Inhibitory effect of silymarin on CCl-induced liver fibrosis by reducing Ly6C monocytes infiltration.

It has been well established that silymarin has hepatoprotective and anti-fibrotic effects. But the mechanisms are poorly understood. In recent years, the role of Ly6C monocytes in liver fibrosis has been well demonstrated.

Association of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase with treatment outcome in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Aim: To investigate the association of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels with chronic hepatitis B infection and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed on clinical data collected from patients who had been positive for hepatitis B surface antigen for > 6 mo and who were antiviral-treatment naïve (n = 215) attending the Hepatitis Clinic at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between August 2010 and December 2013. Healthy individuals without liver disease (n = 83) were included as controls.

[Relationship between PD-1 expression on peripheral T lymphcytes and HBeAg seroconversion after entecavir treatment in chronic hepatitis B patients].

To observe longitudinally the expression of Programmed death 1(PD-1) on peripheral blood T cells in chronic hepatitis B patients underwent antiviral treatment with entecavir (ETV) and to explore the relationship between PD-1 expression and HBeAg seroconversion. Twenty HBeAg positive patients underwent antiviral treatment with ETV were followed up for 51 weeks. 14 patients remained HBeAg positive and 6 patients achieved HBeAg seroconversion.

[Establishment of long-term culture system for human B cells derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells activated via soluble CD40 ligand].

Objective: To develop a method for long-term culture of human B cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by means of human soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), and to investigate the proliferation and antigen-presenting function of the CD40-activated B cells.

Method: Peripheral blood sample of 30 ml was collected from a healthy person. PBMCs were isolated and cultured in the presence of sCD40L.

[Effectiveness and safety of bicyclol combined with thymosin in treatment of chronic viral hepatitis B].

Objective: To analyze the efficacy and safety of bicyclol combined with thymosin in treatment of chronic viral hepatitis B (CHB).

Methods: A total of 135 patients with CHB were randomized into experimental group and control group. The patients in the experimental group received bicyclol orally 75 mg daily and thymosin 20 mg intramuscular injection once every 2 days for 24 weeks and those in control group received bicyclol orally 75 mg daily alone for 24 weeks.