Gerard B. Odell, Julio O. Cukier, Glenn R. Gourley – 1 July 1981 – The infusion of a closely related derivative of bilirubin, its dimethyl diester (DME), into jaundiced (jj) Gunn rats was associated with biliary excretion of mono‐and diglucuronides of bilirubin. In vitro incubation of DME with liver microsomes from jj rats demonstrated sequential demethylation and glucuronidation of DME. Liver microsomes from a patient with the Crigler‐Najjar syndrome were unable to form glucuronides of bilirubin in vitro unless DME was used as substrate.

Edward L. Krawitt, Richard J. Albertini, Duane D. Webb, Bette F. Chastenay, Greg Holdstock, Bruce R. Macpherson – 1 July 1981 – Studies were undertaken in 32 patients with hepatitis B‐negative or ‐positive chronic active hepatitis or chronic persistent hepatitis to define the relationship between immunoregulatory activity and the HLA‐B8 and B12 phenotypes. Suppressor T‐cell activity measured by a concanavalin A‐induced suppressor system using allogeneic responder cells was dependent on which individual was selected as a source of responder cells.

John B. Watkins, Curtis D. Klaassen – 1 July 1981 – Valproic acid (VPA) is an anticonvulsant agent which produced marked choleresis in the rat. Bile flow rate increased from 50 to 60 μl per min per kg to 120 to 145 μl per min per kg immediately after i.v. injection of VPA (37.5 to 150 mg per kg; 2 ml per kg) in male Sprague‐Dawley rats. The duration of maximal bile flow was dose‐dependent and increased from 30 min (37.5 mg VPA per kg) to approximately 2 hr (150 mg VPA per kg). Choleresis diluted the biliary concentrations of bile acids, Cl−, cholesterol, and phospholipids.

Hideki Ohkubo, Kunio Okuda, Shinji Iida – 1 July 1981 – The kinetics of plasma clearance of indocyanine green and bromosulfophthalein were studied in 49 consecutive patients with chronic unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. Forty‐four patients had Gilbert's syndrome whereas five patients had impaired hepatic uptake of indocyanine green and virtually normal hepatic bromosulfophthalein uptake. There was no difference in bilirubin metabolism between the two groups.

1 July 1981

Naohito Ohmi, Irwin M. Arias – 1 July 1981 – Ligandin was quantitated by radioimmunoassay in serum and, when possible, in tumors from patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, massive hepatic metastasis or nonhepatic primary neoplasms, and in rats and athymic (nu/nu) mice bearing transplantable ligandin‐containing or nonligandin‐containing rat hepatocellular carcinomas.

H. Franklin Herlong, Robert M. Russell, Willis C. Maddrey – 1 July 1981 – Eleven patients with primary biliary cirrhosis were surveyed for evidence of vitamin A and zinc deficiencies. Vitamin A deficiency manifested as a low serum vitamin A concentration and abnormal dark adaptation was present in 9 of the 11 patients. A low serum zinc level was present in four patients who were also vitamin A deficient. All seven patients who received p.o. vitamin A therapy with 25,000 to 50,000 units per day for 4 to 12 weeks achieved normal vitamin A levels.

Rosemary van Hoorn‐Hickman, Del Kahn, Jewel Green, Heather A. Macleod, John Terblanche – 1 July 1981 – An attempt was made to transfer a stimulator substance from the perfusate of partially hepatectomized perfused livers to the portal stump of portacaval‐shunted pig recipients. Blood was either cross‐circulated with recipients during perfusion or was given by exchange tranfusion after 4 hr perfusion. There was an increase in thymidine kinase activity and mitotic indices in biopsies from portacaval‐shunted recipients whether perfusions were performed 2 or 4 days after partial hepatectomy.

Shizuko Takahashi, Edwin Simpser – 1 May 1981 – Mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni represent a model for study of hepatic fibrosis in humans. Production of trypsin‐activatable inactive collagenase and EDTA‐sensitive neutral protease was measured in the culture medium in which granuloma explants or primary cultures were maintained. Collagenase production was maximal in granulomas obtained from liver of mice 8 weeks postinfection and was inhibited by Actinomycin D or cycloheximide, and enhanced by lymphocyte factor(s) or heparin.

George R. Martin, Hynda K. Kleinman – 1 May 1981