Activation of hepatic stellate cells by the ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase 1 protein secreted from hepatitis C virus-infected hepatocytes.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection of hepatocytes promotes liver fibrosis by activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix in liver tissue. Whether or not host factors released from the HCV-infected hepatocytes play role in HSCs activation is unclear. In this study, HSCs were activated by the conditioned medium derived from HCV replicon cells.

Associated factors with and genotypes of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among clients seeking voluntary counseling and testing for HIV infection in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with Chlamydia trachomatis infection and the genotype distribution of the strains among the clients seeking voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Taiwan.

Methods: The VCT clients completed an anonymous self-administered questionnaire interview to inquire into the risks for sexually transmitted diseases, followed by providing a 10-mL first-catch urine specimen to detect C. trachomatis with the use of polymerase-chain-reaction assays.

Hepatitis C virus replication is modulated by the interaction of nonstructural protein NS5B and fatty acid synthase.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B) is an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) that acts as a key player in the HCV replication complex. Understanding the interplay between the viral and cellular components of the HCV replication complex could provide new insight for prevention of the progression of HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, the NS5B protein was used as the bait in a pulldown assay to screen for NS5B-interacting proteins that are present in Huh7 hepatoma cell lysates.

A Chinese Herbal Decoction, Modified Yi Guan Jian, Induces Apoptosis in Hepatic Stellate Cells through an ROS-Mediated Mitochondrial/Caspase Pathway.

The Chinese herb modified Yi Guan Jian (mYGJ) is an effective regimen that is usually used in outpatients with chronic liver diseases such as fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, the mechanism for the action of mYGJ on liver fibrosis is not yet clear. In this study, we found that mYGJ induced hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) apoptosis concomitant with the downregulation of Bcl-2 expression and slight elevation of Bax level.

NO contributes to abnormal vascular calcium regulation and reactivity induced by peritonitis-associated septic shock in rats.

Calcium plays an important role in determining vascular smooth muscle tone. Norepinephrine (NE)-induced vascular contraction contains two components: 1) Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum as the fast phase and 2) Ca2+ influx via a voltage-dependent calcium channel as the slow phase. This study used functional isometric tension recording to evaluate mediators contributing to abnormal NE-induced Ca2+ handling and reactivity in isolated thoracic aortas from septic rats.