1 March 1994

Matthias Wettstein, Wolfgang Gerok, Dieter Häussinger – 1 March 1994 – We used the single‐pass–perfused rat liver model to study short‐term regulation of endotoxin‐inducible nitric oxide synthesis by following the release of nitrite and nitrate, the oxidation products of nitric oxide, into the effluent perfusate. In endotoxin‐pretreated livers, the basal nitrite + nitrate release was 5.3 ± 1.2 nmol·gm liver−1·min−1. Nitrite and nitrate release was stimulated by L‐arginine in a dose‐dependent and saturable fashion.

Matthias Blumrich, Renate Pack, Franz Oesch, Ernst Petzinger, Pablo Steinberg – 1 March 1994 – Freshly isolated oval cells, which we obtained from the livers of rats fed a choline‐deficient/DL‐ethioninesupplemented diet, did not transport bile acids. Compared with freshly isolated rat hepatocytes they took up only negligible amounts of [3H]taurocholate or [14C]cholate. The cells bound small amounts of radioactive bile acids. This portion of the total cell‐associated radioactivity was enhanced on membrane permeabilization.

Rudolf W. Ammann, Nicolas Ilitsch, Borut Marincek, Andreas U. Freiburghaus – 1 March 1994 – The efficacy of long‐term chemotherapy in nonresectable alveolar echinococcosis is debated, particularly because of the difficulty in defining therapeutic success. In this study the effect of chemotherapy on the parasitic mass was evaluated in a series of 37 patients. The patients had larval lesions documented by serial computed tomography studies at least 1.5 yr after chemotherapy (mean = 6.4 yr, range = 1.5 to 10.7 yr).

1 March 1994 – Sera from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) react with enzymes of the 2‐oxo dehydrogenase pathways, particularly PDC‐E2. These enzymes are present in all nucleated cells, yet autoimmune damage is confined to biliary epithelial cells. Using a panel of eight mouse monoclonal antibodies and a human combinatorial antibody specific for PDC‐E2, we examined by indirect immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy sections of liver from patients with PBC, progressive sclerosing cholangitis, and hepatocarcinoma.

Ken Zaret – 1 March 1994 – The proto‐oncogene c‐jun is the cellular homologue of v‐jun, the transforming oncogene of the avian sarcoma virus 17. c‐jun encodes one major component of the AP‐1 transcription factor complex and is expressed in many organs during mouse development and in the adult. Because of its rapid induction in cells following growth stimulation and the presence of AP‐1 binding sites in the promoter regions of many genes, the c‐Jun protein is thought to have important functions in cell proliferation and differentiation.

Derek G. Doherty, Peter T. Donaldson, James A. Underhill, J. Mark Farrant, Ann Duthie, Giorgina Mieli‐Vergani, Ian G. McFarlane, Philip J. Johnson, Adrian L. W. F. Eddleston, Alex P. Mowat, Roger Williams – 1 March 1994 – Susceptibility to autoimmune hepatitis in white patients is associated with the human leukocyte antigen class II antigens DR3 and DR4. To analyze the molecular basis of these associations, we used oligonucleotide probes to determine the DRB, DQA and DQB hypervariable nucleotide sequences in 119 patients with autoimmune hepatitis and 177 matched controls.

Alexander S. Petrides, Christoph Vogt, Dirk Schulze‐Berge, Dwight Matthews, Georg Strohmeyer – 1 March 1994 – Glucose intolerance and diabetes mellitus are both prevalent in cirrhosis, yet the pathogenesis of impaired glucose metabolism remains unknown.

Alan J. Young, Gregory M. T. Hare, John B. Hay – 1 March 1994 – The process of lymphocyte migration is required for the systemic dissemination of immunological memory and immune surveillance. We report here experiments to quantitate the normal traffic of lymphocytes that occurs from blood to lymph through the liver and hepatic node in the sheep. Comparisons were made with known lymphocyte homing pools.

Helen F. Goode, Nigel R. Webster, Peter D. Howdle, Jack P. Leek, J. P. A. Lodge, Sammi A. Sadek, Barry E. Walker – 1 February 1994 – Endothelial injury occurs as a result of oxygen free radical production after ischemia and reperfusion of transplanted livers, causing hemodynamic disturbance. Patients with chronic liver disease generally have low levels of fat‐soluble vitamins, which have important antioxidant roles.