Verena Keitel, Jürgen Kartenbeck, Anne T. Nies, Herbert Spring, Manuela Brom, Dietrich Keppler – 30 December 2003 – The Dubin‐Johnson syndrome is an inherited disorder characterized by conjugated hyperbilirubinemia. The deficient hepatobiliary transport of anionic conjugates is caused by the absence of a functional multidrug‐resistance protein 2 (MRP2, symbol ABCC2) from the apical (canalicular) membrane of hepatocytes. Mechanisms underlying this deficiency may include rapid degradation of mutated MRP2 messenger RNA (mRNA) or impaired MRP2 protein maturation and trafficking.

Shigeki Arii, Yoshio Yamaoka, Syunji Futagawa, Kyoichi Inoue, Kenichi Kobayashi, Masamichi Kojiro, Masatoshi Makuuchi, Yasuni Nakamura, Kiwamu Okita, Ryusaku Yamada – 30 December 2003 – Hepatic resection (HX), percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI), and transcatheter arterial embolization (TCAE) have all been used in the treatment of patients with small‐sized hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). However, the indications for these therapeutic modalities remain unclear.

Manfred Wiese, Frieder Berr, Michael Lafrenz, Heiner Porst, Ute Oesen – 30 December 2003 – From August 1978 until March 1979, 14 batches of anti‐D immune globulin contaminated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b (20,000‐480,000 copies/dose) from a single erythrocyte donor had been administered for prophylaxis of rhesus isoimmunization throughout East Germany. All 2,867 women involved had been recalled after January 12, 1979 for repeated screening of alanine transaminase (ALT). They were prospectively followed in regional centers.

Liyue Huang, Johan W. Smit, Dirk K. Meijer, Mary Vore – 30 December 2003 – The present study evaluates the roles of the multidrug resistance‐1 P‐glycoprotein, Mdr1a/1b, the bile salt export pump (Bsep), and the multidrug resistance‐associated protein‐2 (Mrp2) in mediating cholestasis induced by estradiol‐17β(β‐d ‐glucuronide) (E2 17G). Administration of [3H]E2 17G (18 nmol/g body weight) gave a similar degree of cholestasis and biliary excretion of E2 17G‐equivalents in wild‐type and Mdr1a‐/‐/1b‐/‐ mice.

Lu Wang, Zhao‐You Tang, Lun‐Xiu Qin, Xiao‐Feng Wu, Hui‐Chuan Sun, Qiong Xue, Sheng‐Long Ye – 30 December 2003 – Postoperative recurrence of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major issue that must be addressed to further improve prognosis. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of interferon‐alfa‐1b (IFN‐α‐1b) on recurrent tumor and metastasis after curative resection in nude mice bearing an HCC xenograft with high metastatic potential. Tumor tissues from LCI‐D20, a metastatic model of HCC in nude mice, were orthotopically implanted in 105 nude mice.

Adrian M. Di Bisceglie, Herbert L. Bonkovsky, Sanjiv Chopra, Stephen Flamm, Rajender K. Reddy, Norman Grace, Paul Killenberg, Christine Hunt, Carlo Tamburro, Anthony S. Tavill, Roy Ferguson, Edward Krawitt, Barbara Banner, Bruce R. Bacon – 30 December 2003 – Hepatic iron concentration has consistently been observed as being directly correlated with the response to interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Shawn J. Pelletier, Daniel P. Raymond, Traves D. Crabtree, Julia C. Iezzoni, Robert G. Sawyer, Young S. Hahn, Timothy L. Pruett – 30 December 2003 – The evolution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope variation was studied using a liver‐transplant model to evaluate the role of HCV quasispecies for hepatocyte infection.

Yasuharu Imai, Takamichi Murakami, Shigeyuki Yoshida, Masahiro Nishikawa, Masahiko Ohsawa, Koh Tokunaga, Masaru Murata, Kunitaka Shibata, Shinichiro Zushi, Masanori Kurokawa, Takeshi Yonezawa, Sumio Kawata, Manabu Takamura, Hiroaki Nagano, Masato Sakon, Morito Monden, Kenichi Wakasa, Hironobu Nakamura – 30 December 2003 – Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)–enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has been used for the detection of hepatic tumors. However, little is known about this technique in relation to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Peer Flemming, Ulrich Lehmann, Thomas Becker, Jürgen Klempnauer, Hans Kreipe – 30 December 2003 – Angiomyolipoma represents a rare liver tumor of uncertain histogenesis that is commonly considered a hamartoma. A series of 12 hepatic angiomyolipomas, including 3 samples of the epithelioid subtype, was analyzed for clonality using the human androgen receptor gene locus (HUMARA). Four of 6 informative cases revealed monoclonality. The polyclonal pattern in the 2 remaining cases was most probably caused by excessive infiltration of inflammatory cells.

Kenji Ikeda, Yasuji Arase, Satoshi Saitoh, Masahiro Kobayashi, Yoshiyuki Suzuki, Fumitaka Suzuki, Akihito Tsubota, Kazuaki Chayama, Naoya Murashima, Hiromitsu Kumada – 30 December 2003 – Because hepatocellular carcinoma often recurs after surgical resection or ethanol injection therapy, we conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial of interferon (IFN) in patients with chronic liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV).