Differential patterns of reaction of human natural antibodies to pig hepatocytes and vascular endothelium

Hikaru Fujioka, Donald V. Cramer, Chikao Yasunaga, Phillip J. Tuso, Guo‐Du Wu, Yvette Middleton, Albert D. Moscioni, Jacek Rozga, Achilles A. Demetriou, Leonard Makowka – 1 March 1995 – We have recently conducted a series of experiments to characterize the pattern of reaction of human natural antibodies (NA) with individual pig liver cells.

Metastatic endocrine tumors: Is there a place for liver transplantation?

Bertrand Dousset, Didier Houssin, Olivier Soubrane, Olivier Boillot, François Baudin, Yves Chapuis – 1 March 1995 – The authors describe their experience with liver transplantation (OLT) for metastatic endocrine tumors (MET) in order to determine reasonable indications for OLT in patients with this disease. Removal of the primary lesion and subsequent liver transplantation were performed in two separate procedures in all patients except one.

Systemic hemodynamic, forearm vascular, renal, and humoral responses to sustained cardiopulmonary baroreceptor deactivation in well‐compensated cirrhosis

Florence Wong, Alexander Logan, Laurence Blendis – 1 March 1995 – The aim of this study was to assess baroreceptor function in well‐compensated cirrhosis by determining the forearm vascular, renal, and humoral responses to sustained baroreceptor deactivation. The effect of sodium status on baroreceptor function was also assessed. Eight cirrhotic patients and 10 age‐ and sex‐matched controls were studied twice after a 20 mmol and 200 mmol of sodium/d diet for 7 days.

Hepatocellular codistribution of c100, c33, c22, and NS5 hepatitis C virus antigens detected by using immunopurified polyclonal spontaneous human antibodies

Giorgio Ballardini, Paolo Groff, Fabrizio Giostra, Raffaella Francesconi, Rita Miniero, Sabrina Ghetti, Daniela Zauli, Francesco B. Bianchi – 1 March 1995 – Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigens in liver biopsy have been detected by immunohistochemistry using both spontaneous human IgG and murine monoclonal or rabbit polyclonal monospecific reagents. Conflicting results have been obtained in different studies. This was probably because of the incapacity of single experimental antibodies, raised against synthetic or recombinant peptides, to recognize native tissue antigens.

Ex vivo hepatic gene transfer in mouse using a defective herpes simplex virus‐1 vector

Bing Lu, Sanjeev Gupta, Howard Federoff – 1 March 1995 – A defective amplicon herpes simplex virus‐1 (HSV‐1) vector, HSVlac, was used to transfer an E. coli lacZ reporter gene into primary hepatocytes. The lacZ gene was driven by the HSV immediate early (IE) 4/5 promoter. Use of the HSVlac vector resulted in highly efficient gene transfer. Because difficulties in culturing primary hepatocytes impose limitations in ex vivo gene therapy, we sought to determine whether use of the HSVlac vector could simplify gene transfer.

Hepatitis B virus escape mutants: “pushing the envelope” of chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Larry Mimms – 1 March 1995 – Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA was extracted from sera of six carriers with hepatitis B e antigen as well as antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen and sequenced within the pre‐S regions and the S gene. HBV DNA clones from five of these carriers had point mutations in the S gene, resulting in conversion from IIe‐126 or Thr‐126 of the wild‐type virus to Ser‐126 or Asn‐126 in three carriers and conversion from Gly‐145 to Arg‐145 in three of them; clones with Asn‐126 or Arg‐145 were found in one carrier.

Reovirus 3 not detected by reverse transcriptase—mediated polymerase chain reaction analysis of preserved tissue from infants with cholestatic liver disease

Marilyn I. Steele, Candaca M. Marshall, Richard E. Lloyd, Vicki E. Randolph – 1 March 1995 – Reovirus type 3 has been implicated in the origin and pathogenesis of extrahepatic biliary atresia and idiopathic neonatal hepatitis, but routine detection of this virus in hepatobiliary tissues from affected infants by culture and histological techniques has been unsuccessful.

Endothelin‐1 and ‐3 plasma concentrations in patients with cirrhosis: Role of splanchnic and renal passage and liver function

Alexander L. Gerbes, Søren Møller, Veit Gülberg, Jens H. Henriksen – 1 March 1995 – Increased as well as decreased plasma concentrations of the endothelins, endogenous vasoactive peptides, have been reported in cirrhosis. This might be caused by alterations of hepatic or renal clearance or release. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate the influence of splanchnic and renal passage and of liver function on plasma concentrations of endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) and endothelin‐3 (ET‐3) in patients with cirrhosis compared with controls.

Expression of SPARC in normal and fibrotic livers

Edward Frizell, Shu‐Ling Liu, Ann Abraham, Iwata Ozaki, Mahboubeh Eghbali, E. Helene Sage, Mark A. Zern – 1 March 1995 – SPARC (secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine)—also known as osteonectin, BM‐40, and 43K glycoprotein—is secreted by endothelial cells and fibroblasts in response to culture shock. SPARC has been found in association with tissues undergoing cell proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix remodeling. We demonstrate that normal livers from humans, rats, and mice express substantial levels of SPARC messenger RNA (mRNA).

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