B A Korba, H Xie, K N Wright, W E Hornbuckle, J L Gerin, B C Tennant, K Y Hostetler – 1 May 1996 – It would be desirable to develop antiviral agents that can be targeted to liver to enhance their antiviral effects and reduce nonhepatic toxicity. 2′,3′‐Dideoxyguanosine (ddG) has been found to be a potent and selective antihepatitis B agent both in vitro and in vivo. To evaluate ddG and its liver‐targeted analog, we synthesized a series of phosphatidyl‐ddGs and incubated them with 2.2.15 cells, which chronically produce hepatitis B virus.

J Kartenbeck, U Leuschner, R Mayer, D Keppler – 1 May 1996 – The Dubin‐Johnson syndrome is characterized by an inherited defect in the secretion of amphiphilic anionic conjugates from hepatocytes into the bile. We have recently identified the membrane protein mediating the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)‐dependent transport of glutathione and glucuronate conjugates as a multidrug‐resistance protein (MRP) and localized it to the canalicular as well as to the lateral hepatocyte plasma membrane.

B Nashan, H J Schlitt, G Tusch, K J Oldhafer, B Ringe, S Wagner, R Pichlmayr – 1 May 1996 – Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated in 10% to 36% of those with hepatobiliary malignancies, which are, in the majority of cases, not known prior to transplantation. Diagnosis of carcinomas in a PSC setting at an early stage has not yet been achieved, because there are no differences in the age of patients or clinical course, particularly with regard to the time between diagnosis of PSC and detection of carcinomas.

P Gines, X Li, S E Brown, T Nakamura, P S Guzelian, L E Heasley, R W Schrier, R A Nemenoff – 1 May 1996 – Increased intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels have been shown in some reports to inhibit and in other studies to stimulate growth factor‐mediated activation of the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) pathway, depending on the cell type examined. The relationship between cAMP and MAP kinase in hepatocytes has not been examined.

D Carr‐Locke – 1 May 1996

Julia M. Potter, Michael Oellerich – 1 May 1996 – The hepatic metabolism of lidocaine to monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) is the basis of a dynamic test of liver function. To understand its potential value in liver transplantation, the latter has been considered in the following three separate stages: pretransplantation assessment of potential candidates, potential liver donors, and the transplant recipient. In pretransplantation patients, data support its role in assessing risk of morbidity and mortality.

Nancy L. Ascher – 1 May 1996 – T tubes are commonly used to splint biliary anastomoses after liver transplantation. Although several advantages are claimed for this approach, there is undoubtedly some iatrogenic morbidity associated with the use of T tubes in this situation. We have evaluated 120 consecutively biliary reconstructions after liver transplant, the majority of which are unsplinted end to end bile duct anastomoses. We have shown that biliary leakage and stricture rates are not significantly affected by T tubes.

William M. Lee – 1 May 1996

M J Gomez‐Lechon, I Guillen, X Ponsoda, R Fabra, R Trullenque, T Nakamura, J V Castell – 1 May 1996 – Human hepatocytes stimulated with human recombinant hepatocyte growth factor (h‐rHGF) (10 ng/mL) displayed a characteristic lag period before entering into the S phase. The duration of this delay was dependent on the timing of h‐rHGF addition to cultures. The highest peak of DNA synthesis was observed at 120 hours of culture when hepatocytes were stimulated with h‐rHGF at 72 hours of culture.

O Bandin, J Courvalin, R Poupon, L Dubel, J Homberg, C Johanet – 1 May 1996 – Between 10% and 42% of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) have been reported to have autoantibodies directed against a restricted epitope of gp210, a glycoprotein of the nuclear pore membrane. The prevalence and specificity of these antibodies was studied in a French series of 285 patients with PBC and 497 control individuals affected with other liver or autoimmune diseases.