Albert Parés, Josep María Barrera, Joan Caballería, Guadalupe Ercilla, Miquel Bruguera, Llorenç Caballería, Ricardo Castillo, Joan Rodés – 1 December 1990 – The prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibody and its relationship to the severity of liver disease in chronic alcoholic patients has been assessed, using a recently developed enzyme immunoassay and confirmed by a recombinant immunoblot assay, in 144 patients (mean age ± S.D. = 44.4 ± 11.3 yr) who had consumed >80 gm/day ethanol for >5 yr.

Hanns Löhr, Ulrich Treichel, Thomas Poralla, Michael Manns, Karl‐Hermann Meyer Zum Büschenfelde, Bernhard Fleischer – 1 December 1990 – Autoantibodies to the human hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor have been found in nearly 50% of the sera of patients with autoimmune chronic active hepatitis and in 15% of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. In this study we demonstrate that the human hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor is also a target antigen for T cell—mediated immune responses.

Patrick S. C. Leung, Takashi Iwayama, Ross L. Coppel, M. Eric Gershwin – 1 December 1990 – The major autoantigens of PBC have been identified as the four closely related mitochondrial enzymes PDC‐E2, BCKD‐E2 OGDC‐E2 and protein X. A major structural similarity of these enzymes is the presence of one or more lipoyl domains. The immunodominant epitope of each autoantigen has either been postulated or been demonstrated to be located within the lipoate binding region. However, it is not clear whether the binding of lipoic acid to the epitope is necessary for autoantibody recognition.

Vivek Dixit, Ruth Darvasi, Marika Arthur, Maria Brezina, Klaus Lewin, Gary Gitnick – 1 December 1990 – Microencapsulation of cells within synthetic semipermeable membranes is a novel technique that enables the transplantation of cell cultures without the need for immunosuppression. We have previously shown that transplanted isolated encapsulated hepatocytes can provide sufficient short‐term metabolic support to improve the survival of animals with galactosamine‐induced fulminant hepatic failure.

Charles S. Lieber, Leonore M. Decarli, Ki M. Mak, Cho‐Il Kim, Maria A. Leo – 1 December 1990 – Characteristic features of alcoholic liver injury include fibrosis and striking membrane alterations, with associated phospholipid changes. To offset some of these abnormalities, a 10‐yr study was conducted in baboons: 12 animals (eight females, four males) were fed a liquid diet supplemented with polyunsaturated lecithin (4.1 mg/kcal) for up to 8 yr, with either ethanol (50% of total energy) or isocaloric carbohydrate.

Harold O. Conn, Marilyn B. Conn – 1 December 1990

Robert P. Perrillo – 1 December 1990

Gloria Moraleda, Javier Bartolomé, Maria Gracia Martinez, Juan Carlos Porres, Vicente Carreño – 1 December 1990 – The presence of hepatitis B virus DNA was studied in peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples from 259 HBsAg carriers (229 anti‐hepatitis delta negative, 30 anti‐hepatitis delta positive), 16 anti‐HBc—positive HBsAg‐negative patients and 30 patients without hepatitis B virus markers.

Claire Guyomard, Christophe Chesne, Bernard Meunier, Alain Fautrel, Catherine Clerc, Fabrice Morel, Maryvonne Rissel, Jean‐Pierre Campion, André Guillouzo – 1 December 1990 – Rat livers were perfused and stored for 48 hr in cold University of Wisconsin solution before dissociation by the two‐step collagenase method. At that time, glycogen content was significantly reduced, but no obvious changes in albumin, β‐actin and aldolase B mRNAs and in glutathione levels were observed. Enzymatic perfusion yielded 280 ± 30 × 106 viable hepatocytes vs.

Steven Schenker, S. Angela Khan – 1 December 1990