Role of newly synthesized cholesterol or its metabolites on the regulation of bile acid biosynthesis after short‐term biliary diversion in the rat

Z. Reno Vlahcevic, William M. Pandak, Philip B. Hylemon, Douglas M. Heuman – 1 September 1993 – Cholesterol 7αhydroxylase, the rate‐limiting enzyme in the bile acid biosynthetic pathway, is thought to be regulated by hydrophobic bile acids through negative feedback control. The role of cholesterol in the regulation of cholesterol 7αhydroxylase is more controversial, in part because of incomplete understanding of the relationship between the pathways of cholesterol synthesis and degradation.

Increased blood levels of methyl tert‐butyl ether but not of ethyl propionate during instillation with contact gallstone dissolution agents in the pig

Oliver Esch, Claudio D. Schteingart, Dirk Pappert, Diane Kirby, Rita Streich, Alan F. Hofman – 1 August 1993 – We performed experiments in anesthetized piglets with two cholesterol gallstone solvents, methyl tertbutyl ether and ethyl propionate, to determine whether blood levels of either solvent would increase during gallbladder instillation of these solvents under conditions simulating gallstone dissolution.

Activin induces cell death in hepatocytes in vivo and in vitro

Ralph H. Schwall, Kim Robbins, Paula Jardieu, Ling Chang, Cora La, Timothy G. Terrel – 1 August 1993 – While studying endocrine responses to activin in female rats, we discovered that activin caused a marked reduction in liver mass. The regressed livers exhibited no gross signs of necrosis or infarction, but histopathological evaluation revealed extensive cell death in the centrilobular regions. The dying cells appeared to fragment into structures resembling apoptotic bodies.

Proliferative and cytotoxic T‐cell clones recognize endogenously synthesized HBcAG in an asymptomatic HBsAg carrier

Pei‐Yun Shu, Chungming Chang, Lih‐Hwa Hwan, Cheng‐Po Hu – 1 August 1993 – The characterization of immune responses to hepatitis B virus is crucial for the understanding of hepatitis B virus–caused liver disease. However, lack of a suitable autologous effector–target cell system makes a precise study of the pathogenesis of hepatitis B difficult. In this study we established a model system by using autologous HBcAg‐expressing Epstein‐Barr virus–immortalized lymphoblastoid cell lines as stimulator/target cells.

Albumin synthesis rates in cirrhosis: Correlation with child‐turcotte classification

Peter E. Ballmer, Dominic Walshe, Margaret A. McNurlan, Heather Watson, Peter W. Brunt, Peter J. Garlic – 1 August 1993 – Albumin‐synthesis rates were measured in nine patients with stable cirrhosis and compared with those of eight healthy volunteers by means of a new technique using stable isotopes. Four grams of L‐[1‐13C]leucine was injected over 10 min, and blood samples were drawn at intervals.

Viability and function in primary culture of adult hepatocytes from various animal species and human beings after cryopreservation

Christophe Chesné, Claire Guyomard, Alain Fautrel, Marie‐gwenaëlle Poullain, Benjamin Frémond, Hendrik de Jong, André Guillouz – 1 August 1993 – Cryopreserved hepatocytes from various animal species and human beings were tested for their ability to survive and function in primary culture. The freeze/thaw protocol primarily designed for rat hepatocytes was used with slight modifications for the cells of all other species; it consisted of suspending parenchymal cells in the Leibovitz L15 medium containing 10% fetal calf serum and 10% to 16% dimethyl sulfoxide.

Intercellular immune adhesion molecules in human liver transplants: Overview on expression patterns of leukocyte receptor and ligand molecules

Gustav Steinhoff, Matthias Behrend, Bettina Schrader, Rudolf Pichlmayr – 1 August 1993 – Recently it has become clear that the inflammatory response of immune cells to target cells and extracellular matrix is regulated by several receptor‐ligand molecules. Three main classes of molecules mediating intercellular adhesion and activation processes have been identified: the integrin, immunoglobulin and selectin families. This study surveys the expression of adhesion molecules on resident and infiltrating cells in human liver grafts.

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