Masaru Enomoto, Shuhei Nishiguchi, Katsuhiko Fukuda, Tetsuo Kuroki, Motoharu Tanaka, Shuzo Otani, Masayuki Ogami, Takeyuki Monna – 30 December 2003 – GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV‐C/HGV) infection seems to be common among patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We studied retrospectively the proportions of patients with GBV‐C/HGV RNA and antibodies to the GBV‐C/HGV second envelope protein (anti‐E2) among 149 subjects with chronic hepatitis C who had received interferon alfa.

Kichiko Koike, Hiromi Ishibashi, Masahiko Koike – 30 December 2003 – Analysis of the primary structure of the lipoyl domain of the dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase (PDC‐E2) component of the porcine pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) reveals a high degree of homology with M2 antigen and human PDC‐E2. The porcine PDC‐E2 and the dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase (OGDC‐E2) component of the porcine 2‐oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDC) were identified as mitochondrial autoantigen with sera from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC).

Jinshan Shen, Jadine A. Moy, Mitchell D. Green, F. Peter Guengerich, Jeffrey Baron – 30 December 2003 – Although intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells are targets for certain hepatotoxic chemicals, including some procarcinogens, their ability to monooxygenate, and thereby bioactivate and inactivate xenobiotics, remains to be established. Thus, the present study was undertaken to immunohistochemically determine if cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1/1A2 is present and can be induced within these non‐ parenchymal liver cells.

Vito L. Burgio, Giorgio Ballardini, Marco Artini, Marcello Caratozzolo, Francesco B. Bianchi, Massimo Levrero – 30 December 2003 – In this paper we show that in viral hepatitis most Kupffer cells (KCs) are activated and express high levels of CD80, CD40, and class‐II MHC molecules, thus acquiring the phenotype of professional antigen presenting cells (APCs). Activated KCs display a close contact with CD4+ T lymphocytes and form KCs‐T lymphocyte clusters.

Marchelle I. Allen, Manon Deslauriers, C. Webster Andrews, Graham A. Tipples, Kathie‐Anne Walters, David L. Tyrrell, Nathaniel Brown, Lamivudine Clinical Investigation Group, Lynn D. Condreay – 30 December 2003 – Cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma occur as long‐term complications of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Antiviral therapy is potentially a successful approach for the treatment of patients with HBV infection, which includes the nucleoside analog, lamivudine [(‐)2′‐deoxy‐3′‐thiacytidine, 3TC].

Susanne Keiding – 30 December 2003

Arun J. Sanyal, Melissa J. Contos, Dorn Yager, Ya‐nan Zhu, Amy Willey, Martin F. Graham – 30 December 2003 – The clinical utility of transjugular intrahepatic portasystemic shunts (TIPS) is frequently complicated by the ingrowth of tissue into the stent lumen, causing stent stenosis. These studies were undertaken to define the cellular and matrix components of the pseudointima, define the phenotype and function of the mesenchymal cells in the pseudointima and maintain them in culture, and to study the differences between stenotic and nonstenosed stents. A total of 35 stents were evaluated.

Yoshinari Atarashi, Satoshi Yasumura, Shuji Nambu, Yukimatsu Yoshio, Jun Murakami, Terumi Takahara, Kiyohiro Higuchi, Akiharu Watanabe, Keizo Miyata, Masanari Kato – 30 December 2003 – Although treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has recently improved, most patients still relapse and die from this disease. The development of new therapeutic and preventive strategies for HCC is, therefore, required. A novel mutant protein (mutein) of human tumor necrosis factor alfa (TNF‐α mutein F4614,1SSSRGDSD··· 29V ··· 155L) was developed to decrease several adverse effects of TNF‐α.

Stefan Zeuzem, Jürgen M. Schmidt, Jung‐hun Lee, Michael von Wagner, Gerlinde Teuber, W. Kurt Roth – 30 December 2003 – Treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C with recombinant interferon alfa (rIFN‐α) can cause a decrease of serum transaminases and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA. Recent trials evaluating combination therapy of IFN‐α and ribavirin suggested a potential synergistic effect.

Aleta R. Crawford, Xi‐Zhang Lin, James M. Crawford – 30 December 2003 – In assessing adult human liver histology, questions remain concerning the normal number of portal tracts and bile ducts in a liver biopsy. We therefore reviewed liver biopsies obtained with use of a percutaneous Menghini cutting needle (14G, internal diameter 1.6 mm), from 16 patients undergoing liver biopsy for screening procedures (age 49 ± 14 years, ±SD) and found to be normal by histological examination.