Yutaka Sasaki, Takenobu Kamada, Norio Hayashi, Nobuhiro Sato, Akinori Kasahara, Hideyuki Fusamoto, Sadao Shiosaka, Masaya Tohyama, Yahe Shiotani – 1 November 1984 – The distribution of immunoreactive glucagon, substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)‐like structures was investigated in the rat liver, with special reference to the hepatic vasculature by means of the indirect immunofluorescence method. Immunoreactive structures of glucagon were seen in the walls of the portal vein, hepatic artery and hepatic vein, but not in the central vein.

G. Richard Granneman, Shyh‐Ing Wang, James W. Kesterson, Joseph M. Machinist – 1 November 1984 – The role of metabolites in valproic acid (VPA)‐associated hepatotoxicity was studied in rats. The most steatogenic mono‐unsaturated metabolite, 4‐en‐VPA, caused the greatest changes in indicators of β‐oxidation inhibition (dicarboxylic aciduria, β‐hydroxybutyrate reduction); however, the biochemical effects were much less pronounced than those reported for hypoglycin. Steatosis in VPA‐treated rats occurred only at nearly lethal doses.

Esteban Celis, Tse Wen Chang – 1 November 1984 – HBsAg from plasma of chronic hepatitis B carriers was purified by affinity chomatography using a mouse monoclonal antibody specific for HBsAg. Elution with buffer at two different pH values separated HBsAg into two fractions: one contained high amounts of immune complexes associated with HBsAg; the other contained larger quantities of the HBsAg polypeptides P24 and GP27 and only small amounts of immunoglobulin.

Anne Marie Jezequel, Patrizia Bonazzi, Giuseppe Novelli, Cinzia Venturini, Francesco Orlandi – 1 November 1984 – Valproic acid (VPA) is a simple fatty acid largely used as anticonvulsivant agent. Side effects are uncommon, but cases of fatal hepatic failure have been reported. To elucidate the mechanism of VPA‐induced hepatotoxicity, the functional and structural changes associated with administration of sodium valproate (NaVPA) to rats (200 or 600 mg per kg, i.p.) were analyzed.

Kenji Fujiwara, Yasuhiko Ohta, Itsuro Ogata, Yuzuru Sato, Yuji Oka, Shigeki Hayashi, Katsuyoshi Takatsuki, Hiroshi Oka – 1 November 1984 – The effect of 4–(3,7,ll,15‐tetramethyl‐6,10,14‐hexadecatrienoyl)morpholine (E‐0712), a new synthetic compound, on liver injury induced by two hepatotoxins in rats was studied. Oral doses of E‐0712 four times at 0, 6, 12 and 18 hr significantly attenuated elevated SGPT values and prolonged prothrombin time (PT) at 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 hr in rats with a single s.c. dose of D‐galactosamine in which SGPT values and PT reached the peak within 48 hr.

Charles S. Davidson – 1 November 1984

Charles S. Davidson – 1 November 1984

Albert L. Jones, Gary T. Hradek, Douglas L. Schmucker, Brian J. Underdown – 1 November 1984 – In the rat, plasma IgA is rapidly endocytosed by hepatocytes and translocated to the bile via a receptor‐mediated vesicular transport system which appears to remain intact even during cholestasis. During the latter phenomenon, there is an accumulation of secretory IgA (sIgA) in plasma. These data suggest that biliary IgA can be regurgitated into the plasma compartment. The present study was designed to determine the location and mechanism(s) by which this might occur.

Barbara Forzani, Giovanni C. Actis, Giorgio Verme, Antonio Amoroso, Iolanda Borelli, Emilio S. Curtoni, Maria Grazia Rumi, Antonio Picciotto, Giovanni Marinucci, Maria Antonietta Freni, Mario Rizzetto – 1 November 1984 – The A, B, C and DR locus specificities of the human leukocyte antigens system (HLA) were determined in 45 delta‐positive and 44 delta‐negative Italian patients, all with HBsAg‐positive chronic active liver disease; controls were 526 healthy Italian blood donors matched for age, sex and geographical origin. HLA‐A, B, C gene frequencies were not significantly changed.

Daniel S. Camara – 1 November 1984