Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC): antigen-presenting cells differ in their distribution in early and late stage PBC and involve the ductal, but not the ductular compartment.
We have studied the distribution patterns of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in different stages of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). 58% of cases with early PBC (stages I and II) exhibited dendritic APCs (S-100+, HLA-DR+, KiMlp+) in bile duct epithelia. In contrast, APCs, were not detected in ductular proliferations occurring in late PBC (stages III and IV), but occurred in portal tracts and piecemeal necroses. There was a correlation between the presence of APCs and HLA-DR expression in bile ducts but, in contrast to former studies, we noted a heterogeneous ductal HLA expression. These observations support the hypothesis that: 1) APC distribution in PBC may change as a function of stage, involving hepatic parenchyma in late PBC; 2) ductular epithelia may not represent a target for immune attack, because APCs do not accumulate in these structures; and 3) HLA expression in bile ducts may be heterogeneous, suggesting one mechanism why bile duct destruction in PBC does not take place in a synchronous way.
Rontogianni
D
D
Department of Pathology, Evangelismos Hospital, Ipsilantou, Athens, Greece.
Gerber
H
H
Zimmermann
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D003712:Dendrites / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D006680:HLA Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D009418:S100 Proteins