N Funaki, S Arii, K Monden, H Higashitsuji, M Furutani, M Mise, J Tanaka, M Imamura – 1 June 1996 – To elucidate the possible role of chemical mediators in modulating the host‐defense activity of patients with cirrhosis, primary‐cultured human hepatic macrophages (HHMΦ) were obtained from cirrhotic and noncirrhotic patients who received liver resections because of the presence of malignant liver tumors. The cirrhotic and noncirrhotic groups consisted of patients with similar malignancies: noncirrhotic patients had normal liver function and normal liver histology for nontumorous portions.

J N Ijzermans, D J Bac, B G Niesters – 1 June 1996

1 June 1996

H Mizuhara, M Uno, N Seki, M Yamashita, M Yamaoka, T Ogawa, K Kaneda, T Fujii, H Senoh, H Fujiwara – 1 June 1996 – A single intravenous injection of concanavalin A (Con A) induces T‐cell activation and an acute hepatitis in mice. This study investigated the role of interferon γ (IFN‐γ) in the pathogenesis of this hepatitis model. Striking increases in the plasma levels of various cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin‐2 (IL‐2), and IFN‐γ, were detected before the increase in plasma aminotransferase levels induced by Con A injection.

L J Born, K K Kharbanda, D L McVicker, R K Zetterman, T M Donohue – 1 June 1996 – Hepatic protein accumulation during ethanol administration may result partly from an ethanol‐elicited decline in hepatic protein degradation, which we have previously shown. We conducted the current studies to examine the effects of ethanol administration on the levels of hepatic ubiquitin, an 8.5‐kd protein which is an important mediator of extralysosomal protein catabolism. Rats were pair‐fed liquid diets containing either ethanol (36% of calories) or isocaloric maltose‐dextrin for 1 to 5 weeks.

G K Lau, G L Davis, S P Wu, R G Gish, L A Balart, J Y Lau – 1 June 1996 – Hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicates at a low rate and this makes its detection and intrahepatic localization difficult. To evaluate the clinical implications and effect of interferon alfa (IFN‐α) therapy on hepatic expression of HCV RNA, HCV RNA was detected by in situ reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (IS‐RT‐PCR) in formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded liver sections from 26 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Results were compared with RT‐PCR of HCV RNA extracted from liver sections/tissue.

J W Gordon – 1 June 1996

Y Mano, M Ishii, H Okamoto, T Igarashi, K Kobayashi, T Toyota – 1 June 1996 – Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α), which is primarily produced by macrophages, is a cytokine with various biological activities. Macrophage infiltration often accompanies experimental cholangitis in rats, and chronic cholangitis in humans. The pathophysiologic significance of TNF‐α in cholangitis is not known. We used cultured, polarized intrahepatic bile duct epithelial cells (IBDECs) from rat liver to determine whether TNF‐α directly affects the organization of IBDEC monolayers.

A Ihara, H Koizumi, R Hashizume, T Uchikoshi – 1 June 1996 – Expression of the cell adhesion molecule, epithelial cadherin (E‐CD) and its binding proteins, α‐ and β‐catenins, in normal liver, chronic liver diseases, and hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) was investigated immunohistologically. In normal liver, weak immunostaining of E‐CD and catenins was observed at the lateral membranes of the hepatocytes, whereas at the interlobular bile duct epithelia, they stained strongly. No immunoreactions were seen in sinusoidal Kupffer cells.

D Ferro, C Quintarelli, A Lattuada, R Leo, M Alessandroni, P M Mannucci, F Violi – 1 June 1996 – The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is endothelial dysfunction in patients with cirrhosis and to detect the mechanism that may account for it.