9 Thus, it has been demonstrated that PTTG1 accumulation inhibits mitosis progression and chromosome segregation, but does not directly affect cytokinesis, resulting in aneuploidy.35 It has been shown that HBx can transform cultured cells21 and induce liver cancer in transgenic mice.36 Genetic instability is frequently accompanied with the acquisition of transformation ability and malignant progression of tumors. Moreover, recent reports have shown that HBx expression induces chromosomal aberrations such as chromosome rearrangements and micronuclei formation.37 find more Furthermore,

HBx promotes multipolar spindle formation and chromosomal missegregation during mitosis, and increases multinucleated cells.18 Interestingly, it has been determined that HBx binds to BubR1, a component of the mitotic checkpoint complex, and attenuates the association between BubR1 and CDC20, an activator of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome, resulting in chromosomal instability.38 Our results

demonstrate that HBx induces the accumulation of PTTG1 in interphase cells. Further experiments are necessary to study the effects of HBx on PTTG1 functions during mitotic events. In conclusion, we propose that HBx promotes alterations of PTTG1 expression levels, which may improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of HBV-related pathogenesis of progressive liver disease leading to cirrhosis and HCC development. We thank Drs. O. M. Andrisani, H. Cho, E. Lara-Pezzi, M. Levrero, S. Murakami, K. I. Nakayama, B. L. Slagle, and J. R.

Wands for providing critical reagents and R. López-Rodríguez for statistical Proteasome inhibitor analysis. Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article. “
“Recently, the management of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been greatly advanced with introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) in clinical setting. In Japan, the first DAA, telaprevir (TVR), was approved for patients with chronic hepatitis C in 2011. Along with this, the Japan Society of Hepatology (JSH) produced the first clinical practice guideline for the management of HCV infection, “Guidelines for the Management of Hepatitis C Virus Infection” in May 2012 (English version, 2013[1]). It is our great pleasure that these Guidelines learn more were welcomed and utilized by physicians and other health care providers in daily clinical practices in Japan. Meanwhile, in September 2013, a second-generation DAA, simeprevir (SMV), was approved for use in Japan. According to Phase III trials in Japan and overseas, SMV has a robust therapeutic effect with better safety profiles compared to TVR. As a result, we have decided to update the clinical guidelines for HCV with launch of this new DAA. SMV has now been approved for use in patients with chronic hepatitis C with genotype 1 and high viral load, and therefore these current Guidelines are updated for patients in this group.