A role for asymmetric dimethylarginine in the pathophysiology of portal hypertension in rats with biliary cirrhosis

Wim Laleman, Anita Omasta, Marc Van de Casteele, Marcel Zeegers, Ingrid Vander Elst, Lien Van Landeghem, Tamara Severi, Jos van Pelt, Tania Roskams, Johan Fevery, Frederik Nevens – 29 November 2005 – Reduced intrahepatic endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity contributes to the pathogenesis of portal hypertension (PHT) associated with cirrhosis. We evaluated whether asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), a putative endogenous NOS inhibitor, may be involved in PHT associated with cirrhosis.

Hepatitis B virus cccDNA clearance: Killing for curing?

Maura Dandri, Jorg Petersen – 29 November 2005 – Chronic hepadnavirus infections cause liver damage with ongoing death and regeneration of hepatocytes. In the present study, we set out to quantify the extent of liver turnover by measuring the clonal proliferation of hepatocytes by using integrated viral DNA as a genetic marker for individual hepatocyte lineages. Liver tissue from woodchucks with chronic woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) infection was assayed for randomly integrated viral DNA by using inverse PCR.

Oral adeno‐associated virus‐sTRAIL gene therapy suppresses human hepatocellular carcinoma growth in mice

Hong Ma, Yanxin Liu, Shilian Liu, Ruian Xu, Dexian Zheng – 29 November 2005 – The extracellular domain of the tumor necrosis factor‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (sTRAIL) may function as a soluble cytokine to selectively kill various cancer cells without toxicity to most normal cells.

A novel panel of blood markers to assess the degree of liver fibrosis

Paul Calès, Frédéric Oberti, Sophie Michalak, Isabelle Hubert‐Fouchard, Marie‐Christine Rousselet, Anselme Konaté, Yves Gallois, Catherine Ternisien, Alain Chevailler, Françoise Lunel – 29 November 2005 – The objective was to develop new blood tests to characterize different fibrosis parameters in viral and alcoholic chronic liver diseases. Measurements included 51 blood markers and Fibrotest, Fibrospect, ELFG, APRI, and Forns scores. The clinically significant fibrosis was evaluated via Metavir staging (F2‐F4), and image analysis was used to determine the area of fibrosis.

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