Laszlo Romics, Karen Kodys, Angela Dolganiuc, Lucia Graham, Arumugam Velayudham, Pranoti Mandrekar, Gyongyi Szabo – 13 August 2004 – Fatty liver is highly sensitive to inflammatory activation. Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptors (PPAR) have anti‐inflammatory effects and regulate lipid metabolism in the fatty liver. We hypothesized that fatty liver leads to endotoxin sensitivity through an imbalance between pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory signals.

Cheng Ji, Qinggao Deng, Neil Kaplowitz – 13 August 2004 – We previously reported a link between ethanol‐induced elevation of homocysteine, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and alcoholic liver injury in the murine model of intragastric ethanol feeding. We studied the role of TNFα in this setting by using TNFR1 knockout mice (C57 BL/6). There was a 7.4‐fold increase of homocysteine in wild‐type and a 6‐fold increase in TNFR1 knockout mice with intragastric alcohol exposure for 4 weeks. Plasma TNFα increased in the wild‐type (18.4 ± 3.3 pg/mL vs.

Martin Rössle, Kevin D. Mullen – 13 August 2004

Weizheng W. Wang, Darcey L. H. Smith, Stephen D. Zucker – 13 August 2004 – The inducible isoform of heme oxygenase (HO), HO‐1, has been shown to play an important role in attenuating tissue injury. Because HO‐1 catalyzes the rate‐limiting step in bilirubin synthesis, we examined the hypothesis that bilirubin is a key mediator of HO‐1 cytoprotection, employing a rat model of endotoxemia. Bilirubin treatment resulted in improved survival and attenuated liver injury in response to lipopolysaccharide infusion.

Jay H. Hoofnagle – 13 August 2004

Wen‐Xing Ding, Hong‐Min Ni, Daniell DiFrancesca, Donna B. Stolz, Xiao‐Ming Yin – 13 August 2004 – Activation of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 or Fas leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species, which are important to the cytotoxic effects of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) or Fas ligand. However, how these radicals are generated following receptor ligation is not clear. Using primary hepatocytes, we found that TNF‐α or anti–Fas antibody–induced burst of oxygen radicals was mainly derived from the mitochondria.

Renée Eugénie Poupon, Yves Chrétien, Olivier Chazouillères, Raoul Poupon, Judith Chwalow, and the French‐PBC Study Group – 13 August 2004 – The impact of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) on health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) is poorly documented. We assessed quality of life in a group of 276 unselected patients with PBC using the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). This is a generic scale that assesses six major areas commonly associated with HRQOL. Data were compared with those of a sex‐ and age‐matched control group.

Catherine M. Grabau, Sharon F. Crago, Linda K. Hoff, Julie A. Simon, Cheryl A. Melton, Beverly J. Ott, Patrick S. Kamath – 13 August 2004 – Large‐volume paracentesis, the preferred treatment for patients with symptomatic tense ascites due to cirrhosis, has traditionally been performed by physicians as an inpatient procedure.

Guohong Deng, Gangqiao Zhou, Yun Zhai, Shuqing Li, Xuhong Li, Ya Li, Ruifang Zhang, Zhijian Yao, Yan Shen, Boqing Qiang, Yuming Wang, Fuchu He – 13 August 2004 – Several studies have demonstrated that estrogen receptor α (ESR1) participates in the pathogenesis of persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. To examine whether polymorphisms at the ESR1 gene locus are associated with persistent HBV infection, we resequenced ESR1 genomic region for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 27 unrelated Chinese.

Mark Thursz – 13 August 2004