Prospective evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of hepatic copper content, as determined using the entire core of a liver biopsy sample.

Unlabelled: Hepatic copper determination is an important test for the diagnosis of Wilson's disease (WD). However, the method has not been standardized, the diagnostic accuracy has not been evaluated prospectively, and the optimal cut-off value remains controversial. Accordingly, we aimed to prospectively evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of hepatic copper content, as determined using the entire core of a liver biopsy sample.

[Molecular mechanism of HCV NS5A on p53's inhibition of AFP expression in hepatocellular carcinoma cells].

Objective: To explore hepatitis C virus (HCV) non-structural protein 5A (NS5A)'s influence on inhibition of AFP expression executed by p53 protein and its possible molecular mechanism.

Methods: Plasmid transfection and MEIA were employed to observe p53's inhibitive effect on AFP expression of Huh7 cells and the HCV NS5A's influence on p53 function. Western blot was employed to find out if HCV NS5A affects p53 protein expression and GST pull down assay was applied to examine the interaction between HCV NS5A and p53.

HCV NS5A abrogates p53 protein function by interfering with p53-DNA binding.

Aim: To evaluate the inhibition effect of HCV NS5A on p53 transactivation on p21 promoter and explore its possible mechanism for influencing p53 function.

Methods: p53 function of transactivation on p21 promoter was studied with a luciferase reporter system in which the luciferase gene is driven by p21 promoter, and the p53-DNA binding ability was observed with the use of electrophoretic mobility-shift assay (EMSA). Lipofectin mediated p53 or HCV NS5A expression vectors were used to transfect hepatoma cell lines to observe whether HCV NS5A could abrogate the binding ability of p53 to its specific DNA sequence and p53 transactivation on p21 promoter.

HCV replication in PBMC and its influence on interferon therapy.

Aim: To study hepatic virus C (HCV) RNA and HCV protein expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with HCV infection, and explore the relationship between the HCV RNA in the PBMCs and response to interferon (IFN) therapy.

Methods: Type-specific primers were designed and RT-nested PCR was used to detect the plus- and minus- strands of HCV RNA in PBMCs of 54 patients with HCV infection; Indirect immunofluorescence assay was applied to identify HCVNS5 protein expression in PBMCs; 6 month-, 3 MU-IFN regiment was administrated to observe the responses to IFN in 35 chronic hepatitis C patients with different HCV RNA status in PBMCs.

Results: HCV plus strand RNA was found in 10 of 19 (52.