Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0019204 (hepatocellular carcinoma)
 71,386 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The hepadnavirus family contains a number of related viruses able to infect a variety of animal species. In the present study, we have used the polymerase chain reaction and oligonucleotide primers to a conserved region of the viral replicase gene of hepadnaviruses to identify viral sequences in de novo tissues in three well-characterized hepadnavirus systems: the woodchuck, ground squirrel and Pekin duck. We did not detect related hepadnavirus sequences in liver specimens from tree squirrels putatively infected with the tree squirrel hepatitis virus, or in liver specimens from horses with hepatitis (serum sickness), or from dogs with chronic active hepatitis or hepatocellular carcinoma.
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PMID:Detection of mammalian and avian hepadnaviruses by the polymerase chain reaction. 145 24

Despite maximal intensive care, mortality of acute fulminant hepatic failure is high: 60%-75% in several studies. In addition patients with chronic liver insufficiency suffer from a bad quality of life: all patients suffer from fatigue; symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy, jaundice, and itching are often present. Analogous to artificial kidney treatment in patients with renal failure, an artificial liver assist device is needed not only to bridge patients with fulminant hepatic failure to liver transplantation or own liver regeneration, but also to improve the quality of life of patients with chronic liver insufficiency. Several modalities of artificial liver support are under investigation, like plasma exchange, haemodialysis, haemadsorption, albumin dialysis, liver cell transplantation, and the bioartificial liver. Artificial livers based on only supportive detoxification function do not show significant improvement of survival in controlled studies. Bioartificial liver support systems have also the potential to support hepatic synthetic functions. Bioreactors can be charged with freshly isolated or cryopreserved porcine hepatocytes, but also by human hepatoma cell lines. Several uncontrolled studies in humans show safety of such a treatment, even by using porcine cells. Transmission of porcine endogenous retrovirus to recipients has not been found. Furthermore, beneficial effects have been reported on symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy, on the height of intracranial pressure and on hemodynamic parameters. By using porcine cells immunological problems (e.g., serum sickness) can be expected during treatments longer than one week. However, "proof of the pudding" in the sense of improvement of survival is not yet available. The creation of a "liver dialysis unit" in the near future depends mainly on the development of well-differentiated immortalized human hepatocytes. Some progress in this field has already been obtained.
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PMID:Bioartificial liver support anno 2001. 1260 24

Infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) can result in hepatic diseases which may include an asymptomatic non-replicative carrier state, immunotolerant phase characterized by high DNA levels without significant hepatic injury, immune-reactive phase characterized by occurrence of chronic hepatitis and fibrosis in the liver, or complications like cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Extrahepatic manifestations may also accompany HBV infection. These may include serum sickness syndrome, polyarthralgia, polyarthritis, dermatologic manifestations like pitted keratolysis, urticaria, purpura, oral lichen planus or Gianotti-Crosti syndrome-a childhood papular eruption. Renal involvement may occur with HBV infection and usually involves glomerular or vascular injury. Various morphologic forms of renal injury have been reported with HBV infection, the commonest being membranous glomerulonephritis. The manifestations may include swelling over face and body, pedal edema, and urinary abnormalities. Evaluation may detect proteinuria, hematuria and reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The management options include use of antiviral drugs targeting HBV infection with or without concomitant immunosuppressive medication. With availability of newer drugs like entecavir and tenofovir, these have become the first line agents as they have a high barrier to resistance. Sole use of immunosuppression is not recommended for lack of clear benefit and the possible risk of HBV reactivation or flare.
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PMID:Renal disease in patients infected with hepatitis B virus. 2750 99