ACAT2 deficiency limits cholesterol absorption in the cholesterol‐fed mouse: Impact on hepatic cholesterol homeostasis

Joyce J. Repa, Kimberly K. Buhman, Robert V. Farese, John M. Dietschy, Stephen D. Turley – 14 October 2004 – Acyl CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) 2 is the major cholesterol‐esterifying enzyme in mouse enterocytes and hepatocytes. Male ACAT2+/+ and ACAT2−/ − mice were fed chow containing added cholesterol (0%‐0.500% w/w) for 24 days. Over this range, fractional cholesterol absorption in the ACAT2+/+ mice fell from 41.4% ± 6.6% to 21.0% ± 5.2%, and in their ACAT2−/− counterparts it fell from 35.1% ± 4.5% to 7.9% ± 0.8%.

Frequent inactivation of the tumor suppressor Kruppel‐like factor 6 (KLF6) in hepatocellular carcinoma

Sigal Kremer‐Tal, Helen L. Reeves, Goutham Narla, Swan N. Thung, Myron Schwartz, Analisa Difeo, Amanda Katz, Jordi Bruix, Paulette Bioulac‐Sage, John A. Martignetti, Scott L. Friedman – 14 October 2004 – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide, reflecting incomplete characterization of underlying mechanisms and lack of early detection. Krüppel‐like factor 6 (KLF6) is a ubiquitously expressed zinc finger transcription factor that is deregulated in multiple cancers through loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and/or inactivating somatic mutation.

Detection of apoptotic caspase activation in sera from patients with chronic HCV infection is associated with fibrotic liver injury

Heike Bantel, Andreas Lügering, Jan Heidemann, Xandra Volkmann, Christopher Poremba, Christian P. Strassburg, Michael Peter Manns, Klaus Schulze‐Osthoff – 14 October 2004 – Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is characterized by inflammatory liver damage and is associated with a high risk of development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although histological examination of liver biopsies is currently the gold standard for the detection of early liver damage, there is a strong need for better noninvasive methods.

PTFE‐covered stents improve TIPS patency in Budd‐Chiari syndrome

Manuel Hernández‐Guerra, Juan Turnes, Pablo Rubinstein, Simon Olliff, Elwyn Elias, Jaime Bosch, Juan Carlos García‐Pagán – 14 October 2004 – Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) have been shown to be an efficient portal‐systemic derivative treatment for Budd‐Chiari syndrome (BCS) patients uncontrolled by medical therapy. However, the main drawback of TIPS for this condition is a very high rate of shunt dysfunction. Recently, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)‐covered stents have been shown to reduce the incidence of TIPS dysfunction in patients with cirrhosis.

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