Giorgio Senaldi, Christine L. Shaklee, Bernadett Simon, Christopher G. Rowan, David L. Lacey, Thomas Hartung – 30 December 2003 – Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) promotes epithelial growth and differentiation and has potent effects on the liver. The coinjection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and d ‐galactosamine (GalN) results in hepatic failure in mice. Mechanistically, LPS‐induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF) triggers hepatocyte apoptosis, which is enhanced by GalN‐arrested transcription. Similarly, the combination of TNF and actinomycin D (ActD) causes hepatocyte apoptosis in vitro.

Belinda C. Smith, Jane Grove, Muna A. Guzail, Christopher P. Day, Ann K. Daly, Alastair D. Burt, Margaret F. Bassendine – 30 December 2003 – Hepatic iron has been associated with more aggressive liver disease in chronic viral hepatitis. We evaluated whether the recently described C282Y mutation of the hemochromatosis gene, designated HFE (responsible for at least 83% of hereditary hemochromatosis), was associated with more advanced liver disease in chronic hepatitis C.

Fabienne Pessione, Françoise Degos, Patrick Marcellin, Véronique Duchatelle, Corinne Njapoum, Michèle Martinot‐Peignoux, Claude Degott, Dominique Valla, Serge Erlinger, Bernard Rueff – 30 December 2003 – The role of alcohol intake in the occurrence of severe liver disease in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers is still debated. A cross‐sectional study has been conducted in 233 chronic hepatitis C virus carriers.

Shuichi Okada – 30 December 2003

Michelle J. Hooth, Jack L. Vincent, William B. Coleman, Sharon C. Presnell, Joe W. Grisham, Gary J. Smith – 30 December 2003 – The genomic evolution of a cohort of WB‐F344 rat liver epithelial cell lineages undergoing spontaneous neoplastic transformation was followed to define the mechanistic relationship between genomic instability and progression to the neoplastic phenotype.

Luigi Accatino, Margarita Pizarro, Nancy Solís, Cecilia S. Koenig – 30 December 2003 – Increased biliary secretion of cholesterol and lipid vesicles (unilamellae and multilamellae) induced by diosgenin (D), a plant‐derived steroid, has cytoprotective effects in the rat liver subjected to obstructive cholestasis.

Catherine Chaumontet, Giovanna Mazzoleni, Catherine Decaens, Valérie Bex, Doris Cassio, Paule Martel – 30 December 2003 – Gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) plays an essential role in the control of growth, differentiation, and functions of different tissues. The expression of connexins (Cxs), the structural proteins of gap junctions, is developmentally regulated and tissue‐specific In vivo hepatocytes express Cx32 and Cx26. Most currently available in vitro hepatic cell systems express Cx43 instead of the expected Cxs.

Teh‐ia Huo, Jaw‐ching Wu, Pui‐ching Lee, Gar‐yang Chau, Wing‐yu Lui, Shyh‐haw Tsay, Ling‐tan Ting, Full‐young Chang, Shou‐dong Lee – 30 December 2003 – The incidence of delayed hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance in the natural history of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐infected patients was low. Previous studies regarding the prognosis in such patients were controversial. Among 1,355 chronic carriers from 1985 to 1997, spontaneous HBsAg clearance was observed in 55 patients.

Olivier Chazouillères, Dominique Wendum, Lawrence Serfaty, Sarah Montembault, Olivier Rosmorduc, Raoul Poupon – 30 December 2003 – The association of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is thought to be rare, and its optimal treatment is unknown. Of 130 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of PBC, we identified 12 cases (9.2%) of overlap syndrome (10 females, 2 males; median age, 50 years) strictly defined by the presence of at least two of the three recognized biochemical, serological, and histological criteria of each disease.

Raffaello Sostegni, Valeria Ghisetti, Fabrizia Pittaluga, Giovanna Marchiaro, Giuseppe Rocca, Elisabetta Borghesio, Mario Rizzetto, Giorgio Saracco – 30 December 2003 – We conducted a three‐arm, randomized trial in 96 patients with chronic hepatitis C who did not respond to interferon alfa to compare treatments.