Interferon alfa down‐regulates CD81 in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Bernd Kronenberger, Brigitte Rüster, Robert Elez, Stephan Weber, Albrecht Piiper, Jung‐Hun Lee, W. Kurt Roth, Stefan Zeuzem – 30 December 2003 – CD81 protein has been shown to bind hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope 2 (E2) glycoprotein in vitro and may act as a (co)receptor for HCV. Regulation of CD81 expression by interferon alfa (IFN‐α) and ribavirin could thereby affect the response to antiviral therapy.

Global changes in interleukin‐6–dependent gene expression patterns in mouse livers after partial hepatectomy

Wei Li, Xianping Liang, Julie I. Leu, Kellen Kovalovich, Gennaro Ciliberto, Rebecca Taub – 30 December 2003 – Liver regeneration following 70% partial hepatectomy leads to rapid activation of genes in the remnant liver. Interleukin‐6 deficient (IL‐6 −/−) mice have impaired liver regeneration and abnormalities in immediate early gene expression. In this study, the gene expression program in the IL‐6 +/+ and −/− livers at 2 hours posthepatectomy was examined with a cDNA array representing 588 highly regulated mouse genes.

MAdCAM‐1 expressed in chronic inflammatory liver disease supports mucosal lymphocyte adhesion to hepatic endothelium (MAdCAM‐1 in chronic inflammatory liver disease)

Allister J. Grant, Patricia F. Lalor, Stefan G. Hübscher, Michael Briskin, David H. Adams – 30 December 2003 – Mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule (MAdCAM‐1) plays a pivotal role in T‐lymphocyte homing to the gut. Given the strong association between the autoimmune liver diseases primary sclerosing cholangitis and autoimmune hepatitis and inflammatory bowel disease, we investigated the role of MAdCAM‐1 in recruiting mucosal lymphocytes to the liver. MAdCAM‐1 was strongly expressed on inflamed portal vein/sinusoidal endothelium in autoimmune mediated liver disease.

Contact sensitization pretransplantation predicts acute hepatic allograft rejection

Andrew Bathgate, Matthias Dollinger, John Plevris, Christopher Bellamy, Peter Hayes – 30 December 2003 – The loss of hepatic allografts to the rejection processes is now relatively rare, and the reduction of adverse effects related to immunosuppressive therapy is becoming more important as patients survive longer after transplantation. We therefore investigated the response to a contact neoantigen before liver transplantation as a predictor of acute rejection after transplantation.

Vascular invasion and histopathologic grading determine outcome after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhosis

Sven Jonas, Wolf O. Bechstein, Thomas Steinmüller, Martin Herrmann, Cornelia Radke, Thomas Berg, Utz Settmacher, Peter Neuhaus – 30 December 2003 – Selection of patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhosis for liver transplantation follows limits of number and diameter of tumor nodules. It has not been investigated whether there is a correlation of these parameters with vascular invasion. From 1989 to 2000, 1,188 liver transplantations were performed in 1,087 patients, including 120 patients (11%) with an HCC in cirrhosis.

A critical role of T‐cell receptor γ/δ cells in antibacterial protection in mice early in life

Masashi Emoto, Mamiko Miyamoto, Yoshiko Emoto, Jens Zerrahn, Stefan H.E. Kaufmann – 30 December 2003 – Although it is generally assumed that T‐cell receptor (TCR) γ/δ cells participate in protection against intracellular microbial pathogens, their impact remains controversial. In our study, young (14‐day‐old) mice lacking TCRγ/δ cells were far more susceptible to Listeria monocytogenes than wild‐type (WT) mice of the same age.

Living donor liver transplantation for early hepatocellular carcinoma: A life‐expectancy and cost‐effectiveness perspective

François P. Sarasin, Pietro E. Majno, Josep M. Llovet, Jordi Bruix, Gilles Mentha, Antoine Hadengue – 30 December 2003 – Cadaveric liver transplantation (CLT) is an excellent treatment for early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Its use, however, is limited by the shortage of grafts, with up to 30% of patients developing contraindications to the procedure while waiting for a donor. Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has emerged as an alternative to overcome this limitation.

Normal liver regeneration in p50/nuclear factor κB1 knockout mice

Robert A. DeAngelis, Kellen Kovalovich, Drew E. Cressman, Rebecca Taub – 30 December 2003 – Nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) is rapidly activated during liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy or carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)‐mediated liver injury and is felt to be important in the antiapoptotic and regenerative responses. After partial hepatectomy, livers of mice deficient in the p50 subunit of NF‐κB (p50−/−) showed a loss of NF‐κB and decreased STAT3 transcription factor DNA binding activities.

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