title: Bile ductular proliferation as a prognostic factor in biliary atresia: an immunohistochemical assessment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The correlation between the histological findings of the intrahepatic biliary epithelium and postoperative bile drainage in biliary atresia (BA) was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients with BA were classified into 2 groups, consisting of a good bile drainage group (GBD, n = 14, mean age at initial operation, 57.6+/-18.0 days) and a poor bile drainage group (PBD, n = 11, mean age at initial operation, 86.9+/-42.7 days). Liver specimens from an initial Kasai's operation were examined by immunostaining using anticytokeratin 7 (CK7) antibody and anti-MIB-1 antibody. The number of CK7-positive cells in the bile ductules was microscopically calculated within the 40-microm-thick interstitium along the limiting plate (LP), and the CK7-positive cell number per unit length of the LP was estimated. In addition, the MIB-1 index in bile ductules also was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of CK7-positive cells in PBD was significantly higher than that in GBD (167.6+/-45.6 v 117.8+/-32.4/ mm, P<.05). However, the MIB-1 index in biliary cells did not differ between the 2 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increased number of intrahepatic bile duct epithelial cells in liver specimens at the initial operation may be a poor prognostic factor in BA and appears to depend on the duration of bile stasis rather than the degree of bile stasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kinugasa
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shono
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suita
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sueishi
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002455:Cell Division; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D053552:Keratin-7; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008940:Mitotic Index; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015415:Biomarkers; C507497:KRT7 protein, human; D053552:Keratin-7; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D007633:Keratins