Tenascin-C in chronic canine hepatitis: immunohistochemical localization and correlation with necro-inflammatory activity, fibrotic stage, and expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin, cytokeratin 7, and CD3+ cells.
During fibrosis, the extracellular matrix (ECM) is continuously remodeled and increases in volume due to the production of various proteins. We studied the distribution of tenascin-C (TN-C) and the correlation of TN-C with the necro-inflammatory activity and expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), cytokeratin 7 (CK7), and CD3+ T-lymphocytes in canine chronic hepatitis. This was analyzed using immunohistochemistry and semiquantitative scoring. We used 3 groups (n = 19) of dogs: group 1 (n = 5) with neonatal hepatitis/lobular dissecting hepatitis (NH/LDH), group 2 (n = 8) with chronic hepatitis/cirrhosis (CH/CIRR), and group 3 (n = 6) consisting of healthy animals. In normal livers, TN-C was localized in Disse's space and around bile ducts and blood vessels. In CH/CIRR livers, TN-C was localized at the periphery of the regenerating nodules and was conspicuous in the bridging fibrous bands. In NH/LDH, TN-C was diffusely distributed along the reticular fibers that dissected between single cells or groups of hepatocytes. alpha-SMA in the normal hepatic parenchyma showed an irregular distribution along the perisinusoidal linings. In other groups, alpha-SMA was increased in fibrotic septa and perisinusoidal linings. In normal livers, CK7 was positive in bile ducts. In other groups, CK7-expressing cells were conspicuous in the portal-parenchymal interface, the periphery of the regenerative nodules, and the degenerated parenchyma. The pattern of CD3+ lymphocytes was inversely proportional to that of TN-C. These results also showed that TN-C is strongly correlated with increased fibrotic stage, inflammatory activity, and expression of CK7 and alpha-SMA. TN-C, CK7, and CD3 expression did not differ between diagnostic groups.
National Animal Health Research Center, Sebeta, Ethiopia.
G A
GA
Mekonnen
J
J
Ijzer
H
H
Nederbragt
D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D053552:Keratin-7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000662:veterinary; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019063:Tenascin / Q000378:metabolism*
D000199:Actins; D017252:CD3 Complex; D053552:Keratin-7; D019063:Tenascin