Liver transplantation and autoimmune liver diseases

Rodrigo Liberal, Yoh Zen, Giorgina Mieli‐Vergani, Diego Vergani – 19 July 2013 – Liver transplantation (LT) is an effective treatment for patients with end‐stage autoimmune liver diseases such as primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and autoimmune hepatitis. Indications for LT for these diseases do not differ substantially from those used for other acute or chronic liver diseases. Despite the good outcomes reported, the recurrence of autoimmune liver disease is relatively common in the allograft.

Relaxin modulates human and rat hepatic myofibroblast function and ameliorates portal hypertension in vivo

Jonathan A. Fallowfield, Annette L. Hayden, Victoria K. Snowdon, Rebecca L. Aucott, Ben M. Stutchfield, Damian J. Mole, Antonella Pellicoro, Timothy T. Gordon‐Walker, Alexander Henke, Joerg Schrader, Palak J. Trivedi, Marc Princivalle, Stuart J. Forbes, Jane E. Collins, John P. Iredale – 19 July 2013 – Active myofibroblast (MF) contraction contributes significantly to the increased intrahepatic vascular resistance that is the primary cause of portal hypertension (PHT) in cirrhosis.

Hepatitis C genotype 1 virus with low viral load and rapid virologic response to peginterferon/ribavirin obviates a protease inhibitor

Brian L. Pearlman, Carole Ehleben – 19 July 2013 – The new standard of care for treatment‐naïve patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 includes triple therapy with peginterferon, ribavirin, and a protease inhibitor. However, patients who achieve a rapid virologic response after 4 weeks of peginterferon and ribavirin therapy are likely to achieve a sustained virologic response (SVR), and we hypothesized that protease inhibitor therapy may be unnecessary in these patients.

Pretransplant donor‐specific anti‐HLA antibodies as predictors of early allograft rejection in ABO‐compatible liver transplantation

Alexandru I. Musat, Courtney M. Pigott, Thomas M. Ellis, Rashmi M. Agni, Glen E. Leverson, Amy J. Powell, Katelyn R. Richards, Anthony M. D'Alessandro, Michael R. Lucey – 19 July 2013 – The significance of preexisting donor‐specific HLA antibodies (HLA‐DSAs) for liver allograft function is unclear. Our previous studies have shown that humoral alloreactivity frequently accompanies acute cellular rejection (ACR).

Protein kinase C (PKC) participates in acetaminophen hepatotoxicity through c‐jun‐N‐terminal kinase (JNK)‐dependent and ‐independent signaling pathways

Behnam Saberi, Maria D. Ybanez, Heather S. Johnson, William A. Gaarde, Derick Han, Neil Kaplowitz – 19 July 2013 – This study examines the role of protein kinase C (PKC) and AMP‐activated kinase (AMPK) in acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity. Treatment of primary mouse hepatocytes with broad‐spectrum PKC inhibitors (Ro‐31‐8245, Go6983), protected against APAP cytotoxicity despite sustained c‐jun‐N‐terminal kinase (JNK) activation. Broad‐spectrum PKC inhibitor treatment enhanced p‐AMPK levels and AMPK regulated survival‐energy pathways including autophagy.

Cell entry, efficient RNA replication, and production of infectious hepatitis C virus progeny in mouse liver‐derived cells

Anne Frentzen, Anggakusuma, Engin Gürlevik, Kathrin Hueging, Sarah Knocke, Corinne Ginkel, Richard J.P. Brown, Markus Heim, Michael T. Dill, Andrea Kröger, Ulrich Kalinke, Lars Kaderali, Florian Kuehnel, Thomas Pietschmann – 19 July 2013 – Only humans and chimpanzees are susceptible to chronic infection by hepatitis C virus (HCV). The restricted species tropism of HCV is determined by distinct host factor requirements at different steps of the viral life cycle. In addition, effective innate immune targeting precludes efficient propagation of HCV in nonhuman cells.

Radiologic course of primary sclerosing cholangitis: Assessment by three‐dimensional magnetic resonance cholangiography and predictive features of progression

Ana Ruiz, Sara Lemoinne, Fabrice Carrat, Christophe Corpechot, Olivier Chazouillères, Lionel Arrivé – 15 July 2013 – Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) has become the radiologic standard of reference for diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). However, natural history of radiologic features of PSC is poorly known. In the current study, we aimed at analyzing the course of PSC using three‐dimensional (3D) MRC and liver MRI to find predictive radiologic features of progression.

Radiologic course of primary sclerosing cholangitis: Assessment by three‐dimensional magnetic resonance cholangiography and predictive features of progression

Ana Ruiz, Sara Lemoinne, Fabrice Carrat, Christophe Corpechot, Olivier Chazouillères, Lionel Arrivé – 15 July 2013 – Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) has become the radiologic standard of reference for diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). However, natural history of radiologic features of PSC is poorly known. In the current study, we aimed at analyzing the course of PSC using three‐dimensional (3D) MRC and liver MRI to find predictive radiologic features of progression.

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