title: Immunohistochemical study of stellate cells in patients with chronic viral hepatitis C genotype 1.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are key-players in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis, inducing collagen deposition and abnormal extracellular matrix remodeling.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to identify the stellate cells using immunohistochemical techniques and to establish if there is a correlation between the expression of stellate cells and the clinical and histological parameters in patients with chronic viral hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  The studied group included 30 patients with chronic viral hepatitis C genotype 1, in whom a liver biopsy was performed previous to the antiviral treatment. After the histological analyze, the biopsy was stained with an anti-SMA antibody (Dako, Carpinteria, CA). The amount of positive stained area was determined using an arbitrary semiquantitative score from 1 to 4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our observations suggest that there is a strong correlation between the stellate cells activity, evaluated using a semiquantitative score, and the stage of liver fibrosis (rs=0.76, p<0.001). Also, our study revealed a direct correlation, but less intense, with the necro-inflammatory activity (rs=0.39, p=0.03), the steatosis degree (rs=0.428, p=0.01) and the value of alanine aminotransferase (rs=0.4, p=0.03). The age and the viremia level were not correlated with the activity of the stellate cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that the transition of stellate cells from inactivated state to the state of highly fibrogenic cell is influenced mainly by the histological liver modifications (necroinflammatory activity and steatosis) and less by clinical parameters (age, sex) or the viremia level.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Craiova, Romania. larisasandulescu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Larisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Săndulescu
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rogoveanu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ciurea
authors.forename: Maria Victoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Comănescu
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Streba
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Ionescu
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oproaica
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ene
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins