Circulating auto-antibody against hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background/aims: Various circulating auto-antibodies have been reported in patients with ulcerative colitis. Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is a mitogen, localized dominantly in the nucleus of proliferating cells. In this study, we demonstrated the circulating anti-HDGF auto-antibody and investigated its clinical roles in patients with ulcerative colitis.

A pilot study of combination therapy with initial high-dose interferon and amantadine hydrochloride for patients with chronic hepatitis C with the genotype 1b virus.

Background/aims: Interferon monotherapy for patients with chronic hepatitis C has been suboptimal. We studied the effect of the combination therapy of an initial high-dose of interferon and amantadine.

Methodology: We investigated the virological response of 20 patients with naive chronic hepatitis C with a high viral load of the genotype 1b virus.

The combination therapy of interferon and amantadine hydrochloride for patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: The effect of interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 1b virus has been suboptimal. We studied the effect of the combination therapy of interferon and amantadine on patients with a high serum viral load of genotype 1b virus.

Methodology: We studied the virological response of naive chronic hepatitis C patients with a high viral load of genotype 1b virus (4.

Antisense oligonucleotides of hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) suppress the proliferation of hepatoma cells.

Background/aims: Human hepatoma-derived growth factor, purified from the conditioned medium of hepatoma-derived cell line, HuH-7, stimulates the growth of Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts and HuH-7 cells. To evaluate the role of hepatoma-derived growth factor on the growth of hepatoma cells, we investigated the effects of recombinant hepatoma-derived growth factor protein and hepatoma-derived growth factor antisense oligonucleotides on the proliferation of several hepatoma cell lines.

Methodology: We examined the effects of hepatoma-derived growth factor antisense oligonucleotides on the growth of hepatoma cells by cell growth assay.

Interferon treatment for patients with chronic hepatitis C infected with high viral load of genotype 2 virus.

Background/aims: Interferon treatment is more effective in patients with chronic hepatitis C infected with genotype 2a virus than those with genotype 1b virus. We analyzed patients with chronic hepatitis C treated by interferon in our clinics to develop a more effective regimen of interferon treatment for patients with genotype 2 virus infection.

Methodology: We retrospectively analyzed the virological response of 36 patients with chronic hepatitis C with a high viral load, including 28 cases infected with the genotype 2a virus and 8 cases with the genotype 2b virus.

Hepatoma-derived growth factor stimulates cell growth after translocation to the nucleus by nuclear localization signals.

Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is the original member of the HDGF family of proteins, which contains a well-conserved N-terminal amino acid sequence (homologous to the amino terminus of HDGF; hath) and nuclear localization signals (NLSs) in gene-specific regions other than the hath region. In addition to a bipartite NLS in a gene-specific region, an NLS-like sequence is also found in the hath region. In cells expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP)-HDGF, green fluorescence was observed in the nucleus, whereas it was detected in the cytoplasm of cells expressing GFP-HDGF with both NLSs mutated or deleted.