Rita Carini, Maria Grazia De Cesaris, Roberta Splendore, Cinzia Domenicotti, Maria Paola Nitti, Maria Adelaide Pronzato, Emanuele Albano – 30 December 2003 – Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) reduces ischemia and/or reperfusion damage in several organs, but the mechanisms involved are largely unknown. We used freshly isolated rat hepatocytes to investigate the mechanisms by which ANP enhances hepatocyte resistance to hypoxia.

Agustín Albillos, Antonio de la Hera, Mónica González, Jose‐Luis Moya, Jose‐Luis Calleja, Jorge Monserrat, Luis Ruiz‐del‐Arbol, Melchor Alvarez‐Mon – 30 December 2003 – Intestinal bacterial overgrowth and translocation, both common in cirrhosis with ascites, may lead to the activation of monocytes and lymphocytes, increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines, and enhanced synthesis of nitric oxide present in cirrhosis. Bacterial endotoxin promotes the synthesis of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐binding protein (LBP), and forms a LPS‐LBP complex that binds to CD14.

Rolf J. Schauer, Alexander L. Gerbes, Daniel Vonier, Mark op den Winkel, Peter Fraunberger, Manfred Bilzer – 30 December 2003 – Ischemic preconditioning (IP) triggers protection of the liver from prolonged subsequent ischemia. However, the underlying protective mechanisms are largely unknown. We investigated whether and how IP protects the liver against reperfusion injury caused by Kupffer cell (KC)‐derived oxidants.

Atsushi Kato, Tomohisa Okaya, Alex B. Lentsch – 30 December 2003 – Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury involves a complex inflammatory cascade resulting in neutrophil‐mediated injury of hepatocytes. Previous studies from our laboratory have established that exogenous administration of the anti‐inflammatory cytokines interleukin 10 (IL‐10) and IL‐13 can ameliorate the inflammatory response and significantly reduce hepatocellular injury.

Andreas Geier, Christoph G. Dietrich, Carsten Gartung – 30 December 2003

Michael Rugaard Jensen, Valentina M. Factor, Anna Fantozzi, Kristian Helin, Chang‐Goo Huh, Snorri S. Thorgeirsson – 30 December 2003 – Cyclin G1 is a transcriptional target of the tumor suppressor p53, and its expression is increased after DNA damage. Recent data show that cyclin G1 can regulate the levels of p53 by a mechanism that involves dephosphorylation of Mdm2 by protein phosphatase 2A. To understand the biologic role of cyclin G1, we have generated cyclin G1‐deficient mice.

Claudio Puoti, Roberto Castellacci, Fabrizio Montagnese, Lia Bellis, Federica Festuccia, Paolo Corvisieri – 30 December 2003

Javier Sola‐Vera, Josep Miñana, Elena Ricart, Montserrat Planella, Begoña González, Xavier Torras, Jose Rodríguez, José Such, Sonia Pascual, Germán Soriano, Miguel Pérez‐Mateo, Carlos Guarner – 30 December 2003 – Paracentesis‐induced circulatory dysfunction (PICD) is a recently described complication that can be prevented with the administration of plasma expanders. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of saline versus albumin in the prevention of PICD. Patients were randomized to receive albumin or saline after total paracentesis.

Michele Barone, Eugenio Maiorano, Roberta Ladisa, Rosario Cuomo, Antonia Pece, Pasquale Berloco, Maria Lucia Caruso, Anna Maria Valentini, Achille Iolascon, Antonio Francavilla, Alfredo Di Leo, Enzo Ierardi – 30 December 2003 – Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgenic mice (official designation, Tg [Alb‐1 HBV] Bri 44) invariably develop macroscopically evident tumors within the 20th month of life. Sustained proliferative activity seems to play an important role in the development of these lesions.

Nam‐On Ku, Roy M. Soetikno, M. Bishr Omary – 30 December 2003 – Hepatocytes express keratins 8 and 18 (K8/18) as their only cytoskeletal intermediate filament (IF) proteins, and K8/18 mutations predispose their carriers to liver cirrhosis. Transgenic mice that overexpress mutant human K18 (Arg89→Cys [R89C]) develop mild chronic hepatitis, hepatocyte fragility, keratin filament disruption, and increased susceptibility to drug‐induced liver injury.