M Furutani, S Arii, H Higashitsuji, M Mise, M Niwano, T Harada, H Nakayama, M Fukumoto, M Imamura, J Fujita – 1 December 1996 – We identified kan‐1 complementary DNA (cDNA), the sequence of which is identical to bile acid CoA:amino acid N‐acyltransferase (BAT), a liver enzyme that catalyzes the conjugation of bile acids with glycine or taurine. kan‐1(BAT) messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of the resected specimens obtained from 37 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients were studied in an attempt to evaluate prognostic significance in HCC patients after partial hepatectomy.

T de Baere, A Roche, D Elias, P Lasser, C Lagrange, V Bousson – 1 December 1996 – To render hepatectomy feasible in patients with an initially deficient volume of the future remnant liver (FRL), we redistributed portal blood flow rich in hepatotrophic substances toward the FRL. Redistribution was achieved with preoperative portal vein embolization (POPE) feeding the future resected liver. POPE was performed in 31 patients, under fluoroscopic guidance, via a percutaneous access. POPE was well tolerated and surgery was practicable in 24 patients without severe postoperative liver failure.

M Congia, M G Clemente, C Dessi, F Cucca, A P Mazzoleni, F Frau, R Lampis, A Cao, M E Lai, S De Virgiliis – 1 December 1996 – To investigate the factors that may confer susceptibility or protection to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and to HCV‐associated immunological disorders, we designed two studies on 420 Sardinian transfusion‐dependent thalassemia patients followed in our department in Cagliari since 1974. The first one was an epidemiological survey aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HCV infection and HCV‐associated immunological disorders.

A J Ellis, R D Hughes, J A Wendon, J Dunne, P G Langley, J H Kelly, G T Gislason, N L Sussman, R Williams – 1 December 1996 – The objective of this pilot controlled study was to evaluate the extracorporeal liver assist device (ELAD) in patients with acute liver failure who were judged to still have a significant chance of survival (approximately 50%) and in those who had already fulfilled criteria for transplantation.

K Ohnishi, H Yoshioka, S Ito, K Fujiwara – 1 December 1996 – To assess the efficacy of ultrasound‐guided percutaneous acetic acid (15%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% in concentration) injection for a large nodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), percutaneous acetic acid injection was performed using 15% to 50% acetic acid in 28 patients who had one single nodular HCC larger than 3 cm or one main tumor with fewer than two HCCs smaller than 3 cm during the past 7.5 years; the main tumor was slightly hypervascular in nine patients and was highly hypervascular, showing viable cancer cells despite tran

L B Nguyen, S Shefer, G Salen, J Y Chiang, M Patel – 1 December 1996 – Purified cholesterol 7α‐hydroxylases (C7αH) from human and rat liver microsomes, and from transformed Escherichia coli expression systems, were incubated with 0.3 mmol/L [gamma‐32P] adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the presence and absence of bacterial alkaline phosphatase (AP) or rabbit muscle adenosine 3′,5′‐cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)‐dependent protein kinase.

N Yamashita, H Ishibashi, K Hayashida, J Kudo, K Takenaka, K Itoh, Y Niho – 1 December 1996 – The MAGE‐1 gene, originally isolated from a human melanoma cell line, directs the expression of a potential tumor‐rejection antigen, MZ2‐E. This antigen is recognized by autologous cytotoxic T lymphocytes in association with a major histocompatibility complex class I molecule (HLA‐A1), and has provided a basis for specific immunotherapy for melanoma patients. Here we show a high frequency of expression of the MAGE‐1 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

H C Geiss, M M Ritter, W O Richter, P Schwandt, R Zachoval – 1 December 1996 – High serum concentrations of lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] are considered a risk factor for premature atherosclerosis. Besides apolipoprotein B‐100, Lp(a) consists of apolipoprotein (a) [apo(a)], which shows a remarkable size polymorphism. The serum concentration of Lp(a) is considerably influenced by this apo(a) phenotype. Because Lp(a) is synthesized in the liver, we wondered whether and to what extent Lp(a) levels might be affected by acute liver disease.

P Muller, T Pomorski, S Porwoli, R Tauber, A Herrmann – 1 December 1996 – The redistribution of spin‐labeled phospholipid analogs across the plasma membrane of HepG2 cells, either in suspension or grown as monolayers, was investigated. After incorporation into the outer membrane leaflet spin‐labeled aminophospholipids phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) moved rapidly to the inner monolayer, whereas the analog of phosphatidylcholine (PC) disappeared more slowly from the outer leaflet.

S Eguchi, A Kamlot, J Ljubimova, W R Hewitt, L T Lebow, A A Demetriou, J Rozga – 1 December 1996 – A reproducible experimental animal model of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) resembling the clinical condition is needed. We have developed such a model in the rat by combining resection of the two anterior liver lobes (68% liver mass) with ligation of the right lobes pedicle (24% liver mass), resulting in liver necrosis; the remaining two omental lobes (8% liver mass) are left intact. Adult Sprague‐Dawley rats (250‐300 g) were used. Survival time was determined in 60 rats.