks βKlotho, a protein that structurally resembles Klotho. The synthesis and excretion of bile acids were found to be dramatically elevated in these mutants, and the expression of 2 key bile acid synthase genes, cholesterol 7α‐hydroxylase (Cyp7a1) and sterol 12α‐hydroxylase (Cyp8b1), was strongly upregulated.
Snorri S. Thorgeirsson, Joe W. Grisham – 22 December 2005 – The authors reviewed 77 published reports available before August 1, 2005 that examined the ability of hematopoietic cells to generate hepatocytes in the liver. A list of these publications and a synopsis of each are available on‐line.
Jörn M. Schattenberg, Rajat Singh, Yongjun Wang, Jay H. Lefkowitch, Raina M. Rigoli, Philipp E. Scherer, Mark J. Czaja – 22 December 2005 – Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by hepatic steatosis and varying degrees of necroinflammation. Although chronic oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and insulin resistance have been implicated in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, the mechanisms that underlie the initiation and progression of this disease remain unknown.
Andrés Klein, Ludwig Amigo, María José Retamal, María Gabriela Morales, Juan Francisco Miquel, Attilio Rigotti, Silvana Zanlungo – 22 December 2005 – The liver plays a critical role in the metabolism of lipoprotein cholesterol and in controlling its elimination through the bile. Niemann‐Pick type C 2 (NPC2), a cholesterol‐binding protein, is key for normal intracellular trafficking of lipoprotein cholesterol, allowing its exit from the endolysosomal pathway into the metabolically active pool of the cell. In addition, NPC2 is a secretory protein from astrocytes and epididymal cells.
Roberto de Franchis – 22 December 2005
Oscar Quintana‐Bustamante, Alberto Alvarez‐Barrientos, Alexander V. Kofman, Isabel Fabregat, Juan A. Bueren, Neil D. Theise, José C. Segovia – 22 December 2005 – The mechanisms for in vivo production of bone marrow–derived hepatocytes (BMDHs) remain largely unclear. We investigated whether granulocyte colony–stimulating factor (G‐CSF)–mediated mobilization of hematopoietic cells increases the phenomenon. Recurrent liver injury in mice expressing green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in all hematopoietic‐derived cells was produced by 3 months of carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) injections.
Janneke M. Stapelbroek, Karel J. van Erpecum, Leo W. J. Klomp, Niels G. Venneman, Thijs P. Schwartz, Gerard P. van Berge Henegouwen, John Devlin, Carin M. J. van Nieuwkerk, A. S. Knisely, Roderick H. J. Houwen – 22 December 2005 – Benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis (BRIC) is characterized by episodic cholestasis and pruritus without anatomical obstruction. Effective medical treatment is not available.
15 December 2005
Giovanni Raimondo, Maurizia R. Brunetto, Patrizia Pontisso, Antonina Smedile, Anna Maria Maina, Carlo Saitta, Giovanni Squadrito, Natascia Tono – 1 December 2005 – Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection is often associated with severe forms of liver disease. However, comprehensive studies are lacking, and scant information is available regarding the virological behavior over time in coinfected patients.
Takeji Umemura, Richard Y.‐H. Wang, Cathy Schechterly, J. Wai‐Kuo Shih, Kendo Kiyosawa, Harvey J. Alter – 1 December 2005 – To investigate the quantitative characteristics of humoral immunity in patients with hepatitis C, we established an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent spot (ELISpot) assay for detection of anti–hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐secreting B cells. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated 100% specificity and 58% to 92% sensitivity for detecting B‐cell responses to NS5b, NS3, E2, and core antigens.