Monica G. Chiaramonte, Allen W. Cheever, James D. Malley, Debra D. Donaldson, Thomas A. Wynn – 30 December 2003 – In several allergic, autoimmune, and infectious diseases, fibrosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Here, using a model of infection‐induced liver fibrosis, we show that interleukin (IL)‐13 is required at all stages of Schistosomiasis mansoni infection to induce fibrosis. IL‐4 production was preserved in IL‐13–deficient mice, yet failed to significantly contribute to the fibrotic response in either acute or chronic infection.

Takayoshi Ito, Kotaro Yasui, Jun Mukaigawa, Asao Katsume, Michinori Kohara, Keiji Mitamura – 30 December 2003 – Hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicates in human and chimpanzee hepatocytes. To characterize the nature of HCV and evaluate antiviral agents, the development of an HCV replication system in a cell culture is essential. We developed a cell line derived from human hepatocytes by fusing them with a hepatoblastoma cell line, HepG2, and obtained several clones.

Angeline Bartholomeusz, Stephen Locarnini – 30 December 2003

Robert A. de Man, Leonieke M. M. Wolters, Frederik Nevens, David Chua, Morris Sherman, Cing L. Lai, Adrian Gadano, Youngmee Lee, Fransesco Mazzotta, Neil Thomas, Deborah DeHertogh – 30 December 2003 – Entecavir is an oral antiviral drug with selective activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV). We conducted a randomized, placebo‐controlled, dose‐escalating study in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection in which we evaluated the efficacy and safety of entecavir given for 28 days. Follow‐up was 24 weeks.

Peter Ujhazy, Daniel Ortiz, Suniti Misra, Shohua Li, James Moseley, Hugh Jones, Irwin M. Arias – 30 December 2003 – Mutations in the FIC1 gene constitute the molecular defect in familial intrahepatic cholestasis I (Fic1 [Byler's disease]) and benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis. This report describes the localization of Fic1 in rat liver and intestine, as well as biochemical and transfection studies that support its function as an energy‐dependent aminophospholipid translocase.

Jinlin Hou, Zhanghui Wang, Jinjun Cheng, Yulong Lin, George K. K. Lau, Jian Sun, Fuyuan Zhou, Jenny Waters, Peter Karayiannis, Kangxian Luo – 30 December 2003 – Previous studies have suggested that hepatitis B virus (HBV) variants may account for the presence of HBV DNA in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)‐negative patients (occult HBV infection). However, it is not known how widespread these variants are and how they influence the course of liver disease.

Gianfranco Alpini, Yoshiyuki Ueno, Shannon S. Glaser, Marco Marzioni, Jo Lynne Phinizy, Heather Francis, Gene LeSage – 30 December 2003 – Bile acids (BA) enter cholangiocytes by the Na+‐dependent apical BA transporter (ABAT). By this mechanism, taurocholate (TC) and taurolithocholate (TLC) increase cholangiocyte proliferation. No in vivo studies exist regarding the anatomical sites involved in BA‐regulation of cholangiocyte growth. Specific cholangiocyte subpopulations participate in BA‐regulated proliferation.

Liang Qiao, Kevin Leach, Robert McKinstry, Donna Gilfor, Adly Yacoub, Jong Sung Park, Steven Grant, Philip B. Hylemon, Paul B. Fisher, Paul Dent – 30 December 2003 – Previously, we have linked prolonged intense mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAP kinase; MAPK) signaling in hepatocytes to increased expression of p21Cip‐1/WAF1/MDA6 (p21) and p16INK4a (p16), that leads to a p21‐dependent growth arrest. In this study, we investigated the impact of hepatitis B virus X protein (pX) expression on MAPK‐modulated cell cycle progression in primary mouse hepatocytes.

Maria Francesca Donato, Eliana Arosio, Ersilio Del Ninno, Guido Ronchi, Pietro Lampertico, Alberto Morabito, Maria Rita Balestrieri, Massimo Colombo – 30 December 2003 – The prevalence, risk factors, and clinical significance of high liver cell proliferative activity were investigated in 208 well‐compensated cirrhotic patients (150 men; 50 years; 135 with chronic hepatitis C) who had been under prospective surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with annual abdominal ultrasound (US) and serum α‐fetoprotein (AFP) determination.

Pilar Cejudo‐Martín, Josefa Ros, Miguel Navasa, Javier Fernández, Guillermo Fernádez‐Varo, Luis Ruiz‐del‐Arbol, Francisca Rivera, Vicente Arroyo, Juan Rodés, Wladimiro Jiménez – 30 December 2003 – Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a common complication of cirrhotic patients with ascites that usually results in renal failure and death despite the efficacy of the current antibiotic therapy. The pathogenesis of these phenomena is poorly known but it has been related to the production of vasoactive cell mediators locally acting on the splanchnic vasculature.