Matthias Wettstein, Christian Weik, Claudia Holneicher, Dieter Häussinger – 30 December 2003 – Betaine was recently identified as an osmolyte in rat liver macrophages (Kupffer cells [KCs]) and sinusoidal endothelial cells (SECs). Betaine interferes with KC functions, such as phagocytosis, cytokine, and prostaglandin syntheses. As betaine is derived from choline, the present study was undertaken to evaluate osmosensitivity and cell heterogeneity of choline metabolism in rat liver.

Andrea Fabbri, Giampaolo Bianchi, Mara Brizi, Elisabetta Bugianesi, Donatella Magalotti, Marco Zoli, Giulio Marchesini – 30 December 2003 – Prostaglandins of the E (PGE) series have long been considered “catabolic” hormones, but recent data suggest that they may be secreted in critically ill patients to counteract stress hormones, stimulating protein synthesis. Their use is under scrutiny to improve hepatic microcirculation and as cytoprotective agents. We tested the effects of PGE1 on hepatic and whole‐body nitrogen metabolism in eight patients with cirrhosis.

Anne Couvelard, Annie‐France Bringuier, Marie‐Christine Dauge, Mimoun Nejjari, Emile Darai, Jean‐Louis Benifla, Gérard Feldmann, Dominique Henin, Jean‐Yves Scoazec – 30 December 2003 – Integrins play a pivotal role in organogenesis, by mediating the interactions between differentiating cells and the extracellular matrix. We analyzed the expression of integrins and their ligands during human liver organogenesis.

Masahiro Yamamoto, Kazunori Fukuda, Naoko Miura, Rie Suzuki, Toshitaka Kido, Yasuhiro Komatsu – 30 December 2003 – The authors previously reported that transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‐β1) induces apoptosis in McA‐RH7777 (7777) and McA‐RH8994 (8994) rat hepatoma cell lines. Although these cell lines exhibit different responses to glucocorticoid treatment in various cellular functions and gene expression, dexamethasone (DEX) inhibited spontaneous and TGF‐β1 –induced apoptosis in both.

Franziska Boess, Martin Bopst, Roland Althaus, Stacey Polsky, Steven D. Cohen, Hans‐Pietro Eugster, Urs A. Boelsterli – 30 December 2003 – Recent evidence suggests that macrophages and/or other nonparenchymal cells may release important mediators contributing to the hepatic necrosis induced by high doses of acetaminophen (APAP). The nature and causative role of these mediators has remained elusive, however.

Kevin Moore – 30 December 2003

30 December 2003 – Hepatic injury induced by ischemia and reperfusion is an important clinical problem after liver resection or transplantation. Neutrophils are known to mediate the organ injury, but the precise mechanisms leading to hepatic neutrophil recruitment are undefined. Two CXC chemokines, macrophage inflammatory protein‐2 (MIP‐2) and KC, are potently chemotactic for neutrophils in vitro and have been reported to be involved in neutrophil‐dependent inflammatory tissue injury.

Rebecca Taub – 30 December 2003

Piero Amodio, Piergiorgio Marchetti, Franco Del Piccolo, Giovanni Campo, Cristiano Rizzo, Rosa Maria Iemmolo, Giorgio Gerunda, Lorenza Caregaro, Carlo Merkel, Angelo Gatta – 30 December 2003 – Attentional dysfunction, which influences overall cognitive productivity, is not well characterized in cirrhotic patients. The aim of this study was to clarify the features of covert visual attention orienting in cirrhotics without overt hepatic encephalopathy. One hundred consecutive cirrhotic patients and 40 controls were enrolled.

Luca S. Belli, Luciano de Carlis, Gianfranco Rondinara, Alberto B. Alberti, Giorgio Bellati, Andrea De Gasperi, Domenico Forti, G. Idèo – 30 December 2003 – Maintenance of adequate immunosuppression and avoidance of side‐effects are the goals of long‐term management of all organ‐transplanted patients. We here report the final results of a prospective, randomized trial comparing early cyclosporine monotherapy versus double‐drug therapy (cyclosporine and steroids) in adult liver transplantation patients.