PPAR agonists treatment is effective in a nonalcoholic fatty liver disease animal model by modulating fatty-acid metabolic enzymes.

Background And Aims: In a previous study, the authors found that reduced expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-alpha might play an important role in developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of PPAR-alpha and -gamma agonists on NAFLD and verify the mechanisms underlying the PPAR-alpha and -gamma agonist-induced improvements by evaluating the hepatic gene expression profile involved in fatty-acid metabolism, using the Otsuka-Long Evans-Tokushima fatty (OLETF) rat.

Methods: Rats were assigned to a control group (group I), fatty liver group (group II), PPAR-alpha agonist treatment group (group III), or PPAR-gamma agonist treatment group (group IV).

[Clinical outcome in cases of viral breakthrough during lamivudine therapy in chronic hepatitis B patients].

Background/aims: Long-term lamivudine therapy can induce the emergence of lamivudine resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV) mutants. Clinically emergence of the mutant is expressed by the reappearance of disappeared HBV DNA in serum. Continued lamivudine treatment has been usually recommended in cases of viral breakthrough.