Complete remission of a case of hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor invasion in inferior vena cava and with pulmonary metastasis successfully treated with repeated arterial infusion chemotherapy.

We report the case of a patient having hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor invasion to the inferior vena cava and with multiple pulmonary metastases who was treated with repeated one-shot administration of epirubicin, cisplatin, and mitomycin C by hepatic artery and bronchial artery, which led to complete remission. A 72-year-old woman was diagnosed with infiltrative hepatocellular carcinoma with Vv3, multiple intrahepatic metastases, and multiple pulmonary metastases associated with compensated liver cirrhosis. One-shot infusion of epirubicin, cisplatin, and mitomycin C was performed through proper hepatic artery and bronchial artery for twice at eight weeks of intervals.

Retrospective evaluation of tumor-mass-reduction therapy for the prognosis of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma.

Although hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the liver cancer that requires repeated treatments because of a high tendency for recurrence, few data have been available about whether repeated treatments, including those to reduce tumor mass, are effective in prolonging survival. We retrospectively analyzed the effectiveness of tumor-mass-reduction therapy for the prognosis of patients with recurrent HCC. To analyze the effectiveness of various modalities of therapies with a single criterion, we defined a tumor-mass-reduction grade (TMRG), which was retrospectively evaluated by dynamic CT or MRI.

Extracellular branched-chain amino acids, especially valine, regulate maturation and function of monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

The functions of dendritic cells (DCs) are impaired in patients with liver cirrhosis. It is well-known that cirrhotic patients show decreased levels of plasma branched-chain amino acids (BCAA). Although amino acids are associated with maintaining the cell structure and function in many organs, limited data are available regarding the role of amino acids including BCAA in the immune system.

Amniotic epithelial cell-derived cholangiocytes in experimental cholestatic ductal hyperplasia.

Aim: Bile duct paucity, ductopenia, is a feature of end-stage chronic cholangiopathies such as primary biliary cirrhosis. The limited proliferative ability of cholangiocytes after specific injury is thought to be the principal cause of ductopenia, although the detailed mechanisms involved are unclear. It has been reported that human amniotic epithelial cells (AEC) express differentiation markers of hepatic parenchymal cells, suggesting a resemblance of AEC to hepatic progenitor cells.

The model for end-stage liver disease score is useful for predicting economic outcomes in adult cases of living donor liver transplantation.

Background: The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) is useful for assessing the recipients of liver transplants, namely, deceased-donor transplantation. The application of MELD for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is under investigation. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the impact of the MELD score in LDLT in Japan.

Sustained clinical improvement of a patient with decompensated hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis after treatment with lamivudine monotherapy.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, which causes liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, remains a major health problem in Asian countries. Recent development of vaccine for prevention is reported to be successful in reducing the size of chronically infected carriers, although the standard medical therapies have not been established up to now. In this report, we encountered a patient with decompensated HBV-related cirrhosis who exhibited the dramatic improvements after antiviral therapy.

Sustained viral response of a case of acute hepatitis C virus infection via needle-stick injury.

A 29-year-old nurse with a hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection caused by needle-stick injury was treated with interferon-beta starting about one year after the onset of acute hepatitis. The patient developed acute hepatitis C with symptoms of general fatigues, jaundice, and ascites 4 wk after the needle-stick injury. When these symptoms were presented, the patient was pregnant by artificial insemination.

Mechanism of T cell hyporesponsiveness to HBcAg is associated with regulatory T cells in chronic hepatitis B.

Aim: To study the mechanisms of hyporesponsiveness of HBV-specific CD4+ T cells by testing TH1 and TH2 commitment and regulatory T cells.

Methods: Nine patients with chronic hepatitis B were enrolled. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with HBcAg or HBsAg to evaluate their potential to commit to TH1 and TH2 differentiation.

Filopodia formation via a specific Eph family member and PI3K in immortalized cholangiocytes.

Biliary ducts are lined with epithelial cells, which consist of at least two types of cholangiocytes, small and large. In contrast to large cholangiocytes, which are involved in secretion, the role of small cholangiocytes has not been elucidated. To address this question, we analyzed the migration-based characteristics of these cells that may help to understand their functions in vivo.

Lack of evidence that bone marrow cells contribute to cholangiocyte repopulation during experimental cholestatic ductal hyperplasia.

Background: Ductopenia is observed in end-stage human cholestatic diseases. The limited capability of cholangiocytes for proliferation is suggested to be the principal reason. Recently, bone marrow cells (BMCs) have been reported to behave as hepatic stem cells; however, their capability to differentiate into cholangiocytes in cholestasis remains unclear.

Differential expressions of aquaporin proteins in human cholestatic liver diseases.

Unlabelled: Aquaporins (AQPs) are the channel forming membranous proteins involved in the biliary physiological homeostasis. Recently, we have reported the heterogeneous expression of AQPs in intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells or cholangiocytes in mice. However, the involvements of AQPs in hepatobiliary disorder are still unclear.

A case of acute hepatitis with positive autoantibodies who actually had hepatitis E virus infection.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the major causative agents of acute hepatitis in many developing countries. On the other hand, recent intensive investigation has revealed the existence of non-imported cases in industrialized countries. We encountered a sporadic patient with hepatitis E in 1999, who had had no recent travel abroad.

Living related liver transplantation for acute fulminant hepatitis B: experience from two possible hyper-acute cases.

Fulminant hepatic failure, which is represented by fulminant hepatitis, is fatal in most cases unless prompt liver transplantation is performed. Even if liver transplantation is performed, irreversible neurological damage is often complicated. In this case report, we describe two cases of fulminant hepatitis induced by acute hepatitis B virus infection, both of which were successfully rescued by living related liver transplantation without significant complications.

Lack of common mutation in the alfa-subunit of the mitochondrial trifunctional protein and the polymorphism of CYP2E1 in three Japanese women with acute fatty liver of pregnancy/HELLP syndrome.

BACKGROUND:: Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) and the HELLP syndrome are the serious disorders during pregnancy. The aim of this study is to clarify the prevalence of common mutation in the alpha-subunit of the mitochondrial tri-functional protein: hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD)/3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase/enoyl-CoA hydratase as well as to determine the correlation with the polymorphism of microsomal cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1) in these conditions. METHODS:: Genomic DNA was extracted from three patients with AFLP/the HELLP syndrome.

Evaluation of differential gene expression by microarray analysis in small and large cholangiocytes isolated from normal mice.

Aims: We have shown that large and small cholangiocytes, which reside primarily in large and small intrahepatic bile ducts, respectively, have different functions and responses to injuries. However, there are no systematic studies of the molecular differences between small and large cholangiocytes, which would explain cholangiocyte heterogeneity. To evaluate the differential gene expression between small and large cholangiocytes, microarray analysis was performed.

Tauroursodeoxycholate inhibits human cholangiocarcinoma growth via Ca2+-, PKC-, and MAPK-dependent pathways.

Tauroursodeoxychate (TUDCA) is used for the treatment of cholangiopathies including primary sclerosing cholangitis, which is considered the primary risk factor for cholangiocarcinoma. The effect of TUDCA on cholangiocarcinoma growth is unknown. We evaluated the role of TUDCA in the regulation of growth of the cholangiocarcinoma cell line Mz-ChA-1.

Stimulation of alpha2-adrenergic receptor inhibits cholangiocarcinoma growth through modulation of Raf-1 and B-Raf activities.

Growth factor signaling, mediated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, induces cell mitosis. Adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) may inhibit or stimulate mitosis (depending on the cell type) through the activation of MAPK and Raf proteins. Among Raf proteins, Raf-1 and B-Raf differentially regulate mitosis.