Periportal Stellate Cells in Subjects with Chronic Hepatitis C with a Varied Serum Alanine Aminotransferase Level

Recently it has been reported that HCV-related cirrhotic patients with persistently high serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity have higher risk of development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) than those with persistently low levels of ALT activity [1]. Vitamin A has been demonstrated to have many biological functions in regulation of growth and differentiation of normal and cancer cells. Hepatic stellate cells (SCs) are the main storage site of vitamin A and regulate homeostasis of vitamin A. To analyze cellular and molecular mechanism in the relationship between persistent high serum level of ALT and HCC development from the viewpoint of vitamin A handling, this study was performed.