HLA class I allelic diversity and progression of fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Keyur Patel, Suzanne Norris, Lauralynn Lebeck, Anne Feng, Michael Clare, Stephen Pianko, Bernard Portmann, Lawrence M. Blatt, James Koziol, Andrew Conrad, John G. McHutchison – 26 January 2006 – Patients infected with HIV‐1 who are heterozygous at HLA class I loci present greater variety of antigenic peptides to CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes, slowing progression to AIDS. A similar broad immune response in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection could result in greater hepatic injury.

Tightly regulated induction of the adhesion molecule necl‐5/CD155 during rat liver regeneration and acute liver injury

Briana M. Erickson, Nancy L. Thompson, Douglas C. Hixson – 26 January 2006 – TuAg1/TagE4, the rat ortholog of the human poliovirus receptor CD155, is expressed on a high percentage of rat hepatocellular carcinomas. Recent studies have shown that TuAg1/TagE4/CD155 is a member of the nectin family of immunoglobulin (Ig)‐like cell adhesion molecules, designated necl‐5. Necl‐5 is present at exceedingly low levels in adult epithelial tissues but is upregulated in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes, suggesting that disruption of liver architecture triggers its expression.

The sources of parenchymal regeneration after chronic hepatocellular liver injury in mice

Pamela Vig, Francesco P. Russo, Robert J. Edwards, Paul J. Tadrous, Nicholas A. Wright, Howard C. Thomas, Malcolm R. Alison, Stuart J. Forbes – 26 January 2006 – After liver injury, parenchymal regeneration occurs through hepatocyte replication. However, during regenerative stress, oval cells (OCs) and small hepatocyte like progenitor cells (SHPCs) contribute to the process. We systematically studied the intra‐hepatic and extra‐hepatic sources of liver cell replacement in the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg‐tg) mouse model of chronic liver injury.

Proteasome inhibition induces hepatic stellate cell apoptosis

Akira Anan, Edwina S. Baskin‐Bey, Steven F. Bronk, Nathan W. Werneburg, Vijay H. Shah, Gregory J. Gores – 26 January 2006 – Induction of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) apoptosis attenuates hepatic fibrosis, and, therefore, mechanisms to induce HSC cell death are of therapeutic interest. Proteasome inhibitors induce apoptosis in transformed cells, especially those cells dependent upon nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB) activation. Because stimulated HSCs also trigger NF‐κB activation, the aim of this study was to determine if proteasome inhibitors induce HSC apoptosis.

Deaths on the liver transplant waiting list: An analysis of competing risks

W. Ray Kim, Terry M. Therneau, Joanne T. Benson, Walter K. Kremers, Charles B. Rosen, Gregory J. Gores, E. Rolland Dickson – 26 January 2006 – The usual method of estimating survival probabilities, namely the Kaplan‐Meier method, is suboptimal in the analysis of deaths on the transplant waiting list. Death, transplantation, and withdrawal from list must all be considered.

Bicarbonate‐rich choleresis induced by secretin in normal rat is taurocholate‐dependent and involves AE2 anion exchanger

Jesús M. Banales, Fabián Arenas, Carlos M. Rodríguez‐Ortigosa, Elena Sáez, Iker Uriarte, R. Brian Doctor, Jesús Prieto, Juan F. Medina – 26 January 2006 – Canalicular bile is modified along bile ducts through reabsorptive and secretory processes regulated by nerves, bile salts, and hormones such as secretin. Secretin stimulates ductular cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)–dependent Cl− efflux and subsequent biliary HCO3− secretion, possibly via Cl−/HCO3− anion exchange (AE).

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