Primary biliary cirrhosis, similar to that in human beings, in a male C57BL/6 mouse infected with Helicobacter pylori.
We report a case of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) that occurred in a 24-month-old male C57BL/6 mouse infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Microscopically, the portal tract in the liver showed nonsuppurative destructive cholangitis with variable cytologic distortion of the epithelial cells and peribiliary lymphoplasmacytic infiltration. Immunohistochemistry using alpha-smooth muscle actin demonstrated fibrous bands associating with the wall of vasculature. The level of serum antivacuolating toxin IgG in this mouse showed the highest value (optical density=2.1470) of the H. pylori-infected group (n=13) (optical density=1.7168+/-0.1759, mean+/-SD). Spontaneously developed PBC-like lesions in C57BL/6 mice have been reported by several authors. However, this case strikingly resembles human PBC with its characterized histological features. Therefore, we propose that the increase in vacuolating toxin caused by H. pylori infection may be related to the development of PBC by molecular mimicry.
Goo
Moon-Jung
MJ
Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Ki
Mi-Ran
MR
Lee
Hye-Rim
HR
Hong
Il-Hwa
IH
Park
Jin-Kyu
JK
Yang
Hai-Jie
HJ
Yuan
Dong-Wei
DW
Hwang
Ok-Kyung
OK
Do
Sun-Hee
SH
Yoo
Sung-Eun
SE
Jeong
Kyu-Shik
KS
D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000097:blood; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
D000199:Actins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C074689:VacA protein, Helicobacter pylori