alpha-Smooth muscle actin immunoreactivity may change in nature in interlobular fibrosis of the pancreas in patients with congenital biliary dilatation.
Pancreatic fibrosis in patients with congenital biliary dilatation (CBD) or choledochal cyst was studied to determine why biliary pancreatitis seldom progresses to chronic pancreatitis/more progressive state. Pancreatic collagenization in eight patients (three adults with pancreatoduodenectomy and five children with biopsy of the pancreas performed when excising the cyst) with CBD was evaluated histopathologically and immunohistochemically. Interlobular and periductal fibrosis with both collagen Type I and Type III immunoreactivities was found in six out of eight cases and in all four cases in which the pancreatic duct was included, respectively. The interlobular area was seldom immunoreactive for alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), a marker for myofibroblasts, but was usually positive for CD34, a human progenitor cell antigen. In contrast, the periductal area was usually immunoreactive for alpha-SMA, but usually negative for CD34 and immunopositive for bcl-2, indicating a continuously progressive state of fibrosis, in which 'pre-existing'alpha-SMA immunoreactivity in the interlobular area may change in nature and lead to CD34-positive fibrosis or apoptosis. In conclusion, biliary pancreatitis is not likely to evolve into chronic pancreatitis/more progressive state because 'pre-existing'alpha-SMA immunoreactivity in the interlobular area may change in nature.
Matsubara
Kenro
K
Department of Pathology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Suda
Koichi
K
Suzuki
Fujihiko
F
Kumasaka
Toshio
T
Shiotsu
Hidetoshi
H
Miyano
Takeshi
T
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015529:Choledochal Cyst / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000150:complications / Q000151:congenital / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000378:metabolism*; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D000199:Actins; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015415:Biomarkers