H Schlossberg, Y Zhang, L Dudus, J F Engelhardt – 1 June 1996 – The expression of the immediate early genes (IEGs) c‐fos and e‐jun have been hypothesized to potentially play key roles in mediating cellular responses following injury to the liver. In this study, we sought to evaluate the potential involvement of c‐jun and c‐fos as determinants either of cellular regeneration or programmed cell death following ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in mouse liver. To this end, we have analyzed the in situ messenger RNA (mRNA) expression patterns of c‐jun and c‐fos following lobar I/R in mouse liver.

H Shinozuka, T Ohmura, S L Katyal, A I Zedda, G M Ledda‐Columbano, A Columbano – 1 June 1996 – A single intravenous injection of lead nitrate (LN) to rats induces liver cell proliferation without causing cell necrosis (direct hyperplasia). We suggested that liver cell proliferation in this model may be triggered by the induction of liver tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α).

A Serizawa, S Nakamura, S Suzuki, S Baba, M Nakano – 1 June 1996 – Although platelet‐activating factor (PAF) is implicated as an important mediator in the pathogenesis of hepatic ischemia‐reperfusion (IR) injury, the precise mechanism of its action has not been studied.

K Nakazono, Y Ito, C H Wu, G Y Wu – 1 June 1996 – We have shown that antisense oligonucleotides can be targeted to hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐infected cells, resulting in specific inhibition of viral protein synthesis and replication in vitro. The targeting system was based on the internalization of DNA complexes by highly selective receptors for galactose‐terminal glycoproteins, asialoglycoproteins, on the surface of hepatocytes. Our objective in this study was to determine whether antisense DNA could be targeted to hepatocytes to prevent subsequent infection by HBV.

M I Guillen, M J Gomez‐Lechon, T Nakamura, J V Castell – 1 June 1996 – Our study addressed the role of the human hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a potent mitogen for mature rat and human hepatocytes, in the regulation of specific hepatic genes. The experimental evidence obtained in primary cultured human hepatocytes indicates that HGF regulates the synthesis of plasma proteins in a dose‐response fashion.

K Houglum – 1 June 1996

B H Davis, A Chen – 1 June 1996

1 June 1996

L K Schluger, P A Sheiner, S N Thung, J Y Lau, A Min, D C Wolf, I Fiel, D Zhang, M A Gerber, C M Miller, H C Bodenheimer – 1 May 1996 – Recurrent infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is almost universal following orthotopic liver transplantation although clinical severity varies. Data on 135 patients who underwent transplantation for hepatitis C cirrhosis were reviewed. We describe a progressive, severe cholestatic form of hepatitis occurring in a subgroup of patients with recurrent hepatitis C.

M Bolognesi, D Sacerdoti, C Merkel, G Gerunda, A Maffei‐Faccioli, P Angeli, R M Jemmolo, G Bombonato, A Gatta – 1 May 1996 – The spleen plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and maintenance of portal hypertension. Few data exist about splenic hemodynamics evaluated by duplex sonography in this condition. Twenty‐six normal subjects, 207 patients with portal hypertension of various causes, and in different splenoportal hemodynamic conditions, and 31 patients with liver transplantation were evaluated.