Lymphocyte subsets studied with monoclonal antibodies in liver tissues of patients with alcoholic liver disease.
In order to determine the nature of T lymphocytes accumulating in hepatic tissues of patients with alcoholic liver disease, we phenotyped these cells in situ, using monoclonal antibodies to lymphocyte surface antigens and the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) technique. In portal areas of cirrhotic livers, a significant increase (p less than 0.001) in T lymphocytes was observed as compared to livers showing only fatty changes and normal liver tissues. The T cells accumulating in cirrhotic livers comprised T helper-inducer (T4) and T suppressor-cytotoxic (T8) subsets with the T4/T8 ratio of 1.4 +/- 0.5 (SD, n = 14). In contrast, the T lymphocytes in the cellular projections which extended into the parenchyma consisted mostly of suppressor-cytotoxic cells. The relative enrichment in T8+ lymphocytes among the cells invading the parenchyma suggests that they may be important in the mediation of a cytotoxic injury of hepatocytes in advanced alcoholic liver disease and in regulating an immunologic challenge possibly initiated in response to alcoholic hyaline.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000032:analysis*; D005235:Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000276:immunology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000187:drug effects; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal