Novel fibrinogen γ375 Arg→Trp mutation (fibrinogen aguadilla) causes hepatic endoplasmic reticulum storage and hypofibrinogenemia

Stephen O. Brennan, Ghassan Maghzal, Benjamin L. Shneider, Ronald Gordon, Margret S. Magid, Peter M. George – 30 December 2003 – The proposita and her sister had chronically elevated liver function test results, and needle biopsy specimens showed scattered eosinophilic inclusions within the hepatocytes. On immunoperoxidase staining, the inclusions reacted strongly with anti‐fibrinogen antisera; on electron‐microscopic (EM) examination, the material appeared confined to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and was densely packed into tubular structures with a swirling fingerprint appearance.

Hepatocytes undergo phenotypic transformation to biliary epithelium in organoid cultures

George K. Michalopoulos, William C. Bowen, Karen Mulè, Juan Carlos Lopez‐Talavera, Wendy Mars – 30 December 2003 – Organoid cultures of hepatocytes in the presence of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) display characteristic histologic organization. Biliary epithelium covers the surface of the tissue exposed to the culture medium. Hepatocytes, stellate cells and endothelial cells compose the underlying structures.

Methylation framework of cell cycle gene inhibitors in cirrhosis and associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Massimo Roncalli, Paolo Bianchi, Barbara Bruni, Luigi Laghi, Annarita Destro, Sonia Di Gioia, Leandro Gennari, Maurizio Tommasini, Alberto Malesci, Guido Coggi – 30 December 2003 – One of the main regulatory pathways reported to be altered in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is that of cell cycle control involving RB1 gene‐related cell inhibitors. We investigated p14ARF, p15INK4B, p16INK4A, p18INK4C, and RB1 genes in a series of HCCs and associated cirrhosis with the goal of ascertaining their pattern of inactivation by gene methylation.

A tamoxifen‐inducible chimeric Cre recombinase specifically effective in the fetal and adult mouse liver

Mounia Tannour‐Louet, Arlette Porteu, Sophie Vaulont, Axel Kahn, Mireille Vasseur‐Cognet – 30 December 2003 – The spatiotemporal control of somatic mutagenesis in mice is considered a promising step to determine the function of a given gene product in a defined population of cells at any given time during animal life and also to generate better mouse models of human diseases.

Randomized controlled trial of transarterial lipiodol chemoembolization for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

Chung‐Mau Lo, Henry Ngan, Wai‐Kuen Tso, Chi‐Leung Liu, Chi‐Ming Lam, Ronnie Tung‐Ping Poon, Sheung‐Tat Fan, John Wong – 30 December 2003 – This randomized, controlled trial assessed the efficacy of transarterial Lipiodol (Lipiodol Ultrafluide, Laboratoire Guerbet, Aulnay‐Sous‐Bois, France) chemoembolization in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Mitochondrial oxidative stress and CD95 ligand: A dual mechanism for hepatocyte apoptosis in chronic alcoholism

Juan B. Miñana, Luis Gómez‐Cambronero, Ana Lloret, Federico V. Pallardó, Juan Del Olmo, Amparo Escudero, José M. Rodrigo, Antonio Pellíin, Juan R. Viña, José Viña, Juan Sastre – 30 December 2003 – Apoptosis plays an important role in the progression of alcohol‐induced liver disease to cirrhosis. Oxidative stress is an early event in the development of apoptosis. The major aim of this study was to study the conditions in which oxidative stress occurs in chronic alcoholism and its relationship with apoptosis of hepatocytes.

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