Targeting naproxen coupled to human serum albumin to nonparenchymal cells reduces endotoxin‐induced mortality in rats with biliary cirrhosis

C Albrecht, D K Meijer, C Lebbe, H Sagesser, B N Melgert, K Poelstra, J Reichen – 30 December 2003 – Endotoxin is thought to play a major role in cirrhotic liver disease. Cyclo‐oxygenase inhibitors were shown to be partially protective against endotoxin but cannot be used in cirrhotic patients because of renal side‐effects.

Sexual and perinatal transmission of hepatitis C

J L Dienstag – 30 December 2003 – Such nonpercutaneous routes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission as sexual and perinatal spread are relatively inefficient. Several observations have been cited to support a role for sexual transmission of hepatitis C. Approximately 10% of persons with reported cases of acute hepatitis C in the United States report a history of potential sexual exposure. Anecdotal cases of sexual transmission have been reported, and HCV nucleotide sequence homology has been observed in viral isolates from sexual partners.

Increased renal and vascular cytosolic phospholipase A2 activity in rats with cirrhosis and ascites

Michel Niederberger, Pere Ginès, Pierre‐Yves Martin, Judy St. John, Paul Woytaszek, Lieming Xu, Phoebe Tsai, Raphael A. Nemenoff, Robert W. Schrier – 30 December 2003 – Indirect evidence suggests that the renal and vascular production of prostaglandins is increased in cirrhosis with ascites. However, the activity of the enzymes regulating the prostaglandin pathway has not been investigated in cirrhosis.

Pharmacological expression in rat hepatocytes of a gene transferred by an adenovirus vector enabled by a chimeric promoter containing multiple cyclic adenosine monophosphate response elements

Motoyoshi Suzuki, Ravi N. Singh, Ronald G. Crystal – 30 December 2003 – Using the adenovirus vector AdCF126(CRE8).Luc to deliver an expression cassette containing multiple cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response elements driving the luciferase reporter gene, this study is directed toward evaluating the possibility of controlling genes transferred to the liver using pharmacological agents that raise hepatocyte cAMP levels. Infection of primary rat hepatocytes with AdCF126(CRE8).Luc yielded a low level of luciferase activity that was enhanced 16‐fold by the addition of forskolin.

Identification of a protein isolated from senescent human cells that binds to hepatitis B virus X antigen

Bill S. Sun, Xianhua Zhu, Marcy M. Clayton, Jingbo Pan, Mark A. Feitelson – 30 December 2003 – Hepatitis B virus–encoded X antigen contributes to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Given that X antigen functions by binding to other proteins, additional X‐binding proteins were sought from an adult human liver cDNA library in a yeast two‐hybrid system. The results yielded a clone encoding a 55‐kd protein that is associated with replicative senescence (p55sen). Binding of p55sen to X antigen was confirmed in vitro by immunoprecipitation and affinity chromatography.

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