Role of Kupffer cells and the spleen in modulation of endotoxin‐induced liver injury after partial hepatectomy

S Suzuki, S Nakamura, A Serizawa, T Sakaguchi, H Konno, H Muro, I Kosugi, S Baba – 1 July 1996 – The hypothesis that both activated Kupffer cells and the spleen may be responsible for endotoxin‐induced liver injury following partial hepatectomy was investigated.

Beneficial effect of ribavirin on hepatitis C‐associated cryoglobulinemia after liver transplantation

Rifaat Safadi, Daniel Shouval, Ran Tur Kaspa, Yaffa Ashur, Yaron Ilan – 1 July 1996 – Mixed cryoglobulinemia is a well‐known complication after hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We report five cases in which cryoglobulinemia appeared or grossly exacerbated following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Cryoglobulinemia and the associated clinical symptoms resolved or improved in two patients treated with ribavirin after liver transplantation, while plasmapheresis was ineffective in another patient.

Letters to the editor

Giuseppe Francesco Stefanini, Francesco Giuseppe Foschi, Lorenzo Marsigli, Cristiana Fumelli, Gian Luca Grazi, Gunnar Söderdahl, Ole Suhr, Gösta Holmgren, Gustaf Herlenius, Bo‐Göran Ericzon, Jean‐Francois Desjardins, Jean‐Piere Campion, Bruno Clement, Pierre‐Alain Clavien – 1 July 1996

Activation of fetal promoters of insulinlike growth factors II gene in hepatitis C virus–related chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma

G Nardone, M Romano, A Calabrò, P V Pedone, I de Sio, M Persico, G Budillon, C B Bruni, A Riccio, R Zarrilli – 1 June 1996 – Increased prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been found in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The expression of insulinlike growth factor II (IGF‐II) has been linked to hepatocarcinogenesis in the experimental animal and in humans.

Ursodeoxycholic acid for liver disease associated with cystic fibrosis: A double‐blind multicenter trial

C Colombo, P M Battezzati, M Podda, N Bettinardi, A Giunta – 1 June 1996 – Liver disease is increasingly recognized as a major cause of morbidity in cystic fibrosis (CF). Preliminary data suggest that ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) may be beneficial for treatment of this manifestation. We performed a double‐blind, multicenter trial in these patients to establish efficacy and safety of UDCA in terms of the improvement of clinical and nutritional indicators besides standard liver function tests.

Insulin‐like growth factor II/mannose 6‐phosphate‐receptor expression in liver and serum during acute CCl4 intoxication in the rat

P J De Bleser, C D Scott, T Niki, G Xu, E Wisse, A Geerts – 1 June 1996 – The liver is reported to be the main source of soluble insulin‐like growth factor‐II/mannose 6‐phosphate (IGF‐II/M6P) receptor in adults. In view of the role of this receptor in the activation of transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β) during hepatic fibrogenesis, we have investigated the correlation between serum levels and tissue expression of the receptor during acute CCl4 intoxication of the rat.

Comparison of glial fibrillary acidic protein and desmin staining in normal and CCl4‐induced fibrotic rat livers

T Niki, P J De Bleser, G Xu, K Van der Berg, E Wisse, A Geerts – 1 June 1996 – Fat‐storing cells are the major producers of extracellular matrix in the liver. A good immunocytochemical marker is, however, still lacking for this cell type. Desmin, frequently used by most investigators, fails to stain many pericentral fat‐storing cells in normal rat liver. The aim of the present study is to evaluate glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) as an alternative marker of fat‐storing cells.

Decreased ureagenesis from alanine, but not from ammonia and glutamine, in the perfused rat liver after partial hepatectomy

M Moriyama, I Makiyama, M Shiota, K Uesugi, Y Kannan, M Ohta, K Kimura, T Sugano – 1 June 1996 – Ureagenesis from ammonia, alanine, and glutamine in the liver after partial hepatectomy (PH) was determined by using the liver‐perfusion system. The maximum rate of ureagenesis from ammonium chloride (10 mmol/L) in hepatectomized (HX) rats at 24 hours after surgery was obtained in the presence of ornithine, lactate, and pyruvate, and it was almost identical to that in sham‐operated (SO) rats.

Use of an asialoglycoprotein receptor‐targeted magnetic resonance contrast agent to study changes in receptor biology during liver regeneration and endotoxemia in rats

C R Leveille‐Webster, J Rogers, I M Arias – 1 June 1996 – The hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor is responsible for rapid clearance of desiaylated glycoproteins from the circulation by receptor‐ mediated endocytosis. Previous in vitro studies in hepatocyte preparations from rats subjected to partial hepatectomy (PH) of 70% to stimulate hepatic regeneration showed decreased asialoglycoprotein (ASGP) receptor binding. We used an ASGP receptor‐targeted hepatic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agent, BMS 180550, to demonstrate similar changes in receptor biology in vivo.

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