Osteopontin expression in proliferated bile ductules: the correlation with liver damage in fulminant hepatitis.

Abstract

There have been many reports about the severity of hepatic necrosis caused by fulminant hepatitis; however, the relation between proliferated bile ductules and osteopontin (OPN) expression in inflamed areas in each of the clinical forms of fulminant hepatitis has not been described. To analyze the mechanism in the onset of fulminant hepatitis, we classified not only 16 autopsy cases of fulminant hepatitis into two clinical forms--acute and subacute--but also 3 autopsy cases of late-onset hepatic failure (LOHF) associated with fulminant hepatitis, and examined liver specimens by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry and also serum transaminase levels. Histopathologic study revealed that some of the proliferated bile ductules were associated directly with deteriorating hepatocytes and that bile plugs were present in the proliferated bile ductules. The value of the proliferative cell nuclear antigen labeling index (PCNA-L I) for proliferated bile ductules was very high during the acute form of fulminant hepatitis. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that OPN expression was higher in the proliferated bile ductules of acute-form fulminant hepatitis than in cirrhotic and normal liver bile ducts. Transaminase levels in acute-form fulminant hepatitis were significantly elevated in comparison with levels in the other forms of the disease. Comparison of acute form fulminant hepatitis with the subacute form and LOHF showed OPN expression in proliferated bile ductules and serum aspartate aminotransferase (ALT)max to be decreased in the subacute form of fulminant hepatitis. OPN expression is an important marker of the degree of liver inflammation, and its regulation mechanism is very important to understanding the pathophysiology of fulminant hepatitis.

• Authors: Takuma Tajiri, Genshu Tate, Toshiaki Kunimura, Yutaka Endo, Kazuaki Inoue, Toshiyuki Mitsuya, Toshio Morohoshi, Makoto Yoshiba
• Journal: Digestive diseases and sciences (Dig Dis Sci) Vol. 50 Issue 1 Pg. 188-95 (Jan 2005) ISSN: 0163-2116 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15712659 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen
• SPP1 protein, human
• Sialoglycoproteins
• Osteopontin
• Aspartate Aminotransferases

Topics

• Acute Disease
• Adult
• Aged
• Aspartate Aminotransferases (blood)
• Bile Ducts (metabolism, pathology)
• Biomarkers (metabolism)
• Case-Control Studies
• Female
• Hepatitis (blood, complications, metabolism, pathology)
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Liver (pathology)
• Liver Failure, Acute (blood, etiology, metabolism, pathology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Necrosis
• Osteopontin
• Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (metabolism)
• Sialoglycoproteins (metabolism)