[Detection of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in liver tissues of fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis after liver and kidney transplantation].
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression and distribution of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg) in liver tissues of patients with fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis (FCH) after liver and kidney transplantation and to investigate their roles in the pathogenesis of FCH.


METHODS
Liver biopsy specimens from five patients with FCH were studied histopathologically. A specific marker for CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in those specimens was detected with anti-FOXP3 monoclonal antibody by immunohistochemistry. Apoptoses of hepatocytes were detected with in situ apoptosis detection TUNEL kit.


RESULTS
Fibrosis in portal and around portal areas, cholestasis in some of the hepatocytes and canaliculi, widespread ballooning and ground-glass appearance of liver cells, and positivity of HBsAg and HBcAg and Pre-S1 protein were seen in the livers of all cases. The positive signal of FOXP3 was located in the cytoplasm of lymphocytes and the positive cells were mainly aggregated in the portal areas as well as occasionally appearing in the hepatic sinusoids. There were many more apoptotic hepatocytes near the portal areas.


CONCLUSIONS
Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis has specific pathological characteristics which might be caused by high expressions of FOXP3 in liver tissues.
Lang
Zhen-wei
ZW
Department of Pathology, Ditan Hospital, Beijing 100011, China. langzw@21cn.com
Shen
Bing
B
Zhang
Liang
L
Shi
Xiao-hong
XH
Ma
Pei-qing
PQ
Lan
Meng-dong
MD
Ma
Zhi-chun
ZC
Jin
Shu-hua
SH
D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D001706:Biopsy; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit