In-Plant Validation Study of Harvest Process Controls in Two Beef Processing Plants in Honduras.

Imported meat in the United States can become a food safety hazard if proper food safety programs are not fully implemented in foreign meat processing plants. Thus, exporting countries' food safety inspection systems must be equivalent to the U.S.

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator gene therapy in liver cirrhosis is mediated by collagens gene expression down-regulation and up-regulation of MMPs, HGF and VEGF.

Human urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) gene administration via an adenoviral (Ad)-vector induced cirrhosis regression and ameliorated hepatic dysfunction in a model of experimental liver cirrhosis. The administration of a single dose of 6 x 10(11) viral particles per kilogram of a clinical-grade Ad-vector was evaluated after the onset of rat liver cirrhosis via degradation of deposited collagen and a substantial decrease of alpha-sma-positive cells. Also, gene expression for pro-fibrogenic molecules (Col I, III, IV, TIMP-1 and PAI-1) was clearly down-regulated.

Treatment with human metalloproteinase-8 gene delivery ameliorates experimental rat liver cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: An extrahepatic human neutrophil collagenase complementary DNA (matrix metalloprotease-8) cloned in an adenovirus vector was used as a therapeutic agent in cirrhosis.

Methods: A high titer of clinical-grade AdMMP8 was obtained.

Results: HeLa cells transduced with AdMMP8 expressed recombinant matrix metalloprotease-8 messenger RNA and matrix metalloprotease-8 protein.