Immunohistochemical characterization of hepatic tissue lymphocyte subpopulations in liver disease.
Liver biopsies from 27 patients were studied by the indirect immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase technique for relative distribution of B cells and T-cell subpopulations. T-cell subsets were defined for OKT4(+) (helper/inducer) and OKT8(+) (suppressor/cytotoxic) cells by using mouse hybridoma monoclonal antibodies. Patients with chronic active hepatitis and those with primary biliary cirrhosis showed marked relative increments in suppressor/cytotoxic OKT8(+) lymphocytes within hepatic lymphocytic infiltrates. Other patients with acute hepatitis or those with only reactive changes also showed a relative increment in OKT8(+) T lymphocytes within hepatic biopsy material. These findings suggest that tissue lymphocytic subpopulation increments in suppressor/cytotoxic T-cell subpopulations are commonly associated with hepatic lymphocytic infiltrates and may be related to disorders of immune regulation or expression in some of these disorders.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000276:immunology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology