Cell adhesion regulates platelet‐derived growth factor–induced MAP kinase and PI‐3 kinase activation in stellate cells

Vinicio Carloni, Raffaella M. S. DeFranco, Alessandra Caligiuri, Alessandra Gentilini, Silvia Cappadona Sciammetta, Elisabetta Baldi, Benedetta Lottini, Paolo Gentilini, Massimo Pinzani – 30 December 2003 – The biologic effects of growth factors are dependent on cell adhesion, and a cross talk occurs between growth factors and adhesion complexes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of cell adhesion on the major intracellular signaling pathways elicited by platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) in hepatic stellate cells (HSC).

Toll‐Like receptor 4 mediates inflammatory signaling by bacterial lipopolysaccharide in human hepatic stellate cells

Yong‐Han Paik, Robert F. Schwabe, Ramón Bataller, Maria P. Russo, Christian Jobin, David A. Brenner – 30 December 2003 – Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulates Kupffer cells and participates in the pathogenesis of alcohol‐induced liver injury. However, it is unknown whether LPS directly affects hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the main fibrogenic cell type in the injured liver. This study characterizes LPS‐induced signal transduction and proinflammatory gene expression in activated human HSCs.

Repopulation of rat liver by fetal hepatoblasts and adult hepatocytes transduced ex vivo with lentiviral vectors

Michael Oertel, Richard Rosencrantz, Yuan‐Qing Chen, Prashanthi N. Thota, Jaswinderpal S. Sandhu, Mariana D. Dabeva, Annmarie L. Pacchia, Martin E. Adelson, Joseph P. Dougherty, David A. Shafritz – 30 December 2003 – Recent studies have shown that nondividing primary cells, such as hepatocytes, can be efficiently transduced in vitro by human immunodeficiency virus‐based lentivirus vectors. Other studies have reported that, under certain conditions, the liver can be repopulated with transplanted hepatocytes.

Gene expression associated with interferon alfa antiviral activity in an HCV replicon cell line

Haizhen Zhu, Hongshan Zhao, Christin D. Collins, Sarah E. Eckenrode, Qingguo Run, Richard A. McIndoe, James M. Crawford, David R. Nelson, Jin‐Xiong She, Chen Liu – 30 December 2003 – Interferon alfa (IFN‐α)‐based treatment is the only therapeutic option for chronic hepatitis C viral infection. However, the molecular mechanisms of IFN‐α antiviral activity are not completely understood. The recent development of an HCV replicon cell culture system provides a feasible experimental model to investigate the molecular details of IFN‐induced direct antiviral activity in hepatocytes.

MHC class II‐expressing hepatocytes function as antigen‐presenting cells and activate specific CD4 T lymphocyutes

Johannes Herkel, Bettina Jagemann, Christiane Wiegard, Jose Francisco Garcia Lazaro, Stefan Lueth, Stephan Kanzler, Manfred Blessing, Edgar Schmitt, Ansgar W. Lohse – 30 December 2003 – The ability to activate CD4 T cells is restricted to antigen‐presenting cells that express major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules. Parenchymal cells normally do not express MHC class II molecules; however, in clinical hepatitis, viral or autoimmune, hepatocytes often exhibit aberrant MHC class II expression.

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