A simple specimen preparation method for histopathological evaluation of vestibular organs.

Vestibular organs consist of the maculae staticae, which are located in both the utricle and saccule, as well as the semicircular ducts and their ampullas. There have been no reports on specimen preparation methods for vestibular organs, including maculae staticae or semicircular ducts. In this study, we investigated highly reproducible methods of preparing vestibular organ specimens for histopathological examinations.

Ribonucleotide reductase M2 promotes RNA replication of hepatitis C virus by protecting NS5B protein from hPLIC1-dependent proteasomal degradation.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) establishes a chronic infection that can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The HCV life cycle is closely associated with host factors that promote or restrict viral replication, the characterization of which could help to identify potential therapeutic targets. To this end, here we performed a genome-wide microarray analysis and identified ribonucleotide reductase M2 (RRM2) as a cellular factor essential for HCV replication.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in a mouse model fed a choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cancer worldwide and represents the outcome of the natural history of chronic liver disease. The growing rates of HCC may be partially attributable to increased numbers of people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, details of the liver-specific molecular mechanisms responsible for the NAFLD-NASH-HCC progression remain unclear, and mouse models that can be used to explore the exact factors that influence the progression of NAFLD/NASH to the more chronic stages of liver disease and subsequent HCC are not yet fully established.

A serine palmitoyltransferase inhibitor blocks hepatitis C virus replication in human hepatocytes.

Background & Aims: Host cell lipid rafts form a scaffold required for replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Serine palmitoyltransferases (SPTs) produce sphingolipids, which are essential components of the lipid rafts that associate with HCV nonstructural proteins. Prevention of the de novo synthesis of sphingolipids by an SPT inhibitor disrupts the HCV replication complex and thereby inhibits HCV replication.

An orally available, small-molecule interferon inhibits viral replication.

Most acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections become chronic and some progress to liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Standard therapy involves an interferon (IFN)-α-based regimen, and efficacy of therapy has been significantly improved by the development of protease inhibitors. However, several issues remain concerning the injectable form and the side effects of IFN.

Proanthocyanidin from blueberry leaves suppresses expression of subgenomic hepatitis C virus RNA.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of chronic liver disease such as chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. While searching for new natural anti-HCV agents in agricultural products, we found a potent inhibitor of HCV RNA expression in extracts of blueberry leaves when examined in an HCV subgenomic replicon cell culture system. This activity was observed in a methanol extract fraction of blueberry leaves and was purified by repeated fractionations in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.