Lack of evidence for leukocyte maternal microchimerism in primary biliary cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
It is reasonable to assume that microchimerism could also be involved in the induction of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). However, previous reports investigated only fetus-microchimerism in women patients. Maternal microchimerism has not been investigated until now. The current study aimed to clear either maternal microchimerism was involved in the pathogenesis of PBC or not.


METHODS
We used fluorescence in situ hybridization on paraffin-embedded tissue (We called "Tissue-FISH".) to determine whether maternal cells infiltrated in male patients who were diagnosed as having PBC. Tissue-FISH was performed by using both X and Y specific probes on the biopsy liver sample of 3 male PBC patients.


RESULTS
Infiltrating lymphocytes demonstrated both X and Y signals in all 3 male patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal microchimerism dose not play a significant role in PBC. PBC may not relate to fetus and maternal microchimerism.
Molecular Hematology and Oncology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine Graduate School of Medical Science, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-0841, Japan. nomuken@sun.kpu-m.ac.jp
Kenichi
K
Nomura
Yoshio
Y
Sumida
Takaharu
T
Yoh
Atsuhiro
A
Morita
Yosuke
Y
Matsumoto
Sawako
S
Taji
Naohisa
N
Yoshida
Masahito
M
Minami
Yoshito
Y
Itoh
Shigeo
S
Horiike
Keisho
K
Kataoka
Masafumi
M
Taniwaki
Takeshi
T
Okanoue
D002678:Chimera / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D041321:Chromosomes, Human, X; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male