Estrogen receptor expression in anomalous arrangement of the pancreaticobiliary duct.
OBJECTIVE
Anomalous arrangement of the pancreaticobiliary duct (AAPBD) is a malformation of the bile and pancreatic ducts which is commonly associated with congenital biliary dilatation and predominantly occurs in girls. Estrogen receptor (ER) is reported to modulate cholangiocyte proliferation and play a role in tumorigenesis of estrogen-dependent malignancies. The present study investigated the presence of ER in the gallbladder of patients with AAPBD to elucidate whether ER expression is correlated with sexual specificity and biliary histology.


METHODS
Specimens comprised samples of 29 gallbladders from patients with AAPBD (21 girls and 8 boys; mean age at surgery, 5.3 years). Medical records were retrospectively reviewed, and sex, age, radiographic parameters, and laboratory data were collected for this study. Immunohistochemistry was performed using anti-ER and anti-MIB-1 antibodies, and MIB-1 score was calculated for evaluation of cell proliferation.


RESULTS
ER expression was observed in both the nuclei and cytoplasm of gallbladder epithelium in 12 of 29 specimens. No difference in background characteristics were noted between ER-positive and ER-negative groups. Mucosal hyperplasia was found in 17 specimens. ER-positive cases were significantly more common in AAPBD with mucosal hyperplasia than without (P <0.03). MIB-1 score did not differ significantly between ER-positive and ER-negative groups.


CONCLUSIONS
ER expression seems to be related to hyperplastic mucosa of the gallbladder in AAPBD. ER might play a role in the proliferation of gallbladder epithelium.
Fumino
Shigehisa
S
Division of Surgery, Children's Research Hospital, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan. fumin@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
Iwai
Naomi
N
Deguchi
Eiichi
E
Kimura
Osamu
O
Ono
Shigeru
S
Iwabuchi
Toshihisa
T
D000293:Adolescent; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000002:abnormalities*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000737:chemistry; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000002:abnormalities*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors
D011960:Receptors, Estrogen