[A case of neurologic type of Wilson's disease with increased aluminum in liver: comparative study with histological findings to metal contents in the liver].
Histological findings and metal contents in the liver were studied in a patient with neurologic type of Wilson's disease. Copper and aluminum contents in the biopsied liver of the patient with Wilson's disease were measured simultaneously by neutron activation analysis at Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University. Four cases of adult cirrhosis were selected as the control for cirrhosis and five cases of adult liver as the control for neurologically normal. The biopsied liver showed markedly increase in the copper content (814.4 micrograms/g: dry weight) and extremely high content of aluminum (479.4 micrograms/g: dry weight), compared to those of the controls. On the other hand, macroscopically no cirrhosis was observed and the characteristic appearances of macronodular cirrhosis failed to detect histologically. Interestingly the fibrosis or inflammation of the liver was seen faintly. It is likely that toxic metals in the liver such as aluminum, copper and manganese might be implicated in the pathogenesis of neurologic type of Wilson's disease.
Division of Neurological Diseases, Wakayama Medical College, Japan.
M
M
Yasui
J
J
Kohmoto
K
K
Ota
K
K
Shinmen
H
H
Tanaka
H
H
Nogami
D000328:Adult; D000535:Aluminum / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006527:Hepatolenticular Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008345:Manganese / Q000032:analysis*
D008345:Manganese; D003300:Copper; D000535:Aluminum