Inactivation of stress protein p8 increases murine carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity via preserved CYP2E1 activity

David Taïeb, Cédric Malicet, Stéphane Garcia, Palma Rocchi, Christiane Arnaud, Jean‐Charles Dagorn, Juan L. Iovanna, Sophie Vasseur – 16 June 2005 – The p8 protein is a transcription factor that regulates the expression of genes involved in cell defense against the adverse effects of stress. Its expression is strongly, rapidly, and transiently induced in most cells on exposure to various stress agents. This study assessed the role of p8 in the response of the liver to CCl4‐induced injury. We found that p8 was indeed overexpressed in the liver after CCl4 administration.

Is the FXR the fix for cholesterol gallstone disease?

Brian D. Juran, Konstantinos N. Lazaridis – 16 June 2005 – Cholesterol gallstone disease is characterized by several events, including cholesterol precipitation in bile, increased bile salt hydrophobicity and gallbladder inflammation. Here, we describe the same phenotype in mice lacking the bile acid receptor, FXR. Furthermore, in susceptible wild‐type mice that recapitulate human cholesterol gallstone disease, treatment with a synthetic FXR agonist prevented sequelae of the disease.

Functional analysis of hepatitis B virus reactivating in hepatitis B surface antigen‐negative individuals

Meike Hass, Charles Hannoun, Tatyana Kalinina, Gunhild Sommer, Christoph Manegold, Stephan Günther – 16 June 2005 – The biological properties of latent or occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) have been poorly characterized as a result of the extremely low virus concentration. This report describes the phenotype of HBV reactivating in two patients after an HBsAg‐negative latency period. One patient had latent HBV infection for at least 12 years without detectable viremia and symptoms of liver disease.

Comprehensive analyses of CD8+ T cell responses during longitudinal study of acute human hepatitis C

Andrea L. Cox, Timothy Mosbruger, Georg M. Lauer, Drew Pardoll, David L. Thomas, Stuart C. Ray – 16 June 2005 – We comprehensively studied the cellular immune response during acute human hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection by monthly prospective sampling of persons at high risk of infection. In 19 of 23 subjects, interferon‐gamma–secreting T cells specific for 1 or more peptides spanning the entire HCV polyprotein were detected 1 to 3 months after infection.

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