To the Editor: It has been shown that hepatitis C virus (HCV) is highly dependent on lipid metabolism, exploiting the host processes of cholesterol entry (1) and intracellular trafficking (2). The recent description of NiemannPick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) protein as an entry factor for HCV to host cells (3), prompted us to report the following observation: A 57-year-old female Hispanic patient presen...

Homeostasis of cholesterol is regulated by absorption in the intestine and synthesis in the liver. The authors previously demonstrated that OPN (osteopontin) exhibits the ability to alter hepatic cholesterol metabolism, thus affecting cholesterol gallstone formation in mice. The present study investigated the role of OPN in cholesterol gallstone formation, focusing on its effect on intestinal a...