Mical S. Campbell, Colleen M. Brensinger, Arun J. Sanyal, Chris Gennings, Florence Wong, Kris V. Kowdley, Timothy McCashland, K. Rajender Reddy – 17 August 2005 – Uncontrolled studies suggest that transjugular intrahepatic portal‐systemic shunting (TIPS) may improve quality of life in patients with refractory ascites. We hypothesized that any improvement of quality of life in patients with TIPS would be matched in controls due to the competing effects of improved ascites and worsened hepatic encephalopathy.

Karla J. Helbig, Daryl T.‐Y. Lau, Ljiljana Semendric, Hugh A. J. Harley, Michael R. Beard – 17 August 2005 – Interferon (IFN) α inhibits hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication both clinically and in vitro; however, the complete spectrum of interferon‐stimulated genes (ISGs) expressed in the HCV‐infected liver or the genes responsible for control of HCV replication have not been defined. To better define ISG expression in the chronically infected HCV liver, DNA microarray analysis was performed on 9 individuals with chronic hepatitis C (CHC).

Yusuke Yamamoto, Takumi Teratani, Hanako Yamamoto, Gary Quinn, Sigenori Murata, Rieko Ikeda, Kenji Kinoshita, Kenichi Matsubara, Takashi Kato, Takahiro Ochiya – 15 August 2005 – Hepatic differentiation at the molecular level is poorly understood, mainly because of the lack of a suitable model. Recently, using adherent monoculture conditions, we demonstrated the direct differentiation of hepatocytes from embryonic stem (ES) cells.

Michael Shim, Inessa Khaykis, James Park, Edmund J. Bini – 15 August 2005 – Hepatitis A virus (HAV) superinfection is associated with a high risk of liver failure and death in patients with underlying chronic liver disease. Although HAV vaccination is recommended for all patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, little is known about adherence to these recommendations in clinical practice. The aims of this study were to determine the frequency of HAV testing and vaccination among patients with chronic HCV infection.

Xamila Salcedo, Jesús Medina, Paloma Sanz‐Cameno, Luisa García‐Buey, Samuel Martín‐Vilchez, María J. Borque, Manuel López‐Cabrera, Ricardo Moreno‐Otero – 15 August 2005 – Angiogenesis, the formation of new vessels, has been reported to play a significant pathogenic role in liver damage–associated hepatitis C virus infection. Most of our current knowledge derives from immunohistochemical studies of hepatic biopsy samples obtained from chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients.

David A. Rudnick, David H. Perlmutter – 25 July 2005 – Liver disease in alpha‐1‐antitrypsin (α1AT) deficiency is caused by a gain‐of‐toxic function mechanism engendered by the accumulation of a mutant glycoprotein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The extraordinary degree of variation in phenotypical expression of this liver disease is believed to be determined by genetic modifiers and/or environmental factors that influence the intracellular disposal of the mutant glycoprotein or the signal transduction pathways that are activated.

Gabriel Marceau, Pascal Lapierre, Kathie Béland, Hugo Soudeyns, Fernando Alvarez – 21 July 2005 – Anti‐liver‐kidney microsome type 1 (LKM1) autoantibodies directed against the cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) are considered specific markers of type 2 autoimmune hepatitis, but are also found in 5% of sera from patients chronically infected by hepatitis C virus (HCV). Molecular mimicry between HCV proteins and CYP2D6 has been proposed to explain the emergence of these autoantibodies.

Sachin S. Kunde, Audrey J. Lazenby, Ronald H. Clements, Gary A. Abrams – 21 July 2005 – The upper limit of normal for ALT activity has been recommended to be lowered to ≤30 U/L in men and ≤19 U/L in women. These changes have been suggested to be diagnostically useful in subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Our aim was to investigate the prevalence and spectrum of NAFLD with regard to the new ALT guidelines in 233 women with class II/III obesity. We compared our prior reference range for ALT (ULN ≤ 30 U/L in women) with the new standard.

Nicolas Chignard, Martine Mergey, Véronique Barbu, Laetitia Finzi, Emmanuel Tiret, Annick Paul, Chantal Housset – 21 July 2005 – Vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor‐1 (VPAC1) is the high‐affinity receptor of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a major regulator of bile secretion. To better define the level at which VPAC1 stimulates bile secretion, we examined its expression in the different cell types participating in bile formation (i.e., hepatocytes, bile duct, and gallbladder epithelial cells).

Tom M. Ganten, Ronald Koschny, Tobias L. Haas, Jaromir Sykora, Min Li‐Weber, Kerstin Herzer, Henning Walczak – 21 July 2005 – TRAIL exhibits potent anti‐tumor activity on systemic administration in mice. Because of its proven in vivo efficacy, TRAIL may serve as a novel anti‐neoplastic drug. However, approximately half of the tumor cell lines tested so far are TRAIL resistant, and potential toxic side effects of certain recombinant forms of TRAIL on human hepatocytes have been described.