Efficacy and safety of pegylated (40‐kd) interferon α‐2a compared with interferon α‐2a in noncirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis C

K. Rajender Reddy, Teresa L. Wright, Paul J. Pockros, Mitchell Shiffman, Gregory Everson, Robert Reindollar, Michael W. Fried, Preston P. Purdum, Donald Jensen, Coleman Smith, William M. Lee, Thomas D. Boyer, Amy Lin, Simon Pedder, Jean DePamphilis – 30 December 2003 – Administration of interferon (IFN) 3 times weekly in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is associated with low sustained responses, which may be, in part, related to this regimen's inability to maintain IFN concentrations sufficient to suppress viral replication.

Altered expression of heme oxygenase‐1 in the livers of patients with portal hypertensive diseases

Nobuya Makino, Makoto Suematsu, Yoshiaki Sugiura, Hiroyasu Morikawa, Susumu Shiomi, Nobuhito Goda, Tsuyoshi Sano, Yuji Nimura, Keizo Sugimachi, Yuzuru Ishimura – 30 December 2003 – This study was designed to determine changes in expression of heme oxygenase (HO)‐1, the stress‐inducible and carbon monoxide–producing enzyme, in normotensive and portal hypertensive human livers. GTS‐1, a monoclonal antibody against rat HO‐1 cross‐reacted with the human HO‐1 and blocked its enzyme activity, allowing us to examine the activity and localization of HO‐1.

Altered Gene Expression in the Liver of γ‐Glutamyl Transpeptidase–Deficient Mice

Geetha M. Habib, Zheng‐zheng Shi, Ching‐nan Ou, Geeta Kala, Subbarao V. Kala, Michael W. Lieberman – 30 December 2003 – We used mice deficient in γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) to analyze the effects of GGT deficiency and altered thiol levels on gene expression in liver. GGT‐deficient mice have markedly reduced levels of glutathione (GSH), cysteine, methionine, and cysteinylglycine in liver.

Assessment of Long‐Term Outcomes of Community‐Acquired Hepatitis C Infection in a Cohort With Sera Stored From 1971 to 1975

Alison J. Rodger, Stuart Roberts, Anna Lanigan, Scott Bowden, Tracy Brown, Nick Crofts – 30 December 2003 – The aim of this study was to examine the long‐term effects of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on a cohort of patients admitted with acute viral hepatitis from 1971 through 1975. The availability of stored sera from this time enabled testing to identify those who were anti‐HCV–positive on admission. Sixteen percent (n = 238) of the cohort tested anti‐HCV–positive. The unexposed group was selected from those who were anti‐HCV–negative.

Effects of carcinogen‐induced transcription factors on the activation of hepatitis B virus expression in human hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells and its implication on hepatocellular carcinomas

Ranjit Banerjee, Lorraine Caruccio, Yu Jing Zhang, Scott McKercher, Regina M. Santella – 30 December 2003 – To elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the action of common carcinogens, which can act as important cofactors in modulating hepatitis B virus–mediated hepatocellular carcinogenesis, we have investigated the influence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB), a potent liver carcinogen, as well as benzo[a]pyrene (BP) and 4‐aminobiphenyl (4‐ABP), carcinogens in cigarette smoke, on the induction of various transcription factors in human hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells.

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