C.‐Thomas Bock, Hans L. Tillmann, Michael P. Manns, Christian Trautwein – 30 December 2003 – The functional role of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) pre‐S region for assembly and appearance of the virus is not completely understood. In this study, 3 natural‐occurring mutants were investigated. Three mutants of the pre‐S region—a point mutation in the CCAAT box (MUT1), a 6‐bp deletion (MUT2) 3′ of the CCAAT box, and a 153‐bp deletion (MUT3) in the preS2 domain—were cloned alone or in combinations in replication‐competent HBV plasmids and transfected in hepatoma cells.

Catherine J. Edwards‐Smith, Julie R. Jonsson, David M. Purdie, Amolak Bansal, Claudia Shorthouse, Elizabeth E. Powell – 30 December 2003 – Serum levels of interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) are elevated in a proportion of patients with untreated chronic hepatitis C, and this may compromise the host immune response to the virus. The capacity for IL‐10 production varies according to the genetic composition of the IL‐10 locus.

Jenny Heathcote, John McHutchison, Samuel Lee, Myron Tong, Kent Benner, Gerald Minuk, Teresa Wright, John Fikes, Brian Livingston, Alex Sette, Robert Chestnut – 30 December 2003 – Clinical observations suggest that eradication of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is immune‐mediated. Vigorous cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity directed at HLA class I–bound viral epitopes are detected during acute hepatitis B, but not in chronic hepatitis B carriers.

Osamu Isokawa, Takeshi Suda, Yutaka Aoyagi, Hirokazu Kawai, Takashi Yokota, Toru Takahashi, Kazuhiro Tsukada, Takeaki Shimizu, Shigeki Mori, Yoichi Abe, Yasafumi Suzuki, Minoru Nomoto, Yusaku Mita, Masahiko Yanagi, Hirotaka Igarashi, Hitoshi Asakura – 30 December 2003 – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mainly arises from the liver with chronic inflammation. Because telomere reduction reflects replicative history in somatic cells, we analyzed the possibility that liver tissues surrounding HCC consist of the cells carrying substantial reduction of telomere.

30 December 2003

Jörg Heller, Philippe Sogni, Khalid A. Tazi, Carine Chagneau, Odile Poirel, Richard Moreau, Didier Lebrec – 30 December 2003 – Hyporeactivity to vasoconstrictors in aortae from portal vein‐stenosed rats is associated with an increased activity of endothelial NO synthase (NOS3). In contrast, during sepsis, which is common in cirrhosis, vascular hyporeactivity is associated with an induction of inducible NOS2.

Richard J. Stockert, David C. Spray, Yang Gao, Sylvia O. Suadicani, Catherine R. Ripley, Phyllis M. Novikoff, Allan W. Wolkoff, Elliot L. Hertzberg – 30 December 2003 – The Trf1 cell line, selected from the human hepatoma cell line HuH‐7, manifests altered trafficking of various plasma membrane proteins. In particular, there is a striking loss of State 2 asialoglycoprotein receptors. This cell line is shown here to also manifest defects in function and assembly of gap junctions comprising connexin43 (Cx43). No alteration of Cx43 expression or phosphorylation was apparent.

Wladimiro Jiménez, Josefa Ros, Manuel Morales‐Ruiz, Miguel Navasa, Manuel Solé, Jordi Colmenero, Pau Sort, Francisca Rivera, Vicente Arroyo, Juan Rodés – 30 December 2003 – The present study assessed whether peritoneal macrophages isolated from cirrhotic patients produce nitric oxide (NO) and express NO synthase type II (NOS II) mRNA and protein. Patients with cirrhosis and ascites without peritonitis or with unresolved or resolved spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) were studied. Following paracentesis, ascites NO + NO content (NOx) was measured.

K. Rajender Reddy, Jay H. Hoofnagle, Myron J. Tong, William M. Lee, Paul Pockros, E. Jenny Heathcote, Donald Albert, Tenshang Joh – 30 December 2003 – The likelihood of a sustained response to a course of interferon in patients with chronic hepatitis C correlates with several clinical and viral factors, including age, viral genotype and initial levels of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in serum. The role of race and ethnicity has not been assessed.

Yves Benhamou, Marie Bochet, Vincent Di Martino, Frederic Charlotte, Felipe Azria, Anne Coutellier, Michel Vidaud, François Bricaire, Pierre Opolon, Christine Katlama, Thierry Poynard, for the MULTIVIRC Group – 30 December 2003 – The natural history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐infected patients has never been studied according to the concept of liver fibrosis progression. The aim of this work was to assess the fibrosis progression rate in HIV‐HCV coinfected patients and in patients infected by HCV only.