Jae‐Koo An, Keith Blomenkamp, Douglas Lindblad, Jeffrey H. Teckman – 23 December 2004 – Alpha‐1‐antitrypsin (α1AT) deficiency in its most common form is caused by homozygosity for the α1AT mutant Z gene. This gene encodes a mutant Z secretory protein, primarily synthesized in the liver, that assumes an abnormal conformation and accumulates within hepatocytes causing liver cell injury. Studies have shown that mutant α1ATZ protein molecules form unique protein polymers.

Scott J. Weston, Rachel L. Leistikow, K. Rajender Reddy, Maria Torres, Anne M. Wertheimer, David M. Lewinsohn, Sunwen Chou, Michael P. Davey, Christopher Corless, Cliona O'Farrelly, David R. Nelson, Hugo R. Rosen – 23 December 2004 – Hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐related liver failure is the leading indication for liver transplantation worldwide. After transplantation, virological recurrence is the rule, but the spectrum of histological injury is wide, ranging from the development of allograft cirrhosis within a few years to minimal hepatitis despite long‐term follow‐up.

Yasuhiko Kimura, Carlo Selmi, Patrick S. C. Leung, Tin K. Mao, Joseph Schauer, Mitchell Watnik, Shigeki Kuriyama, Mikio Nishioka, Aftab A. Ansari, Ross L. Coppel, Pietro Invernizzi, Mauro Podda, M. Eric Gershwin – 23 December 2004 – Epidemiological data suggest that environmental factors may trigger autoimmunity in genetically susceptible individuals. In primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), it has been postulated that halogenated xenobiotics can modify self‐molecules, facilitating the breakdown of tolerance to mitochondrial antigens.

Valérie Paradis, Francoise Degos, Delphine Dargère, Nanou Pham, Jacques Belghiti, Claude Degott, Jean‐Louis Janeau, Annie Bezeaud, Dominique Delforge, Myriam Cubizolles, Ingrid Laurendeau, Pierre Bedossa – 23 December 2004 – Surface‐enhanced laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (SELDI‐TOF MS) is a proteomic technique that enables the profiling of proteins present in any biological material studied. We used this approach to identify new biomarkers of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the sera of patients with cirrhosis.

James Neuberger – 23 December 2004

Anna S. F. Lok – 23 December 2004

Albert J. Czaja, Francesco B. Bianchi, Herschel A. Carpenter, Edward L. Krawitt, Ansgar W. Lohse, Michael P. Manns, Ian G. McFarlane, Giorgina Mieli‐Vergani, Gotaro Toda, Diego Vergani, John Vierling, Mikio Zeniya – 23 December 2004 – New drugs and advances in molecular biology afford opportunities to upgrade the treatment of autoimmune hepatitis. The aims of this study were to define treatment problems, identify possible solutions, and stimulate investigations to improve patient care.

Marek Radkowski, Juan F. Gallegos‐Orozco, Joanna Jablonska, Thomas V. Colby, Bozena Walewska‐Zielecka, Joanna Kubicka, Jeffrey Wilkinson, Debra Adair, Jorge Rakela, Tomasz Laskus – 23 December 2004 – It is unclear whether the current antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection results in complete elimination of the virus, or whether small quantities of virus persist. Our study group comprised 17 patients with chronic HCV who had sustained virological response (SVR) after interferon/ribavirin treatment.

Kazuo Ohashi, Jacob M. Waugh, Michael D. Dake, Takashi Yokoyama, Hiroyuki Kuge, Yoshiyuki Nakajima, Masaki Yamanouchi, Hiroyuki Naka, Akira Yoshioka, Mark A. Kay – 23 December 2004 – Liver tissue engineering using hepatocyte transplantation has been proposed as an alternative to whole‐organ transplantation or liver‐directed gene therapy to correct various types of hepatic insufficiency. Hepatocytes are not sustained when transplanted under the kidney capsule of syngeneic mice.

Harvey J. Alter – 23 December 2004