Marie Lindholm, Anders Eklund – 1 November 1993 – In this investigation we studied the influence of two gastrin fragments, pentagastrin and nonsulfated heptadecagastrin, and two cholecystokinin fragments, sulfated and desulfated cholecystokinin 26–33, on intracellular and secreted triacylglycerol in isolated hepatocyte cultures. Both gastrin fragments inhibited triacylglycerol release in a biphasic manner, exhibiting maximal effect at 0.1 nmol/L (nonsulfated heptadecagastrin) and 0.3 nmol/L (pentagastrin).

Chiharu Tohyama, Junko Sayato Suzuki, Jack Hemelraad, Noriko Nishimura, Hisao Nishimura – 1 November 1993 – Metallothioneins, a group of cysteine‐rich heavymetal binding proteins, are induced in the regenerating rat liver in response to the stimuli evoked by partial hepatectomy. We have investigated the expression of metallothionein genes and proto‐oncogenes (c‐fos, c‐jun and c‐myc), as well as specific localization of metallothionein in the liver cells after partial hepatectomy. Metallothionein mRNA was detected as early as 3 hr and reached a maximal level by 6 hr.

Ynthia C. Daugherty, Kenneth D. R. Setchell, James E. Heubi, William F. Ballstreri – 1 November 1993 – Identical male twins and their brother, cholestatic from birth, with Δ4‐3‐oxosteroid 5δ‐reductase deficiency, were studied by serial liver biopsy. Spectrometry documented defective primary bile acid synthesis and markedly increased levels of atypical oxo and allo bile acids in urine and serum. Hepatocellular cholestásis and giant‐cell transformation resolved in parallel with clinical and biochemical recovery during oral bile acid administration.

Arturo D. Jorge, Arturo O. Stati, Laura Vargas Roig, Guillermo Ponce, Oliver A. Jorge, Daniel R. Ciocca – 1 November 1993 – Primary biliary cirrhosis has a definite female preponderance. Increased estrogen levels have been found in patients with this disease; however no studies indicate the status of sex hormone steroid receptors in primary biliary cirrhosis patients.

Hau Tim Chung, Joseph Sai Kit Lee, Anna Suk Fong Lok – 1 November 1993 – Screening of blood donors by testing for antibody to HBcAg and antibody to hepatitis C virus is commonly done. However, the applicability of these screening tests may vary depending on the prevalence of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection in various populations.

Christine Egenhofer, Kathrin Alsdorff, Karin Fehsel, Victoria Kolb‐Bachofen – 1 November 1993 – We could recently show that rat liver macrophages (Kupffer cells) express a membrane‐bound form of C‐reactive protein on their surface. Because it is removed by washing the cells in buffers containing Ca++‐chelators, membrane‐bound C‐reactive protein is a peripheral protein rather than an integral part of the Kupffer cell membrane. This Kupffer cell membrane‐bound C‐reactive protein is identical to the galactose‐specific particle receptor previously characterized.

Beatriz Gil, Cheng Qian, Jose I. Riezu‐Boj, Maria P. Civeira, Jesús Prieto – 1 November 1993 – We investigated the presence of positive (genomic) and negative (replicative intermediate) hepatitis C virus RNA strands in liver, peripheral mononuclear cells and serum from patients with chronic hepatitis C using a selective and semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction procedure. Negative and positive hepatitis C virus RNA strands were present in liver, serum and lymphoid cells in all untreated patients and in all those who did not respond to interferon therapy.

Johnson Y. N. Lau, Gary L. Davis, Mathew E. Brunson, Ke‐Ping Qian, Hsiang‐Ju Lin, Stella Quan, Robert Dinello, Alan J. Polito, Juan C.

Wing‐Yiu Lui, Fang‐Ku P'Eng, Yuh‐Fang Chang, Tai‐Jay Chang, Ting‐Fan Tsai, Mei‐Ling Hsu, Tsung‐Sheng Su, Shyh‐Haw Tsay, Chew‐Wun Wu, Tsung‐Yun Liu, Chin‐Wen Chi – 1 November 1993 – Hepatocellular carcinoma is the leading cause of male cancer death in Taiwan. We have found that the level of glucocorticoid receptor in hepatocellular carcinoma is significantly higher than that in the peritumoral tissue.

Carlos Guarner, German Soriano, Albert Tomas, Oriol Bulbena, Maria Teresa Novella, Joaquin Balanzo, Francisco Vilardell, Marisabel Mourelle, Salvador Moncada – 1 November 1993 – Nitric oxide derived from vascular endothelium is a potent vasodilator that plays a key role in the homeostasis of blood pressure. Because cirrhotic patients tend to have low arterial pressure, we measured in 51 patients and 10 control subjects serum nitrite and nitrate levels as an index of in vivo nitric oxide generation.